Skip to main content

Shimano Groupset Hierarchy

A bicycle groupset consist of the mechanical components installed on the bicycles frame. The groupset includes: the crankset (which includes the chain rings and the crank arms), the bottom bracket (the bearings through which the crank arms rotate), the brake levers and shift levers, which are usually combined into one lever (commonly referred as the brifters, or in the case of Shimano, STI levers), the rear derailleur, the front derailleur (not present on one-by drive trains), the cassette (which contains the gear sprockets, also known as cogs), the chain, and the brakes.

NameDescriptionIntended
use
Mech/ElecNumber of CogsNotes
DuraAce Di2Shimano's top of the line road groupsetRoadElectronic
12 (11 or 10 on older)
DuraAceShimano's top of the line road groupset
RoadMechanical12 (11 or 10 on older)Changed to electronic only in 2023
Ultegra Di2
Road
Electronic12 (11 on older)
Ultegra
Road
Mechanical
11 (10 on older)
Changed to electronic only in 2023
105 Di2
Road
Electronic
12New for 2023
105
RoadMechanical
11 (10 on older)
Tiagra
RoadMechanical
10
SoraEntry level groupset
RoadMechanical
9
ClarisBudget groupset
RoadMechanical
8
TourneyLowest priced Shimano groupset
RoadMechanical7
GRX RX815Shimano's top of the line electronic Gravel specific groupsetGravelElectronic11Similar quality to Ultegra
GRX RX810Shimano's top of the line mechanical gravel specific groupsetGravelMechanical11Similar quality to Ultegra
GRX RX600Shimano's mid-range mechanical gravel specific groupsetGravelMechanical11 or 10Similar quality to 105 
GRX RX400Shimano's entry level mechanical gravel specific groupsetGravelMechanical10Similar quality to Tiagra 
XTR
MTB race


XT Di2




Deore XT




SLX




Deore





Alivio




Acera




Altus




Tourney TX




Tourney TZ




Tourney A070




Saint
MTB Downhill


Zee
MTB Downhill