Sora???

[chewy]

Hi y'all.

So....plan A has worked fine, a nice hybrid (yes I know) for work and general skivvying! Now for the roady!

Went to Local Bike Shop and the Giant Rapids caught my eye. Now, I'm not really put off by Drops, but the reason I'm leaning away from them is that within my price range (£600 ish) you generally end up with Sora shifters.

Sora quality isn't my concern, as I am unlikely to be doing as much as some of you do during the week (plus Im happy to upgrade things as they fall off!) but the Sora shifters on Drop bars seem bloody awkward to use. Main problem being the lack of ability to change gear both up and down whilst in the drops (thumbs wont reach one of the levers).

Now, can any of the experienced members of this here forum point out my foolishness, any other ideas etc?

I'm more than happy with the idea of the flat bar, just don't want to dismiss the Sora drops idea and then find out I was being a twat!!!!

Many thanks in advance (again... )

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Prehensile thumbs are a great innovation.

I rode 1000+ km until someone pointed out how crap Sora is. Have ridden 1000's+ km on Sora since. Hasn't ruined my riding in quite the way I was told it was.

Now my most recent road bike has campag and whilst I admit I like being able to brake without changing gear, and more importantly vice versa, even that hasn't completely ruined the Sora bike for me.

one bike has Sora, one Campag Veloce, another SRAM X-0, another a bar end shifter, one a twist grip, another you shift gear by kicking the pedals back. All much of a muchness. Apart from the one with only one gear.

 

[Norm]

I've got Sora shifters on one bike and I find them at least as handy as the Tiagra shifters on the other road bike. I spend most of my time on the hoods and the thumb shifters are right there and waiting for you.

I very rarely need to change gear when I'm on the drops anyway, I'm not sure I can remember one time that I wanted to do so and, even if I did, it would be easier to reach to the hoods than it would be to reach the down-tube shifters on my old bike.

Which brings me to the point which I think Greg also mentions. Even if you do want to change gear from the drops, is it really that much of a challenge to move your hands up?

 

[peelywally]

if your on the drops and need to drop a gear on your front dérailleur your maybe not making the correct gear selection for riding position

if your on the drops and need to drop a gear on the back you can over time slide your hand up and reach lever no problem however as time goes by you adopt a riding style to suit sora and unless you race professionally its fine you wont lose vital milli secounds changing gears .

compare it too shifters of old , were riders had to reach down between their knees to shift , lots of tour de frances were won on bikes like that with times that would put amateur clubs stars to shame .

 

[peelywally]

I've got Sora shifters on one bike and I find them at least as handy as the Tiagra shifters on the other road bike. I spend most of my time on the hoods and the thumb shifters are right there and waiting for you.

I very rarely need to change gear when I'm on the drops anyway, I'm not sure I can remember one time that I wanted to do so and, even if I did, it would be easier to reach to the hoods than it would be to reach the down-tube shifters on my old bike.

Which brings me to the point which I think Greg also mentions. Even if you do want to change gear from the drops, is it really that much of a challenge to move your hands up?

i promise i was not copying your post


great mind i spose

 

[Norm]

i promise i was not copying your post


great mind i spose

I'll allow that you weren't copying but no-one gets away with calling me a great mind!

 

[johnnyh]

I have Sora on one bike and 105 on another, and the Sora shifters don't make the ride any less fun.

Same way as the indicators in the car are on one side and in the truck they are on the other, doesn't make a scrap of difference.

 

[Hacienda71]

Another with Sora on one bike and Tiagra on another. Both work fine. I tend to use the drops on fast downhills when I am already in a fast gear so the buttons on Sora are not something I need to use when actually on the drops. TBH I don't change the Tiagra shifters while on the drops often either. There is an element of snobishness I think with Tiagra and above. Runs and ducks for cover

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Another with Sora on one bike and Tiagra on another. Both work fine. I tend to use the drops on fast downhills when I am already in a fast gear so the buttons on Sora are not something I need to use when actually on the drops. TBH I don't change the Tiagra shifters while on the drops often either. There is an element of snobishness I think with Tiagra and above. Runs and ducks for cover

Amongst cyclists? Surely not!

 

[HLaB]

IMO sora isn't the best but I'd rather have Sora and a roadbike than nothing. Sora is not as fast changing as the Veloce and 105 on my other bikes; you can't change properly on the drops (reach the thumb shifters) and doesn't seem to be as comfortable on a long ride (but thats maybe the bike Alu forks on the sora bike and carbon on the veloce and 105 bikes).

PS my mate has been looking for something in that bracket (as a 2nd bike and is probably going to opt for Ribble with veloce)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

HLaB, no one, surely claims Sora is "the best". But neither is it then end of western civilisation as we know it, nor deserving of quite the Bateman cartoon-like scorn which gets directed at it. "The man who.... bought a Sora equipped bike"

I've done back-to-back 100km days on my Sora equipped tourer (cro mo fork) without ill effect.

 

[peelywally]

any techy guys know if its possible to maybe change sora shifters or would that not be compatible with dérailleurs ?

 

[HLaB]

HLaB, no one, surely claims Sora is "the best". But neither is it then end of western civilisation as we know it, nor deserving of quite the Bateman cartoon-like scorn which gets directed at it. "The man who.... bought a Sora equipped bike"

I've done back-to-back 100km days on my Sora equipped tourer (cro mo fork) without ill effect.

Yip, as I was saying I'd rather have Sora than no roadbike, it isn't perfect but it works :-)

 

[Alien8]

If you can't reach the Sora thumb shifter from the drops move your hand to the hood, shift, and move back to the drops.

Unless you're sprinting for the finish line it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Interested in the feedback here.

Looking to buy Mrs FF her first new road-bike since about 1985!

My spec said Triple chainset with Tiagra min, but we're looking at close to £800 (Cannondale Synapse looks peachy though at £850 and seh likes the colour ).

I've only sued Sora once and that wasn't set-up quite perfectly and I found it very clunky and slow (after my Ultegra/Dra-Ace set-up).
So I may be unduly snobbish here and going Sora would save me a lot of bucks.
She's not going racing, it's for our Sunday runs etc and should be as quick and comfortable as possible to make it as little hard work for her.

I might start a 'what-bike for the Mrs' thread.

Any other feedback from those using Sora vs higher groupsets welcome!