Ultegra or 105

Shaun67
Shaun67 Posts: 219
edited February 2019 in Road buying advice
I hate having to post this but I'd really like to know the forum's opinion.

I'm currently looking at two bikes, one with 105 R7000 and the other with Ultegra R8000, but the colour of the bike isn't as appealing and it's £200 more !

Which one ???
«1

Comments

  • Which bikes? Are they otherwise identical?
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  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    The cheaper one, obviously.

    Very little difference in functionality between 105 and ultegra, and you prefer the colour.

    You can always upgrade to ultegra later but you're stuck with an ugly colour.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    Im going to go against the popular view. IME the jump to ultegra is worth it ...as if you shop around it can be had dor an extra £100 or so
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    Haha, no, not identical !

    The bikes are a Giant Propel Advanced 1 Disc with Ultegra and it's black,
    the other is a Giant Propel Advanced Pro with 105 and it's calipers. It's
    £200 cheaper, I really like the colour and it's has the better fork.

    I know it brings us to the disc vs rim debate !!!!

    On more thing, the Advanced 1 Disc with no cables showing does look
    good, really nice clean lines.

    I know I need to just make a decision and just get on with it, I'm worse
    than my wife and daughter cloths shopping.
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Shaun67 wrote:
    I'm worse than my wife and daughter cloths shopping.

    I know, I know, J-cloths, floor cloths, dish cloths....what’s a girl to do! :shock: :D:lol:

    PP
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    :lol::lol: Clothes.....I did hit an "e"....honest.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    If it was me I'd go for the 105. R7000 is as good as I'd ever need, and being fairly light myself I've never found rim brakes lacking.

    All you get with Ultegra is a bit of weight saving and pose value, but since in this case it also involves hydraulic discs the first point is moot.

    Only you can make the decision. You say it's a better colour and has a better fork, but imagine yourself riding the 105 rim braked bike. Will you be constantly wondering if Ultegra would have been nicer or if you'd have benefitted from disc brakes?

    Conversely imagine yourself on the Ultegra bike. Would you be pining for the lovelier colour / possibly lighter 105 bike? Moaning about the discs rubbing / squealing?
  • So, is it:

    MY19-Propel-ADV-1-D_Gun-Metal-Black.jpg

    v

    MY19PropelADPRO2_ColorA.jpg

    Both are Overdrive 2 although, as you say, the Ultegra is hybrid.
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  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,584
    I'd say Ultegra plus hydro discs is well worth the extra 200 quid but obviously it's your call if you can't live with the colour.
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    Yes, those are the exact two bikes. I'm sure the guy in the shop told me the Advanced Pro
    has a carbon steerer and the more expensive Advanced Disc is alloy ?

    To be honest, I spent so long in the store on both Saturday & Sunday it's real. the blue is a
    nice colour though don't you think.
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    Keef66, you could be right.

    I'm also quite light at 64 Kgs and never had a problem with
    stopping on rim brakes.

    The clean lines and clutter free appearance of the disc bike
    is very appealing though.
  • shiznit76
    shiznit76 Posts: 640
    Blue looks way nicer and ultegra is not that much better than 105 these days
  • Giants do tend to look better in the flesh:

    P1012085-1_ml.jpg

    DninmLEXsAUu82z.jpg
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
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  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Shaun67 wrote:
    Keef66, you could be right.

    I'm also quite light at 64 Kgs and never had a problem with
    stopping on rim brakes.

    The clean lines and clutter free appearance of the disc bike
    is very appealing though.

    Must admit the disc braked bike looks very neat and tidy, but as a dyed in the wool DIY spanner monkey, all those internal cables and hoses would be a concern for me.

    Although the blue looked nicer in the CAD pics, I prefer the grey ultegra one in Benders photos. I'm voting Ultergra disc now...
  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    I'd get neither, the TCR that Bender just bought ;-) Blue & Orange & Discs.....

    Just me or is that stem/steerer interface ugly as hell? It's fatter than the downtube FFS.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Looks OK on the grey bike for some reason.
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    Yes, the picture of the blue one that Bender's has posted is ugly.

    I'm looking at an aero bike as I'm now taking my duathlon racing serious,
    marginal gains and all that.

    I know what you're saying about the stem spacers and the hydraulic hoses,
    the Giant Store guy tells me that for ever 15mm drop you need to cut the
    hose by 15mm.

    I think it's going to be the Ultegra Disc.

    Thanks for the comments.
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    I'd go for the discs, just because of the discs. Even if they were the same groupset i'd spend the extra £200 to get the discs.
  • The blue is nice but the addition of the brake track makes interrupts the wheel look ever so slightly and the colour doesn't quite have the pizzaz of a 2018 TCR Advanced Pro 1 disc ;)
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  • Another vote for the Ultegra disc. Discs are just better.

    Is it me, or do mismatched depth wheels front and back look awful?
  • vegas76
    vegas76 Posts: 278
    +1 for discs
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    actually this thread isnt about 105 v ultegra much. more black v blue v disks v £200
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    :lol: you are absolutely right, I was going to get to the colour and disc questions later.
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    I’d go Ultegra based on the pictures as well as the tech differences. Especially as that blue one looks to have the saddle set ready for a Giant...! :shock:

    PP
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    That blue combo looks shockingly bad.
  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,489
    I've got 105 5800 on my winter bike and Ultegra 6800 on my summer bike and there's not a huge difference TBH.
    The decision probably comes down to other things.
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Another vote for the Ultegra disc. Discs are just better.

    Is it me, or do mismatched depth wheels front and back look awful?

    Not as bad as disc brakes look on a road bike :wink:
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    If you don't like the colour then don't buy it.
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    A quick update....I'm didn't purchase a Giant in the end.....

    Tomorrow I will be collecting a Merida Reacto YC Edition !
  • kingrollo wrote:
    If you don't like the colour then don't buy it.
    Or paint it.