microSHIFT Arsis11 (R68S) derailleur

The microSHIFT Arsis is another of the new ‘aspirational’ generation of Taiwanese derailleurs - an attempt to do for Taiwan what the Shimano Crane did for Japan three decades earlier.

It ticks a lot of the right boxes - carbon wrapped outer parallelogram plate, CNC machined outer pulley cage plate, pulley wheels with sealed bearings, titanium small parts, aluminium hanger bolt and 10 (or later 11) speed compatibility.

And just like the Crane all those years ago, there is a certain immature teenage feel to it - the branding is slightly crass, there is too much writing everywhere (the Arsis doth protest too much, methinks), the finish is slightly inconsistent (beautifully polished here, slightly rough and ready there) and it is not especially light given all that technology (what is ‘carbon wrapping’ all about anyway?).

But it was an excellent try.

I am aware of at least three generations of microSHIFT Arsis:

First up is the microSHIFT Arsis (R66). This was for 10-speeds, had CNC drilled pulley wheels and a rather bling, CNC, drilled, 50mm pulley cage.
The second iteration is the microSHIFT Arsis (R67). This is a total redesign, with a horseshoe shaped cutout in the outer parallelogram plate, the pulley cage gets lengthened to 56mm and the CNC pulley wheels get replaced with plastic items (albeit also with sealed bearings).
And finally there is the microSHIFT Arsis11 (R68). Another total redesign. The p-knuckle becomes a more modern but less distinctive shape. The bling content also, and very regretably, gets dramatically reduced.

This is an example of the third generation microSHIFT Arsis (R68S). Some of its features are:

It's an 11-speed device.
The outer parallelogram plate is back to a conventional shape.
It has a very conventional shaped (i.e. dull) p-knuckle.
The pulley cage is 59mm long.
The adjustment screws are titanium with Phillips heads.
The plastic pulley wheels have sealed bearings.
The cable clamp washer is circular with no tabs.

This iteration of the microSHIFT Arsis lacks some of the CNC bling of earlier versions - it is cheeky to say so, but something about its look and even about the logo seems more Ultegra than Dura-Ace.

Derailleur brands: microSHIFT
Country: Taiwan
Date of introduction: 2015
Date of this example: unknown
Model no.: R68S
Weight: 197g
Maximum cog: 32 teeth (source: microSHIFT)
Total capacity: 35 teeth (source: microSHIFT)
Pulley centre to centre: 59mm
Index compatibility: 11 speed Shimano
Chain width: 3/32”
Logic: top normal
B pivot: sprung
P pivot: sprung
Materials: Aluminium (including the hanger bolt), with ‘carbon-wrapped’ outer parallelogram plate and titanium cable clamp, cable outer adjuster and adjustment screws.