What is the best level of quality of Shimano group-set before it is just about weight.

[buggi]

I'd say 105 too. I have tiagra on one bike and ultegra on another. Tiagra is a bit clunkier and noisier, ultegra is smoother and quieter but my previous bike was 105 and I'd be happy with that again if i only had one bike.

 

[Smurfy]

Years ago when I bought an RD-M900 rear mech the quality of construction and finish knocked spots off everything beneath it. Maybe the difference has narrowed in recent years.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Where does sram fit into into the food chain? My best bike has sram Rival on it and its very good, but my only other group set experience is with Sora, old style thumb shifter, I've not used any of the others and no nothing about them.

 

[mustang1]

I have three bikes.
2006 Sora
2012 Tiagra
2012 105

Sora works fine for me. I have no experience of it, but from what others told me, Claris (2400) and 2300 works just great too.

 

[Dangermouse]

Where does sram fit into into the food chain? My best bike has sram Rival on it and its very good, but my only other group set experience is with Sora, old style thumb shifter, I've not used any of the others and no nothing about them.

SRAM doesn't, its SRAM not shimano............

 

[Gravity Aided]

Sram Rival uses a lot of technology from RED, I see it as a good solid economy line without extra weight too much, but also bearing less features. So about 105 level, IMHO.

 

[swislon]

My 10 speed 105 is much smoother than my 10 speed Ultegra.
It could be because the 105 is 7 years old and Ultegra is only a couple of years.

 

[ianrauk]

My 10 speed 105 is much smoother than my 10 speed Ultegra.
It could be because the 105 is 7 years old and Ultegra is only a couple of years.

More like your Ultegra is not set up correctly,

 

[snailracer]

Before the point where the chainring changes from steel to aluminium.

 

[albion]

That's the thing about 'perform'. It is open to interpretation.
For instance steel will surely perform better than aluminium, but with a weight cost.

 

[Sittingduck]

105 is the same (mechanically) as Ultegra and D-A, as far as I am aware (wired, of course). The only difference is materials and slight weight advantages. FWIW, I cannot tell the difference between 105 5700 and Ultegra, aside from the carbon brake levers on the latter.

OT tangent: Same goes for SRAM Apex & Rival, in terms of feel. Not sure about mechanical differences here. Weight difference is negliagable, a few gramms at most. Carbon levers on Rival and alu on Apex. Both systems shift very well and Rival is at least as good as Ultegra, imho.

 

[snorri]

I just wanted to gauge peoples opinions on where to stop spending money if all I'm after is reliability and functionality over performance.

Shimano is a complex jungle, escape and invest in Rohloff.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I have latest iteration of 105 (unless it's been updated yet again without me knowing).

Before I bought my bike 1 year ago I tried Tiagra/105/Ultegra and in all honesty could not tell the difference - my wife says I am insensitive on occasion so maybe that's why.

Not keen on the sticky-up shifter cables on Tiagra tbh although in relation to planetary woes that's very small beer in reality.

They all work fine; flick lever and chain whizzes up and down the cogs and rings, pull lever and brakes go smoothly on, let it go and off they come - that's it really. Only the terminally obsessed and sad fret about the badges on the shiny doo-dahs.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Shimano Rohloff is a complex jungle, escape and invest in Rohloff Shimano/Campag/sram .

FTFY.

 

[Venod]

Had Ultegra the brifters (cable coming out of the side) when I went to 105 cable under the bar tape, I thought they were not as smooth changing as the Ultegra, I put it down to the cable routing, after riding the bike all summer the shifting is nice and smooth. I would have no hesitation in recommending 105.