Upgrade from 105 to Ultegra



StanW

New Member
Sep 7, 2007
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I'm riding a year old Cannondale with Shimano 105 shifters, cranks, etc. I am not happy with the gearing and wondered if there was anyone who could advise as to whether an upgrade to Ultegra was worth the expense.
 
StanW said:
I'm riding a year old Cannondale with Shimano 105 shifters, cranks, etc. I am not happy with the gearing and wondered if there was anyone who could advise as to whether an upgrade to Ultegra was worth the expense.

Which gearing? Crank? Cassette? Most likely you can change the gearing w/o changing to ultegra.
 
StanW said:
I'm riding a year old Cannondale with Shimano 105 shifters, cranks, etc. I am not happy with the gearing and wondered if there was anyone who could advise as to whether an upgrade to Ultegra was worth the expense.

I think the operation and feel of 105 vs Ultegra will be similar if not the same.

Probikekit have some good deals at the moment;

Shimano Ultegra 10-Speed Rear Derailleur: $76.35 (USD)
Shimano Ultegra 10-Speed Dual Control Levers STI (Inc. Cables): $380.30 (USD)

regards
 
StanW said:
I'm riding a year old Cannondale with Shimano 105 shifters, cranks, etc. I am not happy with the gearing and wondered if there was anyone who could advise as to whether an upgrade to Ultegra was worth the expense.

As others have said, you can change the chainring gears and your cassette gearing on the 105 to get the gearing you desire. As for as the shifters and the deraillures go, you wont notice one bit of diffrence. If you want your shifting stuff to be stamped "Ultegra" instead of "105" then fine.
Performance wise there is no diffrence between the two. The diffrence between 105 and ultegra is weight and the price you pay for a few less grams..;)
 
Zero! Upgrade your life, upgrade your fitness, upgrade your technique and skills, upgrade your diet, etc. Or, if you must buy something, get something that you can really feel, like high-quality tires, get a nice pump, get some clothing, gloves, or whatever. Since you are unlikely to have to drop Contador on a mountain stage anytime soon, a few grams won't matter in any way whatsoever. The best thing you can do for yourself as a cyclist is to inoculate yourself against upgrade-itis.

I've owned a bike with 105. Mid-range componentry does everything a person really needs as well as the more esoteric stuff.

Hey, I can't claim I haven't been there, in my more credulous and youthful days. That's how I know it makes no difference, except to whatever else relies on you having money in your bank account.
 
StanW said:
I'm riding a year old Cannondale with Shimano 105 shifters, cranks, etc. I am not happy with the gearing

What is it you are unhappy about?
 
Gearing be a cheap, easy thing to change. It involves either changing chain rings or cassettes (preferably). The desire to change gearing is no reason to upgrade a group.
 
StanW said:
I'm riding a year old Cannondale with Shimano 105 shifters, cranks, etc. I am not happy with the gearing and wondered if there was anyone who could advise as to whether an upgrade to Ultegra was worth the expense.

I have a 105 bike and also a Ultegra. The only difference i notice is the front derailleur. The ultegra is smoother.
gearing can be changed by: different cassette, different crank chain rings Or different crank depending on what you need.
 
I've got a 25 year old Cannondale with 105. Several years ago my bike shop told me my cassette was pretty worn and I had them replace it with a lower geared one so hills would be a little easier to climb in my old age.

I don't know if it is made by Shimano or not, actually I don't care since it works well.

I did upgrade my pedals to those Ultegra clipless spd type. I've been very pleased with them, too.
 
rparedes said:
I have a 105 bike and also a Ultegra. The only difference i notice is the front derailleur. The ultegra is smoother.
That's what I noticed, too, but it's the control lever, not the derailleur. And the improvement is not enough to warrant replacement unless something is broken, in my opinion.

Setting up and adjusting the 105 front (left) control lever seems to be the downfall of many mechanics, pro and shadetree alike. The usual culprits are the cable not properly seated in the lever, the derailleur cage set too high or out of alignment with the chain rings or chain line, too much cable tension, and improperly adjusted limit screws.