Categories: Irreverence

Irreverence: Shift Indicators

Rubbish Tiagra

This is possibly the most offensive piece of gear I have encountered on a bike. Do you really need a little orange wand to tell you what gear you’re in? There is only one gear to be in: the hardest one at which you can still make the pedals go around in something resembling a circle.

These goofy little things were found on the bike I rented last weekend for a benefit ride on the east coast in honor of my late Aunt. It was a wonderful ride and great family time… but really, shift indicators? Further proof that all has been in decline since the advent of indexed derailleurs. What added insult to injury in this case was the quality (or lack there of) in the shifting itself. Tiagra is a far cry from my beloved Dura Ace. I would try to shift and the little orange wand would wobble uselessly back and forth — like a Seattle driver trying to merge on the highway — until, finally, an enormous noise would ripple up the bike and a new gear *might* be achieved. I began to brace myself for the effort…. and…. SHHHHHIIIIIFFFFFFTTTTT. Like passing a gallbladder stone. (Or so I imagine.)

In the end, this Cannondale Synapse was just fine. It even had a sharp paint job. Almost sharp enough to make up for the kiddie shifters.

jim

Jim rides a bike a lot and hates people.

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  • @V-olcano. Not been up Red mountain although i hear its rather lovely all year round and perfect for those looking for a change of speed from the grind of the urban sprawl. My next holiday (n+1) may involve a trip to the Dolomites which i am told look beautiful but dont work for everyone

  • Settle down people, I think the crux is the same as "riding on the V meter" sans computer. Why have any indicator of how you are going, other than maintaining the equilibrium of pain?

     

    What is being said, is that the indicators are superfluous, and that Dura is better than Tiagra. Nothing new here?

     

    I have also some experience with low end sora, who fucking cares? Does it change gears? Will the other levels of Groupsan work better? Is Dura-Ace indeed better than the low end stuff? YES. All statements are correct, not a criticism, they are fact. But if what you have is lower end, don't get all defensive, just ride your bike into the ground...

     

    Just my anecdote on drivetrains, starting out I trained for over a year on a bike with two easier gears compared to a compact. It was Sora and retained the time-delay shifting feature 'click.....clunck'.. I intentionally kept those two cogs clean for the whole time I trained, because I wanted to make sure I was as at least as fit as those on compacts. Knowing you have two easier gears on half hour at avg 7% with 11% pinches is a test of character I can tell you...

  • @V-olcano

    I've just gone from Ultegra 6700 and its "lovely" hidden cables back to DA 7800.  I also have 6500 9 speed on my #2.  Whatever else Shimano did when they hid the gear cables they also made a royal balls of it at the same time.  Got sick and tired of my shifters eating cables, clogging up with shit, being vague, and generally not being as good as what went before. Won't say anything about silly long lever throws or only shifting down two at a time.  Or the fun to be had in trying to fish an exploded cable out of a 6700 shifter vs the simplicity of the old stuff. I haven't tried the new 9000 DA (out of my price league) but whatever - in my experience Shimano hiding the cables was anything but an improvement.  And I like that other people don't like the cable thing, because it meant that I was able to get an almost pristine DA group-san with both 172.5 and 175 cranks for 600 NZD.  Ssshhh...

  • When I got into cycling two years ago I bought the best I could. That was a CAAD8 with Sora, yes, Sora complete with it's little red gear position indicators. I still happily ride (and race) the CAAD8 and I have only just recently upgraded the sora to Ultegra but only because it fell apart after 15'000kms. I have to tell you just about that every time it came from the mechanic after a service he would say "That shifts really well for a base level groupset". I doubt this particular mechanic has worked on anything less than a 105 before, and even then rarely so I cannot say if my Sora (2011) was any better than typical.

    Yes, the Ultegra is better, but only marginally but there was nothing really wrong with the Sora. I would suggest Jim that maybe your hire bike was either in need of a tune or the components were worn out and overdue for replacement. I doubt Tiagra is as bad as you have found it to be on this bike.

  • I've never read so much crap on Velominati, Angling Saxon has nailed it, end of story. Seriously, any website that exists to honour the traditions and culture surely cannot condone the use of Japanese componentry. Suntour Superbe Pro was the only permissable groupset to come out of that country and that's only used by Dodo bird hunters nowadays, God it was nice though.

  • I've really come to love Shimano stuff recently.  Very good bang for the money.  If anything deserves a reputation as bombproof, I would say most of Shimano's stuff is compared to the competition.  Kind of set and forget I have found. Not inspiring, other then knowing it will just keep trucking.

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