shimano sora or something...

[Maz]

You know those gear shifters on a lot of road bikes (not downtube shifters), are they called Shimano soras?...the ones with the little paddle things next to the brakes that you push in/out to change gear?
are they standard kit on most modern road bikes?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

shimano sora is the base model for road bikes. it's perfectly good unless you ride on the drops, but tiagra and above is usually found on better bikes. there is also a campag groupset that has the little paddle, but its name escapes me.

 

[walker]

STI's for Shimano, or Ergo for Campag,

overall name is shifters, or intergrated shifters

 

[Mortiroloboy]

All Campag Ergo shifters have the paddle on the side of the hood, on the Shimano STI 's, only the Sora/FD2200 have the little button shifter on the side of the hood.

 

[Milo]

I have sora and I can change on the drops easily.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

I have sora and I can change on the drops easily.

Are you an Orang-u-tan? How do you manage that? I can do it on my Ergo's but not on the sora's.

 

[mickle]

STI is Shi* no Total Integration which simply means that the shift lever or levers is incorporated into the brake lever. It first appeared on mountain bikes but didn't meet with widespread acceptance due to the fact that if one component failed the whole assembly needed to be replaced. Campagnolo's integrated road brake/shifters are called Ergo.

Sora is Shi*no's least expensive road groupset followed by Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and finally DuraAce at the top.

 

[Maz]

Thanks for the info, everyone.

 

[Joe24]

I have sora and I can change on the drops easily.

I managed that a few times, but its just a huge stretch of the fingures. I just lift a hand up on the hoods but down sit up and change gear.

 

[Milo]

Must have long thumbs then. Must admit it was tricky at first but now I find it easy.

 

[John the Monkey]

Must have long thumbs then. Must admit it was tricky at first but now I find it easy.

I have to add myself to the "couldn't do it" camp - I tried a few Sora equipped bikes, and couldn't reach the paddle from the drops at all - part of the reason I went for an SCR2 rather than a 3, if I'm honest.

 

[Maz]

shimano sora is the base model for road bikes. it's perfectly good unless you ride on the drops, but tiagra and above is usually found on better bikes...

What makes the tiagra and above, better? Quality of build/material or are the paddles more reachable/easier to use?

 

[Milo]

weight materials etc.
Sora is steel and theres a fair bit of plastic on it but its still good.

 

[iacula]

On a similari-sh line, I have Sora's and they've been no problem yet, but how easy is it to upgrade to say 105's, do you have to change the shifters and the rear mech?

 

[walker]

On a similari-sh line, I have Sora's and they've been no problem yet, but how easy is it to upgrade to say 105's, do you have to change the shifters and the rear mech?

sora's - 8 speed
105's - 10 speed, you'd need a whole new drivetrain