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Questions and answers about sports

Lower gearing with 15 year old Shimano Ultegra

5 min read

Asked by: Tony Roberts

Why is Ultegra better than 105?

There is no longer any real technological difference between 105 and Ultegra, and the only real difference is that Ultegra is a lighter groupset. That means we have 2 answers to the question of 105 versus Ultegra. If you want to make, a cash value judgment go for 105 if you want to save weight go for Ultegra.

Can I use a 105 cassette with Ultegra?

There’s no reason why you can’t use an Ultegra cassette with an otherwise 105 groupset, or vice versa. With both 105 and Ultegra, the largest sprocket you can officially use is a 34-tooth, although in truth you can go much larger than that; we have gear systems with 11-40 cassettes that work very happily.

How good is Shimano Ultegra?

Sitting at the second tier, Shimano’s Ultegra may be viewed as a mid-range groupset to those that use Dura-Ace, and yet, it remains easily good enough for professional racing. It’s common to find Ultegra used on the training and backup bikes of Pro Continental teams, or the race bikes of Continental outfits.

What is the difference between Ultegra and Dura-Ace?

The only difference to the Dura-Ace is an extra bit of weight. Generally speaking, the Ultegra is seen as the most premium versatile groupset available from Shimano – the Dura-Ace being purely race-focused – due to its mammoth range of gears.

Is Ultegra better than tiagra?

In all, there are quite a few points where modern Tiagra 4700 series has an edge of 10-speed Ultegra 6700 series – namely, regarding the lever ergonomics and shifting performance. There are some areas where Ultegra 6700 retains an edge over Tiagra 4700, the braking performance and gearing options being the main ones.

How long does a derailleur last?

Good quality rear derailleur can last between 3 to 5 years, when unbranded or low-quality ones can last for 2 years, no matter what the durability of the rear derailleur the jockey wheel will wear after time and it can be replaced very cheaply with new ones, on the other hand, front derailleur can last almost

What’s the difference between Ultegra 6800 and R8000?

Shimano PD-R8000 vs Shimano PD-6800



The 8000 series pedals are now 0.6mm lower in stack than their previous iterations, come with a 4mm longer axle and are a claimed 248g.

Is Shimano 105 good enough for racing?

105 is the first of Shimano’s “serious” or “proper” groupsets. Tiagra and below, despite being perfectly adequate for your first few sportives (probably all your sportives) and for your daily commute, should be eschewed in favour of 105 or Ultegra as soon as your functional threshold power hits 150W.

What is the difference between 11 28 and 11 30 cassette?

The difference is pretty easy to quantify mathematically. Going from a 28 to a 30T sprocket gives a 2/28th reduction in gearing – so about 7%. What that means is that if you’re going up a hill on your current 28T spinning at 100RPM, you’d need to pedal at 107RPM for the same speed.

What year is ultegra R8000?

SHIMANO ULTEGRA 6800 series, introduced in 2013, responded to such trends of the times. In 2017, the new series that had an all-new design appeared with the model number changed to R8000. In 2018, SHIMANO ULTEGRA RX for gravel road bikes was released.

Can you mix Ultegra 6800 and R8000?

Yes, you can install a Shimano R8000 power meter on a Shimano 6800 crankset such as 4iiii PRECISION Shimano Ultegra R8000 or the Stages Shimano Ultegra R8000 as they both use the same interface – which is called Shimano Hollowtech II.

Is Ultegra a R8000 carbon?

Lightweight Pro-Performance Pedals



The PD-R8000 offers top of the line features and incredible value. With a carbon composite body and stainless steel body plate, the pedal is both lightweight and durable.

Why is it called Shimano 105?

105 is the reverse of 501, which came from Levi’s Jeans, popular in the late 80s in Japan and matching the “workhorse reliable” nature of the 105. In the late 80s Shimano introduced SIS shifting and SLR braking.

Can you use Tiagra shifters with Ultegra?

As you can see from Shimano’s compatibility list, TIAGRA’s 4600 series is officially compatible with the old ULTEGRA 6700 series and the old 105 5700 series, which are also 10-speed systems. However, only the front derailleur is independent of the 4600 series.

Can I convert my 10-speed to 11 speed?

Luckily, many common and not-so-common wheelsets, as long as they’re at least 10-speed, can be upgraded to 11-speed by purchasing a new cassette body. The body is the part that attaches to the center of the hub and drives the wheel and bike when you pedal.

Is Shimano 105 good enough for racing?

105 is the first of Shimano’s “serious” or “proper” groupsets. Tiagra and below, despite being perfectly adequate for your first few sportives (probably all your sportives) and for your daily commute, should be eschewed in favour of 105 or Ultegra as soon as your functional threshold power hits 150W.

Why is Shimano called 105?

105 is the reverse of 501, which came from Levi’s Jeans, popular in the late 80s in Japan and matching the “workhorse reliable” nature of the 105. In the late 80s Shimano introduced SIS shifting and SLR braking.

Is 105 better than tiagra?

The other major difference between the two groupsets is that the 105 brakes are considerably better than Tiagra ones. They are a real highlight both in terms of all-out power and fingertip control.

What is the highest level of Shimano?

Shimano Dura-Ace

Shimano Dura-Ace is the pinnacle of Shimano’s range and features on many pro-level WorldTour bikes. It combines top-end design with lightweight materials, such as high-grade alloys, carbon fibre and titanium.

Which gear of Shimano is best?

Shimano groupset hierarchy



Shimano 105 is considered Shimano’s first performance groupset, and for many people it is the best option in combining performance, value and longevity. Ultegra is next and is very similar to Dura-Ace in terms of performance, though Dura-Ace is lighter.

When did Ultegra 6700 come out?

In 2010, Shimano released the 6700 series, which evolved to be more racing oriented in terms of functions and design.