More Shimano 2007 News

XTR FACES A TRUE THREAT
For years, there has been only one competitor at the top of the mountain bike component game: Shimano XTR. Sure, some folks liked GripShift, but SRAM never had a complete, robust component group that could rival the durability, precision and flat-out wow factor of Shimano’s premier mountain bike group.

Then last spring, SRAM revamped its own top of the line X.O. group, paired it with Avid disc brakes and Truvativ components (both brands are owned by SRAM) and suddenly, SRAM was on the map in a big way. The new X.O. shifters and derailleurs were freaky good. The package of SRAM goods is undeniably stellar. For the first time in almost a decade, a company had fielded a component group that truly rivaled XTR.

For its part, SRAM couldn’t have timed their remodeling of X.O. any better—consumer ambivalence over Shimano’s integrated brake-shift levers was leading some bike manufacturers to reconsider whether they should still spec XTR on their flagship models. A series of late deliveries (from Shimano to the bike companies) gave them yet another reason to consider switching from XTR….

SHIMANO FIGHTS BACK Shimano has been quiet this past year—as they say in a million Hollywood movies, “too quiet”. To no one’s great surprise, Shimano was responding to the new SRAM love fest by designing a suite of new components that they hope will cement their position at the top. This past week, Shimano shed some light on all the tinkering they’ve been doing. We ran a first report here Big Changes in Store for XTR.

GIVE ‘EM WHAT THEY WANT I was walking around Interbike with a Shimano staffer last September and we were accosted no fewer than 3 times in a mere 5 minutes by tradeshow attendees who wanted to let someone, anyone, at Shimano know that they hated Dual Control. It was clear that the Shimano rep had heard all this before. He tried to explain that Shimano was still making trigger shifters available to consumers, but this explanation seemed to go right over each plaintiff’s head. I have a feeling that this was true on a larger market level as well.

For 2007, Shimano is offering both Dual Control and trigger shifters on XTR, XT and LX. They have also redesigned their trigger shifters (which, in some respects, seem to have taken a few design cues from SRAM’s own X.O. triggers) to be more ergonomic. I’m guessing that the re-design will not just improve Shimano’s line of trigger offerings, but will also help the company highlight the fact that they still offer shifters for the masses who fear and loathe integrated shifting on the mountain bike front.

THOSE NEW TRIGGER SHIFTERS the new XTR RapidFire Plus shifters sport four new features: Instant-release shifting: Clicking the upper release lever) releases cable tension the moment the lever is depressed, which makes for faster shifts (something SRAM bought to the table last spring, and certainly a good feature to emulate).

Multi-release shifting: While riders could always shift more than one gear with a hearty push of their thumb, the new RapidFire Plus triggers also enable you to shift two gears at once with the release lever.

Push-Push OR Push-Pull: With the new design, you can activate shifts on the release lever by either pulling it with your finger (standard Shimano style) or by pushing it with your thumb (ala the new SRAM).

Adjustable Shifters: Now you can shift the shifter, so to speak by loosening a bolt and sliding the shifter left or right along your handlebar. Like your shiters inboard of your brake lever? Like them outboard of your levers? You can run them anyway you want. I know the guys at Shimano will bang their heads into the wall when I mention this, but yes, this is something SRAM brought to the table last Spring with their new X.O. Personally, I don’t think it matters who brings the novel feature to market first. A good feature is a good feature, plain and simple. It’s just interesting to note the role reversal. I’ve been riding mountain bikes since 1985 and I’ve never seen anything like it before.

DUAL CONTROL GETS BLING OF ITS OWN
Of course, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that some riders really like Dual Control and can’t figure out why other folks insist on sticking to their trigger-shifting guns. Accordingly, many of the same features that lie at the heart of their trigger-shifter redesign are also coming home to roost on Dual Control in 2007. For starters, Dual Control is getting lighter. Precisely how much lighter is not clear at this point, but hey, light is good. Dual Control also gets the same instant-release shifting feature, the same multi-release shifting, and reach adjustment for all the folks with tiny hands that have been flailing away at their levers with their stubby, little doll-sized digits. Silly small handers.

MORE DERAILLEUR CHOICES
Maybe you love Rapid-Rise—you buy the logic that it allows you to shift into easier gears quicker and with less effort during those oh-crap-I’m-in-the-middle-of-this-hill-and-I-need-help moments. Well, you’ll still be able to get Rapid-Rise next year. Then again, maybe you still think of Rapid-Rise as back-ass-wards shifting and you pine for the days when you could dump a ton of gears, lightning quick with that little release lever. Well, you can have that cake too next year. That’s right, Shimano is making both Rapid-Rise and High-Normal (old school) XTR rear derailleurs available. You choose.

NEW PREMIER HOOPS & PEDALS Shimano is bringing the re-design full circle with updates to the XTR wheelset (yes, it’s tubeless compatible AND this time around it features a scandium rim, new spoke lacing, a more rigid 7075-grade aluminum axle and a new titantium cog carrier. Net result? A weight loss of 187 grams. Total weight will be 1525 grams. 2007 will be the first time Shimano has ever included pedals in their XTR line. This first-ever XTR pedal features a revised cleat interface that, according to Shimano, gives you a more stable and solid engagement. It’s also 25 grams lighter than the previous pimp pedal from Shimano and it comes with a 3-year warranty.

WHEN WILL THIS ALL BECOME AVAILABLE? The 2007 redesign doesn’t stop there. Cranks and brakes are also getting a facelift, though we don’t expect to hear the news for a few months yet. Shimano expects to send the new products to bike shops by late August. Many of the changes brought to XTR in the 2007 model-year redesign will also be manifested on the XT and LX lines, so if you don’t have the bottomless wallet to experience XTR, you still have a fighting chance to taste the goods with XT and LX.

The new XTR wheels, pedal, rear derailleur and shifter prototypes will be unveiled at the Sea Otter Classic (just a few days from now). Professional racers, Adam Craig, Walker Ferguson, Marie Helene Premont, Bart Brentjens and Roel Paulissen will put the new parts to the test in competition.
Shimano’s Marketing Manager David Lawrence said, “By putting XTR to the test in professional competition, we are at once publicly displaying our engineers’ hard work on the new group, and furthering the research and development process.”

Lawrence goes onto say, “The feedback we get from Adam Craig, Walker Ferguson, Roel Paullisen, Bart Brentjens and other top athletes is essential to putting the finishing touches on the group before it ships to market later this year. And it gives the cycling public a good idea of where we are headed, too – there are lots of new options this time around, and plenty of technological advancements, enabling cyclists to choose the spec that best fits their needs – whether that requires Rapidfire or Dual Control shifters, top-normal or low-normal rear derailleurs, or any of a host of other options.”

Racing for the Giant team is 24-year-old Adam Craig of Bend, Oregon. Craig said, “I can’t wait to be one of the first to race aboard the new XTR. I'm a huge fan of having a component system that's designed to work as a unit and Shimano definitely has this down. The stuff just works great and with the new features, it’s only going to make my ride that much better.”

Coming out of hiatus of bicycle racing and riding for the Scott team is 24-year-old Walker Ferguson of Boulder, Colorado. Ferguson said about XTR, “For the last 6 months I have done La Ruta in Costa Rica, 2 months training in Baja on rough roads, and a week long event through the jungles of Belize and have yet to have any parts fail or stop working. I think that’s as much abuse as you can dish out to a bike and who doesn’t want reliability like that”?