Powershift MTB Split Review | Who is this for?

Almost all mountain bikes use a drivetrain, save for a few elite park riders like Remy Morton. We probably don't think too much about our drivetrains when they're working the way they're supposed to, and that's changed a lot for anyone who's been riding for more than a decade. Mountain bike drivetrains haven't had the shift changes, they still rely on a chain running over sprockets, with a derailleur used to change gears. The said derailleur is operated by a shifter – either mechanical or electronic. There are some changes here with EMTB systems offering automatic shifting with electric drivetrains – but they still run the chain over a cassette with an external drivetrain. Cool, but not a low redesign.

Classified Powershift introduced a novel concept for road, then gravel bikes. They use existing derailleurs, chains and shifters, and pair them to their cassettes and hubs. Neat cassettes may look very familiar, but it's what's inside the hub that counts. The split uses a two-step internal gear that provides a 46% reduction gear without loss of efficiency, and zero lag. In 2023, they released a mountain bike version. It uses an 11-40 12-speed cassette, a ring shifter that sits close to your grip and uses a Bluetooth connection with a Classified through-axle to change gears inside the hub. Do this while freewheeling, while hiking, or while not moving at all. With 11-40 cassettes and a two-step hub gear you get 16 different ratios and a 530% gear range – 1x the largest range on the market.

But why?

Most riders will be fine with a range of 10-51 or 10-52t 12-speeds from Shimano and SRAM. More range is one of the benefits of the Classified Powershift setup. It also reduces the gap between each gear, something that riders who run or spend a lot of time climbing will appreciate, where the right cadence and gear make a big difference. The smaller cassette means Shimano riders can use an XT or XTR short cage derailleur to increase ground clearance. However, the cage will be higher as it only needs to clear the 40t sprocket.

A smaller chain system reduces weight and load on the clutch to reduce chain drag in higher gears, reducing dynamic load and potentially increasing shift safety and shift speed. At 246g – the cassette is light again. All the work is done inside the hub shell, however this is removable and can be installed in Split hub shells if you really win the program. The shifter, hub internals and axle are managed via an app, so you can adjust them (and check they're charging) as needed from your phone.

Set up

I included this in my first review on AMBmag.com.au. I had the system on my XC hardtail, using a Shimano XT 12-speed shifter and derailleur. I used an FSA chain as Classified said that the Hyperglide Plus chains from Shimano are consistent as well as their cassettes. I was given a set of Classified wheels, where their hub is built into their 30mm internal carbon rim. But you can buy a hub shell just for your build.

The Classified wheel set has a 35mm wide carbon rim (30mm inside) and the rear weighs 715g and the front 684g. Of course the Powershift unit is an extra 499g. The shifter weighs 28g and the axle is 104g. I had a wheel setup with Pirelli Scorpion XC RC 2.4″ tires and Tubolight SL liners.

The through-axle is one size fits all – meaning it comes with separate thread ends for attachment, and spacers to ensure the end is the correct distance from the hub shell. These are plastic and I found them to be more compact than I would have liked. This didn't affect performance, but I needed to tighten the axle a few times on my first ride. Both the axle and the shifter have charging ports – you can check the battery level via the app.

Regarding gearing, it is important to note that an 11-40 cassette means your top gear is 11 and not 10, most 12 speed systems. I stuck with my regular 34t ring, but during testing I realized I should have changed that.

It is also used on the road

Overall, the system is subtle in both appearance and use. Driving away from home on my first test ride the only thing I noticed was that I was approaching the lowest gear of the cassette faster than usual. It took a few rides to fully acclimate to the system, using the toggle switch to shift into a lower gear or keep it normal. Given that the reduction gear is Bluetooth enabled and doesn't require a chain to wind the cassette sprocket by pedaling, it's almost instantaneous.

With the 34t chain ring on the front I had a lower gear available with the reduction gear than the 51t I usually have. But my top gear was rated for 11t not 10t. I would suggest looking at increasing your ring size if you are looking at the Split upgrade, as I feel like I have 3 or 4 lower gears, but I was short on the end. The selectors suggested going up in ring size – I didn't pay attention.

Thing is, all the gears have less overlap between them than the lower gears of a 10-51t or 10-52t cassette, which was a huge bonus on climbs, steep or not. The Classified Powershift system means you're more likely to have the right gear when you need it. Whether that gets you going up a loose hill, or pulling away from a competitor depends on your choice of mountain biking.

Currently, this system is designed for the XC and trail crowd and is not designed for Enduro use. However, a few riders within the AMB test team are very keen to see if the Enduro setup is released, as they like the idea of ​​more ground clearance and less jump between gears, but still get that low range from the reduction gear on the hub. .

One thing I miss is the smooth and quick shifting of the Shimano Hyperglide+ chain and cassette. And riders using SRAM's new T-type groupsets may miss how good the chain and cassette mesh is. The Reverse Cassette is a nice piece of machined metal, but it just doesn't have the adjustable shifters to help you go up and down with the same shifts that Shimano and SRAM offer. It's a small thing, but in terms of fine details it's something I noticed.

But the benefits of the system probably shine more than the details of the shift. Being able to drop the equivalent of a few gears quickly, or gain them, makes a big difference. Lost speed in the V-ditch? No worries, you can start again. Want to attack over the hill? Go for it, get out of the reduction range and go! Stupidly stopped in high gear? It's easy, just ditch the reduction gear and take off again. Add in the benefits of a short chain, even the safety of a shift if you had a short derailleur and didn't even have to move the mech for a big jump in gear and the benefits are real – especially for those with a performance goal.

The decision

Many may wonder what the point of the Classified Powershift program is. And it's fair enough – 12-speed groupsets from Shimano and SRAM have the widest gear range, 1x chain safety and convenience, and parts are easy to get hold of. Where the Classified system shines is for those who want more range, and more gear options. It really does give you a few extra gears over a slightly wider range, and for those chasing performance gains in marathons and stage races, or distance setting up bikepacking, it could be the perfect solution. It's a cool technology and FE Sports strongly supports it for customer service. I would like to see a way to combine better chain flexibility with the Shimano HyperGlide+ cassette, especially with their 10-45t model and their short cage derailleurs. The Belgian company has been growing and refining its product, so I suspect we'll see more in the off-road space in the future. Meanwhile, dedicated cross-country, marathon and trail riders looking for a comprehensive premium system with extra gear and ground clearance have an exciting new option.