The variety of brands in the shifting sector is extremely limited. The Japanese manufacturer Shimano and the Americans from Sram divide the mountain bike market among themselves, whereby Shimano takes the lion's share. Smaller manufacturers such as Box Components have no relevance worth mentioning, and the German manufacturers of gearboxes, Pinion and Rohloff, also lead a niche existence for various reasons (additional weight, costs, compatibility and function). In short: If you want to buy a new bike, you need to familiarise yourself with the different product groups in the table on the right.
In general, all mid-range or high-end groupsets are suitable for off-road use. Good shifting function is a given with all of them. The higher the quality of the groupset, the lower its weight and the greater its precision. The electronic Di2 versions from Shimano are extremely expensive and offer no real added value compared to conventional shifting systems with Bowden cables. To save money, manufacturers often mix components from different groupsets. So don't just look at the rear derailleur when buying. The shifters, cassette and cranks are also important for good function. Sram only offers drivetrains with a single chainring.
¹Approximate price recommendation of the manufacturer for the aftermarket.
²BIKE measured value
Manufacturer information
1x, 2x or 3x - Who needs which crank?
More and more MTB manufacturers are following the trend set by Sram and installing only one chainring on the crank. Shimano also offers all gears in a 1x version. There are no longer any triple gears in the sporty mountain bike sector. The advantage of the single-speed drivetrain is obvious: The elimination of the second chainring and thus also the front derailleur and the left shift lever saves weight. In addition, gears with only one gear lever are easier to operate off-road. However, 2x gears still offer a wider range (see table). This means that you have both a lower gear for climbing and a higher gear for fast descents on tarmac. Beginners or less fit riders in particular benefit from this.
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