upgrading groupset

rich164h

A recent topic about upgrading brakes and there being almost no perceivable difference between the different levels of the shimano range got me thinking.

If one were to upgrade the groupset on a bike (for arguments sake lets take the shimano range, but I guess the same applied to campag and SRAM), which are the individual components that would make the biggest change? I guess is comes down to what is meant by "best" but is there a general consensus on what bits should probably be changed first? cassette? shifters?

Rich

ps. I realise there is an issue with changing from 8 to 9 to 10 speeds, but I'm ignoring that. Let's say I wanted to go from 105 to Ultegra or Dura Ace.

Limburger

The functionality is the same between those groups (Or used to be) they just got lighter as you spent more money. Sometimes you got better bearings higher up ie. from sleeve bearing to needle bearing in the brake calliper or something.

If all were compatible then choosing the component which gave you the greatest weight saving would be the place to start.

I won't comment on stiffness because of the subtleties involved.

ride_whenever

Shifters have the biggest effect IME, not sure about after that.

Monty Dog

Assuming everything is clean and in working order, then I agree about the shifters - a DuraAce lever driving a 105 mech is imperceptible. The big difference would be after a couple of years - the high en kit is more durable and doesn't wear as quickly IME, particularly if you use it all year.

rich164h

hmmm interesting. It makes me wonder why people that aren't competing and therefore wanting to save every last gram of weight would bother paying above and beyond 105, with the exception of new shifters (for which Ultegra ones can be bought for ~£150 at the moment and a lot of that could be offset by selling the original ones). Bling factor I suppose.

So when people talk about a difference in the "feel" of an upgraded groupset (crispness/smoothness of change for example) are the only really refering to a difference in the shifters? I guess there's a certain element of placebo effect as well though.

Makes me wonder why people bother paying hundreds and hundred of pounds more on a new bike with an identical frame to get a higher end groupset if that's the case. I guess the manufacturers probably also upgrade other bits like wheels at the same time so it's not such a bad deal, but it's the groupset that tends to hog the headlines (Tarmac expert vs comp is a good example I think. Even allowing for the difference in retail price of the wheel upgrade you are still paying £470 more for the upgrade to Ultegra from 105!).