Microshift Centos 10spd groupset

Microshift Centos is another groupset more than capable of giving the household names a really good run for your money. Designed to compete and be compatible with Shimano’s venerable 105, it shares many similarities- good enough for racing and audax duties but practical for the less glamorous worlds of winter training and even commuting. The high lustre finish, low weight, robust build quality and ready spares availability mean it’s a winner on every level. If you're looking for a mid-range groupset to build up a bike, or you want to replace a 105 component without paying 105 prices then Centos is worth a look.

Starting at the levers, these bear passing similiarity to Shimano’s with nicely scrupled hoods providing a very natural cruising position for long periods while shifting is courtesy of two different sized, yet intuitive paddles positioned behind the brake lever. The right hand lever paddle is designed to perform multiple shifts under load and even under provocation skips along without missing a beat- the same is true for its shorter sibling, albeit one shift for every prod.

For me the a slightly top-heavy look to the otherwise shapely brake lever was a minor detraction but that's probably just me. Changes feel very snappy-complimented by a very audible click, which either charms or infuriates depending again on personal taste-whether you were raised on the positive engagement of Italian components or the softer, action of the Japanese.

To my surprise, at 397g pair they have a small but distinct weight advantage over their rivals while modulation and feel are generally excellent with either dual pivot or cantilever braking systems.

The rear mech is a real looker too with its CNC machining, super smooth ceramic jockey wheels and high lustre finish. Ours is the short cage version with a maximum 27tooth capacity but there’s a long cage sibling intended for triples should you live near some very challenging climbs, fancy some occasional ‘cross or riding up, down and around the Great Wall of China. Experimentation reveals a happy marriage when commanded by 105 shifters should crash replacement or more gradual upgrading of the training mount call for drivetrain a’la Carte.

The lack of carbon or similar exotica pushes the weight to 209g but then it probably wouldn’t be dressing the best bike in any case. Turning our attentions to the front mech reveals a nice, if slightly unremarkable design that works very well on most set ups so long as you stick religiously to the eighteen tooth maximum difference. Provocatively introducing a 20-tooth variance saw it grumble but in my experience, this only presents difficulties when people try and save money by coercing components intended for doubles on to triple set ups. 88g is pretty competitive and it should be stout enough for ‘cross (although in my opinion eight speed is the optimum for mud plugging – 10 shows a greater tendency for clogging in more challenging environments).

Taken to the tarmac it’s a very simple system to use with some very minor (read likeable) quirks. The action is very light without feeling remote-somewhere between Shimano and old fashioned Modolo. Gear changes are very audible-some might think indiscrete but I really warmed to the gentle whirr and click along the block. In common with more expensive members of the Microshift family, shifting remains consistently dependable whether cantering up the climbs, dancing on the pedals for every last ounce of momentum or just trickling along.

Changing from small to large ring had a sense of delay at the lever but devoid of cage rub, was largely forgotten after the first ten miles and didn’t present any operational difficulty-although it s the only minor blot on an otherwise immaculate copy book. A month isn’t a very log time in terms of judging a groupsets’ longevity- a witch’s brew of salt; slush, rain and sleet would really test its mettle but initial impressions seem favourable and there’s a hell of a lot of bang for very modest buck-perfect for those situations where you want a good looking, great performing groupset without pushing the boat out too far.

Verdict

Impressive and keenly priced mid range groupset