2012 Tiagra vs. 2011 105 - advice needed please ASAP

[DCLane]

Re. my cracked frame Ridgeback: http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/help-cracked-frame-on-bike-1-year-old.93449/

Madison have replaced it with a 2012 bike. However, it's got 2012 Tiagra vs. the 2011 105 on the old bike.

2011: http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B3741.html?mv_pc=gp1
2012: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/platinum-2012-road-bike-ec032068?query=ridgeback platinum

How similar are they?

The difference is the following:

Shimano 105 shifters and chainset changed for Tiagra

I need to get back to them ASAP.

 

[Andrew_P]

really hard to say, can they not supply frame only and Evans put your gear on. How many miles on the old running gear

 

[DCLane]

really hard to say, can they not supply frame only and Evans put your gear on. How many miles on the old running gear

Nope - they've supplied a complete new bike. Alternatively I can have £1000 to spend at Evans, which atm is my preferred route.

 

[Andrew_P]

Personally I would take the 1k. You should be able to get a smattering of 105 for that, looking at maybe £1200+ for full 105?

 

[Moodyman]

My understanding of Shimano's groupsets is that when they update their top end stuff, they pass the previous model down as the lower groupset.

I.e. Your 2012 Tiagra could easily be 2011's 105. I'd still take the £1000 option though

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Since it is a tourer, the £1k tourer that looks quite interesting is this. But since Evans price match, I would also definitely take the "money".

 

[Hicky]

I'd use the 1K and get something else(steel framed bike! ), you already have a decent commuter.

 

[oldfatfool]

Did you enjoy the ridgeback? Do you think you will be able to tell the difference between 105 and Tiagra (take a test ride?) Have you anymore cash to put toward a new bike? Do you want another ally frame as it eroded your trust?

 

[potsy]

Don't know what 105 is like, but Tiagra 10 speed is very smooth.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Not that you need my opinion, but I'd be inclined to take the cash... mentally, Tiagra is always going to feel like a downgrade from the 105 equipment you had before (even if 2012 Tiagra is "like" 2011 105, which I reckon is unlikely).

Lots of replacement options at £1k I suspect too Happy shopping!

 

[JtB]

The bike I'm interested in has Tiagra so I'm also interested in the differences between the 105 and Tiagra. From what I can tell (from my internet research), most cyclists would not be able to tell the difference between the two apart from the fact that 2011 Tiagra was 9 speed. But since 2012 Tiagra is now 10 speed then that makes them very similar. One thing I did notice however was that Tiagra is more durable (without being much heavier) than 105, which I think is an important consideration from a maintenance point of view.

 

[Alembicbassman]

£1000 to spend at Evans - quite an expensive shop, unless you can get a nice spec bike in the sale (mostly ended now) I'd go with the Tiagra.

I run full 105 (5600) on one of my Road bikes and 2300 on the other, they both work great. The 2012 Tiagra will be as good as 105 (5700), the difference is probably a few grams in weight.

If your old bike had not been broken what would its second hand value have been? Probably less than the cost of the Tiagra bike. A whole new bike for a busted frame is a good deal IMHO. I'm sure other bike shops would just have swapped existing components onto a new frame.

 

[Andrew_P]

Never had Tiagra so cannot comment on performance, the one thing I am not over keen one is the look of the shifters (do they still have the gear numbers?)

 

[ColinJ]

Tiagra is always going to feel like a downgrade from the 105 equipment you had before (even if 2012 Tiagra is "like" 2011 105, which I reckon is unlikely).

When I bought a 10-speed Chorus groupset which used lots of carbon fibre, the groupset was actually the previous year's Record rebadged!

 

[bobones]

5700 has cables routed under bar tape. 4600 is more like 5600 105. 105 is also available in black. 4600 RD supports a 30 tooth cog whereas only 2012 5700a RD does. 2011 105 and 2012 105 (5700) are identical apart from the RD.