Going from 105 to Sora

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Banjo

Fuelled with Jelly Babies
Location
South Wales
My last two road bikes were both 10 speed 105.

I recently changed to a bike with 9 speed Sora and despite my doubts after ordering it I have to say it is great.

Gear changing only requires a very light touch on the shifters and changes sweetly every time.

My utility bike has Tiagra 9 speed with bar end shifters and they also perform faultlessly.

I really wonder if for the average cyclist (like me)who doesnt race then the higher end groupsets arent that much of a step up.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Im a big fan of the Sora shifters with the thumb release for up changes. Brilliant for urban commuting up on the hoods.
 
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Banjo

Banjo

Fuelled with Jelly Babies
Location
South Wales
Im a big fan of the Sora shifters with the thumb release for up changes. Brilliant for urban commuting up on the hoods.
I havent ridden that style of Sora.I think that was a couple of models back.

The new Sora is same as 105 with the 2 levers.
 

Slick

Guru
The little that I can tell, it's more about length of operation between services and replacement than quality of operation.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
Maybe my 10 speed (4400) setup was just rubbish, but I much preferred my 3500 Sora setup. Shifting was so much smoother on the Sora.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
Provided you don't actually have a problem shifting (A friend of mine has small hands and she has - I think - Claris and she has difficulty with some changes) then what you'll probably find is that after a few rides you just get used to it, whatever it is. When I ride my bike with down tube shifters it takes about an hour to get back into the swing and then I just forget about it.
Funny you should say that. I ride the bike with down tube shifters a lot and had great entertainment on my CX feeling about for shifters that weren’t there.:laugh:
 
I’ve got 5700 105 10 speed, Sora 9 speed with a triple up front, 6800 Ultegra 11 speed, and Tiagra 4700 10 speed, on my Shimano equipped bikes, and I like the Sora, because bits are cheap, and it’s the easiest of the lot to recable and adjust, on the fly. The Sora bike has the ‘unconventional’ tyres on it as well. Internet tropes would have you believe it’s an unrideable bucket of bolts. It isn’t, and it’s relatively cheap to keep running, which makes it ideal for big miles.
 
Im a big fan of the Sora shifters with the thumb release for up changes. Brilliant for urban commuting up on the hoods.
The thumb buttons work brilliantly with thick gloves on too. Fantastic for riding in the winter, and cheaper than Campagnolo, that also have the thumb button levers.
 

Dirk

If 6 Was 9
Location
Watchet
Generally speaking, all Shimano stuff works.
The major difference I notice is when I change from my bike with Claris to my bike with Ultegra Di2. Both do their job properly, but the difference in feel and operation are streets apart.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
I reckon the only significant difference between the mechanical gruppos cited is weight.

Feel is subjective. Having big hands the longer throw at the levers of Tiagra makes it the one I like the feel off the most. Ulty is tight and slick, but feels toy like and awkward in my manly mitts.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
I have 2 bikes with 9 speed Tiagra, one with 10 speed 105, and the latest addition has 11 speed 105.
My preference is for the 9 speed Tiagra. I am not Bradley Wiggins so I could quite happily have 6 cogs at the back, as long as they ranged between 10 and 32 teeth (some big long climbs around here!).
The more cogs at the back, the thinner the chain has to be, and the less miles it will last. Same for the cassette and chain rings too. And there lies the advantage - for the parts manufacturers and bike shops!
I am trying to find a triple, 9 speed crankset for a 7 year old road bike and it's not proving easy... They want us to "upgrade" which will of course require new shifters as well as the transmission parts.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Funny you should say that. I ride the bike with down tube shifters a lot and had great entertainment on my CX feeling about for shifters that weren’t there.:laugh:
I have a bike withbar end shifters, another with4700 tiagra and another with srma apex , its good fun remembering which way to move the shift lever and where they are when i change bikes.
Having never ridden higher than the above groupsets i cant say anything about them , having riden claris when new i did find them fine although the down shift was a bit vague for my liking.Thumb button 8speed was fine but i felt the same on the down shift.
New tiagra is very smooth and i do like it, some reckon it is better than the old 10 speed 105 and sram apex is very positive with a louder clunk at the back when you change gears.
My bar end shifters work ok although i think it is a little hesitant due to the convoluted cable s from bar end all the way around the bar under the tape cuasing a bit of drag, if i routed the cable more efficiently i am sure they would be better as there is little to go wrong and are great for commuting as they are cheaper than brifters and mechanically simple assuming you get your gearing right as its not a set up you want to change gears when standing up to grind a hill and then decide you want to shift .
 
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