Posted at: Feb 5, 2021
The following is a list of Shimano MTB component grades and model numbers. Also includes compatibility with components for road and gravel bikes.
Table of contents
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Shimano’s MTB component grades are more numerous than those for road bikes, and are especially thick for entry-level riders.
A comparison with components for road bikes is shown below.
| Series | Current model number | Speed | Grades for roadbike compo |
|---|---|---|---|
| XTR | M9100 | 12s | DURA-ACE |
| DEORE XTR | M8100 | 12s | ULTEGRA |
| SLX | M7100 | 12s | 105 |
| DEORE | M6100、M5100、M4100 | 12s、11s、10s | TIAGRA |
| AVIVIO | M3100 | 9s | SORA |
| ACERA | M3000 | 9s | SORA |
| ALTUS | M2000 | 9s | CLARIS |
| Tourney TX | TX800 | - | |
| Tourney A070 | A070 | Tourney | |
| Tourney | - | - | |
| Tourney TZ | TZ500 | - | |
| SAINT | M820 | GRX | |
| ZEE | M640 | GRX |
In terms of model numbers, as with road bike components, the 9000 XTR is the highest grade, and the 2000 ALTUS is the lowest grade for main components.
As for Tourney, the A070 is shared with road bike components, while the other Tourney components are commonly found in MTB and hybrid bikes.
As 11-speed has become the norm, the industry has begun to shift to 12-speed for higher grades, but Shimano components for MTB have been converted to 12-speed before those for road bikes.
In MTB, four of the higher grades have already been upgraded to 12-speed.
On the contrary, the only main 11-speed component in road bikes is the DEORE M5100 series, while the others are 9-speed in the main components.
Sprockets with wide ratios are increasingly being used for gravel roads on road bikes, and MTB sprockets with ultra-wide ratios of 10-51T, which would be unthinkable on a road bike, are now available.
With 12 speeds and super wide ratios, it will be easy to use a single front for gravel riding.
In many cases, the following parts can be shared between Shimano components for road bikes and MTBs.
However, since MTB sprockets are wide-ratio and 12s, which are not compatible with road bikes, are lined up, you need to pay attention to the compatibility of the maximum number of teeth, mainly in the rear derailleur.
As for the chain, if it is of HG-X grade and has the same number of gears, it can be shared.
As for pedals, the diameter of the crank is the same, so as long as the shoes are SPD (not SPD-SL), they are compatible.
We’ve looked at Shimano’s grade of components for MTB.
Looking at the components, we can see that parts such as sprockets, derailleurs, and cranks are more compatible with gravel road bikes than with road bikes.
However, Shimano’s compo for gravel bikes is still for 11-speed bikes, so you basically can’t use higher grade compo for MTB.
When the components for road bikes become 12-speed, it will be possible to build an interesting bike by combining them with MTB.
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