Shimano hierarchy.

[TypeR]

Browsing ebay for a used roadbike, I've noticed most bikes use Shimano kit.
Now being a PH'er I obviously need the best/most expensive stuff, even though I'm a fat git, and likely to fall off a lot too! Most stuff I've seen for sale has either 105, Tiagra, Sora or Ultegra kit fitted. Which is best?
I have a max budget of £500 and need to know what kit to avoid and what to lust after.
Cheers.

[Fume troll]

Broadly: http://www.road-bike.co.uk/equipment/shimano.php

Cheers,

FT.

[dubbs]

For secondhand go 105 - very long lasting, I've still got my original 105 rear mech on the allez from when I bought it in 2005!!

Higher end kit is lighter but also can wear faster.

[anonymous-user]

from experience, they are all pretty reliable if you maintain them, the accuracy and the reliability of shifting does get better the higher up the range you go. the quality of the spring is crucial for a mech as this provides the resitance against the cable.

the top end stuff tends to require less frequent fine tuning once its set up but i guess now most are 10 speed cassettes this may no longer be true.

£500 will get you a bike equipped with 2300 or Sora new and tiagra or 105 (maybe even a little ultegra) second hand dependant upon age.....

[louiebaby]

dubbs said:

For secondhand go 105 - very long lasting, I've still got my original 105 rear mech on the allez from when I bought it in 2005!!

Higher end kit is lighter but also can wear faster.

My 105 gear is probably older, and still fine, with less servicing / maintenance than it should have had.

When friends are asking me, I generally say no worse than Tiagra if buying new, and no worse than 105 if going second hand. (Based on their first road bike.)

The wheels are the bit to spend a bit more on. A hand built pair from a good wheel builder are rarely more than a cheap set of pre-built ones, and will be a lot better. I know two good places I trust in London, but there are enough people on PH that know other places so can advise you too.

[Jimbo.]

Ultegra is "best" out of those listed in terms of weight, MAYBE* shifting performance/feel, etc. Not that there's anything "bad" about the others, although it's worth noting that Tiagra is 9sp, whereas (year-for-year, recently) 105 and upwards is 10sp.

However, setup and maintenance is 100000000000000000000000000x more important than what spec the kit is: a well set-up Tiagra will piss all over a Dura Ace setup with old, stiff cables, dry, shagged chain and non-existant indexing. And I know what I'd rather ride...

If you just want cheap 'n' easy, then IMO don't be put off by Tiagra: the fact that it's 9sp means cheaper chains/cassettes (plus chains are beefier...), and if you wish, you can mix ' ' match with Shiamno 9sp MTB components.

If you wish to keep 'n' upgrade as you go along, then 105: you'll get 10sp shifters, therefore compatible with Ultegra 6600 and Dura Ace 7800 (aside from the most recent kit i.e. Ultegra 6700 and Dura Ace 7900: shifters have a different cable pull, therefore shifters and mechs from different ranges not entirely compatible).

Edited by Jimbo. on Wednesday 20th July 18:42