A bicycle is made up of many components. All of them have an impact on performance, comfort, weight, and the price of your bike. After the wheels and the frame, the drivetrain is the element that will most positively or negatively influence your beautiful 2-wheeled machine. However, navigating the different brands and groups can quickly become a headache! How do you find your way around? Which one is best suited to your practice or your budget? We will try to answer these questions by presenting the 3 reference brands: Shimano , Sram and Campagnolo.

To simplify things for you, we will use the following classification: professional groups, high-end groups, mid-range groups, and entry-level groups.

Professional Groups

The name of this sub-category perfectly summarizes what characterizes it. These are the same drivetrains used by cyclists in the professional peloton. These groups offer no compromises. The goal is to be as light and performant as possible, regardless of the price. Their owners share the same mentality: no compromises, it has to ride fast and well!

The reference groups for this category are Shimano Dura-Ace , Sram Red and Campagnolo Super Record.

In summary:

• $$$$
• Available in 11 or 12 speeds.
• Available in mechanical or electronic version. However, electronic dominates!
• For the competitive cyclist or one who seeks performance by using the same equipment as professionals. Again, no compromise is allowed!

High-end Groups

The high-end group tries to bridge the gap between mid-range and professional groups. It offers its owner very similar performance to its older siblings, but by using slightly less luxurious materials and less expensive manufacturing processes. The result is a group with very impressive performance, but which remains more financially accessible for a greater number of people.

When we think of high-end, we think of the Shimano Ultegra , the Sram Force and the Campagnolo Record and Chorus.

In summary:

• $$$
• Available in 11 or 12 speeds.
• Available in mechanical or electronic version
• Perfect for the very serious cyclist who even aspires to competition. Very suitable for cyclists looking for an optimal price-performance ratio

Mid-range Groups

Mid-range groups are among the most popular on the market. They offer their owners the chance to ride quality equipment at a much more affordable price. As with high-end groups, the price reduction comes from less expensive materials and simpler manufacturing processes. However, don't be fooled, these groups often have the best durability on the market and very low maintenance costs. All this due to a few extra grams, a good deal!

The Sram Rival and Apex , Shimano 105 and Tiagra as well as the Campagnolo Potenza are excellent flagships of this category.

In summary:

• $$
• Available in 11 or 10 speeds
• Only available in mechanical version
• Perfect for the daily rider who, due to their impressive mileage, will need to maintain their bike regularly, but at more reasonable maintenance costs.

Entry-level Groups

Entry-level groups are the gateway to the world of road cycling. Despite the fact that the number of speeds is lower, the components are heavier, and performance is reduced; these groups share many similarities in terms of operation with their larger cousins. As such, they are excellent candidates for testing the discipline and learning how to use a road bike drivetrain. In addition, their purchase and maintenance costs are at their lowest. Perfect for those who do not make cycling their main sport or who do not have a very regular training rhythm.

In this category, Shimano dominates the market with Sora and Claris groups .

In summary:

• $
• Available in 9 or 8 speeds
• Only available in mechanical version
• Perfect for the beginner, casual cyclist or those who want to cycle seriously on a low budget.

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