Strengths: Very easy to install and adjust. If you purchase the FD get some extra cable. Once installed any normal human can feel like a XC pro while adjusting on the fly.
Weaknesses: Heavy, too long of throws. Lacks the smoothness of a Deore or Saint (read overall)
Bottom Line:
Alright, just installed this RD 2 hours ago. All I had to do was hook the cable up and every gear hit. I decided to upgrade the RD and FD after spending 11 hour on the the stock RD and FDs last Saturday fixing all the incorrectness just to adjust it 6 days later. After installing the Alivios my family is super happy with their Wal-Mart Specials. For all the haters out there, if you're installing 30$ RD's on your trek and specialized you're not a real rider, you're probably too cheap to upgrade for componets you need on real XC trails. One idea, don't buy weed for a week and spend the extra $ on deore or saint components. For people that need a good RD, FD and don't want to break the bank...buy the Alivio set.
Bike Setup: This one was buitl for the fam. Wal-Mart Mongoose XR200. Wtb dual duty rims, shimano rapid fire shifts, serfas vermin-f rubber. PROMAX disc brakes
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Submitted by
SgtBaxter
a Cross Country Rider
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2011
Strengths: Beefy, shifts well, shifts smooth
Weaknesses: A little on the heavy side, not the "shadow" design of the newer RD's.
Bottom Line:
Reading some of the reviews you'd think this RD is a pile of garbage, but not so. It resurrected an old bike beautifully.
I've had zero chain slap, and often ride on rutted, muddy equestrian trails where you end up not even seeing the RD until you hose it off and this one never misses a beat. Shifts quickly enough, and has needed exactly zero adjustments since I installed it a year ago.
While I might not put it on a $900 bike, for people on a budget it's a great RD! Only a few bucks more than the Tourney series, and much much much better built. If you have an older bike you're trying to breathe some life back into, look no further.
Submitted by
T_bone17
a Cross Country Rider
from winnipeg, manitoba, canada
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2011
Strengths: has lasted many, many thousands of miles. these miles are all on my specialized mtb and are on the road, ditch, stumps, roots, grass, dirt, rain, mud, drops, jumps, dust. I've used it since I've had my bike in early 2008, almost every day during warm months and it's been great. I have no idea where the "cheap crap" reviews are coming from. maybe user error. once set up by LBS, I've RARELY had to adjust it.
Weaknesses: only worth while weakness, is the tension spring is not as stiff as I'd like since there is an above average amount of chain slap with this unit.
Bottom Line:
you must be really sensitive to whine about this derailleur. very durable and reliable. I should emphasize I put in the thousands of miles on per year on trails, commuting, charity rides, and general bashing around, and it has NEVER let me down. chain slap can be solved simply with a little lizard skin. no reason to change it unless you break it in a crash.
Favorite Trail: top of the world (short but sweet, it's actually for hiking)
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Bike Setup: '07 specialized hardrock comp disc, 719d rims, xt hubs, hollowtech crankset, thompson stem and post, romin sl saddle, avid bb7 brakes, shimano clipless pedals. All Alivio shifters and derailleurs.
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Submitted by
irocss85
a Weekend Warrior
from waterford, MICHIGAN
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2010
Strengths: has been reliable so far. guessing couple hundred miles. maybe 40 hard trail use. still shifts into all gears. no ghost shifts.
Weaknesses: none found? Im sure its heavy as hell, and is only 8sp.
shifts are kinds slow.
Bottom Line:
If its already on your bike, and working fine, leave it alone. when it wears out, spend the extra money on a higher line of products. Im goin 9speed since I dont have a front deraileur. thats the only reason Im replacing mine.
Bike Setup: Schwinn mora, stock everything except derailleurs
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Submitted by
dirttrail
a Weekend Warrior
from canada
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2010
Strengths: inexpensive, reliable, dependable
Weaknesses: None for the price
Bottom Line:
Was shifting beautiful untill after going through a few hard rainfalls. thought it was the derailleur because of the bad reviews and was ready to upgrade. but the lbs tech found it was just that moisture got into the cable housing causing some rust issues. got it fixed and now everything good as it was. it even took a couple hard hits since then and still stayed true. Not the best but, it is dependable.
Submitted by
davesbike2
a Cross Country Rider
from Detroit Area
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2010
Strengths: Decent entry level unit. Not great, call it serviceable.
Weaknesses: Again, not great just serviceable. Not the most responsive, but has held up thus far.
Bottom Line:
This will keep you going until you decide (or have the scrath) to get a higher grade model. Not the fastest or most crisp shifter, and I imagine (if it matters) it might be a little heavy. I've always like the Shimano stuff, not the sexiest when at the trailhead, but their parts has always gotten me in and out of the woods. If you are a real hardcore rider or racer, you may want the higher end XT/XTR stuff. But for now this is just OK.
Similar Products Used: Used different LX&XT ders. over the years, and have always been reliable.
Bike Setup: 2010 Trek 4300 Disc. Few minor mods so far.
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Submitted by
simpsonsguy
a Weekend Warrior
from Ledbetter, KY, USA
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2010
Strengths: It makes a good paperweight if you take it off the bike.
Weaknesses: The Alivio rear deraillueur is the worst piece of crap I have ever seen from Shimano. It won't stay in adjustment for more than an hour of heavy riding. Any heavy uphill use will crap the thing out and possibly make the rider crash. Mine was twisted like a curly fry the last time I saw it.
Bottom Line:
If you see a bike for sale with any of this product line on it, run the other way. If you still love the bike and want to buy it, be ready to replace some stuff.
Submitted by
ctbarron
a Weekend Warrior
from Annandale, VA
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2009
Strengths: Reliable entry level RD, low price
Weaknesses: Entry level - it isn't the fastest, smoothest, lightest...
Bottom Line:
I've found this to be a good entry level derailleur. It is reliable, has chewed up sticks, and taken a few minor hits. It has been cranking along for about 18 months. It is also pretty easy to adjust, and I'm not mechanically inclined.
On the downside, it is slow, especially shifting outward. It is also not the smoothest and makes a lot of noise when in slow-mode.
Bottom line - entry level (cheap, reliable). Good for light XC, trail riding, on a hybrid, etc. For harder/faster riding, go with something higher up the food chain.
Similar Products Used: Shimano SLX, Deore; SRAM X-5, X-7
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Submitted by
warpig
a Cross Country Rider
from west hartford, ct
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2009
Strengths: none
Weaknesses: see below*
Bottom Line:
used it 6 months on extreme cross county, 2 -3 times a week
-constantly skipping up and down gears
-slooooooow shifting - i'd be 1/2 way up a hill before it would even downshift
-cage is long and bends if you look at it wrong
-weak metal that sheared and finally collapsed (the limit screw contraption thing, forget it's name)
-unless you're riding around your neighborhood sidewalk spend a little extra money and get something better, you'll be glad you did
Bike Setup: diamondback coil EX (dick's sporting goods department store special lol)
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Submitted by
JPritchard
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester,England
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2009
Strengths: Cheap
Weaknesses: Horrible!!!
Crunching gear changes when trying to select a higher gear, jumping on every gear and It only let me select 3 gear max towards the end.
Bottom Line:
I was going down hill at roughly 25mph flicked down a gear and the bleeding thing jumped and snapped into 2 pieces, which caused me to nearly come off as it fell straight through my wheel!! The steel literally just snapped!!
If you want something that is cheap and it gets used once or twice a month with LIGHT pedalling then this would be ok, but after this experience I shall be buying the proper stuff and not saving the pennies on cheap and cheerful.
Similar Products Used: Sram x5
Shimano Deore
Shimano Slx
Bike Setup: Specialized hardrock sport frame
Hayes sole brakes
Hope pro 2 hubs on mavic xc717s
Mx pro eta forks
answer pro taper carbon bars
stock crankset
DMR V8 pedals
Weaknesses: Not good enough for everyone, clearly!
Bottom Line:
Basically, if you can be bothered to maintain your bike - give it a wash, adjust gears and brakes and stuff, then this will do the job. It is a little rattly in a few gears and, I'm pretty sure, it won't hold up to smashing it into tree roots or concrete slabs repeatedly, but then your eyes are there to see those things and the bar at the front that you hold on to should help you avoid them!
You get what you pay for - a bit of care and patience will make this work and last.
Submitted by
beanaritadotcom
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2009
Strengths: Didn't need adjustment very often, held up and shifted under stress and pressure.
Weaknesses: Didn't do well with mud.
Bottom Line:
Bought my bike new about a year ago and it came with the Shimano Alivio rear derailleur. Over the last year I've gone over some tough trails and put a lot of stress on the component - and it held up great. Only needed adjustment 2 or 3 times (that was mostly in the first few months of riding when everything is stretching and needed adjustment anyway).
A few days ago I was riding through some thick mud. The derailleur got clogged and broke in half - the metal that holds it on the bike snapped. Up until that point (and before my 5 mile walk home), I had no reason to be unhappy with it. This is probably my fault though - after researching it, it's not built for heavy mud use. I'm going to replace it with something a little more high-end (haven't made up my mind on what to buy yet) - and also stay out of the mud.
Bike Setup: Trek 4300 disc. Only modification is Specialized - The Captain tires.
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Submitted by
etiennem
a Weekend Warrior
from Burnaby
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2009
Strengths: Considering my luck with it, none really.
Weaknesses: This derailleur was actually on my girlfriends bike, i wanted to initiate her to the trails, and before we even got there, the whole thing broke off at the mount point. The steel literally broke! I got it on a Specialized Hardrock Comp Disc bike.
Bottom Line:
This Derailleur is the biggest disappointment ever! I've never seen a derailleur break off while pedaling on a gravel trail (Walking path). I'm SUPER disappointed and i really hope my LBS will replace it since it was only used 3 times (never on a rough trail).
I strong advice avoiding this product at all cost!
I was able to get a hold of a Deore rear derailleur and an Alivio front dreailleur for little $$ as an inexpensive upgrade to my Acera derailleurs (I have a Specialized HR) and I w Read More »
So my buddy was getting rid of all of his extra mountain bike equipment and gave me a XTR Rear Derailleur. I installed it just fine but when it is on the lowest gears, the chain i Read More »
