Different Shifters (105 and ultegra) - would you?

chris_bass
chris_bass Posts: 4,913
edited March 2016 in Road general
Yesterday my right hand shifter decided it had had enough and is no longer with us!

the left hand one is still completely fine and is ultegra 6800.

to save a bit of money i could replace just the right hand one with 105 and performance wise it will be pretty much identical. It might just look a bit weird.

what would you do, save the money or stump up the cash for matching shifters?

there is another option - buy a pair of 105 shifters and sell the left hand 6800, would probably make most of the money back.
www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes

Comments

  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I think odd shifters might be too much for me. Won't the shape be different and everything ?
  • debeli
    debeli Posts: 583
    There are many reasons why a shifter fails. I have (for no particular reason) only Campagnolo, but I gather that the pricier Shimano stuff is usually reparable.

    My instinct would be to examine whether it can be fixed.

    If not, I'd just put any lever on it that will do the job. I have two road bikes with non-matching Campagnolo levers. On one bike they are different colours (black and dull alloy). It makes no difference to the quality of a bike ride.

    Do what you want to do, but do not be afraid of mix-and-match.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,294
    I could cope with mismatched shifters in appearance, but probably not if they felt a different shape.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • ayjaycee
    ayjaycee Posts: 1,277
    My OCD would never let me live with odd shifters. Even selling the Ultegra one to part-fund a pair of 105s would probably only leave a small difference in total outlay and, assuming everything else is Ultegra, the bike would look better with the former and worth every penny of the extra £30 or £40 involved.
    Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
    Kinesis Racelight 4S
    Specialized Allez Elite (Frame/Forks for sale)
    Specialized Crosstrail Comp Disk (For sale)
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I run my wet bike with odd shifters - 2300 on the left and 5600 on the right ... who's looking anyway?
  • MisterMuncher
    MisterMuncher Posts: 1,302
    Depends how fussy you are, really. 105 levers have a smidge heavier throw, and are a noticeably different colour. You might notice one lever being metal and t'other carbon, too. My main issue would be durability, Ultegra stuff tends to outlast 105. Shape-wise there's not much in it. Buying singles online might be an issue.
  • Vslowpace
    Vslowpace Posts: 189
    I'd buy and have bought a replacement pair and kept the working one as a spare.
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    MisterMuncher wrote:
    Ultegra stuff tends to outlast 105.

    I wish I had this issue!!

    I have run odd wheels before, and odd tyres, in fact I have a bike that has a Tiagra chainset with a 105 left crank (don't cross thread pedals is all I'll say on that!)

    so maybe i'm not too fussy about matching after all!

    think i'm going to go for the pair of 105 (the pair is cheaper than a single ultegra shifter) and swap both, it isn't on my best bike and can either sell the left one or keep it as a spare for the other bike which has 6800.
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I don't think 105/Ultegra is going to make a difference functionally, although it will feel different as the Ultegra lever is carbon but the 105 is metal. I doubt I could ever live with mismatched levers, nobody would ever notice or care, but I would notice and I would care!
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Yes and did for 3 years with no issues.
  • williamt1688
    williamt1688 Posts: 13
    having both sets i've always felt the 6800 shifts smoother, but 105 still does a good job

    go with the 105 if its purely economical
  • antonyfromoz
    antonyfromoz Posts: 482
    I have a Bianchi with mis-matched shifters, 105 on the RHs and Ultegra on the left as a result of the issue that shimano had with the 5600 lhs shifters failing a few years ago. TBH i never think about it, after all, the only way you can tell is if you are in front or to the side of the bike, not while riding it. It might be just me but i also like that it identifies the bike as mine :oops:
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    i'm running mismatched 105 5600 but only in colour and its not that big a deal as the bike is black and white anyway, if they feel different to hold i think that would bother me, your mileage might vary
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Pair of 5800 shifters for under £100

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... e1a08899fc
  • ilovegrace
    ilovegrace Posts: 677
    What about miss matched wheels , is this OK /
  • Vaughan1
    Vaughan1 Posts: 65
    What has gone wrong with the broken shifter. youtube has help with repairs and it usually lubrication. Fairly easy job
  • ravey1981
    ravey1981 Posts: 1,111
    If you look on the "yorkshire cycling sales" page on facebook there are a pair of unused 6800 shifters going for £95. Not mine, just for information.

Categories