Product Review: Microshift Drivetrain

It used to be there were only 2 real choices in performance cycling shifty parts: Campagnolo and Shimano. Sure there was Suntour and Mavic and some others, but they died off while the other two thrived. Then one day a silly little Chicago company named Sram popped up and became a monster on the scene. Now we have Vision and Tiso rolling out weird new designs. But the big news, in my opinion, is the little Taiwanese brand that could, Microshift.

The reason I like Microshift is because their top-o-the-line 4-piece 10-speed group, Arsis ( or Arses), with it's carbon fiber accents and sub 1000 gram shifters, can be purchased for a mere $438---- from Walmart.com.

Now I don't like WallMert. They aren't a bike shop and you really shouldn't go there for any reason, but two shifters and derailleurs for under $500 is, well, that's a deal.

But do they work? Yes. I've done tune-ups on bikes that have been rocking Microshift parts for over 2000 miles and I see no difference in the long-term usability of them versus their price-point competitors of Sram Apex and Shimano Tiagra. The shifts are exact and the clicky mechanism is firm. In terms of shifting feel it's similar to first series Sram or Campagnolo Veloce in that you have a loud and decisive SNAP that tells you you're in gear.

What's more, Microshift uses the same lever-pull ratio as Shimano, which means you can swap out parts. Lets say you crash and can't afford a new Ultegra rear der. No prob, just slap on a Microshift. Same goes for replacing shifters (5700 and 6700 series). And of course chain rings and cogs and cables and all the rest are compatible.

MY ISSUES:
I do not like the ergonomics of Microshift brifters at all. The top part isn't comfortable to rest my hands on. The flat part is too small.  Also the shifter buttons are hard to manipulate from the hoods, requiring an awkward bend of the wrist as if you're a cat digging into a new corduroy couch cushion. From the drops you have to reach up and forward with your thumb and kind of hunt around for it with your wrist arched in cat pose again. Very inconvenient in a racing setting. Though I am curious how a smaller person's hand likes the feel. They just didn't make it for my catcher's mit sized mauls.

The brake pull is also pretty excessive. As you can see in the picture, I have the levers pulled almost all the way to the bar to get full brake engagement, and that's with the brake-pad-to-rim tolerance set to about 2mm on each side. They'll need to fix that or come up with a new brake caliper or something before I fully trust a Microshift brifter.

Also, the cable comes out the side of the shifter. That's like so 2000s. Everybody hides their cables under the bar tape now. Get with the program Microshift.

But that's it really. They aren't that comfortable for me and the brake-pull is excessive and whatever else I said but for the money, hey why not? The stuff works great and lasts. I might even pick up an Arsis rear derailleur just because I think it looks cool.