Shimano Tiagra 4700 - Compatibility issues

paulcuthbert

Has anyone had, or know of, compatibility issues with Shimano Tiagra 4700 shifters and non-Tiagra equipment?

This listing on eBay states 'Only compatible with Tiagra components of model year 2016 (4700/4703) due to modified leverage ratios!'
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202458083877

I have Shimano Tiagra chainrings and front derailleur, but 105 rear derailleur and cassette - and am looking at the Tiagra shifters as a replacement for some broken Ultegra shifters...

Can't see how it would make any difference. Couldn't you get around this with well indexed gears?

Any help appreciated

timothyw

A small amount of research will confirm this for you, yep, they aren't compatible.

On the upside, my experience is that the shifting on 4700 is miles better than it ever was on 5700 (the last generation of ten speed 105).

The existing front derailleur will probably work acceptably (because, at the end of the day, it doesn't do much) but you will need to replace the rear derailleur for a new tiagra one otherwise indexing will be miles out.

The cassette and chainset will be fine, nothing has changed (spacing wise) there.

timothyw

Just to add, if you compare 4700 levers to 5800 levers it is fairly obvious what they have done - they've taken the new 11 speed shifter design and pull ratio, made a ten speed derailleur specifically to be compatible with it, removed a click from the shifters - and job done, new Tiagra groupset ready.

keef66

Annoyingly Tiagra 4700 10 speed shifters use the same pull ratio as the newer 11 speed Shimano stuff.

So you can't use 4700 shifters with 10 speed 105 / Ultegra mechs.

You can use them with 11 speed 105 / Ultegra mechs, but you'll obviously only have 10 speeds.

10 speed 105 is the old 5600 / 5700
11 speed 105 is the outgoing 5800 and the new R7000

akh

Agree with the comment above, 4700 shifts very nicely. As nice as 5800 in my experience.

4700 is a bit of a dead end upgrade. Its not compatible with with older 10 speed levers or derailleurs, nor 11 speed. All shimano 11 speed groupsets are fully interchangeable, so are perhaps a better long term option. 4700 is also not much cheaper as an upgrade than 105, I recently sold a pair of 5800 levers on eBay for less than the price you've linked there.

Tiagra is probably going to be refreshed next year if you can wait, it might be worth seeing what that brings. If nothing else it might drive down prices of older kit on the used market.

keef66

If you don't mind gear cables coming out of the sides of the STIs then the older Tiagra 4600 levers are still around and will do what you want.
If you want all the cables under the bar tape you need 105 5700 or older levers, and if you want to buy new it might be cheaper just to replace the lot with 4700 STIs and F&R mechs.

If you don't mind buying used then the world's your lobster really

keef66

AKH wrote:

4700 is a bit of a dead end upgrade. Its not compatible with with older 10 speed levers or derailleurs, nor 11 speed.

Shimano may claim they are incompatible but it's not strictly true. A 4700 lever will operate an 11 speed derailleur to give you 10 properly indexed gears, and I'm guessing a 4700 derailleur could be paired with an 11 speed STI if required.
But you're right in that 4700 doesn't sit neatly in the Shimano hierarchy, not cooperating with it's older 10 speed cousins, and lacking the extra sprocket of the blingier 11 speed ranges.
I'm guessing Tiagra might go 11 speed with the next refresh, but by then the dearer stuff will no doubt be moving to 12 speeds....

timothyw

I suspect if/when Sora goes ten speed it'll be compatible with 4700 (and broadly similar) so I don't think you'll be unable to find parts or anything like that.

Given new Shimano 12 speed isn't due for another year or two I'd expect the new tiagra to follow the pattern of r7000/8000 and bring in a shadow style rear derailleur, new styling, but keep everything compatible - evolution rather than revolution.