Acros outshines market leaders with new gear system

The German bearing specialist Acros is making a big splash against the market leaders Shimano and Sram and is presenting a hydraulic shifting system with "A-GE"

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Lightweight
The new gearshift system is based on Christoph Muthers' 5Rot gearshift system, which was presented at Eurobike in 2006. Together with him, the drivetrain has now been completely redesigned, made ready for series production and presents values that are hard to beat. With a weight of 426 grams for two shifters, a front derailleur, a rear derailleur, cabling and oil, it is 150 grams less than the Sram "XX".

Takes some getting used to but simple
Thanks to the interchangeable ratchet unit, it can be shifted eight-, nine- and even ten-speed. The smallest stainless steel ball bearings on all moving parts guarantee silky-smooth and precise gear changes. With the "A-GE" it is possible to shift three gears at once and in both directions. However, initial test rides have shown us that you first have to get used to this new type of shifting, as the shift lever moves in two dimensions. If the shift lever is pushed straight backwards, you shift in one direction, if you push the lever backwards and tilt it downwards, you shift in the other direction. Thanks to the hydraulics, the operation requires unusually little pressure, so that it is easy to catch the second pressure point further back and shift three gears at once. But it doesn't matter which gear you shift into, the effort required is always the same. So you quickly get the hang of it.

According to Acros, "A-GE" should require less maintenance than conventional shifters thanks to the lack of cable pulls. It is expected to be available in three different cage lengths from June. We are looking forward to seeing how the drivetrain proves itself in long-term use. In any case, the initial situation is promising.