Shimano

Shimano

Shimano is a Japanese company founded in 1921 that mainly produces bicycle articles. 
Its first product, put on the market at the beginning of the 70s, consisted of the freewheel mechanism for bicycles; 
Today it is the world leader in the mechanical components of mountain bikes and racing bikes: in fact, it produces most of the mechanical groups that compose them (gearboxes, braking systems, wheel hubs, freewheel mechanisms, chains, pedals, etc.). At the end of the '70s the first professional world titles arrived, with the introduction of the track bike group. 
The company's philosophy is totally dedicated to the supply of high quality components for different types of bicycles produced in various countries around the world, from the needs of the world's best riders to daily users: in this way, pursuing the creation of new designs and easy-to-use functions, new innovative products are created that excel both in high precision and durability. 
For this reason, the Japanese production company has divided its production according to the needs of its customers, planning in the various years of development and growth of the company some quality improvements divided into groups of components. 

SHIMANO TRANSMISSION GROUPS

→DRIVE TRAINS - RACING BIKES

Starting from the bottom, for less demanding customers, Shimno has created a group of medium-high range components renamed Shimano 105: designed for those who want to combine performance, lightness, and durability with low costs, it is considered "racing" to be used on other types of bike, in fact it can also be found on vehicles with carbon frame. 
Proposed in 10 and 11 speed version at the rear, since 2015 it has been adapted to the technology of hydraulic disc brakes, making it possible to use the STI (Shimano Total Integration) with hydraulic disc brakes and Ice technology (i.e. ventilated pads and discs with steel core and aluminum coating, to improve the evacuation of heat generated by braking). 
The second group proposed and named Shimano Ultegra, represents the family of high-end components (qualitatively speaking), the younger brother only of the absolute top of the range, the Shimano Dura Ace group. 
Ultegra offers a better shifting quality compared to the previous groupsets, because the mechanical machining is of high quality: the shifting of the chain from one sprocket to another is smoother, the aesthetics is more accurate and is designed with a decidedly "race" setting with 11/12 speeds at the rear. 
Last but not least, the Shimano Dura Ace groupset is the leading group of components for racing bikes, representing the highest technological expression offered by the market. In fact, Shimano mtb, for this class of components, always adopts the latest cutting-edge technologies, with the aim of improving the potential of the components by casting them with electronic devices: the name comes from duralumin, a particular type of aluminium alloy, and "Ace", the best. The fluidity and speed of shifting are taken to the limit, the resistance is very high, as well as the dispersion of energy transmitted from the cyclist to the bicycle are minimized.

→ TRANSMISSION GROUPS - MTB BIKES

Starting from the basic group for the mtb world, designed to be mounted on the low cost bike, i.e. those intended for those who approach the off-road world in small steps and do not want to spend huge amounts of money at least initially: more than a real off-road use in an intensive way, the Shimano Acera is dedicated to a touristic use, from excursion without great demands of speed or height difference. 
To be considered as the first group, if you want something really designed for mtb, the Shimano Alivio is a step above the Acera, while the Shimano Deore group (not to be confused with its big brother "Deore XT") represents the first of the mid range and is essentially dedicated to performance. 
Analyzing the whole range in an ascending way, we find the twin of the Deore, but destined to gravity uses (i.e. Enduro and Downhill): the Shimano Zee is able to offer an excellent compromise between performance research and price. 
Universally known as the group dedicated to the amateur agonists (in short, to those who are not professional bikers), the Shimano Deore XT offers performance that meets the needs of almost all fans of mud and roots. In fact, it borrows a lot of the XTR colleague's technologies, but with the use of less valuable materials (carbon fiber replaced by aluminum). 
Finally, reaching the top of the range, the Shimano XTR is the best and most performing one ever developed by Japanese engineers in the mtb world. The Shimano Saint, on the other hand, is its equivalent version aimed at gravity disciplines. 

We at Pro-M Store, as official retailers of Shimano Italia products, offer our customers a wide range of schimano components and pedals. 
On our ehsop, in the shimano online shop section, you will have a wide range in which to choose your next shimano spd and flat pedals.