upgrading rear mech sora35 to 105? or £15 xtra ultegra?

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2clepto

Guest
which is the best option up from a sora 3500 rear mech?

a 105,
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-5701-rear-derailleur-black-49204.html

or an ultegra,
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-ultegra-6700-rear-derailleur-grey-56074.html


ive got a 9speed cassette 11 - 28

the difference between the 105 and the ultegra is only fifteen pounds. or should i stay with the sora? which will mean ill have to break the chain just to put it back together again ))

im going to install a rear mech hanger too new. ill let you know how i get on. cheers.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
If you can feel any difference I'd be surprised. That said, if it's a tasty bike then the Ultegra mech brings top trump bragging rights.
 

RebornBumbler

Senior Member
Location
Barnstaple
Obviously the Ultegra is more expensive and lighter than the 105 - but what is the purpose of the 'upgrade'?

Personally I wouldn't buy a 10 speed derailleur without also buying a 10 speed chain
... and cassette
... and shifters

And then I'd realise I could have saved a load of cash buying a 10 speed bike in the first place! :smile:
 

Drago

Legendary Member
TBH the 3500 is a decent enough mech. Moderately weighty, but not the worst, and a solid performer. It's the nasty, clunky shifters that let Sora down.
 

400bhp

Guru
Obviously the Ultegra is more expensive and lighter than the 105 - but what is the purpose of the 'upgrade'?

Personally I wouldn't buy a 10 speed derailleur without also buying a 10 speed chain
... and cassette
... and shifters

Will it even work? Is a 10 speed chain and cassette slightly thinner than a 9 speed? If so wouldn't it mess up the indexing trying to use on a 9 speed?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
It will work. 10 speed shimmy road mechs work very nicely on 8 speed chains and cassettes. The 10 speed front mech, however, is too narrow and will rub on the chain no matter how you adjust it.
 
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2clepto

Guest
thanks for all the advice everyone. the reason i was thinking of upgrading is im unsure whether my sora mech is slightly twisted and it didnt seem much more seeking better parts. i think ill just purchase a new sora and spend the rest on a brand new chain. cheers.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Shame you're not nearer. I got a virtually unused 2300 rear mech you couldve had.
 
Location
Pontefract
thanks for all the advice everyone. the reason i was thinking of upgrading is im unsure whether my sora mech is slightly twisted and it didnt seem much more seeking better parts. i think ill just purchase a new sora and spend the rest on a brand new chain. cheers.
The rivits/pins wear over time, I just upgrade from a RD3300 to a RD5701 and worked fine on both an 8 and 9sp setup, unfortunately (or fortunately) a week or so after getting the new RD my right front 3500 Sora shifter failed, so ended up doing the whole lot bar the chainset which is originally a 7/8sp set up and that works fine on the 10sp, I never tested the FD3300 on the 10sp chain.
The RD3300 I changed wasn't as worn as the Acera I changed in Dec, this can lead to poor shifting.
 
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2clepto

Guest
The rivits/pins wear over time, I just upgrade from a RD3300 to a RD5701 and worked fine on both an 8 and 9sp setup, unfortunately (or fortunately) a week or so after getting the new RD my right front 3500 Sora shifter failed, so ended up doing the whole lot bar the chainset which is originally a 7/8sp set up and that works fine on the 10sp, I never tested the FD3300 on the 10sp chain.
The RD3300 I changed wasn't as worn as the Acera I changed in Dec, this can lead to poor shifting.


thanks for the advice nigel. ill check ouyt the RD5701 now. oh yes thats perfect just what im looking for cheers.

heres where i am at the moment regarding the derailiur (sora) it functions really well since i straighten via eye the rear mech hanger, only if i peddle backwards the chain locks up after a quarter to two turns of the peddles.

ive got couple of other bikes and ive been swapping wheels around and messing with their rear mechs and they permit me to mess with them and then i set them up and the work well. but the sora rear mech just wont do all things like change gear clean, as well as cycle freewheel backwards. and you know when you look at the drivetrain of a well function bike? well the sora bike all looks twisted with the chain sitting uncomfortable on it.

but it still may be me not setting up the mech properly because im inexperienced because i also seemed to twist up another drivetrain today swapping wheels over and the twist looked similar to the sora set up.

or it still could be the rear mechs out of line regarding the rear hanger. ive been putting it off because theyre £20

any ideas? cheers mark.
 

Luba

Active Member
105 & upwards as long as quite recent works with 8-10 speed.

No need to get a new hanger unless it is damaged.

Also no need to "break the chain" - just get a quick link that can be removed very easily - often by hand alone.

If you shop around there is often very difference in price between 105 and Ultegra depending on your needs. But in reality the only difference is weight. Try Wiggle, CRC, Ebay, Evans, Amazon, JE James, Tredz.... etc
 
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2clepto

Guest
thanks Luba. much appreciated.

what do you mean "damaged?" lol purely snapped or would you say it was damaged still after a bending back into place? which i cant guarantee if its out or not unless i locate or make one of those rear mech adjustment tools.

£20 seems steep for a rear hanger they must be composed of some fine metal for that price. so i may bite the bullet on that one, im just interested in trying to sort it for free.

i think i at least need to take the rear hanger off and do the wobble test on a flat surface.

whats interesting is ive been servicing some wheels off 90s racers this week and swapping them across different bikes and the old bikes have no rear mech yet the feel of their derailiuers in action feels superior too the sora on the modern merida. the 90s bikes one has old 105 works great the other has 300ex which i only used for a day but rode 13 miles on it yesterday and the mech functioned pretty well, although the front mech regarding this bike feels a little misaligned but kept in the large chainring i was shifting swift with only the odd jump of gears, ive yet to do anything in way of service of the 300ex just lube the drivetrain.
 
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