Which upgrade for improved shifting?

pst88

If you had the choice of making one upgrade with the goal of achieving smoother shifting, what would it be? What makes the biggest difference? Is there any benefit to upgrading just one component or do you need to make a combination of changes?

For the record I'm talking about rear shifts and currently have Xenon shifters, Xenon rear mech and Miche cassette.

Wirral_paul

The one obvious option you didnt include is the cassette. What chain / cables do you use? How much use has everything seen (assuming its a genuine question to look at an upgrade)

itboffin

Jagwire racer cable set and of course a well set up and clean drive train. Just did mine tonight, buttery smooth shifting even on normally clunky shimano.

pst88

Wirral_Paul wrote:

The one obvious option you didnt include is the cassette. What chain / cables do you use? How much use has everything seen (assuming its a genuine question to look at an upgrade)

Oops, I meant to include that! In answer to your questions pretty light weekend use over 2 years, about 2000 miles. Not many miles in the wet. Nothing is obviously worn out. Chain is a KMC DX10SC, cables are Campagnolo branded but not sure what type.

Buckled_Rims

Well without answering your question I should say that both my road bikes have Shimano 105 groupsets. Both feel different to each other. I've ridden a DA equiped bike that wasn't very impressive and a massive disappointment; yet, my next door neighbour bought a Giant bike with 9sp Tiagra that was much better then mine.

Making it smooth shifting comes down to many factors and not all are expensive equipment. Cable runs can be the cheapest modification for slickness and well as just shifting at the correct pedal stroke!

itboffin

Btw changing the niche cassette will defo improve rear shifting, I binned one because it was so poor and even lost a tooth, entry level campag will be a cheap noticeable upgrade.

richh

Buckled_Rims wrote:

Well without answering your question I should say that both my road bikes have Shimano 105 groupsets. Both feel different to each other. I've ridden a DA equiped bike that wasn't very impressive and a massive disappointment; yet, my next door neighbour bought a Giant bike with 9sp Tiagra that was much better then mine.

Exactly. Surely the right answer here is "whatever component is causing the shifting not to smooth". Even cheap groupsets can be smooth if setup and maintained correctly, so it's going to be pretty hard on and internet poll to make a meaningful recommendation on your bike specifically.

In general terms though and as already stated, I'd check the cable runs first.

MattC59

I've just put Gore sealed cables on my new build. They're the smoothest cables I've used and provide mainenance free shifting for years. OK, so their pricey, (£36 per set) but I've had a set on my MTB for about 4 years, they've seen all manner of filth, haven't seen a drop of lube or been maintained once, but still shift as smoothly as the day I fitted them.

Highly recommended !

Manc33

I was thinking about a brand new bike and chose rear mech. Just because in my case it worked.

Come to think about it I do keep unscrewing that barrel adjuster out all the time... is it even worth getting better cables on a new (cheap) shop bought bike?

Chris James

I've voted 'other' as I would say that cable run is important, and for the mechanically inept then a good upgrade is something like Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.

drlodge

MattC59 wrote:

I've just put Gore sealed cables on my new build. They're the smoothest cables I've used and provide mainenance free shifting for years. OK, so their pricey, (£36 per set) but I've had a set on my MTB for about 4 years, they've seen all manner of filth, haven't seen a drop of lube or been maintained once, but still shift as smoothly as the day I fitted them.

Highly recommended !

+1, just put Gore sealed cables on my old 531 bike, together with 8-sp Sora brifters and its as smooth as silk. I like the way the cables are protected especially under the BB. Makes for low maintenance and hopefully years of trouble free smooth shifting.

Headhuunter

MattC59 wrote:

I've just put Gore sealed cables on my new build. They're the smoothest cables I've used and provide mainenance free shifting for years. OK, so their pricey, (£36 per set) but I've had a set on my MTB for about 4 years, they've seen all manner of filth, haven't seen a drop of lube or been maintained once, but still shift as smoothly as the day I fitted them.

Highly recommended !

£36 for a set of cables! Jaysus! IME the shifters/brifters make the biggest difference to shifting, I've got Sora, Tiagra and 105 on various bikes, the Sora shifters are paired with Tiagra rear mech but on another bike it's Tiagra/Tiagra and it's noticeably smoother and lighter. Sora is a bit wooly....

lostboysaint

I am a self-confessed apologist for Campag but even I know that Xenon shifters aren't the best in the world. Having said that it's well worth changing the cassette first as you'll see an improvement there. Then shop around for some nice Centaur or something similar that someone is chucking out at reasonable cost (s/h).

Flexisurfer

lostboysaint wrote:

I am a self-confessed apologist for Campag but even I know that Xenon shifters aren't the best in the world. Having said that it's well worth changing the cassette first as you'll see an improvement there. Then shop around for some nice Centaur or something similar that someone is chucking out at reasonable cost (s/h).

Don't get Campag cables though as they are sh!te. I put a new set on earlier this year and it's back to stiffer shifting, deffinately gonna look at a better cable set soon.

ilm_zero7

Flexisurfer wrote:

Don't get Campag cables though as they are sh!te. I put a new set on earlier this year and it's back to stiffer shifting, deffinately gonna look at a better cable set soon.

dont agree -wouldnt use anything else, and was told by one of the pro-team mechanics the campag cables are designed with a friction match to the shifting - so you may have a nightmare if you use them with some sub-standard groupset, especially if it were SRAM for example.

Manc33

Whats the best cables then those teflon coated ones?