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microshift
- Member since Feb 18, 2019
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Minneapolis , Minnesota - 20 Followers
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microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 9, 2026 at 9:50
Mar 9, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
We're rich in spirit
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 9, 2026 at 9:49
Mar 9, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
Yeah, MX is definitely much better in this regard.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 9, 2026 at 9:48
Mar 9, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
There are still plenty of active patents on the road side that stop us from making something that's similar to Shimano or SRAM. We can do Campy style - we did that with our Centos road group, but it wasn't very popular.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 9, 2026 at 9:45
Mar 9, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
@DylanH93: Definitely lighter. Between the horizontal parallelogram and the cable redirection pulley on the rear derailleur and the new shifter design, shifter feel is lighter and more direct than Advent or Advent X.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 6, 2026 at 9:09
Mar 6, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
You must not live in the Alps.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 6, 2026 at 9:08
Mar 6, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
If we switch to 10, then we also probably have do a 12, 14, etc. It would almost be an entirely new cassette layout. To keep things affordable, we try to reuse as many sprocket sizes as possible.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 6, 2026 at 9:07
Mar 6, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
There are always tradeoffs when deciding when deciding which gears to invest in on a new cassette design. I agree with you, it's nice to have a couple climbing gears that are close together for long fire road climbs where you just need to change things up a little bit.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 5, 2026 at 13:56
Mar 5, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
Shifting between sprockets with sizes that different is more or less impossible. Even on cranksets, about a 17t difference is the max. So a system like that would probably need to be manually shifted by hand, just taking the chain off and putting it on the other sprocket. They used to do that in the Tour de France!
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 5, 2026 at 13:49
Mar 5, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
We have a different clutch design from Shimano and SRAM. They use a tension sleeve around a 1-way bearing. We use a ratchet and pawl attached to a friction washer under side load.
microshift mikekazimer's article
Mar 5, 2026 at 13:47
Mar 5, 2026
Interview: How Microshift Navigates the Tricky Patent Landscape to Create Affordable MTB Drivetrains
The place where Advent X has an advantage is in using different cassette sizes. Because it has a slant parallelogram, it can conform to more sizes. But yeah, it will be slowly phased out over time.
As far as making cheaper products goes, it's a pretty big part of our business. We're always trying to make our budget products better (see the new Estes group). If you compare our stuff to products of similar price, I think we're better in almost every area. But yeah, if your shifter fails, you're not going to be happy. We'll continue improving these products and hopefully find a stabilizing point where they're nice enough for enthusiasts but inexpensive enough for folks on a budget.
