13
votes
Buy cheaper bike and upgrade
You can do it, but it will be much more expensive to buy the Tiagra-equipped bike and then buy Ultegra parts piece-by-piece. Bike manufacturers get the parts much more cheaply than you can, and that ...
- 29.2k
12
votes
Shimano Claris vs 105?
I've never used Claris, but I've used a bunch of different Shimano road stuff, from 8 to 11 speed, as well as some SRAM.
All other things being equal (which they never are), the more expensive ...
- 121
10
votes
Is Claris today better than best groupset from 10 years ago?
There are 2 metrics on which today's Claris is "better" than Dura-Ace 9000: range and low-speed performance (bigger cassette sprockets, and possibility to have gravel-ish sized chainrings). ...
- 17.6k
9
votes
Will my mix-and-match drivetrain work?
Don't put a 9-speed chain through a 6/7-speed front derailleur like that. It will work badly because the cage inner gap will be spaced to expect a wider chain. Random internet advice loves to get this ...
- 81.9k
8
votes
Reasons NOT to buy a used groupset
Twenty-plus year old STIs that really and truly have much life left are rare and expensive.
The 7700 STIs are much more serviceable than most, hypothetically. They allow some make-one-good-one-from-...
- 81.9k
7
votes
Shimano Claris vs 105?
I'm researching my new road bike too. Here's info on shimano road sets, originally from: http://www.chainreactionhub.com/road/980-our-guide-to-shimanos-road-groupsets-from-tiagra-to-dura-ace
with ...
- 121k
7
votes
Accepted
Slowly switching from Shimano to SRAM
First question: having to mess with cables every month or two is not normal. I would recommend investigating that first. If you still have the stock wheels, you can just replace the freehub body, no ...
- 17.6k
6
votes
Can I partially upgrade from Shimano Sora to Ultegra 6800?
Stay with 9 speed. the beauty of Shimano 9 speed is that the 9 speed road levers are compatible with mountain derailleurs and vice versa. You can get a 9 speed deore derailleur and a 9 speed 12-36 ...
- 1,981
6
votes
Upgrading 8 speed Shimano 105 to 11 Speed Shimano 105
I'll definitely have to change my cassette
Shimano 11 speed road cassettes require wider freehub body. You have several options here:
Get a new rear wheel or hub that supports 11 speed road ...
- 5,709
6
votes
Buy cheaper bike and upgrade
There is nothing about the wheel or frame that is incompatible with Ultegra R8000. You might need an adapter for the bottom bracket but that's about it.
However, as others have said, groupsets are ...
- 75.5k
6
votes
Shimano 105 FC-5501 chainrings replacement
Shimano might not say it's okay, but you can use any 130BCD chainrings that you can find with that crankset1. You'll get the best shifting performance if you pick a matched set of chainrings from a ...
6
votes
Is Claris today better than best groupset from 10 years ago?
Modern claris in 2022 is an 8 speed system, with either dual or triple chainring setup.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/claris-2400.html
DuraAce 7900 was released in 2008 and is a 10 ...
- 121k
6
votes
Are shimano 6700 and 6703 chainrings compatible?
The FC-6703-specific 52-tooth outer chainring is Shimano model number WP-Y1LK98030.
The FC-6700-specific 52-tooth outer chainring is Shimano model number WP-Y1LJ98150.
Yes, the FC-6700 outer chainring ...
- 6,089
5
votes
Shimano 105 + Shimano Tiagra?
Latest 105 and Tiagra iterations at this moment are 4700 and 5800. Both have same crankset design, so I don't see why left crankarm wouldn't be compatible. I'd figure you would be more concerned about ...
- 5,709
5
votes
What groupsets are compatible with my bike?
There are a lot of things to check when doing a swap of your groupset. Some things off the top of my head:
Hub/Freewheel compatibility: Since you are increasing the cassette size, you may have to ...
- 486
5
votes
How long will Ultegra 6800 parts be available?
Don't expect something official. If you don't see it listed on the main page of Shimano's website, production has likely ramped down or stopped.
Resellers will go as long as theres demand and stock. ...
- 46.1k
5
votes
Does Campagnolo have a groupset model number system?
If compatibility is what you're after, you should know that it's not always necessary to use the same group. Many times, you can mix and match different groups, even different manufacturers.
As far ...
- 4,272
5
votes
Accepted
SRAM groupset equal to Ultegra R8000 series?
This is an easy question to answer: SRAM Force is equivalent to Shimano Ultegra. Here is one link from BikeRadar. Some sample quotes:
Going up in price to Ultegra-level, SRAM’s Force group uses ...
- 29.7k
5
votes
Accepted
What should I look for when buying a new road group set?
You need a rim brake group set with a comparable brake reach as before, which will happen automatically if the new one is also Campy because convetional Campy calipers have only come in one reach in ...
- 81.9k
5
votes
Accepted
Mixing GRX crankset with Deore groupset on 2021 Trek Dual Sport 4
Updated due to criticism.
If you have a 68mm bottom bracket shell (which was my understanding in this case), using a "road/gravel" crankset (GRX, Miche Graff, Sram Apex1 etc) won't present a ...
- 13.7k
5
votes
Is it necessary to upgrade my groupset?
I think what you have is more ideal for steep climbs you would find in the mountains than most up-market groupsets. As @Criggie has pointed out, 22:36 is ideal for climbs. Going to a more expensive ...
- 21.7k
5
votes
Buying Sora vs Claris for speed/weight
From what I can find the Contend AR3 weighs 9.7kg while the AR4 weighs 10.3kg.
So it’s not a huge difference. At the same time 200$ is also a relatively cheap price for that kind of weight saving.
The ...
- 26k
4
votes
Upgrading 8 speed Shimano 105 to 11 Speed Shimano 105
I know this question is a little old...the crankset won't work. The spacing between the chainrings for 8 speed is large enough that the 11 speed chain can slip and jam in between them. At first it may ...
- 41
4
votes
Accepted
Replacing entire group - need new hubs?
With that in mind - can I put a 10/11 speed cassette on my existing
(15 yr old Chris King) rear hub?
9, 10 and 11 speed Shimano MTB cassettes all use the same freehub body, you can keep the old ...
- 5,709
4
votes
Accepted
Comparing different year group-sets
Shimano groupsets don't get upgraded every year. Each line gets major upgrades every four years or so. Have a look at the Shimano Wikipedia page, road groupsets section for a good overview of ...
- 75.5k
4
votes
Does Campagnolo have a groupset model number system?
EDIT 2023: Compatibility was not a major issue when I originally wrote this answer but since then electronic shifting and some details in mechanical levers have changed things. See the other answer ...
- 21.8k
4
votes
Does Campagnolo have a groupset model number system?
As mentioned, Campagnolo (and SRAM) doesn't have a public-facing groupset model number system, unlike Shimano. Thus, differentiation between different iterations (given the number of speeds) is more ...
- 29.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Upgrading 20 year old road bike's groupset
I agree with the folks who suggest that you stick to the 9-spd Ultegra, especially since it already has index shifting and "brifters" (you can brake and shift at the handlebar without moving your ...
- 190
4
votes
Sub-compact chainring sizes?
We shy away from specific product recommendations, but the question is a decent one and it's impossible to answer without mentioning specific products. So, here goes.
I assume that "standard crank" ...
- 29.7k
4
votes
Two broken teeth in Shimano 105 crankset
If it was mine and I damaged it riding, moving, storing etc. I would try to de-burr the edges and see how it shifted. In your case any modifications you make means you own it. Contact either the ...
- 18.4k
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