help with shimano groupset...
- Thread starter rhys
- Start date
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2Loose
Guru
- Location
- Loughborough, Leicestershire.
A full groupset consists of hubs, brake levers and shifters, front and rear mech, brake calipers, chainset and more... so you certainly haven't listed all the parts that make a set. The full set looks like this
Saying that, Shimano stuff works best with more Shimano stuff and Sora is definitely quite a popular range. Above that you have Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace with Dura Ace being the elite products of the product range. There are also plenty below Sora, but they don't tend to use their names as selling points for bikes.
Hope that helps.
Saying that, Shimano stuff works best with more Shimano stuff and Sora is definitely quite a popular range. Above that you have Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace with Dura Ace being the elite products of the product range. There are also plenty below Sora, but they don't tend to use their names as selling points for bikes.
Hope that helps.
- Location
- the post-brexit wasteland
an entry level bike is not likely to have a full shimano groupset. often brakes will be tektro or unbranded, and the hubs will almost certainly be generic and married to an alex rim or the like.
provided the drive train is mostly shimano with sora levers and mechs, you should be ok. if the brake calipers are rubbish, a set of tiagra calipers won't cost a fortune and will make a big improvement.
having been through the process of having bought a bike and then upgraded it over time, i would say that you'll save money by buying a better bike to start with. however, if you prefer to spread things out over time, or you don't want to commit too much in case you don't get on with cycling, it's a reasonable way to go, especially if you can buy a complete groupset in the sales.
provided the drive train is mostly shimano with sora levers and mechs, you should be ok. if the brake calipers are rubbish, a set of tiagra calipers won't cost a fortune and will make a big improvement.
having been through the process of having bought a bike and then upgraded it over time, i would say that you'll save money by buying a better bike to start with. however, if you prefer to spread things out over time, or you don't want to commit too much in case you don't get on with cycling, it's a reasonable way to go, especially if you can buy a complete groupset in the sales.
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
I take it thats the parts list for a new bike?
The brake calipers / wheel hubs and bottom bracket arn't listed and as such will probably be non branded.
Also Sora has been 9 speed for a while now, that bike is 8 (aka 16) speed. As it just says Shimano duel control levers I take it they're a lower level piece of kit or an old model.
Sora works well and is reliable but obviously hasn't got the 'bling' (or the price tag) of the higher end groupsets.
The brake calipers / wheel hubs and bottom bracket arn't listed and as such will probably be non branded.
Also Sora has been 9 speed for a while now, that bike is 8 (aka 16) speed. As it just says Shimano duel control levers I take it they're a lower level piece of kit or an old model.
Sora works well and is reliable but obviously hasn't got the 'bling' (or the price tag) of the higher end groupsets.
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
The advice I have been given is generally to avoid Sora and go for Tiagra (or above), there are problems with the duel control levers in Sora.
andy_wrx
Über Member
There are no problems with the shift levers of Sora, they work fine.
Some people don't like them, because they have a separate thumb-lever to change up and the brake lever to change down, rather than the lever inside the brake lever as the higher/more expensive Shimano groups do
- but that is personal taste and many people are quite happy with them.
As others have said, you won't be getting a full Sora groupset
- Sora RD-3400 : (RD = rear derailleur) 3400 is the current 9-speed Sora
- 16 speed gears with Shimano STI dual control levers : so you're either getting the previous model Sora 3300 shifters which are 8-speed (x2 = 16) or maybe 2300 which is the model below
- Shimano 12/25 cassette freewheel : hopefully 8-speed, as that's what the shifters are !
- Shimano FC-2300 chainset : (FC = front chainset) from the 2300 model below Sora
- you don't specify what the front derailleur is
- you're likely to have Tektro or other make brakes, own-brand hubs on the wheels, etc
But all this lot will work fine : the 9sp rear mech will happily work with 8sp shifters, the 2300 and Sora parts will happily work together
Some people don't like them, because they have a separate thumb-lever to change up and the brake lever to change down, rather than the lever inside the brake lever as the higher/more expensive Shimano groups do
- but that is personal taste and many people are quite happy with them.
As others have said, you won't be getting a full Sora groupset
- Sora RD-3400 : (RD = rear derailleur) 3400 is the current 9-speed Sora
- 16 speed gears with Shimano STI dual control levers : so you're either getting the previous model Sora 3300 shifters which are 8-speed (x2 = 16) or maybe 2300 which is the model below
- Shimano 12/25 cassette freewheel : hopefully 8-speed, as that's what the shifters are !
- Shimano FC-2300 chainset : (FC = front chainset) from the 2300 model below Sora
- you don't specify what the front derailleur is
- you're likely to have Tektro or other make brakes, own-brand hubs on the wheels, etc
But all this lot will work fine : the 9sp rear mech will happily work with 8sp shifters, the 2300 and Sora parts will happily work together
Sheffield_Tiger
Legendary Member
RedBike said:
Nonbranded definitely. I know exactly the bike being looked at here - Viking Torino. Am I right?
For the price (circa £340) I'd be tempted to go for the Carrera Virtuoso myself
Never had any problem with either Sora or 2200 shifters - in fact I like the 2200 better but thats just a personal preference for the size and shape of them
My experience of Sora was during a test ride and apart from the thumb button to shift down they are fine, my only concern was that I didn't like the fact that unless I was ridding the hoods and the fact my thumb is not 7 inches long I had to move my hand away to activate the thumb button, but for leisure and commuting I really cannot see this as a problem.
Sheffield_Tiger
Legendary Member
I've never actually had anything other than the thumb button, in an STI lever. Its luxury to me....shows how we get spoiled "I have to move my hand to shift" - used to be quite normal to move hand and arm down to the shifters, and that wasn't a problem for racing.
Its a question of what you get used to, if you're used to higher spec shifters then it will seem odd, same as how I cannot abide EZ-Fire shifters on an MTB, but my mate who has never had an MTB before thinks they are the business.
Its a question of what you get used to, if you're used to higher spec shifters then it will seem odd, same as how I cannot abide EZ-Fire shifters on an MTB, but my mate who has never had an MTB before thinks they are the business.
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
andy_wrx said:
I think that would explain the advice I have been given in various bike shops.
Debian
New Member
- Location
- West Midlands
bad boy said:
My hack (Peugeot Alpina circa 1990) has friction shifters and I prefer them heavily over indexed shifters. So much less trouble and easier to use IMHO.
