Shifting without Shimano or Sram: Box Components land in Switzerland

Are there alternatives to Shimano or Sram? Yes, for example Rohloff or Pinion. And the two "Big S" are no longer alone when it comes to systems with cassettes. The BMX specialist Box Components has brought its mountain bike gear system to series maturity and a Swiss distributor is at the start with the parts.

Shimano and Sram have competition. Box Components is the name of the new gearshift manufacturer. The first product is a 1 x 11 gearshift called Box One. The PushPush shift lever is unique: all shifting operations are triggered with just one lever, the PushPush lever.

The Box Component groupset is a veritable alternative to the two established manufacturers, says Stefan Gruber from Trail Supply, the manufacturer of Transpalpes bikes and distribution specialists. The new 1 x 11 Box One drivetrain is made from milled aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastic. The weight of just 865 grams for the entire shifting group impresses Gruber and, according to the head of the Transalpes forge, the shifting comfort is comparable to the top shifting groups of the two competitors.

The shift lever is unique to the new Box One groupset. Shifting is only possible with the so-called PushPush lever. The rear derailleur shifts up and down a gear without delay with every push and engages with pinpoint accuracy. The narrow rear derailleur offers little contact surface for stones and branches, while the Pivot-Tech cable holder is designed to provide additional protection for the rear derailleur against impacts. Thanks to the CamClutch rear derailleur damping, the chain always remains under tension and does not jump off on the plan.

The new derailleur from Box Components achieves 418 percent gear range with the in-house 11-46 cassette. It is compatible with the Shimano freehub.

In Switzerland, the Box One groupset from Box Components is now available from specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is 467 francs.

http://boxcomponents.com