In spring 2019, Shimano upgraded the XT and SLX groupsets to 12-speed in one fell swoop - and now it's the Deore's turn. This brings the latest technology from the Japanese shifting giant to the mass market price segment. The 11-speed and 10-speed versions of the Deore will also remain in the line-up.

At the end of 2018, Shimano launched its top groupset with twelve gears onto the market. Since then, it has been put through its paces over three seasons and countless vertical meters and kilometers. We have tested whether it can hold a candle to the proven Eagle technology from Sram.

Shimano's motors for mountain bikes are all about customization. In addition to Boost and Trail modes, new firmware now also allows the Eco level to be set according to preference.

Shimano is responding to the growing gravel segment with a specific racing shoe - the RX8. This has the features of the cross-country racing shoe, but comes with more comfort. The new shoes are available in sizes 38 to 50.

Around a year after the XTR, Shimano is also relaunching the XT groupset. However, the Japanese are not only transferring the 12-speed technology to the XTR, but are also packing it into the more affordable SLX groupset. The result: two affordable and powerful packages including brakes that are well worth a look.

In 2018, Shimano introduced the 12-speed drivetrain with the XTR groupset. Surprisingly, not only the Deore XT, but also the SLX groupset with twelve gears is now following suit. As part of a press camp in Spain, we were able to test both groupsets and get a first impression.

Where is the golden mean between mountain biking and road cycling? Exactly: gravel riding. There is now brand new material from Shimano for this bike discipline, which is no longer completely new but is still taking off. And Shimano sees a lot of potential in the gravel sector, as there are not just a few parts, but a dedicated groupset, the "GRX".

April, April, it does what it wants. No month has such changeable weather as this one. And just when the bike season starts. But good equipment helps against bad weather and we have tested it out.

Until now, it was awkward to combine a racing handlebar bike with a Steps drive. With the boom in e-road, e-gravel and e-commuter bikes, Shimano is now clearing the way for bikes with Steps and racing handlebars.

In May 2018, Shimano presented the new XTR groupset and the parts were available in the summer and fall, with one drawback: the crank is still not available today. Now Shimano is providing an interim solution.

Shimano now not only ensures lightning-fast shifting and crisp braking maneuvers. The shifting giant is rolling out fresh care products based on the motto clean, lubricate and maintain.

A display on the handlebars - and maybe even a remote control? There are numerous levers and displays on modern mountain bikes, and even more so on e-mountain bikes. Shimano is now clearing this up: With a new app and a Bluetooth unit, the system can be operated via smartphone - or even without a display and without any switches on the handlebars.

If you're only casually involved with bikes, you'll probably still have one brand name stuck in your head: Shimano. However, the Japanese company is not only good at bicycle components - it also offers a wide range of products for fishing and some items for rowing, which are closely related to bicycles. Ride shows some similarities with the bike business.

With the new XTR, Shimano also offers a 12-speed drivetrain. The Japanese have put a lot of brainpower into this. From the gearshift to the hub to the chain link - everything is precisely coordinated and is even more robust, lighter and completely shiftable under load. Just empty promises or has Shimano really taken the XTR to a new level? The test reveals it.

With the E8000 series motor, Shimano has taken the e-mountain bike by storm and is successfully challenging top dog Bosch. Now the Japanese company is following up with the E7000 series, which is also more affordable but doesn't skimp on high-quality technology.

For decades, Shimano has relied on a standardized freehub body. Whether 7-speed or 11-speed cassette, it always fitted on the Shimano body. With the new XTR groupset, Shimano is introducing a 12-speed cassette with 10-51 teeth. This requires a new body - and so far this has only been available from DT Swiss and Shimano. Ride has asked Shimano whether other manufacturers will be joining them.

Cross country has as much to do with enduro as a hundred-meter sprint has to do with motocross. That's why the Japanese are tailoring their own brand-new XTR groupset for enduro riders. In addition to a wide-range cassette, one focus is a clean cockpit, with new pedals on top.

Shimano doesn't stop at the front derailleur with the new XTR. There is a top groupset especially for marathon use, which can still boast a really wide range thanks to the double crankset. If you still want to switch to a single chainring, you can do so later with the new XTR thanks to the selector system.

When Shimano presents a new XTR, for us mountain bikers it's like the World Cup for football fans. The Japanese raise the curtain on the latest innovations, which are then later played out on XT & Co. Here is a detailed look at the CC parts, the keywords 12-speed and 10-51 are omnipresent.

Who wants a tidy, simple and lightweight cockpit without a tangle of cables? Anyone shouting "Yes!" should take a close look at the gearshifts from Swiss manufacturer Zirbel, provided they have an electronic gearshift system. The clever twist shifters ensure safe and fast gear changes and a unique look on the system-integrated handlebars.

It was like an unwritten law for a long time: an XT disc brake has two pistons on the brake caliper. From now on, this is no longer the case; the Japanese company now offers an XT disc with four pistons. Ride has tested the stopper - and never wants to ride the two-piston brake again.

With the new XT four-piston brake and the XT crankset, Shimano is presenting new parts for the enduro/trail and e-bike market. The Hollowtech crankset for the Steps drive was previously only available in 175 and 170 millimetre lengths; a 165 millimetre crankset has now been added.

Dedicated mountain bikers may be annoyed by too much news on electric topics - but many brands are going full throttle in this area. That's why Ride provides a summary of what's happening on the e-market: At Rotwild, the battery can now be removed. At Continental, a mid-motor is rolling into the 2018 model year. And Shimano is fine-tuning its hardware and software.

With Shimano, you can not only brake and shift well, but also pedal well: To ensure that this remains the case in the all-mountain and gravity sector, the Japanese company is launching a whole range of new bike shoes and pedals. Particularly interesting: the XT platform pedal and the Saint-Click pedal.

A year ago, Shimano pushed the update for XT and SLX onto the market, now it's the Deore's turn. The groupset for the mass market remains - as would have been expected - with 10 sprockets on the cassette and there is no single-chainring crank. With the Deore, the motto for the next 2-3 years is therefore: 20 or 30 gears.

For Sram, the question is clear: a front derailleur has no place on a mountain bike. Shimano sees things differently - and in a more differentiated way. With the "Drivetrain Advisor", you can find out in simple steps which derailleur suits which rider. According to the Japanese shifting giant, the double crankset remains an important option for many riders - from cross-country to enduro.

Shimano used to offer its E-Tube app only for iPhones, allowing users to customize the electronic shifting with mobile devices. Now Android users can also enjoy the numerous options offered by the app.