Is 105 worth it?

thestrand

Hi everyone,

I am aware that there are many threads that are similar to this one, and for that I apologise.

Basically, my bike currently has a mixture of Shimano componants with an FSA crankset and microshift shifters. I have managed to keep most components in reasonable condition. although the rear derailleur is slightly bent after a crash - however this hasn't affected the shifting too much.

What I would like to know is (roughly) how much of a step up 105 is from what I currently have at the moment, and at the current price of around £300, is it worth the money? I am going to replace the derailleur whatever, but I am undecided whether to replace the whole groupset - there is a possibility I am being dragged in by the thought of all new shiny components on my bike!

Just a bit about myself (in case that makes a difference) I am a club level rider, riding twice a week on average, but I am looking to do more races in the future.

Thanks very much

NeXXus

It's a massive step. If you can afford to buy it, do so..

Anonymous

11sp 105 is really exceptional and can be had for sub-300 if you shop around and use the relevant cashback offers and discount codes.

djhermer

£300 on Merlin. I bought a group a couple of months back - at that price it's an exceptional groupset. It shifts better than my Chorus...

Darkeeboy1

Can I ask a similar question - Ive got tiagra groupset and want to move to 105 5800. I have Zonda wheels so I recon they are 11sp compatible, but the LBS asked me to ensure I got the correct BB - how would I know what BB I have currently?

Anonymous

Should be Hollowtech II.

All you need is for the BB to be English (or maybe) Italian threaded and the new BB is the same. At a guess it will be English and already have a hollowtech BB In there if you are running the 4600 series.

thestrand

Thanks very much for all of your advice

When you consider that at the moment I have 9 speed, the 11 speed would definitely appear to be a step up

NeXXus

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623855#p19623855]Darkeeboy1[/url] wrote:

Can I ask a similar question - Ive got tiagra groupset and want to move to 105 5800. I have Zonda wheels so I recon they are 11sp compatible, but the LBS asked me to ensure I got the correct BB - how would I know what BB I have currently?

I'd assume (as I have to without pics) that your current Tiagra chainset will be Shimano Hollowtech 2 and therefore perfectly capable of fitting the 5800 series crankset.

Anonymous

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623860#p19623860]thestrand[/url] wrote:

Thanks very much for all of your advice

When you consider that at the moment I have 9 speed, the 11 speed would appear to be a step up

Definitely. Shifting, front shifting and braking will be significantly improved. Also you get better spacing between gears.

Only thing to ensure is that your wheels are 11sp compatible.

Darkeeboy1

thanks all, and my apologies for thread hijacking!

thestrand

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623867#p19623867]coriordan[/url] wrote:

Only thing to ensure is that your wheels are 11sp compatible.

Thanks, I have recently bought a set of wheels that are 11sp compatible, so I'm all covered there!

thestrand

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623886#p19623886]Darkeeboy1[/url] wrote:

thanks all, and my apologies for thread hijacking!

That's quite alright, made no difference to me

IrishMac

You would never, ever, ever, ever, regret it.

KonkyWonky

It's probably the best value for money groupset on the market and a massive step up from your current set up.

I'd get your rear mech hanger checked out if you've not already done so before fitting the new groupset, even if it is only slightly bent from the crash it will cause issues.

Philly8mt

Yes!!

Have 11sp 105 on my summer bike .... It's fab .... Do it

bagz3

I bought my first bike in 2011, alu frame kitted out with sora, I rode it all year round, but looked after it. Only replacing the rear derailleur 2 months ago (only £15). A couple of weeks ago bought a carbon bike kitted out with ultegra.

You'd expect the difference to be huge..... but for me it wasn't. Noticeable, yes, but not massive. They both do what i ask, when i ask. Its probably more about shaving grams off the total weight of your bike, and better durability than functionality. So I wont be upgrading my now winter bike any higher than sora, as it offers little benefit to me.

Its up to you though, if you're planning on getting a new bike in the next couple years, don't bother. If not then why not treat yourself.............

ayjaycee

Although Bagz3 has made his opinion pretty clear, what do others think about the latest generation 105 as an upgrade to Tiagra 4600 (ie. 10 speed)? I ask out of ignorance as I have never ridden a 105 equipped bike or, indeed, anything other than Tiagra on a road bike. From my point of view, Tiagra works very well, albeit with a bit of noise during changes but I have nothing whatsoever to compare it to.

bob6397

I have recently (last week) gone from 2013 Sora (9 speed but with the proper STI shifters in the brake levers) to new 105 11 speed.. The difference is huge (and I looked after my previous bike) - faster shifting, more definite shifting and the amount of effort required to shift the front is so low now that I am struggling to tell between trimming it and shifting it

Love it and would not go back.. Ever!

bob6397

ayjaycee

Bob, Sorry to seem a bit thicker than usual but what's 'trimming'.

bob6397

On a road bike (for some reason they don't have this on mountain bikes), the front derailleur has 4 positions not 2.

There are 2 positions for each cog on the front - allowing you to slightly adjust the position of the derraileur depending where you are on the rear cassette.

This article explains it better than I could.. http://www.differentbikes.ca/blog/article/trim-dammit/

bob6397

thestrand

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624188#p19624188]bagz3[/url] wrote:

I bought my first bike in 2011, alu frame kitted out with sora, I rode it all year round, but looked after it. Only replacing the rear derailleur 2 months ago (only £15). A couple of weeks ago bought a carbon bike kitted out with ultegra.

You'd expect the difference to be huge..... but for me it wasn't. Noticeable, yes, but not massive. They both do what i ask, when i ask. Its probably more about shaving grams off the total weight of your bike, and better durability than functionality. So I wont be upgrading my now winter bike any higher than sora, as it offers little benefit to me.

Its up to you though, if you're planning on getting a new bike in the next couple years, don't bother. If not then why not treat yourself.............

Thank you for your input
Did you find that there was a greater difference with the much wider ranging cassette on Ultegra than you previously had on sora? Do you think that the advantage of that would mean it was worth the money more rather than the 'smoothness' of the changes?

ayjaycee

Bob, All of which just goes to show that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Mr Thicky that I am, I was never really conscious of the two extra clicks on the FD but have always just given the lever a small nudge if I heard any noise and it goes away.
I am glad to hear that you found the change from Sora to 105 very beneficial but I would still like to hear views on Tiagra to 105. It would help if I knew the difference (if any apart from number of gears) between Sora and Tiagra but, as I said before, my only road bike experience is with Tiagra.

Mad_Malx

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623856#p19623856]coriordan[/url] wrote:

Should be Hollowtech II.

All you need is for the BB to be English (or maybe) Italian threaded and the new BB is the same. At a guess it will be English and already have a hollowtech BB In there if you are running the 4600 series.

OP currently has a fsa crankset - My shimano / fsa mix uses a bb386 bottom bracket. Would need an adaptor to fit a hollow tech I think. Op may want to check this and add price of coversion.

NeXXus

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624565#p19624565]Mad_Malx[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623856#p19623856]coriordan[/url] wrote:

Should be Hollowtech II.

All you need is for the BB to be English (or maybe) Italian threaded and the new BB is the same. At a guess it will be English and already have a hollowtech BB In there if you are running the 4600 series.

OP currently has a fsa crankset - My shimano / fsa mix uses a bb386 bottom bracket. Would need an adaptor to fit a hollow tech I think. Op may want to check this and add price of coversion.

Not always but worth checking. Lots of FSA cranksets come in 24mm HT2 compatible guise.

bob6397

As far as I know, Tiagra is only a slight step up from Sora, the main advantage being 10 speed rather than 9. There isn't even that much difference between them in terms of price either..

Also, I suspect that there is some 2013 -> 2015 groupset advantages going on here as well as Sora -> 105..

bob6397

NeXXus

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624573#p19624573]bob6397[/url] wrote:

As far as I know, Tiagra is only a slight step up from Sora, the main advantage being 10 speed rather than 9. There isn't even that much difference between them in terms of price either..

Also, I suspect that there is some 2013 -> 2015 groupset advantages going on here as well as Sora -> 105..

bob6397

In reality yes. Go from Sora to 105/ultegra/DA the step is massive, not only in feel but hood shape. But go from tiagra to 105, 105 to ultegra or ultegra to DA, the differences aren't as huge.

Sora isn't that long running 9 speed and claris covers the 8speed stuff. Maybe won't be too long before there's a shift to 10 at the lower ranges

bagz3

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624457#p19624457]thestrand[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624188#p19624188]bagz3[/url] wrote:

I bought my first bike in 2011, alu frame kitted out with sora, I rode it all year round, but looked after it. Only replacing the rear derailleur 2 months ago (only £15). A couple of weeks ago bought a carbon bike kitted out with ultegra.

You'd expect the difference to be huge..... but for me it wasn't. Noticeable, yes, but not massive. They both do what i ask, when i ask. Its probably more about shaving grams off the total weight of your bike, and better durability than functionality. So I wont be upgrading my now winter bike any higher than sora, as it offers little benefit to me.

Its up to you though, if you're planning on getting a new bike in the next couple years, don't bother. If not then why not treat yourself.............

Thank you for your input
Did you find that there was a greater difference with the much wider ranging cassette on Ultegra than you previously had on sora? Do you think that the advantage of that would mean it was worth the money more rather than the 'smoothness' of the changes?

ive gone from a 9 speed 12/26 (12.13.14.15.17.19.21.23.26) to an 11 speed 12/28 (12.13.14.15.16.17.19.21.23.25.28) and i dont use the 25 and 28 in the big ring so the difference to me is next to none. This is mainly due to the fact i've gone from a triple ring on the 12/26, to using a compact with the 12/28, so its almost impossible for me to compare the extra gears.

I dont think i gave the step up to Ultegra enough credit to be fair in my first post, as the front derailluer is the big difference. In fact I've hardly had to use the trimming its that good.

Everyone is different, but if i'm shelling out hard earned cash, i wouldn't have spent it on my original bike when i always intended to get another in the next year or 2. I just spend what i have to on it to keep it running and in good order.

keef66

105 5800 is a huge jump from Tiagra or indeed the older 5700 groupset. For under £300 it is a relative bargain.

If you are considering Tiagra it might be worth waiting a couple of months until they start shipping the new 4700 groupset. May be some bargains on the outgoing 4600 stuff (although that chainset is hideous; much nicer in the new version)

Giraffoto

A reasonable way of looking at it used to be that this year's 105 is last year's Ultegra, and so on up and down the range. With 5800, this year's 105 is very much this year's Ultegra, with only aluminium brake levers and the lack of a Di2 option to distinguish them.

NeXXus

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19625691#p19625691]Giraffoto[/url] wrote:

A reasonable way of looking at it used to be that this year's 105 is last year's Ultegra, and so on up and down the range. With 5800, this year's 105 is very much this year's Ultegra, with only aluminium brake levers and the lack of a Di2 option to distinguish them.

Nope. None of this

supermurph09

Regarding the Ultegra comments.... the move from 6700 to 6800 is massive imo. The shifting performance is a completely different experience. 6700, whilst good, is still quite heavy compared to the click click 6800. The braking is also a few steps up. I