Groupset top end vs lower tier

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XCProMD
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Location: Cantabria

by XCProMD

Talk about durability of mid-low range groupset: I’ve got a 1997 aluminium BH with Campag Veloce, the first 9s. All I have changed is brake pads, chains and cassette and chainrings only once in these 20 years ( have always rotated 3 chains on them)

It still feels solid and fresh. Remarkable.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

My own experience as well as some other friends is that if you are serious about biking and ride 10.000km (6200 miles) per year or more, and in all kind of weather, you should use Ultegra (or Dura Ace) but not 105. Too much wear on 105 and you just keep changing the parts etc...this is only good if you love to constantly work on your bike.

blaugrana
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by blaugrana

Those myths about the poor durability of Shimano 105 are just that, myths. I rode a 105 (10 speed version, from 2011) bike for 7 years doing 10.000+ km per year and things didn't melt down or explode. I only replaced chains, cassettes (twice), big chainring (once) and rubber hoods (once), nothing out of the ordinary.

It's nice to ride higher end groupsets, sure (I am currently riding a Chorus and like it a lot), but it's ridiculous to pretend you really "need" them.

Digger90
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by Digger90

blaugrana wrote:
Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:31 pm
Those myths about the poor durability of Shimano 105 are just that, myths. I rode a 105 (10 speed version, from 2011) bike for 7 years doing 10.000+ km per year and things didn't melt down or explode. I only replaced chains, cassettes (twice), big chainring (once) and rubber hoods (once), nothing out of the ordinary.
You, for sure, don't ride in the UK then... in winter, or sh1tty weather....

I and lots of my ride buddies have destroyed Shimano 105 in one winter's riding: 4-5 months. Whereas Campag low end kit lasts 2-3 winters here.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

blaugrana wrote:
Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:31 pm
Those myths about the poor durability of Shimano 105 are just that, myths. I rode a 105 (10 speed version, from 2011) bike for 7 years doing 10.000+ km per year and things didn't melt down or explode. I only replaced chains, cassettes (twice), big chainring (once) and rubber hoods (once), nothing out of the ordinary.

It's nice to ride higher end groupsets, sure (I am currently riding a Chorus and like it a lot), but it's ridiculous to pretend you really "need" them.
How much km do you do in the rain per year?

blaugrana
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by blaugrana

TonyM wrote:
Fri Jun 29, 2018 2:36 am
How much km do you do in the rain per year?
Only occasionally, that's true, weather is nice where I live. I would say I end up doing maybe about 20 rides in the rain per year (though some of those in pretty heavy rain).

What components have you found to fail the most, compared to Ultegra? Just out of curiosity, because most of the materials are pretty similar.

Sock3t
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by Sock3t

mattr wrote:
Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:59 pm
Possibly not 105 brakes?

A lot of big brands use rebranded (and cheap) tektros (or worse) to cut costs........ especially on 105 level bikes.
My 105 bike came with tektro brakes. They're pure garbage and scary to use coming from 6600 brakes.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

blaugrana wrote:
Fri Jun 29, 2018 2:57 pm
TonyM wrote:
Fri Jun 29, 2018 2:36 am
How much km do you do in the rain per year?
Only occasionally, that's true, weather is nice where I live. I would say I end up doing maybe about 20 rides in the rain per year (though some of those in pretty heavy rain).

What components have you found to fail the most, compared to Ultegra? Just out of curiosity, because most of the materials are pretty similar.
If you don't ride much in the rain etc... 105 may just be fine indeed.

At 25%-30% of the total kilometers in rain or rainy conditions this is much different. Not only the rain but more the grit, dirt etc... of the roads comes everywhere on the chain, crankset, cassette, cables etc....and that's is what causing the premature of the wear. The material of the differentr gruppo is indeed different. Not the same metal etc....If you use the 105 gruppo, then you will end up changing much more often chain and cassette. But ultimately also the chainrings, cables and shifters at one point. This is not inly costing more money at the end but you end up spending quite a lot of time checking the wear, swapping everything etc.. Not worth the hassle when you spend already much time on biking by 10.000km or more per year.

Same applies for example for ultralight parts like the Dura Ace cassettes which are less durable than the Ultegra. Same for Super Record vs. Record/ Chorus cassettes.

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themidge
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by themidge

I agree about 105 being fine. I've ridden the same 105 5700 shifters and RD (other stuff has changed) for several Edinburgh (Scotland, UK) winters now and it's still working perfectly. Winters here on the east coast are not particularly wet, but they are salty and gritty and perpetually dirty. So long as you wash your bike properly, these things should, and do, last for ages. If Dura Ace were so superior for durability in wet and dirty winter weather, then everyone would use it on their winter bikes, rather than the normal 105, Tiagra, ten year old bits and bobs, etc that people actually use, because they don't mind it wearing out.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

You just cannot simply take the whole gruppo it depends on which parts...

For example, the Ultegra cassettes are the best IMHO in terms of durability if you ride often in rainy weather conditions. Even many pro teams use Ultegra cassettes and not Dura Ace. Not WW but much less maintenance for just a few grams more than DA.

When you refer at the 105 gruppo just keep in mind that the 105 is NOT a low tier gruppo. It is just lower than Ultegra or Dura Ace.
And for people riding less than 10.000 km per year and/or mainly riding in dry weather this is completely sufficient....

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mpulsiv
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by mpulsiv

silvalis wrote:
Alexandrumarian wrote:
Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:06 pm
105. Apart from the awful brakes
105 brakes awful? What?
Indeed. Even Dura Ace 9000 brakes are mediocre. I thought that I would never say that! I was blown away how $50 Campagnolo Potenza brakes perform. They are incredibly powerful. I still use my Dura Ace 9000 brakes, but not on my race bike.
Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.

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