Classified’s two-speed internally geared Powershift hub brings 2x drivetrains back to mountain bikes with one new 12-speed MTB hub that works for both Shimano & SRAM drivetrains, plus new Boost-spaced hubs and a tiny wireless thumb shifter. That’s right, with wireless electronic shifting and just one 11-40T Classified cassette, Powershift will bump up your MTB gearing range to 530% whether you are riding a Shimano 12sp or SRAM Eagle 1x drivetrain…
Classified Powershift 2x internal gear MTB hub for Shimano & SRAM
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Rupert Fowler, SRAM drivetrain](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Rupert-Fowler_-SRAM-Eagle-800x450.jpg)
Much like we’ve seen on road and gravel, the wireless Powershift hub brings lightning-fast virtual front shifts back to modern 1x bikes with all the chainline and chain retention benefits of a single chainring setup, yet with the smaller gearing steps and wider overall gearing of a traditional 2x drivetrain. And you can shift under load while pedaling, to effectively drop or increase your gearing instantaneously like you would in 2 or 3 regular rear derailleur shifts. That’s especially helpful on the mountain bike when you will be coming out of a technical corner or hitting a steep technical climb, and can hit that instant gear shift…
What’s new?
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, exploded view](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_exploded-view-800x480.jpg)
Inside, the Classified Powershift MTB hub is effectively unchanged. Sure, Classified assures that the internals, axle, bearings & seals have all been upgraded to handle the harder life of a mountain bike, but the functional bits are the same concept: a 1:0.68 ratio planetary reduction gear, a wireless electronic controller in the end of the Smart axle that doesn’t need to be recharged, and a wireless remote shifter that you can neatly integrate into your existing cockpit setup.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, 11-40T cassette](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_cnc-machined-steel-11-40T-cassette-800x600.jpg)
The most obvious new bit is Classified’s new proprietary one-piece machined steel 11-40T cassette that works with both Shimano 12sp and SRAM Eagle 12sp derailleurs and chains. Classified says it is a happy medium between the two drivetrains, and while it takes a little bit more finetuning for its initial setup, once tuned they say it shifts great with either drivetrain. Pairing the 11-40T cassette with the internal reduction gear allows mountain bikers to size up their chainring by about 10-15% while getting both easier AND harder gears thanks to the system’s broad 530% gearing range.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, 11-40T cassette](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_cassette-profile-800x400.jpg)
Important to note: the new 10-40T cassette is also compatible with the original 12x142mm Classified Powershift hub bringing bigger 12sp gravel gearing options to existing users, too.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Ringshifter](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Ringshifter-riding-800x444.jpg)
The other big new thing is the tiny Ringshifter remote… not so unlike the Zirbel twist shifter in practice – just spin the paddle with your thumb to shift. But the Classified Ringshifter remote is completely self-contained and wireless – and rechargeable with a proprietary USB dongle after 10k shifts – making it incredibly quick to install in between your grip and brakes.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, empty Powershift-ready hubshell](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_Powershuft-ready-hub-800x534.jpg)
Also new but pretty obvious, the new MTB system is Boost spaced, which means it isn’t a direct swap with other Powershift internals. But you do get wider rear hub & 12x148mm axle spacing, wider bearing spacing, and compatibility with almost all modern mountain bikes.
Tech details
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, gear ratio comparison](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_gear-ration-comaprison-800x444.jpg)
Classified says Powershift MTB 12sp delivers 16 unique gears (after factoring out duplicate ratios) with a bit of a combination of derailleur & hub shifting. That’s with the ‘new’ gears effectively in the middle of the cassette block for better chainline, and larger cogs/chainrings overall (more teeth) for improved drivetrain rolling efficiency. They say those bigger cogs and the fact that the cassette is machined steel also mean longer drivetrain durability.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, tech drawings](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_tech-dwgs-800x533.jpg)
Weights for the system are claimed at 485g for the Powershift Boost MTB internal gear hub, 72g for the Smart axle, 125g for the 28-hole straight-pull centerlock disc brake hub shell OR 165g for the 32h j-bend 6-bolt disc shell, 24g for the Bluetooth Ringshifter, and 248g for the 12-speed 11-40T cassette. The Shimano AND SRAM compatible cassette includes the following gear steps: 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-22-25-29-34-40.
Interestingly weight-wise, Classified compares their complete Powershift setup with their own wheelset (including internally geared hub, cassette, shifter & all installation hardware) at 2151g as quite comparable to a Shimano XT (2053g) or SRAM GX (2035g) setup with a light DT Swiss XRC 1501 carbon wheelset and the stock cassettes with more limited gearing. (That does not include the Classified Smart axle relative to a standard thru-axle which likely adds around 50g extra.)
Classified Powershift MTB – Pricing, options & availability
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Rupert Fowler, detail](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Rupert-Fowler_detail-800x480.jpg)
Like the road & gravel Classified Powershift, the new MTB version will be available in several different ways.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, wheelset](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_Classified-pre-built-carbon-wheelset-800x480.jpg)
You can get a pre-built carbon XC wheelset from Classified for 2700€ with the complete Powershift MTB setup, or you can buy a Classified Powershift-ready wheelset from other wheelbuilders and then add on the 1450€ Powershift hub, cassette & shifter kit, or for 1550€ you can buy the complete kit including the Powershift-ready hubshell itself so your local wheelbuilder can lace it into a custom wheel ready to add in the Classified tech.
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, centerlock hub](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_centerlock-hub-800x534.jpg)
So when can you actually get it?
![Classified Powershift Boost MTB 2x internal gear mountain bike hub for Shimano or SRAM 12-speed, Bike Connection Agency photo by Mirror Media, Eagle chain](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Classified-Powershift-Boost-MTB-2x-internal-gear-mountain-bike-hub-for-Shimano-SRAM-12sp_Mountain-Bike-Connection-Winter_Mirror-Media_SRAM-Eagle-chain-800x534.jpg)
Officially, Classified Powershift MTB launches today at the start of April, but real component availability is expected in about six weeks’ time, starting from May 23rd, 2023.