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.
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When I went to buy my new bike last year, I was going to get an alloy frame with 105. I ended up ponying up more for an Ultegra bike simply because I liked the livery. 105 is a great group, but I think Ultegra pretty much nails performance vs.$$; way cheaper than DA but still has more of the trickle-down than 105. I've found a big difference in 105 and Ultegra chains with improved shifting from more machining, only problem is dirt likes to get in the "weight saving" milled out spots.
ill agree that Ultegra is the tits but 105 isnt shabby. when i got #1 i had 2 options; get a carbon frame with 105 or get an aluminum frame with ultegra. i went with the carbon frame.
buy what you can afford and make it look as good as you can. I always think my lowly carbon cdale is damn sexy.
If you check your gearing any time after putting the wheel on, you are not strong enough.
@Angling Saxon
It did change. Athena 11 Ergos are now Power Shift and not Ultra Shift so one down at a time.
http://www.campagnolo.com/jsp/en/groupsetdetail/item_ComandiAthena_catid_13.jsp
@Steampunk
Agreed on both counts!
With the caveat that hardtails of any make (steel, ti, aluminium, carbon) are the steel roadie's version of a MTB.
@rastuscat
Almost my exact go to set up; 1999 custom Steelman 853 w/Record 9spd. Haven't found anything since that does everything overall so well.
Sorry you didn't like the tinkerbell Tiagra group but I doubt it slowed you down. Remember, its what you do between shifts that counts.
Yikes, people get up in arms defending the low end components. Here's the deal: YOU are not crap if you have entry level stuff. Most everyone has been there. You dont go faster on DA vs Tiagra. Nicer kit, is just that, nicer. With that in mind, if your nose gets out of joint because someone doesn't like the kit you ride its time to HTFU and realize its just the interwebz. Ride what you like and can afford. I have three kids and thusly ride a CAAD10 with 105 vs an EVO with some DA. Its a good bike and is much better than I am. My first bike was a Trek 1.1 with 2300. I equally suck on either bike. The 105 kit is nicer to use though and someday when my kids are older my bike with DA/Record/whatever will be even nicer, but I'll still be me.
@Derek
Had a DA 7700 set up a couple of years back. Nice retro Group San, but it had no silly indicators.
Just sayin.
With shifters it's only when you downgrade that you notice inferior product, if Tiagra is all you have known then that's fine. The first bike I can remember was my Chopper with 3 Stumery Archer hub gears and a stick shift. I'm just happy that I was one of the few to move on with my front teeth intact. Next was a Releigh with 5 cogs at the back, that bike took me far and wide, right through puberty and from being the smallest kid in class to one of the tallest. Next was a 2nd hand Dawes, I was happy because it had more cogs at the back and a frame that wasn't way too small for me. Once I was earning it was a Giant next, I loved that bike. Chunky aluminium lugs, straight carbon tubes and 105 index gearing. The shifters were still on the down tube but 105 indexing was a huge step forward. Around this time though the world was moving to brake lever shifting and eventually I was seduced by a Scott with a clean, uncluttered down tube. This was the biggest mistake of my cycling life, it was a triple downgrade. From carbon to aluminium, from 105 to Sora and from a double to a triple. That bike was shit, a frame that was agony on the arse and I eventually broke the FD mount after over tightening the bolts after yet another attempt to eliminate front mech rub. Thank fuck I had kept the Giant and eventually I got the Scott repaired and offloaded it to another fool who was seduced by it's good looks. Who knows, for him it might have been an upgrade and a huge step forward, I never heard back from him so I can only assume he's happy with it.