TESTED: Microshift Advent 1x9 shift kit

Words: Mike Blewitt                                                                     Photos: Tim Bardsley-Smith
 
In a time when 12-speed group sets are becoming the norm on mountain bikes from an intermediate level upwards, a 9-speed group set seems to stand out like a sore thumb. But Microshift are adamant that their 1×9 Advent group set proves that less can be more.
 
Comprising of a clutched derailleur, a shifter and a 11-42 cassette, Advent isn’t quite a whole group set – it is quite a way off actually. But the parts are highly compatible. The cassette needs a HyperGlide (HG) freehub body, the shifter is a normal bar clamp style (and therefore has no options for a Match Maker or iSpec mount) and the rear derailleur is a standard fitting with just one cage length.

Microshift don’t make their own chain for Advent, but any SRAM, Shimano, KMC or other 9-speed chain will work. I actually set this up with a slightly used Shimano 11-speed chain with no dramas at all. Similarly, Advent needs a 1x specific chain ring, and I used a 10/11 speed compatible Praxis ring and had no dropped chains. By working with the HG freehub body and just about any 1x ring, The Advent group presents the perfect option for upgrading older bikes to a dedicated 1x system for a fair price. But the reality is it works great on modern higher end bikes as well.
 
A closer look
 
The three parts are not designed to go into battle with top tier group sets. Instead, they are aimed at riders who might prefer to invest somewhere else in their ride. If you can save about $500 or more on the drivetrain, you can end up with some much nicer suspension or wheels, or even just keep on top of chain and tyre wear for a year.

As such, it’s not like the parts are coming in at light weights. The rear mech sits at 384g on my scales, while the shifter (with cable) is a light 131g and the cassette is 529g, which will put any weight weenie off right away. But that’s ok, racers and weight freaks aren’t who Microshift made Advent for. There is a cassette option with an alloy 42t sprocket which is said to save about 79g.

Setup was easy, and the (BYO) outer even runs into the rear derailleur on a nice line so there isn’t a long loop. I had to adjust the B-tension and limits, and wind up some cable tension via the barrel adjuster on the shifter, but that’s about it. 

The 11-42 cassette does look quite small compared to a Shimano 51t or SRAM 50t dinner plate. But if we go back a few years it’s about what was normal for a low gear.

On the trail
 
When I first fitted the parts up and put a First Look all I really noticed was changes at the lever, which is mostly ergonomics. And with a couple of months of use, that has been the same.
 
While the shift action does use a sealed bearing for a smooth action, the lever throw to get to an easier gear is a bit deeper than some of the modern shifters at the higher end of the spectrum. What’s really nice is that it’s not a single click shifter though, push deeper and you can get through up to three gears in one lever throw. This is exactly what you want on a 1x system. Without a front derailleur to make a quick dump from a large chain ring to a small one, being able to push through a range of gears with one push is so useful when riding trials, especially riding new trails or following buddies on new lines where you’re already reacting to changes in traction, speed and everything else.

The upshift is a little different, as this really isn’t a thumb-thumb shifter, and you have to use your forefinger to release the cable. It’s not a foreign action, but a little different to newer shifters. I found it was just another shift style to pull out from learned actions from previous years.
 
When you pick up the 11-42 cassette, it’s clear the jumps are big at the low end of the cassette. The tooth count runs as 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-34-42. The last 3 shifts go from 4, to 6 to 8 tooth jumps. So it is incrementally larger and it all feels like a natural progression. As such, I never felt like I was getting stuck between gears and looking for a goldilocks option. And that’s actually a benefit of 9-speed. You shift once and that’s probably the gear you need. There are less double shifts, or a triple shift and back one. This is relevant to trail riding more than racing. If you’re racing an endurance event then there are clear benefits to having the right gear size to optimise your cadence and workload. On a trail ride, your requirements lead more to shifts landing well and gear that operates with minimal upkeep.
 
And that is where the Advent parts really shine. After a bit of fine-tuning to start, I never touched the shifter for cable tension adjustments. I did open up the clutch once to take a look, but compared to other clutch designs it’s actually a lot easier to get along with. It uses a ratchet and even looks a bit like the inside of a hub if you open it up. Compared to a friction sleeve which is used by other brands, this design is more resilient to dust and grime, and easier to service as well according to Microshift.

I never had a dropped chain, and I was ok with the gear range. It was a smaller range than I usually ride with, but it wasn’t terrible. I had the 11-42 cassette paired with a 34t chain ring on some older style Shimano SLX cranks and had no complaints at all. While some people might say it looked out of place on a Transition Smuggler carbon, I disagree. A trail bike like this is designed to be ridden, and there really wasn’t any aspect of the Advent parts that held me back on the Smuggler.
 
In this sense, I think trail bikes are on of the best applications for the Microshift Advent 1×9 group set. If you want to charge descents and make it up climbs, it has everything you need. If you need the winning edge to make a difference on climbs like in XC racing, it’s not for you. Similarly, if you’re racing Enduro and need to get through liaison stages with enough energy to spare for the next race stage, it probably isn’t for you either. However, if you love your Enduro bike but you shuttle and don’t put a number on your bars, you might love Advent. There’s so little ongoing adjustment and maintenance, a 9-speed chain will last a lot longer than a narrower 11 or 12-speed chain, and if you smash up a rear mech this one is a lot cheaper to replace. Microshift have nailed it with this great value mini group set that brings reliable and consistent performance and gear range down to a high value price point.
 
RRP:
–      Cassette $69.99
–      Shifter $49.94
–      Derailleur $99.99
 
From: kwtimports.com.au
 
Hits:
–      High value, wide range group set
–      Easy 1x upgrade for older bikes
–      Minimal ongoing maintenance
 
Misses:
–      Still a smaller gear range