Is Tiagra 4700 a dead end?

[gaijintendo]

I currently run a flat bar with Tiagra a 4600 double, and just landed some 4700 kit on eBay, so perhaps this is a bit of buyer's remorse.

From what I can gather, 4700 is incompatible in terms of cassette spacing and pull ratios to pretty much everything else. So presumably it can't borrow from up the groupset hierarchy in the way the 4600 has been able to. Given that everything up the line is essentially 11 speed now, I presume that is unlikely to change?

Ultimately, I have been reaping the benefits of chain and cassette compatibility and presumably the supply of those parts is unlikely to change in the future. That's just not going to be the case for the 4700, is it?

Given I am running a flat bar, and that tidier cable running is of no issue whatsoever to me... should I just stick with 4600?

 

[fossyant]

Nope. I still run 7 and 8 speed Shimano old skool Ultegra and Dura Ace from 25 plus years ago, so the consumables are available.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Nope. I still run 7 and 8 speed Shimano old skool Ultegra and Dura Ace from 25 plus years ago, so the consumables are available.

Agreed. I run 7/8 speed from the '80s, 9 speed on the best bike and just built up an 8spd Claris bike for the lad.

Groupsets are overrated IMO .... Unless you're in marketing .....

 

[fossyant]

8,9 and 10 speed mechs all have the same pull ratio (except 7400 series Dura Ace which is unique to 7400 ONLY), so you can use other shifters or mechs from the range.

Yes I have 7400 DA but never needed to change the mech or shifters.

PS there is a healthy market of good condition kit on ebay.

 

[gaijintendo]

8,9 and 10 speed mechs all have the same pull ratio (except 7400 series Dura Ace which is unique to 7400 ONLY), so you can use other shifters or mechs from the range.

Yes I have 7400 DA but never needed to change the mech or shifters.

PS there is a healthy market of good condition kit on ebay.

Just to check a couple of things. Is the "Nope" meaning - go ahead and use the 4700 because it is unlikely the supply chain will dry up before I change groupset?

With regards to the pull ratios, all the 4700 reviews go on about the lack of compatibility. It seems like Shimano have started changing something that was working fine...

 

[Drago]

What's so different about 4700? I've been mixing and matching with 105, sweet as a nut.

 

[gaijintendo]

What's so different about 4700? I've been mixing and matching with 105, sweet as a nut.

Well, for one thing, on the compatability charts, 4700 is almost exclusivly on its own.
http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/1.8?cid=C-453&acid=C-454

Let me try and pull some quotes from reviews.

This might be slightly confused by my lack of understanding pull ratios, cog spacing and things like that. All the Q&As on CRC imply a lack of interchangeability.

Edit: OK, this thread is making me be a bit more methodical about reading this.

It looks like there is a revised "leverage ratio" which presumably means the cassettes and cranks are interchangeable, but derailleurs and levers are not.

So I think that is most of the answer. Brakes are a non-issue on account of this being a flat bar set up for me.

 

[Drago]

I got front mech, chain and cassette with 105. I guess if the pull ratio differs it's the brifters and rear mech that differ.