Tiagra vresus 105??

[Pottsie]

I am thinking of buying a Specialized Allez Comp road bike. Is it worth it to upgrade from a Tiagra groupset to a 105 groupset for $350 more?? The LBS said that upgrading from Tiagra shifters to 105 shifters alone after the fact(I am buying this bike new) would be $500. Any thoughts for this beginner would be appreciated as I don't really know what the %$#%#^ I am doing!! Thanks.

 

[alfeng]

I am thinking of buying a Specialized Allez Comp road bike. Is it worth it to upgrade from a Tiagra groupset to a 105 groupset for $350 more?? The LBS said that upgrading from Tiagra shifters to 105 shifters alone after the fact(I am buying this bike new) would be $500. Any thoughts for this beginner would be appreciated as I don't really know what the %$#%#^ I am doing!! Thanks.

$350? $500?!?

While some might suggest that the price of upgrading up front is worth it, I would suggest that if THAT particular Specialized Allez is what you want, then you should go with the lesser group BECAUSE as long as you maintain the Tiagra group (i.e., KEEP IT ADJUSTED & PROPERLY LUBED), then it will function longer than you probably want ...

Further, by the time you really NEED a 105-or-better group (e.g., ANY Campagnolo group!), you will be able to buy the parts off the web (e.g., eBay OR mail order) for less than the $350 difference (based on TODAY's value of whichever Dollar you are dealing with prior to further devaluation/inflation).

BTW. I just sold a NEW pair of 10-speed Ultegra shifters on eBay because I decided to abandon a component test (why ruin a ride?) for a lot less than either amount mentioned by your LBS ... right now, if I wanted to "upgrade" a bike to Ultegra 10-speed (one step UP above 105 ... a VERY GOOD choice if Shimano shifters are what you want to use) from almost any other existing Shimano group on an "old" bike, it would probably cost less than $350US UNLESS you choose to pay bust-out retail at your local bike shop.

 

[kdelong]

+1 for Alfeng. The 105 group is a little better, but not for the price that they want to charge you. This is a good time of year to buy a bike. See if you can deal with them or check out a couple of other LBSs and see what they can offer you if you don't want to use the Tiara group. IMHO, Tiagra is fine for a recreational rider.

 

[Pottsie]

Thanks for the info. Would you consider 50-100 miles per week recreational? By the way, I like chicken too, but prefer Halle Berry!

+1 for Alfeng. The 105 group is a little better, but not for the price that they want to charge you. This is a good time of year to buy a bike. See if you can deal with them or check out a couple of other LBSs and see what they can offer you if you don't want to use the Tiara group. IMHO, Tiagra is fine for a recreational rider.

 

[Pottsie]

Thanks for the info. I just got back from the bike shop. I rode a bike with Tiagra and one with 105's and too tell the truth I didn't notice much of a difference.

$350? $500?!?

While some might suggest that the price of upgrading up front is worth it, I would suggest that if THAT particular Specialized Allez is what you want, then you should go with the lesser group BECAUSE as long as you maintain the Tiagra group (i.e., KEEP IT ADJUSTED & PROPERLY LUBED), then it will function longer than you probably want ...

Further, by the time you really NEED a 105-or-better group (e.g., ANY Campagnolo group!), you will be able to buy the parts off the web (e.g., eBay OR mail order) for less than the $350 difference (based on TODAY's value of whichever Dollar you are dealing with prior to further devaluation/inflation).

BTW. I just sold a NEW pair of 10-speed Ultegra shifters on eBay because I decided to abandon a component test (why ruin a ride?) for a lot less than either amount mentioned by your LBS ... right now, if I wanted to "upgrade" a bike to Ultegra 10-speed (one step UP above 105 ... a VERY GOOD choice if Shimano shifters are what you want to use) from almost any other existing Shimano group on an "old" bike, it would probably cost less than $350US UNLESS you choose to pay bust-out retail at your local bike shop.

 

[alfeng]

I rode a bike with Tiagra and one with 105's and too tell the truth I didn't notice much of a difference.

The reason that you didn't notice too much difference is because SHIMANO's components are ALL pretty good ... the better "stuff" is definitely nicer, but the main difference is in the weight & finish ... some stuff will probably last longer, but that may be more of a matter of greater care being taken by the owner.

BTW. I happen to use Campagnolo shifters because they are much better for the type of riding I encounter (i.e., mountain roads). Most of the rest of the components on my bikes are Shimano (yes, you can mix-and-match SOME things ... BUT, not others) ...

NB/FYI. Shimano has GREAT North American customer service, IMO.

DT Swiss has great customer service, too.

SRAM, to date, has exhibited terrible customer service. I would have to be a fool to buy anything they market in the future, so it's a good thing I don't have to be the-first-on-the-block with some new piece of equipment.

I have never needed to contact Campagnolo's customer service, so I can't tell you how good/bad it is.

Does the customer service matter? If you aren't a sponsored rider OR if you don't care about how much you spend for "stuff" (of any ilk), then I think it does matter BECAUSE no matter how good the bike shop is that you are dealing with, if they can't get parts, then if you have a problem with a component, it becomes a paperweight.

 

[alfeng]

Would you consider 50-100 miles per week recreational?

Some people (non-Pro, but competitive riders) around here ride 50-to-100 miles PER DAY ...

 

[kdelong]

Thanks for the info. Would you consider 50-100 miles per week recreational? By the way, I like chicken too, but prefer Halle Berry!

That would qualify as recreational. As alfeng stated, there is not much difference between Tiagra and 105. You might notice slightly crisper, more precise shifts if you tried Ultegra or Dura Ace. The finish on the higher end components is nicer and they wiegh slightly less. The higher end components tend to last longer as less plastic is used on them than on the lower end components.

Actually the little saying is just an inside joke between my girlfreind and me. She was inviting me over for dinner the first time and asked me what I liked. I said "chicken", and then a Diana Ross song began to play on the radio. I mentioned that I had not heard Diana Ross for a long time and Sarah stuck them together. I really don't like Diana Ross that much, but I do for the sake of the old joke.

 

[Retro Grouch]

Thanks for the info. I just got back from the bike shop. I rode a bike with Tiagra and one with 105's and too tell the truth I didn't notice much of a difference.

I'm not surprised. My rule of thumb is that, if I move up or down just one group set, I can't feel a difference. If I move up two group sets, however, I can sense a difference in crispness. That tells me the difference is there, I'm just not sensitive enough to feel it.

 

[loco-motive]

I've been riding, and rebuilding my own road and Mt bikes for awhile (just a dab of credibility). A friend of mine was recently faced with the exact same dilema. I finally recommended that he go the the 105 level because he rides well over 1,000 miles a season, and it looks like that will only continue to grow. An experienced opinion (all my bikes are Ultegra, or XTR) is if you're a casual (bike path) rider - maybe 20 miles in a good week - the Tiagra will work fine. What you pay the extra money for is a little less weight, a little better shifting/braking, better wearibility, and 105 is sort of the bottom of the line for an "enthusiast" cyclist (again, an impression). If you have the $350, go for the better parts if you're going to use them.

A side story...My friend bought a big-box store level comfort bike 2 years ago (same guy as above). I'm the official friend/mechanic, and I"ve had my fill of the inacurate shifting, and having to replace the bottom bracket bearings (axel for the crank arms) because they self-destructed in a single season. He just bought a Lemond, from a riding buddy of mine, with 105 level components, and I'm probably happier than he is, because I know it "good stuff".

Sorry for the long winded reply.

 

[lbraasch]

http://www.cyclingforums.com/showpost.php?p=3512486&postcount=15

quick answer: Tiagra has plastic components and 105 does not.

If 50 miles is a more honest answer, and 100 miles is on the high side, Tiagra is fine. If It's more like 80-100 miles a week, I'd say go 105. They'll simply last longer. You really wont notice much of a performance gain until you go from the 105-ultegra jump as stated in the linked post.

 

[aussiemikeinsd]

If anyone is still following this thread
How about upgrading from Shimano Sora to Shimano 105

I have a Specialized 2010 Allez Sport 9spd cassette. changed the chain ring to 55T. Amateur rider cat D, riding 150-200miles/week. I was happy with the big a year ago but now find the shifters by Sora a pain. Looking to change:

Looking at ebay it might be a worth while change; can any reading tis thread advise not too due to either mounting shifter, cabling, cassette or derailer issues. Perhaps replace the bike to meet my new level of competition level

 

[RoyalDutchShell]

If you get the older 105 shifters (with the shift cables sticking out the side) second hand on eBay, you can get wicked deals, as the new 105 has the cable hidden.
But because your cassette is 9speed, either look for an older 105 9speed STI (you might find old 9-speed Dura Ace or Ultegra for good deals too!), or like you say, maybe think about upgrading the bike...

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by aussiemikeinsd .

How about upgrading from Shimano Sora to Shimano 105

I have a Specialized 2010 Allez Sport 9spd cassette. changed the chain ring to 55T. Amateur rider cat D, riding 150-200miles/week. I was happy with the big a year ago but now find the shifters by Sora a pain. Looking to change:

Looking at ebay it might be a worth while change; can any reading tis thread advise not too due to either mounting shifter, cabling, cassette or derailer issues. Perhaps replace the bike to meet my new level of competition level

FWIW. You can improve your shifting by replacing most-if-not-all Shimano shifters with either a set of 10-speed (non-QS) or 11-speed Campagnolo shifters:

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I use 10-speed Campagnolo shifters with 9-speed Shimano derailleurs (front & rear) & cassettes (Shimano & SRAM) ...

• with 8-/9-speed Shimano rear derailleurs, I have to hubbub the derailleur connection
• with a 10-speed Shimano rear derailleur the cable is connected as it normally would be

The shifting is flawless ... no balking (a problem which I occasionally experienced when downshifting while going uphill) ... some credit may go to the superior ramping design of Shimano's cassettes.

• An 11-speed Campagnolo shifter + 9-speed Shimano rear derailleur yields 9-speed Shimano indexing

As far as the front Campagnolo shifter with 9-speed Shimano front derailleurs, it typically requires 3-clicks to transfer the chain between chainrings.

FYI. MY experience is that the FRONT shifting is superior with Campagnolo's shifters than what I experienced with Shimano Ultegra 6500 shifters. Just as with the rear shifts, I found that the Ultegra shifters would sometimes balk when moving the chain to the larger chainring when the drivetrain was under load ([COLOR= #808080]i.e., going up hill[/COLOR]); but, I find that with the Campagnolo shifters the front & rear shifts are effortless.

• Several seasons ago, because I had a slew of older chainrings, I decided to further test the front shifting and I installed a 6-/7-speed chainring on my crankset. The chain moved efficiently from the inner to outer chainring AND the only change I recall making was a slight narrowing of the adjustment of the stops by a fraction of a millimeter
• Last season, when I was procrastining about doing something else, I decided to see if I could use one of my older Dura Ace front derailleurs ([COLOR= #808080]circa 1980[/COLOR]) with something other than a 5-/6-speed friction drivetrain

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With a 9-speed chain & 50/34 FSA crankset, the only (?) difference from using a 9-speed Shimano front derailleur is that 4-clicks are needed to move the chain from the inner to outer chainring.

​

 

[Ray1966]

I have a Cannondale CAAD 8 with Tiagra all around. I ride 50 miles a day 5 days a week, 7000 miles a year. I have not had one problem with Tiagra. It works as good right now as it did when it was new. I'm not a racer, competitive cyclist just a fitness and touring rider. I've rode a lot of bikes over the years, with all kinds of components 105, old SunTour and everything in between. They all seem to work about the same to me. I don't worry that much about weight or image to others. It's not about style, pleasing other cyclists, trying to fit in with the cool kids ECT. Decide on your budget, and what kind of cyclists you want to be. Then find the best bike in that price range that will work for you. Who cares what it has on it, it's your bike. If other cyclists judge you for what you ride, and what's on it their not worth riding with in the first place. We get bikes to ride, but it seems that people care more about upgrading this or that than getting use out of what it's intended for. I've been cycling for a long long time now. I don't care what other cyclists think about me or my bike and what it has on it. If it works for me, it's good enough. The only opinion that is important to me is mine when it comes to my bike, my riding or my choices of what I choose to have on my bike. Life is to short to worry about silly little things like this. especially when you get near 50 years old. Just remember, the bike doesn't ride itself. It don't matter if you have a top of the line road machine, or a 20 dollar yard sale bike. You have to turn the cranks over. So try them all, make a decision and be happy with it. Or buy a bike, take it home, go take out a loan and start buying stuff. I'm sure by doing that you will fit in with the cool kids, get that group approval and become super fast ( at least for 3 months until the magazines come out with something else to convince you you just have to buy to keep that edge.)