As such, the brand has been constantly improving the groupset to make for improved performance and catch up with the demands of endurance riding. For starters, the Sora shifters allow for the use of a wide range 11 to 32t cassette, and it also comes with dual-pivot disc brakes.
These two features alone make the Sora more comparable to its pricier counterparts. So, really, the only difference between the Shimano Sora vs higher-end groupsets is the 9-speed gearing. That, and the additional weight that is typical of budget bike parts and components.
In fact, this has led to its popularity as an entry-level to mid-range groupset choice for road biking, probably due to its speed gearing. But even so, the Tiagra does its best to compete with its hidden brake cables and gears, as well as its 4 arm shifter and crankset.
It's long been considered the working-man's performance groupset, though you might argue that this new version, with its substantial price hike over its predecessor, yields that title to In the past Ultegra offered a wider range of options than Dura-Ace. Now, both groupsets offer the same options and all the same headline technology. And like Dura-Ace there's no mechanical version — yet.
Shimano hasn't said definitively that mechanical Ultegra will never happen and there's now a Moria-scale abyss between Ultegra R Di2 and , so we might see a mechanical speed version next year. Shimano isn't saying. In mirroring Dura-Ace Di2's technologies, Ultegra R Di2 gets two new features not previously seen on a Shimano groupset at this level. Once the world's supply chain returns to normal, it's a good bet you'll be able to pay quite a bit less than that.
That'll make these cranks an attractive option if Shiman has ironed out the bugs that affected the previous Dura-Ace power meter cranks. The other new aspect to Ultegra is a suite of tubeless-ready wheels with full-carbon rims.
Like the Dura-Ace equivalents they have 36mm, 50mm and 60mm rims. This is the previous, speed version of Dura-Ace, which we're keeping here because there are still a few bikes in shops with it. The mechanical and Di2 electronic groups share the same chainset, brakes and other non-shifting components, but with Di2 you get switches on the brake levers, derailleurs with built-in motors and the battery, wiring and control box that ties it all together. The major new feature of Di2 is Synchronized Shift, a technology borrowed from Shimano's mountain bike Di2 components.
Rather than buttons controlling front and rear derailleurs independently, one pair of buttons moves up and down the gear ratios, making shifts at the front or rear derailleur, or both, as necessary. There are two modes. Press one button and the gear will get harder to turn, press the other button and the gear will get easier.
A new junction box is not only very tidy — it can be hidden inside the end of the handlebar — it provides wireless ANT Private connectivity to third-party devices. The system also offers a Bluetooth connection to phones and tablets running Shimano's E-Tube software so you can program the shifting behaviour. You can personalise the speed of the shifting, the number of sprockets that will be shifted, and even control the rear derailleur with the left hand. An advantage of Di2 is the option of adding additional shifter pods, satellite shifters that can be fitted to the tops or the drops.
There's an internal battery, which you can hide inside the seat post. Worried about it going flat? If your budget won't stretch to the electronic version of Dura-Ace, the mechanical version is by no means second best — it's still a superb ensemble.
The group offered one of the widest range of options Shimano has ever offered in road bike components, including a power meter, hydraulic disc brakes, a wider gear range and an increased selection of wheels. The group features new derailleurs too, using design features that originally appeared on Shimano's mountain bike parts to reduce the chance that the rear mech will get damaged in a crash.
Just one rear derailleur will handle any gear system you choose, including the new cassette. With the group Shimano adds a very tidy power meter to its collection. How tidy? You can see in the pic to the right that the electronics are barely visible. The inclusion of hydraulic disc brakes in the Dura-Ace line shows how completely Shimano has embraced road bike discs.
Previously Dura-Ace equipped bikes with discs had to use Shimano's non-series brakes and levers; now they match. If you're using rim brakes, the Dura-Ace calipers have been subtly redesigned so they'll accommodate 28mm tyres. Finally, there's a big range of wheels in the latest Dura-Ace line up. The new C40 and C60 wheels have 28mm wide carbon fibre rims that are 40mm and 60mm deep, respectively. Buy Shimano Dura-Ace if you're racing or doing mega distances and you want the best mechanical shifting.
If you want high performance without the hefty price tag of Dura-Ace, then Ultegra is probably the pick of the range. Since the update, the gap between the two has been narrowed, and the R incarnation looks an awful lot like the current version of Dura-Ace too. You still get the carbon fibre brake lever as well like you do on Dura-Ace, and the cranks, brakes and derailleurs share the same design as Dura-Ace.
Dura-Ace is really aimed at racing bikes, making Ultegra a more versatile groupset. With a range of chainring and cassette options, it can be fitted to all sorts of bikes, from racing cycles to touring and adventure bikes.
R component weights are very similar to Ultegra The significant differences are in the shifting, which gets an Ultegra version of the Shadow rear derailleur from Dura-Ace ; the brakes, which have been shaped to make room for 28mm tyres; and the sprockets which now have an option.
The larger cassettes require the use of the medium-cage rear derailleur, which has been reported as working with even larger sprockets such as the and cassettes Shimano makes for mountain bikes. Like the previous incarnation, there's just one chainring bolt circle diameter that will take chainrings from 34 to 53 teeth. Ultegra is also available with a Di2 option. Like Dura-Ace, both Ultegra groupsets are speed. For the bike model year we got a new Dura-Ace groupset, for Ultegra got a makeover and for the model year which pretty much started in July Shimano's most popular groupset got a makeover and a hike in model number from to R The main mission of remains the same: excellent performance at a sensible price.
Many of the changes from are visual, bringing R into line with the styling cues of the other two speed groupsets, but there are some performance improvements too. The shift lever throw has been shortened for faster, crisper transitions, and the rear derailleurs have greater capacity.
The SS short-cage derailleur can now handle a tooth largest sprocket, while the long-cage GS model goes up to 34 in theory, and in practice will cope with a whopping tooth sprocket. The rear derailleurs are Shimano's 'Shadow' design with the main parallelogram moved back and down by an extra pivot that effectively extends the gear hanger so the derailleur is tucked under the chainstay more, reducing the chance of crash damage. The front derailleur gets the compact toggle design of Dura-Ace and Ultegra so there's no longer a gert long lever arm poking skywards from the front mech.
The big news in braking is that R gets its own hydraulic disc brakes and levers rather than having to make do with brakes that were quality but lacked the logos and styling of the rest of the group. A disc-braked equipped bike will now look 'of a piece' as it were. Speaking of brakes, there are also restyled rim brakes for old school types. They follow the Ultegra and Dura-Ace convention of the quick-release lever tucking under the brake arm and have a couple more millimetres of brake drop than the previous brakes so they'll work with bikes that have a bit more room for fatter tyres.
You see a lot of entry-level and mid-range bikes specced with Shimano Sometimes it gets mixed with other branded parts to meet key price points, but a full groupset is definitely something to look for, as there really is no weak part of the groupset. The changes bring it the appearance of Shimano above it, with the same four-arm crankset and new shifters, with the gear and brake cables hidden underneath the bar tape. As well as the drop-bar kit, Tiagra will be available with flat bar levers and shifters, so expect to see it on commuter and city bikes as well.
Tiagra retains the speed configuration, though, and that could be a deciding factor if choosing between Tiagra and It now matches the higher groups in the range visually, with its four-arm chainset, and a similar grey finish though we can't be the only ones who wish for a shinier option. You get proper Dual Control gear shifters, with the brake lever changing down the cassette and the smaller lever changing to a higher gear.
Other similarities with the more expensive groupsets include the Hollowtech 2 bottom bracket, with the bearings sitting outboard of the frame. The most recent update to the groupset saw Claris get the four-arm, fixed-axle chainset design of higher groupsets. Claris really does have the quality feel of the more expensive Shimano groupsets. It's almost impossible to buy a full Claris groupset at the moment; you'll have to assemble it from various sources.
We can't have a guide to Shimano groupsets and not mention the brakes. Shimano offers a choice of regular dual pivot or newer direct mount brake calipers, and also an increasing choice of disc brakes. Most groupsets now have dedicated disc brakes, and there still plenty of 'non-series' disc brakes around too, with options for electronic and mechanical shifting. Shimano says these are its first discs designed specifically for road bikes, rather than being adapted from mountain bike brakes.
Disc brakes have numerous advantages over rim brakes: they're less affected by water; they're unaffected by rim damage and they provide finer control over braking power than is possible with rim brakes.
Hydraulic brakes also self-centre and automatically compensate for pad wear, neither of which you get with cables, and both of which are real benefits. With the R components, Shimano introduced its first Ultegra-labelled disc brakes, with variants at the hydraulic levers for mechanical and electronic shifting.
Like the previous non-series disc brakes they use Shimano's Flat-Mount standard for a tidy appearance. The first Shimano level disc brakes were pretty good, but with the new hydraulic system, the R lever and the R calliper, Shimano has upped its game significantly.
They're still quite expensive as an upgrade, but definitely one to look out for if you're in the market for a new disc-braked road bike. The new R lever is a full redesign and it's a much better overall shape. The extra width of the lever at the bottom meant that the bottom of the hood sat away from the bar tape a bit; it was noticeable close up but not really an issue.
The brakes work brilliantly out of the box, and they're almost entirely fuss-free. These brakes bite when you'd expect them to in the lever travel, and from there there's masses of stopping power available as and when you need it. The reach is adjustable, but there's also a new, smaller lever R that should be ideal for those with smaller hands. The amount of effort you have to put in to control your speed on the steep, loose back road descents round here is genuinely a revelation compared to rim brakes or mechanical disc brakes.
Read our review of the Shimano R hydraulic disc brakes. If you're happy with 10 sprockets on your back wheel, but want hydraulic disc brakes, then Shimano has these brakes for you, matching the colour and styling of the rest of the Tiagra ensemble.
Shimano shifters are ergonomic and accurate around the board. Both groupsets have flat-bar shifter and brake options, making them equally common among commuters and road cyclists. The reach adjustment screw for the shifters is located underneath the hoods but is easily available.
Starting with the Shimano Sora, the company describes this groupset as being aimed at sports and fitness cyclists. There have been a number of significant changes to efficiency since the most recent update. Better dual-pivot disc brakes and the ability to use a wide-ranging t cassette put it in line with its more expensive competitors. The design has also been revised to ensure a smarter finish, with internal cabling available to keep wires tidy and a 4-arm chainset to keep it current.
The main differences between more expensive models and the Sora are the constant 9-speed the number of gears available and the extra weight as compared to better versions. Shimano Tiagra groupsets have grown in recent years, making them closer to Shimano groupsets. The Tiagra has traditionally been regarded as the starting point for road biking.
However, with the introduction of a speed Tiagra, it has grown in popularity as a road biking alternative. Its overall results, however, falls short of that of the and the premium Ultegra and Dura-Ace groupsets.
The latest Tiagra modifications gave it a more like appearance, with the same four-arm crank set and shifter, as well as concealed gear and brake cables. The main distinction between Tiagra and higher models is its speed transmission. Number of sprockets: The Sora comes with a 9-speed sprocket compared to a speed sprocket on the Tiagra.
Weight: The composite backplate, the slimmed-down derailleur and the more refined cassette makes the Tiagra slightly lighter than the Sora groupset. Brakes: The Tiagra groupset comes with the option of hydraulic disc brakes. The Sora groupset uses rim brakes. In general, the shifters on the Sora are a little cumbersome, making the Tiagra a better option.
Gear changes are slicker, and overall performance is marginally higher, as the Tiagra moves closer to the groupsets. While being squarely in the entry-level market, the Sora and Tiagra groupsets compete admirably against more expensive alternatives. If you are looking for more performance without having an speed groupset , opt for the Tiagra.
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