Microshift has unveiled the new Advent MX drivetrain, which is said to be its most robust, high-performance mountain bike groupset to date.
Designed for trail and all-mountain riding, Advent MX pairs a wide-range 11-50t or 11-48t cassette with a redesigned rear derailleur, updated trigger shifter and what the brand calls its strongest clutch mechanism to date.
The groupset is offered with either a 10-speed or 11-speed cassette, with the brand claiming they last six times longer than Advent X.
Microshift also promises better shifting engagement that’s four times faster, and improved chain retention thanks to a horizontal parallelogram layout and beefed-up clutch.
The groupset is priced at $194.99 / €195.99 for the 10-speed variant, with the XD Driver 11-speed option $244.99 / €239.99.
We tested the drivetrain before launch, so check out Luke Marshall's review below.
Beefed-up body
Microshift says Advent MX’s design brief was simple: shifting performance doesn’t matter if your chain falls off.
To achieve this, the brand has beefed up the rear derailleur with a horizontal parallelogram that moves strictly sideways.
This is said to isolate vertical and horizontal forces, directing impacts from rough landings into the clutch mechanism rather than disturbing the derailleur body’s alignment.
The clutch has been redesigned to be both stronger and quicker to engage, operating instantly and silently.
IGUS bushings feature in the derailleur construction, and a replaceable derailleur cage is available on the standard MX rear derailleur, enabling riders to swap a damaged cage rather than replacing the entire derailleur
However, the MX Black version does not feature a replaceable cage.
Faster engagement
Microshift says it has removed “dead play” from the shifting mechanism, resulting in four times quicker engagement compared to Advent X.
The new trigger shifter is designed for tighter, more repeatable actuation, with 12mm of lateral adjustment at the clamp. This enables you to move the shifter inboard or outboard to fine-tune lever position without interfering with the brake controls.
A cable-redirection pulley on the derailleur provides a more direct cable path, reducing friction and shifting tension.
According to Microshift, this lower friction enables the use of a stronger clutch without increasing lever effort at the shifter.
The result, says the brand, is a faster response even under high torque – useful when attacking steep, unplanned climbs on your eMTB.
SpeedRamp cassette
At the heart of the system are two new cassettes featuring what Microshift calls SpeedRamp technology.
Microshift claims the new cassettes last six times longer than Advent X, and in high-torque ebike durability testing, says it outlived a competitor’s top offering.
The smallest cogs are individually replaceable, which should help extend service life further.
Chromoly steel sprockets are from 11-28t, with additional hardening on the smaller cogs.
Despite the durability focus, the cassette is claimed to weigh 480g, which Microshift says is competitive among high-durability, wide-range options.
For the first time from Microshift, the cassette is offered in both HG and XD Driver body options – so it will be swappable between bikes already using SRAM or Shimano drivetrains.
10-speed and 11-speed options
Advent MX is available in both 11-speed and 10-speed configurations.
The 11-speed cassette is fully compatible with Shimano CUES cassettes, although the shifter and derailleur are Microshift-specific.
Advent MX 10 is compatible with 10-speed chains and is fully cross-compatible with Advent X and Sword 10, enabling incremental upgrades.
MX and MX Black rear derailleurs share the same cable-pull ratio as Advent X, making them direct replacements from a compatibility standpoint.
