Mixing a left 105 STI shifter with a Tiagra right...

Mr Plum
Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
edited September 2011 in The workshop
Does anyone know how the 105 5600 hoods feel compared to the Tiagra 4500 ones?

I need to replace a broken left hand 4503 shifter and there's currently a good deal on a left hand 5603 shifter on ebay - about £60 posted brand new which is cheaper than I've been able to find any 4503 replacement. Just wondering if I'll get away with mixing and matching - do they feel similar enough to get away with this?
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Comments

  • Torvid
    Torvid Posts: 449
    Mr Plum wrote:
    Does anyone know how the 105 5600 hoods feel compared to the Tiagra 4500 ones?

    I need to replace a broken left hand 4503 shifter and there's currently a good deal on a left hand 5603 shifter on ebay - about £60 posted brand new which is cheaper than I've been able to find any 4503 replacement. Just wondering if I'll get away with mixing and matching - do they feel similar enough to get away with this?

    Think they are the same hoods the sora is different but i think the rubber bits on the tiagra 4500 is interchangable with the 5600.
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  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    Torvid wrote:
    Mr Plum wrote:
    Does anyone know how the 105 5600 hoods feel compared to the Tiagra 4500 ones?

    I need to replace a broken left hand 4503 shifter and there's currently a good deal on a left hand 5603 shifter on ebay - about £60 posted brand new which is cheaper than I've been able to find any 4503 replacement. Just wondering if I'll get away with mixing and matching - do they feel similar enough to get away with this?

    Think they are the same hoods the sora is different but i think the rubber bits on the tiagra 4500 is interchangable with the 5600.

    That's good, so in theory it should feel exactly the same?
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  • Torvid
    Torvid Posts: 449
    Yeah i don't see why they wouldn't, if it wasn't for the flight deck bit on the tiagra you would be hard pressed to tell the difference looking at them.
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  • Torvid
    Torvid Posts: 449
    if your worried nip down the bike shop and have a quick feel of the one your not sure about they should have 105 on some of the bikes.
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  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    Isn't the 5600 series 105 left shifter the one that's famously unreliable?
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    davis wrote:
    Isn't the 5600 series 105 left shifter the one that's famously unreliable?

    Hmm, that's not good. Just found a 6603 lever cheaper than the 5603 anyway. I've got the Ultegra 6600 SL groupset on my race bike so I'll compare the hood shapes when I get home and see if I can get away with matching a 6603 with a 4500. Unlikely, but I might do it anyway if the differences are minimal.
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  • Torvid
    Torvid Posts: 449
    i have a sora 2200 with a 105 5600 and honestly upi can sort of feel there different but i only notice it when i'm really throwing the bike around and the 105 just feels better.
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  • ex-pat scot
    ex-pat scot Posts: 939
    My CX bike currently has 6600 ultegra RH lever and 5500 (105 9 speed) LH lever.
    The 9 speed 105 is a bit "thinner" - I prefer the chunky feel of the Ultegra (which is the same profile as the DA 7800 shifters on the other CX bike)

    Generally I'd prefer the same shifters L&R. If necessary buy a matching pair and sell the remaining working one off on eBay
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  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    ex-pat scot wrote:
    My CX bike currently has 6600 ultegra RH lever and 5500 (105 9 speed) LH lever.
    The 9 speed 105 is a bit "thinner" - I prefer the chunky feel of the Ultegra (which is the same profile as the DA 7800 shifters on the other CX bike)

    Generally I'd prefer the same shifters L&R. If necessary buy a matching pair and sell the remaining working one off on eBay

    Just bought a brand new 6603 left hand lever, £55 posted. It'll do, not ideal, but in a way it's an upgrade and cheaper than I'd be able to find a 4503 replacement. Weird.
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  • phy2sll2
    phy2sll2 Posts: 680
    davis wrote:
    Isn't the 5600 series 105 left shifter the one that's famously unreliable?

    Yes, but that's why they brought out the 5601.
  • mister p
    mister p Posts: 405
    If the 105 is listed as 5603 then it is the triple specific version that was brought out after the issues with the 5600 double / triple lever. These are much more reliable and are a safe buy.
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    I have an Ultegra 6600 LH and a Tiagra 4500 RH shifter after the LH Tiagra broke. Managed to get the Ultegra shifter for £36 from Merlin a while back.

    It is slightly different in shape, but I must say I've never noticed it when riding. It's never bothered me at least, and you'd have to be looking very closely to spot the difference.
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