Component Tiers - Shimano and Tektro

[Acey]

Bike components. Gears and shifter. The most common brand you will see is Shimano. Shimano has many different tiers, from “high-end” to “entry level” – their terms.

Here's a list of the Shimano tiers from their website, from top to bottom with the number of gears on the rear stack.

Shimano.

The top four are rated for Cross Country/Marathon, Trail and Enduro/All Mountain:

XTR – 11-speed, pro racing, cross country, electronic shifting, blue tooth available

Deore XT – 11-speed, almost identical to XTR, but slightly heavier for trail durability, electronic shifting

SLX – 11/10-speed, same features as XTR and XT, but heavier for more abusive riding and downhill.

Deore – 10-speed, performance ready, shares many features and technologies with above group sets.

Alivio – 9-speed, highest 9-speed components, entry level mountain bike.

Acera – 7/8/9-speed, mid-tier 9-speed, highest tier for 7/8-speed.

Altus – 7/8/9-speed, lower tier for 9-speed, mid-tier for 7/8-speed.

Tourney/TX/TZ – 6/7/8 speed, lowest tier of components, discount store bikes

Shimano - 7/8/9/10 speed. OEM parts.

(Saint and ZEE components are for gravity racing and DXR for BMX, not relevant, so I skipped them.)

My Shimano catalog includes the "Shimano" OEM group the linked Shimano page does not include. The parts listings in the back of the catalog show them on the bottom of most list categories, under Tourney, so I put it last.

Tektro Brakes
Tektro, the most common brake you’ll see, makes a range of brakes. The list below starts with their best and ends with their entry level. There are three lists: e-brakes, hydraulic and manual discs. Note they make three brakes specifically rated for e-bikes.

Tektro Hydraulic:
Dorado –HD-E725/715/710 – E-bike specific, rated to stop bikes traveling at 28 MPH.
Auriga –HD-E530/525/500 – E-bike specific to speeds up to 20 MPH.
Tektro -HD-E350 - E-bike specific. New. rated to speeds of 15 MPH (?)

Orion SL –HD-M740/730 – top of the line, pro racing, 4 piston
Gemini –HD-M500 – dual piston
Draco2 –HD-M352
HDC330 –HD-M330
Auriga –HD-M290/291
Tektro –HD-M282/285 – entry level

Manual Disc:
Aquila –MD-M500
Aries –MD-M300
Tektro –M280

It's confusing that the second lowest hydraulic, Auriga M290/292 has the same component name as the Auriga E-500/525/530. The specs are slightly different and require different types of discs. If you see Auriga on the bike, make sure you check which Auriga it is HD-M or HD-E to know what you are getting.

If there's a discussion for inexpensive hydraulics v. top manual with 180mm discs, put us down for manual. That's for another thread...

 

[TForan]

Tektro also has a 725E hydraulic. Excellent brakes .

 

[Acey]

Tektro also has a 725E hydraulic. Excellent brakes .

You are correct! They also added a new, lower-end e-brake, the Tektro HD-E350. Suspect it is for European market and 15mph.

The E-725 is also Dorado, so included that above. Thanks for the catch! We originally had the E-715 on our Venture with 180mm discs front and rear. OMG it puts down tree roots when stopping! After cancelling plans for s-pedelec we went to the E-500 series for less overkill, but were inspired to put 180mm on the front of all our models, so braking is enhanced. We have a bucket of brakes we've tested using chalk marks and stopping distances for various riding skills. LOL. Not very scientific, but we know what stops our bikes! (That is NOT meant to imply that others don't.)

 

[albeegood]

I just bought the Tektro Auriga E-Tune HD-E530 Hydraulic Brake set w/ E-bike motor cut-off and some kind of locking mechanism that really doesn’t do anything when i set the locking mechanism. Does anyone knoews what the locking mechanism is for?

 

[Over50]

I was interested in this thread because I have no experience with Tektro and I was wondering how they compared to Shimano and Magura (those that I do have experience with). The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 which I have on order comes equipped with Tektro HD-R510 160mm. But I didn't see those listed above.

 

[PDoz]

I don't understand why you're using shimano GEAR / DRIVE ratings in the same post as Tektro BRAKES ?

In brakes, shimano is not really as simple as xt / slx etc. A an example, at xtr level you have a choice of 5 different calipers - everything from 4 piston with ice technology down to the br- m9000 which is only 2 piston but still has ceramic cylinders , magnesium body and titanium mounting hardware!

I think there are currently another 7 models in XT , and 5 in slx, I've never paid much attention below that.

The saint brakes - why not consider them? It's a spectacular brake that is more than capable of convincing anyone that decent brakes are worth the infestment.

Then we have the quiet achiever shimano - the 4 piston Mt520. It's pretty impressive for the price bracket, but I don't think they decided what " tier" to market it at? https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/shimano/BR-MT520.html

I also don't understand why you consider tektro more common? It might be something specific to your country or the market segment you are familiar with?

 

[Leadfeathers]

Bike components. Gears and shifter. The most common brand you will see is Shimano. Shimano has many different tiers, from “high-end” to “entry level” – their terms.

Here's a list of the Shimano tiers from their website, from top to bottom with the number of gears on the rear stack.

Shimano.

The top four are rated for Cross Country/Marathon, Trail and Enduro/All Mountain:

XTR – 11-speed, pro racing, cross country, electronic shifting, blue tooth available

Deore XT – 11-speed, almost identical to XTR, but slightly heavier for trail durability, electronic shifting

SLX – 11/10-speed, same features as XTR and XT, but heavier for more abusive riding and downhill.

Deore – 10-speed, performance ready, shares many features and technologies with above group sets.

Alivio – 9-speed, highest 9-speed components, entry level mountain bike.

Acera – 7/8/9-speed, mid-tier 9-speed, highest tier for 7/8-speed.

Altus – 7/8/9-speed, lower tier for 9-speed, mid-tier for 7/8-speed.

Tourney/TX/TZ – 6/7/8 speed, lowest tier of components, discount store bikes

Shimano - 7/8/9/10 speed. OEM parts.

(Saint and ZEE components are for gravity racing and DXR for BMX, not relevant, so I skipped them.)

My Shimano catalog includes the "Shimano" OEM group the linked Shimano page does not include. The parts listings in the back of the catalog show them on the bottom of most list categories, under Tourney, so I put it last.

Tektro Brakes
Tektro, the most common brake you’ll see, makes a range of brakes. The list below starts with their best and ends with their entry level. There are three lists: e-brakes, hydraulic and manual discs. Note they make three brakes specifically rated for e-bikes.

Tektro Hydraulic:
Dorado –HD-E725/715/710 – E-bike specific, rated to stop bikes traveling at 28 MPH.
Auriga –HD-E530/525/500 – E-bike specific to speeds up to 20 MPH.
Tektro -HD-E350 - E-bike specific. New. rated to speeds of 15 MPH (?)

Orion SL –HD-M740/730 – top of the line, pro racing, 4 piston
Gemini –HD-M500 – dual piston
Draco2 –HD-M352
HDC330 –HD-M330
Auriga –HD-M290/291
Tektro –HD-M282/285 – entry level

Manual Disc:
Aquila –MD-M500
Aries –MD-M300
Tektro –M280

It's confusing that the second lowest hydraulic, Auriga M290/292 has the same component name as the Auriga E-500/525/530. The specs are slightly different and require different types of discs. If you see Auriga on the bike, make sure you check which Auriga it is HD-M or HD-E to know what you are getting.

If there's a discussion for inexpensive hydraulics v. top manual with 180mm discs, put us down for manual. That's for another thread...

My Shaka has the Tektro Auriga E-Comp cylinders....not listed. Just FYI

 

[TrevorB]

Shimano brakes.
M6xxx is Deore range, M7xxx SLX, M8xxx XT, M9xxx XTR.
Mx1xx is lastest version of above with Mx0xx being previous version, they've changed handlebar clamp. I've found Bosch Purion display doesn't work as well with this clamp. Fatter and can't get display to sit over it, end up with display more horizontal than I'd like.
Mx000 and Mx100 are 2pot brakes with G02A pads being basic resin pad. I think M6100 caliper doesn't support finned J03A pads, best to research this if you want to run finned pads.
Mx120 are 4pot caliper see above about finned pad compatibility.
Levers and calipers are all interchangeable eg M6000 lever with M9120 calibre.

Entry level MT200 and MT400 brakes use Bs01 resin pads, basic brake with wooden feel. Not recommended for MTBing. I've two bikes with these and upgraded to M6100 and M7000. I kept existing MT200 BH59 hose for rear instead of better quality BH90 that came with M6100, seems work fine. Then it was commuter with 160mm rotor. For MTB with larger rotor I'd replace hose.
G02A resin brakes will work with rotors fitted with MTx00 brakes, just make sure they don't do to may kms with B01S pads first as wear points are different.

There is 4pot MT420 calibre that can be used with MT400 lever, no experience with this. If upgrading to 4pots better to go with Mx120 series.

Entry level Tektro brakes on wifes old bike that use same BS01 pads seem OK ie MT200 equivalent. Had no end of problems with cheaper Tektro model that used round shape pad, replaced brakes with shimano MT200 equivalent at time.

 

[FlatSix911]

Bike components. Gears and shifter. The most common brand you will see is Shimano. Shimano has many different tiers, from “high-end” to “entry level” – their terms.

Here's a list of the Shimano tiers from their website, from top to bottom with the number of gears on the rear stack.

Shimano.

The top four are rated for Cross Country/Marathon, Trail and Enduro/All Mountain:

XTR – 11-speed, pro racing, cross country, electronic shifting, blue tooth available

Deore XT – 11-speed, almost identical to XTR, but slightly heavier for trail durability, electronic shifting

SLX – 11/10-speed, same features as XTR and XT, but heavier for more abusive riding and downhill.

Deore – 10-speed, performance ready, shares many features and technologies with above group sets.

Alivio – 9-speed, highest 9-speed components, entry level mountain bike.

Acera – 7/8/9-speed, mid-tier 9-speed, highest tier for 7/8-speed.

Altus – 7/8/9-speed, lower tier for 9-speed, mid-tier for 7/8-speed.

Tourney/TX/TZ – 6/7/8 speed, lowest tier of components, discount store bikes

Shimano - 7/8/9/10 speed. OEM parts.

(Saint and ZEE components are for gravity racing and DXR for BMX, not relevant, so I skipped them.)

My Shimano catalog includes the "Shimano" OEM group the linked Shimano page does not include. The parts listings in the back of the catalog show them on the bottom of most list categories, under Tourney, so I put it last.

Tektro Brakes
Tektro, the most common brake you’ll see, makes a range of brakes. The list below starts with their best and ends with their entry level. There are three lists: e-brakes, hydraulic and manual discs. Note they make three brakes specifically rated for e-bikes.

Tektro Hydraulic:
Dorado –HD-E725/715/710 – E-bike specific, rated to stop bikes traveling at 28 MPH.
Auriga –HD-E530/525/500 – E-bike specific to speeds up to 20 MPH.
Tektro -HD-E350 - E-bike specific. New. rated to speeds of 15 MPH (?)

Orion SL –HD-M740/730 – top of the line, pro racing, 4 piston
Gemini –HD-M500 – dual piston
Draco2 –HD-M352
HDC330 –HD-M330
Auriga –HD-M290/291
Tektro –HD-M282/285 – entry level

Manual Disc:
Aquila –MD-M500
Aries –MD-M300
Tektro –M280

It's confusing that the second lowest hydraulic, Auriga M290/292 has the same component name as the Auriga E-500/525/530. The specs are slightly different and require different types of discs. If you see Auriga on the bike, make sure you check which Auriga it is HD-M or HD-E to know what you are getting.

If there's a discussion for inexpensive hydraulics v. top manual with 180mm discs, put us down for manual. That's for another thread...

Here is a handy chart listing the Group Sets for Shimano and SRAM... try to stay away from the Basic and Entry-level Tiers.