tiagra vs 105 chainset

chris_bass

I need to replace my chainset, I had previously had a 105 compact and seeing as tiagra is pretty much half the price is the hit in performance noticeable or is it just a few grams here and there?

slowbike

grams here and there ... I run a Tiagra triple on my commute and a 105 compact double on my road bike ... couldn't tell the difference (other than the extra chainring!)

chris_bass

Slowbike wrote:

grams here and there ... I run a Tiagra triple on my commute and a 105 compact double on my road bike ... couldn't tell the difference (other than the extra chainring!)

great - that may save me about £50!!

maddog 2

IIRC 105 is hollowtech whereas Tiagra is just solid alu. A few grams sure but a fair few I bet.

mattv

105 arms are hollow, saving alot of weight without losing any stiffness. Tiagra are machined from the back, so not as much material is removed and they are still not as stiff. Also the rings are not as well machined so there is a (small) difference in shifting slickness.

smidsy

In reality it makes very little difference to you I imagine. Get the Tiagra and spend the rest on women :-)

buckles

maddog 2 wrote:

IIRC 105 is hollowtech whereas Tiagra is just solid alu. A few grams sure but a fair few I bet.

Hollowtech is a type of bottom bracket!

I read that the Tiagra cranks are noticeably stiffer than the 105 cranks, but I've not tried the 105 cranks myself.

StillGoing

I was under the impression that Tiagra cabling also came out from the side of the shifter whereas 105 comes from the back to allow you to wrap the cabling in the bar tape? If that's still the case, then 105 looks far neater for me instead of loose cabling flapping around out front.

smidsy

philthy3 wrote:

I was under the impression that Tiagra cabling also came out from the side of the shifter whereas 105 comes from the back to allow you to wrap the cabling in the bar tape? If that's still the case, then 105 looks far neater for me instead of loose cabling flapping around out front.

Not sure you have understoood the concept of a chainset there philth

smidsy

Buckles wrote:

Hollowtech is a type of bottom bracket!

It also refers to the crank arms where they are not solid.

StillGoing

smidsy wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

I was under the impression that Tiagra cabling also came out from the side of the shifter whereas 105 comes from the back to allow you to wrap the cabling in the bar tape? If that's still the case, then 105 looks far neater for me instead of loose cabling flapping around out front.

Not sure you have understoood the concept of a chainset there philth

My mistake. I thought the OP was on about changing the whole groupset rather than just the crank set. :oops:

Bobbinogs

I have used both, found that well setup Tiagra beats poorly setup 105 and vice versa! When both were running sweet, the only detectable difference in my riding was that the 105 undoubtedly looked nicer

rickeverett

Im sure to get any noticeable difference as well as difference in relation to cost, you have to jump more than 2 in Shimano.

For example Sora to 105 or Tiagra to Ultegra etc.

mattrixdesign2

The most recent Tiagra, is perhaps comparable to a few generation previous 105? I doubt there is very much in it.

All Shimano stuff "works", where as some cheap Sram is poor IMO. Just fitted some Claris (replacement for Shimano 2300) to my lads bike and its impressive stuff, especially the shifters.

smidsy

The OP was only asking about the chainset NOT the Groupset though.

kajjal

If properly set up the differences are not that great between similar group sets. It is more of a marketing ploy than an improvement in actual riding. If you went from 8 speed to 10 speed with the correct gear ratios for your riding you would see a marked difference.

Nairnster

Just by doing some googling,

A 10 speed Tiagra 4600 (under £50 from ribble) apparently weighs 943g (standard) or 903g (compact)

A 5700 105 compact apparently weighs 723g.

Thats quite a difference in weight, but whether you would notice it is a different matter.

keef66

Buckles wrote:

maddog 2 wrote:

IIRC 105 is hollowtech whereas Tiagra is just solid alu. A few grams sure but a fair few I bet.

Hollowtech is a type of bottom bracket!

I read that the Tiagra cranks are noticeably stiffer than the 105 cranks, but I've not tried the 105 cranks myself.

Hollowtech describes the manufacturing technology Shimano use to produce hollow cranks. The outboard BB cups that go with it just seemed to acquire the name; there is nothing Hollowtech about them.

I have 105 on one bike and Tiagra on the other. In the dark I cannot tell the difference.

StillGoing

mattrixdesign2 wrote:

The most recent Tiagra, is perhaps comparable to a few generation previous 105? I doubt there is very much in it.

All Shimano stuff "works", where as some cheap Sram is poor IMO. Just fitted some Claris (replacement for Shimano 2300) to my lads bike and its impressive stuff, especially the shifters.

Can't agree with that. A budget groupset from any manufacturer including Shimano is not going to be their best product purely because keeping the cost to the consumer relatively cheap is the goal. SRAMs Apex entry level groupset is good value for the money in the same way that Shimano Sora or Tiagra does what it is supposed to do in so much that it functions without setting headlines. None of them are better or worse than the other with personal preference to the user such as grip comfort being the deciding factor.

smidsy

Nairnster wrote:

A 10 speed Tiagra 4600 (under £50 from ribble) apparently weighs 943g (standard) or 903g (compact)

Finally a reason to justify my wimpy compact to all those standard double naysayers...its weight saving innit! :-)

Bozman

mattrixdesign2 wrote:

The most recent Tiagra, is perhaps comparable to a few generation previous 105? I doubt there is very much in it.

I'd guess that ten speed Tiagra will have the old 105 5600 shifters. I used that 105 for about 6 months a few years back and it was faultless, it would shift as well as Dura-ace but it just wasn't as smooth and light to the touch.

As for the chainsets, my mates TCR had Tiagra on it and the large chain ring was toast within a year, it was used day in day out through winter and over the year but I've never seen a chain ring go that quickly. Then again you'll have folk who have had that chainset for 30k and it's still like new.

slowbike

Nairnster wrote:

Just by doing some googling,

A 10 speed Tiagra 4600 (under £50 from ribble) apparently weighs 943g (standard) or 903g (compact)

A 5700 105 compact apparently weighs 723g.

Thats quite a difference in weight, but whether you would notice it is a different matter.

It's less than 1/2 a can of soup ....

mattrixdesign2

philthy3 wrote:

mattrixdesign2 wrote:

The most recent Tiagra, is perhaps comparable to a few generation previous 105? I doubt there is very much in it.

All Shimano stuff "works", where as some cheap Sram is poor IMO. Just fitted some Claris (replacement for Shimano 2300) to my lads bike and its impressive stuff, especially the shifters.

Can't agree with that. A budget groupset from any manufacturer including Shimano is not going to be their best product purely because keeping the cost to the consumer relatively cheap is the goal. SRAMs Apex entry level groupset is good value for the money in the same way that Shimano Sora or Tiagra does what it is supposed to do in so much that it functions without setting headlines. None of them are better or worse than the other with personal preference to the user such as grip comfort being the deciding factor.

Actually I was reffering to the lower end Sram MTB stuff X3 from experience, I didn't make it clear. Sram Apex is very nice but equivalent to 105. I still think Shimano is mechanically sound even at the very low ends, its just hefty.

Having said all of that, I think its going OT! My fault,

I still reckon a new Tiagra chainset will be near enough an old 105 chain set.

smidsy

CHAINSET discussion everyone.

Please refrain from talking about any other components - it is disturbing me :-)

Nairnster

Slowbike wrote:

Nairnster wrote:

Just by doing some googling,

A 10 speed Tiagra 4600 (under £50 from ribble) apparently weighs 943g (standard) or 903g (compact)

A 5700 105 compact apparently weighs 723g.

Thats quite a difference in weight, but whether you would notice it is a different matter.

It's less than 1/2 a can of soup ....

True, but at least I have answered part of the Ops question unlike some.

elderone

To be fair, if your a weight weenie get 105 over tiagra otherwise you wouldn,t know the difference.

slowbike

Nairnster wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Nairnster wrote:

Just by doing some googling,

A 10 speed Tiagra 4600 (under £50 from ribble) apparently weighs 943g (standard) or 903g (compact)

A 5700 105 compact apparently weighs 723g.

Thats quite a difference in weight, but whether you would notice it is a different matter.

It's less than 1/2 a can of soup ....

True, but at least I have answered part of the Ops question unlike some.

I didn't say you didnt - I answered the OPs question too ... and then I gave an example of the weight difference you highlighted ...

rickeverett

I think the biggie no body has yet pointed out is the 105 Chainset looks miles better than the Tiagra one.

chris_bass

smidsy wrote:

CHAINSET discussion everyone.

Please refrain from talking about any other components - it is disturbing me :-)

i dont check this thread for a day and it goes mental!! it'll be signing in South africa before you know it!

but yes, I have all the other components, they are all 105 but need to change the chainset and only the chainset!!

smidsy

Get the 105 then, I mean it has to match :-)

StillGoing

smidsy wrote:

Get the 105 then, I mean it has to match :-)

Absolutely. 105 at least. The only change from 105 should be for Ultegra or Dura-ace rather than something not as good.