Upgrading groupset from Claris to 105

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hamidalddin

New Member
Location
Saudi Arabia
Hello! First post!
I've been thinking about upgrading the groupset on my 2015 Trek One Series from Shimano Claris to 105 R7000.
I feel that I've used up the current groupset in many regards, and am comparing this change to upgrading to a new bike. I like this bike, which has an aluminium frame with external routing, and having upgraded to Campag Scirocco wheels. The other option is a costly new carbon and fancy road bike (waiting for the new Canyon Ultimate). I'd buy the groupset online, and ask a local bike shop to install it.
Any concerns? any recommendations? any thoughts? Your dropping by is much appreciated!
 
If you're changing the entire set, should be mechanically straightforward. Problems will be price, but presumably you've got that sorted, and availability of the groupset. If that, too, is not a problem, upgrade away!
 
The upgrade would give you an extra 3 gears, a cheaper option to get the looks of 105 would be to upgrade the shifters to the latest R2000 version. It would still be 8 speed but all the cables would be routed under the bar tape? You would only need new shifters as the rest will be compatible so likely to be cheaper.
 

JohnHughes307

Über Member
Location
Potters Bar
I upgraded from Claris to Tiagra on my Spesh Allez, but did it myself using 2nd hand parts from eBay. I really found it worthwhile, but the biggest improvement imo was the change from the octalink inboard to the hollowtech outboard bottom bracket - it would have been nice to go under the bartape for the gear cables, but that wasn't available on the generation of Tiagra I could source.
I did swap the fugly Tiagra dinner plate big ring fo a nicer one from Spa though 😎
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
The upgrade would give you an extra 3 gears, a cheaper option to get the looks of 105 would be to upgrade the shifters to the latest R2000 version. It would still be 8 speed but all the cables would be routed under the bar tape? You would only need new shifters as the rest will be compatible so likely to be cheaper.
indeed assuming you want the same gear ratio range your not really gaining a lot apart from smaller jumps between gears .Of course if you can afford it go for it but dont expect it to be a panacea for speed
 
I'm not the sort of rider that would want to go from Claris to 105, I can't really see the benefit for a casual cyclist like me having those inbetween gears and being heavy means I prefer the longer lasting and much cheaper Claris components, steel cassettes with thicker cogs, heavier duty thicker chain etc. More reliable if clunky shifting. However if I had a much loved bike and wanted 105 I would probably look for a s/hand 105 donor bike swop out the components with my Claris road bike and then resell on the donor bike with Claris.

Normally though doesn't it make more sense to buy a whole bike with 105 fitted new rather than upgrade an existing bike especially if you are paying a local bike shop to fit the groupset.

You can get a Boardman 105 road bike for £1100 but there was a 10% off code going about if you registered for stock updates via email and you can buy discounted Halfords vouchers via topgiftcards and make the final purchase through topcashback. You might be able to save about 17% overall. So you might get the bike for about £900 approx in the end. Halfords a factory to retail direct business model so can sell bikes at very competitive prices.

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/road...-road-bike-2021---s-m-l-xl-frames-365462.html

Looks like a whole 105 groupset is about £600 and fitting it might be £100-200.

I don't know which factory makes the Boardman road bike but some of the current crop of Carrera and Voodoo models at Halfords have been coming from Insera Sena in Indonesia who sell under their own Polygon and Marin brands but have done Scott, Kona, Saracen, Calibre and many other brand bikes in the past but I guess that might be aluminium mountain and road bikes. I've got a Saracen frame to build up into a mountain bike which is made by them and looks very decent construction. Probably not quite as good as Giant or Merida. Trek for example are using Quest Composites for many of the CF road bike frames and forks and they are a low end CF factory. Trek may only use them for the lower end CF road bike models. Not sure. Anyway the Boardman CF road bike is probably coming from as good a factory as many of the top brands entry level CF models if not better.
 

karajorg3

Member
Location
Greece
Hi all,

First post here.

I am currently riding with a custom setup using a mix of old 2300 series (brifters 2303, rd) and claris (crankset R2030, fd, cassette). Everything is fully compatible according to Shimano's guide.

However, as a friend of mine is currently looking to give away an old 105 crankset (FC 5603) he asked me if I am interested in order to get my bike lighter (the R2030 weighs 1.7kg and the FC 5603 approx. 0,85kg. The BB does not seem to be a problem as both use hollowtech II, the teeth in both cranks are the same (50-39-30) but I still don't know if the fd (2030) and my left brifter (ST 2303) will support such a change.

Any opinions will be more than welcome.

Best,
 

karajorg3

Member
Location
Greece
I forgot to mention that the friend's 105 crankset is almost as good as new .
 

karajorg3

Member
Location
Greece
is your rear wheel compatible?

My rear wheel has an RD 2300 which is compatible with the 8speed claris cassette 12-25 and the right ST 2300 lever. However, I am not planning to change any of these.

Should I consider compatibility between front crankset and cassette ? I have not yet found any such chart of compatibilities in Shimano. The charts usually pair:
1) Right Lever - RD - Cassette - Chain - Freehub
2) Left Lever - FD - Crankset - BB - Chain

The 105 crankset FC 5603 does not appear in the latest compatibility charts as it seems to be discontinued.

I believe it is a longshot to be compatible, however, I am planning on starting changing some worn parts beginning with the crankset .
 

T4tomo

Guru
Hi all,

First post here.

I am currently riding with a custom setup using a mix of old 2300 series (brifters 2303, rd) and claris (crankset R2030, fd, cassette). Everything is fully compatible according to Shimano's guide.

However, as a friend of mine is currently looking to give away an old 105 crankset (FC 5603) he asked me if I am interested in order to get my bike lighter (the R2030 weighs 1.7kg and the FC 5603 approx. 0,85kg. The BB does not seem to be a problem as both use hollowtech II, the teeth in both cranks are the same (50-39-30) but I still don't know if the fd (2030) and my left brifter (ST 2303) will support such a change.

Any opinions will be more than welcome.

Best,

the Claris crankset must be made of lead to be twice as heavy :ohmy:

All should be fine, you are replacing a triple with a triple so the shifter and FD will be unaware anything has changed. Whilst the 5603 is offically 10 spd and you are running a 8 speed chain, the internal chain dimensions are the same (so it will sit on the teeth just the same, and the very marginally fatter external chain dimensions should not make any difference to shifting and I'm pretty sure the chainrings are the same spacing on both - you can check this visually when you have the side by side.

If they use same BB then its an easy switch, all you need "special" tool wise is a crank puller. Google a you tube parktools video, there is a little tab to flick out with a screwdriver to release the crank.

is your rear wheel compatible?
Are you confusing crankset with cassette?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
the Claris crankset must be made of lead to be twice as heavy :ohmy:

All should be fine, you are replacing a triple with a triple so the shifter and FD will be unaware anything has changed. Whilst the 5603 is offically 10 spd and you are running a 8 speed chain, the internal chain dimensions are the same (so it will sit on the teeth just the same, and the very marginally fatter external chain dimensions should not make any difference to shifting and I'm pretty sure the chainrings are the same spacing on both - you can check this visually when you have the side by side.

If they use same BB then its an easy switch, all you need "special" tool wise is a crank puller. Google a you tube parktools video, there is a little tab to flick out with a screwdriver to release the crank.


Are you confusing crankset with cassette?

No but if he’s considering a switch from Claris to 105 he may need to confirm nothing needs to be done on the wheel to take a 10 speed cassette
 

vickster

Legendary Member
(S)he only asked about changing the crankset.

Says groupset in opening post?

Hello! First post!
I've been thinking about upgrading the groupset on my 2015 Trek One Series from Shimano Claris to 105 R7000.

Hmmm seems to be a thread hijack actually :rolleyes:
 
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