9000 miles in on my original 105 5700 shifters, still running a 5700 cassette and replacement 5700 front mech too. Replacement parts availability issues are the only reason I'm now running a non-series rear mech and Tiagra 4700 cranks/chainrings though. I'm not in the cycling industry, so I can't tell you what's "best", but can give a ringing endorsement of 105 5700 during a multiple year long-term test.
Nothing to do with groupsets, but I find leaning on the personal interaction between the presenters and their joking around (a bit like old top gear) results in much better content than the annoying and overdramatic payed promotions that GCN is doing so often these days
@@jelle7224Yes! I prefer Matt Stevens and Emma Pooley riding rusty folding bikes to the shops any day over a 10k super bike promotion with a 3d printed carbon wheelset with ceramic dust and inconel spokes where one presenter reads out advertising material to Hans Zimmer background music...
I would like to commend the presenters for working hard on their pronunciation, essential for non-British and non-native audiences. I don't know if other people notice, but I certainly do.
@@MS-bw7yt sadly that is the "state" of general riding community now (online that is). Just get the most expensive stuff and think this will solve all problems. Dont even blame gcn for it.
I'm gonna say something quite controversial but I have to say it. 105 is the people's groupset or so they say, but even so you have to be a serious rider to even consider going for a bike with 105, for most 105 is quite expensive still. Which is why in my opinion Tiagra 4700 is the people's groupset. Way more affordable with 10 speeds and 2x and 3x options. It's right in between beginner and enthusiast lvl groupsets. So for me Tiagra 4700 is currently an amazing groupset that gets forgotten so often when talking about groupsets that aren't Dura Ace or Ultegra
The more dollars you have, the less important each dollar is to you. You can’t talk about how much a person should spend on a bike until you understand how much money that person has. In college, I worked for minimum wage and saved up to replace rx100 with ultegra sti. Later I got a credit card and upgraded to Record. All I cared about was riding and racing. Now I’m old, heavy, and can barely average 20mph (some days only 19) but I’m no longer a student so to me ultegra and below is gross. Why would I not buy as much bike as I feel like? If you’re happy with Tiagra, that’s great for you. Maybe mind your own business about how other people spend their money tho.
I had 105 for a couple of years. Its fine but now I only use Tiagra 4700 on both bikes. Basically shifting is the same, 105 feels and looks a bit better. Each to his own, I just alone to exercise so I don't want to spend for a Dureace DI2, very very nice but no dice.
I think going forward, Tiagra is going to take that "groupset of the people" title. I think Tiagra 4700 is missing just a little bit of what makes 5800/7000 great, but I think the next generation Tiagra might end up being a really good, all around mechanical groupset.
I was a bike mechanic in Bath when these presenters were still kids as such I worked on loads of stuff from shimano, including some of their bizarre wrong turns. But I always wanted some of the special stuff, so when I built my own bikes, I made up the groupset to suit me. Shimano rear derailleurs have always been the best, since they took the sliding top jockey wheel and I usually paired this with Suguino cranks. My most recent retro build was a mix of 105 and Sora from around twenty or more years ago. The parts are cheap, reliable and seemingly bombproof. My 105 front hub is over forty years old and as smooth as the day it was made. I do miss Sun Tour components though and I don't mean the cheap garbage that uses the name these days.
Superbe Pro second generation, 1984, probably the best shifting, friction derailure ever, shame it was right before indexing hit. I miss the stiffness and smoothness of Suntour's branded Sugino cranks. The Superbe and Cyclone cranks from the mid-80s turned so smoothly, it's a shame more people didn't give them a chance and realize how much better those two groupsets were than even Super and Nuovo Record. Early to mid 80's Superbe and Cyclone blew pre-indexing Dura Ace away in terms of value and performance, plus durability. Suntour componenets can last forever, just with basic maintenance.
Re: Suntour. I am still riding my 1992 Velo Sport Super Prestige with Suntour Cyclone Groupset. The only things I changed/added was replace my 6 Speed Cassette in the late 90's with a 7 Speed Cassette adding a 28 Tooth Granny Gear for my 42/52 Chain Rings. Also, changed the Suicide (Down Tube Shifters) with Bar Ends and dialed out the Index Shifting. Still works great with only regular maintenance. The Mechanics at the Bike Shop I use like taking it for a ride. Suntour was and still is the best.
Ultegra 6700 for me. Good looking, durable, efficient, light and it’s on my bike. Been through Sora and Tiagra and now super happy with this older version of Ultegra. 105 Di2 may be better, but the cost is prohibitive for upgrading to
Indexed thumb shifters! All the convenience of a Sturmey Archer planetary hub, and front and rear derailleurs. I felt like I had stepped into the twenty-first century.
Nowt wrong with that Trek frame, it's brilliant. Mine's 20 years old and still going strong. Blooming love it. As for Groupset - Dura Ace 9000. Best looking chainset they've ever made
Groupset aside, this is one of the most visually (and content wise) pleasing video I have seen from GCN. Starting with bike presentation, to Ollie climbing with his white TCR, and the 3 presenters riding/cornering with their rim brake bikes, down to the last picturesque scene where the 3 were giving their closing statements. Entertaining and hilarious.
I loved this video, a bit 'Top Geary' in a good way as the guys spar with each other and do seem to be having a laugh! Always good. The only other group set i ever had experience with was Campagnolo in the late 1980's, frankly I got fed up with the super record hub bearings forever giving up the ghost! Then bought Shimano; Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace and never regretted it! Now running a mix of Dira ace/ Ultegra on best bike and 105/Ultegra on others. I have to say if money was no object I'd be running Di2 Dura Ace throughout, but for my budget its massively over priced, as I think is Di2 105!
Ok, if you had an issue with Campagnolo hub bearings, then I'm sorry but that is almost 100% user error. Campagnolo bearings have always been the best, and most of hubs from the 80's are still alive today, as smooth and durable as ever (I have several myself).
Surely its 7700 for me. At least for the looks of the cranks. However nothing beats nice Campagnolo 10sp record groupset, because they still work beautifully. Dumping all those cogs with the thumb lever is very satisfying. And its actually very very light!. And its still silly that it took shimano so long to hide the shifting cable.
DA 9000. 11 speed, lightweight, beautiful looks, mechanical. It really was a pearl, easy quick and accurate shifts and with 11 speed, allowed for an extra granny gear. Plus being 11 speed, parts have been relevant with groupsets of the last 10 years.
Maybe a challenge between super record, red and Dura ace? Personally the two groups I’ve had that have been a massive step forward from what I had before was 105 9 speed in 1999 and di2 in 2019
DA 7800 for me and I still use one on my bike. Love this group set. The last top tier with the exposed gear cables, an homage to the aesthetics of the exposed brake cables of old. The last top tier on polished silver and I really love the chainrings. It have the silhouette of the Japanese katana with the teeth looking like the hamon on a beautifully made blade.
Guys I loved this episode! Just watched it after coming in from a ride. I found all 3 examples compelling, but I'm 100% with Ollie on this. It's the perfect gateway groupset, making what was once expensive pro-level tech quite accessible. Please do more episodes like this!
I *really love* the coffee culture of cycling. Seeing these lads sitting at the cafe drinking coffee & chatting about bikes warms my heart. Makes me want to get my buddies together & go for a ride.
Still have DA 7800 on my road bike except for the cranks because I needed a compact setup. And in spite of being beaten up, it still performs wonderfully and is buttery smooth.
Im still running my 7800 on my commuter bike (previously used for racing). The shifters are starting to go but that's not bad for 15+ years of hard use.
7 speed, pre SLR, Dura Ace 7400. Staggeringly pretty, still manages to look tech/futuristic even now. When it arrived it finally demonstrated how stuck in the 50s campagnolo really was and obsessed with style over substance. 7400 oozed style from every bolt, ran like a space aged Swiss watch AND lasted and lasted. Show a non cyclist a 7400 rear Mech and they'll appreciate its aesthetics, far less so di2! It's all personal taste I know but there is just something about 7400.
Couldn't agree more 7400 is incredible and so sleek. I've also ridden 600 ULTEGRA (6400 series) and it worked incredible well, no issues what so ever, tidy rear mech on that also. The grey accents can really work with some paint jobs, looks kind of techy. 6500 series is also pretty nice.
Has to be the Ultegra 6600 groupset, it is my first proper groupsets after riding claris and sora. Got it from a retired cyclist second hand, really felt like a passing the torch moment for me, and I've been loving it ever since. Its pinpoint shifting has that sound click to it that puts a smile to my face every time, along with the sleek lines and glossy silver finish really gave it a classic feel.
As a teen and later in my 20's I always aspired to obtain Shimano Dura Ace 7700. But then as I got older and could finally start to afford to buy some used parts, Shimano 7800 started to become much more affordable on the used market. I have a LOOK KG 361 that came with Ultegra 6500 2x9 but I slowly rebuilt it with Dura Ace 7700 parts. I also have a 03' Orbea with Dura Ace 7800 that I love. I also used to have a steel Bianchi and an Orbea with Campy. If money was no object, I'd go with the Campagnolo Record Titanium 2x10. Thank you.
I agree with Si on so many levels. That DA 7800 is a very beautiful groupset and in my opinion, the last good looking Shimano groupset. That and the Campagnolo Veloce in silver alloy. Classically beautiful. In terms of everyday use, I think DA9000 is fantastic but massively expensive and only marginally better than 105. I personally like and ride SRAM. I have it on the cross bike, summer bike and am fitting to the winter bike too.....at the end of the day it's down to what you like......
1055 and 6400 all the way. Still awesome performance after ~30 years, georgeous colors, no hidden cables, disc brakes or electronic shifting nonsense. Just reliable components for life.
Enjoyable as usual...the puns and it was hilarious for Ollie to pose by his bike in the middle of the piece - well done. My fav is the Ultegra 6800. Similar to Ollie's experience, it was my first groupset on a second-hand bike that I was able to get. Thanks guys.
For me it was the 1986 Shimano 600EX (the one before Ultegra). It looked amazing, and everything was 600EX, the pedals, seat post, headset etc. It was what I rode when pretending to be Greg LeMond :)
I always had a soft spot for the forgotten Santé groupset - really looked like nothing else when it came out and top notch performance. Put it on a white pearl / pink Francesco Moser frameset. Awesome bike! :-)
Ollie wins - 5700 for everyday riding is a solid choice. I upgraded from 4600 to 6700 and noticed a difference in shifting precision - plus the glossy grey is very stylish. 50/34 chainring with a 30T max cassette 😎👍 My other bike has 5700, but 6700 is tops among what I have.
Love this video. I still use Shimano 105 5700. It came with my first carbon road bike 8 years ago which I still use. I use an Ultegra cassette and chain though. I'll miss it when I eventually upgrade to the new mechanical 105
Like Si, I love my bike with 7800 on it. Everything about the group says...Massive.........Although you get quicker shifts with 7800, I've always liked the look of 7700. I've got two bikes with that group on it. One of them has the ultra cool, BB7700 (still works). The other one stays on my stationary trainer.
7700 with a "downgraded" Uotegra BB (sealed bearing vs 'serviceable' DA bearings) = utterly bulletproof groupset. 9 speed chains and cassettes simply last 4ever!
So here is my thoughts, the best ever 10 speed Shimano groupset is Tiagra 4700, it basically took the best that 105 speed had but added slick shift tech from the newer levers to create a fantastically quick shifting low resistance experience at a silly low price! But Dura ace 9000 was the pinnacle of Shimano 11 speed! The last of the non shadow tech mechs that gave you shifts so so fast and slick you often wandered if you had shifted at all! Shadow rear mechs simply can't match that 9000 series mechanical shift! But for other brands let's be honest Campy chorus 3 carbon is beautiful and SRAM's double tap is a ergonomic delight to use 👌
@@MS-bw7yt didn't say best! But Ergonomically double tap is fantastic to use especially in mid winter with big gloves, and if your obsessed with weight SRAM Red mechanical is very light.
The moment the top three models (105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace) took on the Rnnnn (where n denotes a number) designations, this is the best they've been. Shadow RD adopted from Shimano MTB (tucks the rear derailleur further inboard), existent B-tension gap adjustment, integrated front derailleur cable tension adjustment bolt, B-tension & limit screws with a metric hex tool interface, there's just not much to fault.
To me, it was the DA9000. I was brought into road cycling by my friends in school in 2015. One year before the legendary R9100 came up, and by that time 9000 means the best in both performance and looks. The two tone finish would always be a timeless classic. And it would always remind me of the good old days of cycling, where there weren’t “aero everything”, there weren’t “disc-only”, there weren’t “wide tire stereotype”, and there weren’t “electronic shifting domination”. Everything were just pure and elegant. And I can absolutely relate to that when Ollie mentioned the “cables coming out on the sides”, in China we call them “cockroach whiskers”. My first road bike was a Giant OCR5300 (also a timeless classic) and she used Claris 2400, and it was the last generation of Claris of that design. After that, all groupset looked so clean.
105-5700 was my start in cycling too. Love this GS. I have now overhauled it completely and transferred it over to 2009 Scott Addict CX Team New Old Stock frame I found online. Brilliant GS will always love it and with care, maintenance and oiling it shifts just as well as a new 105 or Ultegra GS.
100% team Ollie and 105. I've got the same groupo on my 12 year old road bike and it's brought me many miles of joy and the only thing holding me back is... me.
Ultegra R8000 rim brake for me. Probably the groupset that is the closest to it's dura-ace contemporary (rim to rim brake comparison). You can still find it new and it costs half or less than it's big brother and delivers 90% of the performance.
I will go with the Dura Ace 25th Anniversary set. They took the already great and bombproof 7700 series and polished it to the highest level of finish possible.
Campagnolo Record circa 2002. Carbon-alloy hybrid groupset with gorgeous carbon brake levers. 10 speed while others were still 9. Cables under bar tape while Shimano still had the fishing line. Pure style and class that looked a generation ahead of anything else around.
the best and beautiful groupset for me is old DA 7800. the people's groupeset was Always tiagra and sora, 105 is for rider with that extra buck hiden on the loot. and Ultegra and DA is for Athlete, Attorneys, Engineers, Dentists, MDs or the poser rich rider with that tourney legs. honorable mention is Shimano Capreo what's on my folding bike Tern X18
No question for me -- XTR M975 with dual control shifters, the best MTB/Gravel shifters ever made. You can instantly multi-shift from multiple handlebar positions under load while keeping your thumbs fully gripped, perfect if you're climbing hard whilst gripping your Ergon carbon bar-ends. The rear cassette is just over 200g, half the weight of the dinner plates that people run today, yet the gear range is much larger. The x9 drivetrain lasts forever and rarely gets out of whack, as it is not fussy like the modern 1x systems. I run this on both my 90s Titanium hard tails, one modified for fast gravel.
You lads seem to have a wonderful time doing these videos. I am with Oli, but I have never ridden a ultegra group set so not qualified to vote. It would be like me asking you what is your favourite tractor gear box of all time in the New Holland era.
I bought my groupset from AliExpress - Sensah Empire 11 speed, rim brake. It was inexpensive, it works perfectly, and I can't imagine anything noticeably better.
I’m going to have to say that after cycling for 37yrs & riding mostly various shimano groupsets, I’m quite impressed with Tiagra 4700. I think it offers the best bang for the buck. For a few bucks more you can use a 7800 dura ace cassette & grab a used ultegra 6700 series crank and save about 350grs weight. For the RD you can swap out the pulleys for a set of ultegra 6700 pulleys, they drop right in. They use ceramic bearings.
I think any companies middle range might be best, because it's less weight focused and usually avoids the cutting edge tech until it's survived a couple years.
How about the new-to-me yet nearly unridden Serotta Titanium bike I recently bought with full 7800 Dura Ace but is fitted with a 7900 Dura Ace crank? The 7800 stuff gleams with a jewel like lustre yet the 7900 crank wouldn't look out of place today yet doesn't really feel mismatched with the 7800 group and works brilliantly. And the thing for me is that this was a major upgrade (my previous bike is a Giant TCR with 105 9 speed I'd been riding since 2002-ish and still have but is relegated to Zwift duty most of the time these days). So yeah. 7800. Plus, when this new is when I really got back into cycling so it was kind of an aspirational goal to get it too.
Great video guys. I enjoyed the banter and found the arguments for the different groupsets interesting. I’m a 5700 owner so it was great to see Ollie flying the flag for my groupset!
I unironically love 5700. Been racing it on a Venge that I built during the pandemic. It's awesome. Also have a 7800 groupset on an old bike which is wonderful mechanically, but I hate the cable routing on it these days.
The best groupset is the one that's mounted on your bike... While it's a lot of fun to look back and look forward in the end what's on there now is what's getting you places. Many people are way too obsessed with the groupset, and upgrading every time something new comes out. When you're competing for the win in races, sure that makes sense, but for most of us, it's fun to have something high end, but in the end being back home 10-30 seconds sooner really won't make much of a difference. These days its actually hard to find a (well maintained) groupset that rides like crap, it's all good, and the return on investment for newer or higher end stuff is not all that great anymore. I still remember some cheap sets that were absolute crap in the 90's. you just couldn't get it to work smoothly. These days the lowest end big brand stuff works great already (as long as you maintain it anyway). The stuff I see on the roads here in NL, with sometimes 10+ yr old bikes where the chain probably hasn't seen lube in years, and having been parked at schools, work and train stations in the rain without any protection and been driven in all sorts of weather shocks me sometimes.. You can just hear that chain crying out in pain from rust and no lubrication, see the front derailleur vibrate as the links scrape against it, see the chain on the cassette sometimes try to skip over to other rings due to bad indexing, and yet they keep going.. I know this isn't what GCN meant, but I'm gonna say the SRAM/Shimano bottom end groupsets are the greatest for being able to still get people places with the amount of abuse and lack of maintenance they get while costing less than refueling an average a car once. High end sets have it easy getting cleaned, lubricated and fine-tuned on a regular basis, it's those poor old cheap sets that are being tortured every day that deserve our respect 🤣
Ohhh I forgot, my best bike a Cannondale R800 from 1998/1999, still accepts modern Shimano, not much left of original bike apart from frame & forks, everything up graded now!!
In my personal experience, Dura-Ace 7700 9-speed has the very best shift feel at the levers. Not much finger pressure required because of it’s light action springs and the low friction of the external cable routing, and the most positive feeling indexing of all generations of STI levers, a nice positive click without feeling too stiff. The front shifting in particular was very light, quick and positive. Unrivaled shift feel to this day. If Shimano would bring back mechanical shifting Dura-Ace and Ultegra with such a great lever feel, and combine it with modern braking, that would be a real winner for a lot of folks.
I can't say for sure which actual groupset I'd select, but whatever it is, it's definitely in the 105 line. The two bikes I have on hand both have the 105 groupset (ST-5600 on my '97 Cannondale R600 & FC-R7000 on my '20 Bianchi Aria) and I love them both, not just for the affordability, but for their ability to perform seamlessly over the long term. Both are still working fine! BTW! Oh, and both also rim brake versions, so maybe a little old skool, sure. But I'm not sure that I'd want to tinker with what I find as simply, simplistic perfection. Hard to break, and easy to fix while out on the road, should something happen. Can't beat that for peace of mind!
I only have experience with three groupsets, an old campagnolo veloce, the 105 and ultegra, and i definitely go with Ollie...couldn't feel any difference between the 105 and ultegra. best bang for your buck. 105 on my older bike lastet for decades and was driven all winter through on salted roads day in day out - worked perfectly with a minimum of maintenance.
It's the 4th gen of di2. The long forgot 1st gen before the E tube cables was 7800 I believe. The best groupset is 9000 series manical or di2 both very special depending on the depth of your pockets
100% with Ollie on this one. 105 5700 is what got me into road riding, and even gravel riding and I'm still riding it a decade later. Affordable enough that newcomers like me could afford the occasional crash requiring replacement parts (rip my rear derailleur in 2015) and still squeeze enough out of a student loan to be able to eat, pay rent and still enjoy cycling. Leave Dura-Ace for the pros, 105 is more than enough for most riders.
The current availability and PRICE of groupsets are leaving many people out. My current bike is 4yrs old replacement parts are scarce and the latest and greatest 105 is priced out of my reach. New bikes are on backorder months long and priced out of reach of many of us.
105 R7000 after upgrading from 5700. Shifting is a dream and the disc breaks are strong. Still rooting for the R5800 rim brakes I installed as an intermediary upgrade on the old bike though.
I have Dura Ace 7800 wheels on my steel frame roadbike. Damn they were way ahead of their time; Inverted Bladed Spokes... And the hubs and freewheel are still in perfect condition almost 20 years later, it+s perfection. Otherwise I use an old Campagnolo C-Record Groupset thou.
The best Shimano group set is the ultegra r8000 family. It gave you quality options for almost any type of riding or rider. It had mechanical/ di2/ rim/ disc. Nearly endless options for gearing. And even an option for a clutched derailleur for cx/ gravel.
5700 was/is terrible. The shifting was worse than the previous version due to hiding the cables. The previous and following generations of 105 both had far better shifting. My favourite Shimano groupset is Dura Ace 9000. It's the last DA group aimed purely at road racing.
I had Shimano Exage 500EX mounted on a Francesco Moser steel frame. 2x7 index shifters in the downtube. Beautiful to ride, no need more than that for normal use.
I have 105 on my summer bike, and love it. But it's not much better than well dialled-in Tiagra 4700 that I had on my previous winter/commuter bike (a 2015 Trek 1.2) and continue with on my current winter/commuter bike (Giant TCR Advanced 3). Considering I ride year-round in all conditions, it is more cost effective to replace corroded and well worn Tiagra components than 105 or higher spec groupsets. Plus, I LOVE the ice grey of the Tiagra groupset. It just looks great, as well as being cost effective and efficient!
I would say 105 5800. The improvement in the front derailleur over the 5700 alone is so much worth it. So much easier to shift especially when your hands are wet. The 5800 and the Tiagra 4700 were the last good groupsets. After that Shimano started replacing metal parts with plastic and the cranksets would disintegrate under load. I now have six riding mates with broken dura ace 9xxx, ultegra 6800 and r7000 cranksets. It’s a known issue.
Which do you think is best (except for Ollie's 105 5700)?
Ollie's 105 5700 of course! same as mine.
Definitely Ollie's 105 5700.
Ollie's 105 5700 of course! same as mine.
The GRX 410 on the Canyon grail 6
9000 miles in on my original 105 5700 shifters, still running a 5700 cassette and replacement 5700 front mech too. Replacement parts availability issues are the only reason I'm now running a non-series rear mech and Tiagra 4700 cranks/chainrings though. I'm not in the cycling industry, so I can't tell you what's "best", but can give a ringing endorsement of 105 5700 during a multiple year long-term test.
For me the Greatest groupset is the one you can/could afford and enjoy it while riding on a bike.
Nothing to do with groupsets, but I find leaning on the personal interaction between the presenters and their joking around (a bit like old top gear) results in much better content than the annoying and overdramatic payed promotions that GCN is doing so often these days
I miss Matt Stephens.
@@jelle7224Yes! I prefer Matt Stevens and Emma Pooley riding rusty folding bikes to the shops any day over a 10k super bike promotion with a 3d printed carbon wheelset with ceramic dust and inconel spokes where one presenter reads out advertising material to Hans Zimmer background music...
I would like to commend the presenters for working hard on their pronunciation, essential for non-British and non-native audiences. I don't know if other people notice, but I certainly do.
@@MS-bw7yt sadly that is the "state" of general riding community now (online that is). Just get the most expensive stuff and think this will solve all problems. Dont even blame gcn for it.
I'm gonna say something quite controversial but I have to say it. 105 is the people's groupset or so they say, but even so you have to be a serious rider to even consider going for a bike with 105, for most 105 is quite expensive still. Which is why in my opinion Tiagra 4700 is the people's groupset. Way more affordable with 10 speeds and 2x and 3x options. It's right in between beginner and enthusiast lvl groupsets. So for me Tiagra 4700 is currently an amazing groupset that gets forgotten so often when talking about groupsets that aren't Dura Ace or Ultegra
still running my tiagra 4700 3*10. No problem at all keeping up on group rides.
The more dollars you have, the less important each dollar is to you. You can’t talk about how much a person should spend on a bike until you understand how much money that person has. In college, I worked for minimum wage and saved up to replace rx100 with ultegra sti. Later I got a credit card and upgraded to Record. All I cared about was riding and racing. Now I’m old, heavy, and can barely average 20mph (some days only 19) but I’m no longer a student so to me ultegra and below is gross. Why would I not buy as much bike as I feel like? If you’re happy with Tiagra, that’s great for you. Maybe mind your own business about how other people spend their money tho.
I had 105 for a couple of years. Its fine but now I only use Tiagra 4700 on both bikes. Basically shifting is the same, 105 feels and looks a bit better. Each to his own, I just alone to exercise so I don't want to spend for a Dureace DI2, very very nice but no dice.
My bike has a full 105 groupset. It only cost $2000. That's not bad for a decent bike
I think going forward, Tiagra is going to take that "groupset of the people" title. I think Tiagra 4700 is missing just a little bit of what makes 5800/7000 great, but I think the next generation Tiagra might end up being a really good, all around mechanical groupset.
I was a bike mechanic in Bath when these presenters were still kids as such I worked on loads of stuff from shimano, including some of their bizarre wrong turns. But I always wanted some of the special stuff, so when I built my own bikes, I made up the groupset to suit me. Shimano rear derailleurs have always been the best, since they took the sliding top jockey wheel and I usually paired this with Suguino cranks. My most recent retro build was a mix of 105 and Sora from around twenty or more years ago. The parts are cheap, reliable and seemingly bombproof. My 105 front hub is over forty years old and as smooth as the day it was made. I do miss Sun Tour components though and I don't mean the cheap garbage that uses the name these days.
Sugino cranks and Shimano 600!!!
My favorite road group set was my Sachs/Campagnolo from the mid to late 90s. It just kept performing better as I used it and logged SO many miles.
Well said... Love your hybridized approach. And indeed Suntour Superbe Pro is still sorely missed 👌
Superbe Pro second generation, 1984, probably the best shifting, friction derailure ever, shame it was right before indexing hit. I miss the stiffness and smoothness of Suntour's branded Sugino cranks. The Superbe and Cyclone cranks from the mid-80s turned so smoothly, it's a shame more people didn't give them a chance and realize how much better those two groupsets were than even Super and Nuovo Record. Early to mid 80's Superbe and Cyclone blew pre-indexing Dura Ace away in terms of value and performance, plus durability. Suntour componenets can last forever, just with basic maintenance.
Re: Suntour. I am still riding my 1992 Velo Sport Super Prestige with Suntour Cyclone Groupset. The only things I changed/added was replace my 6 Speed Cassette in the late 90's with a 7 Speed Cassette adding a 28 Tooth Granny Gear for my 42/52 Chain Rings. Also, changed the Suicide (Down Tube Shifters) with Bar Ends and dialed out the Index Shifting. Still works great with only regular maintenance. The Mechanics at the Bike Shop I use like taking it for a ride. Suntour was and still is the best.
Ultegra 6700 for me. Good looking, durable, efficient, light and it’s on my bike. Been through Sora and Tiagra and now super happy with this older version of Ultegra. 105 Di2 may be better, but the cost is prohibitive for upgrading to
I remember when the quantum leap from down tube friction shifting to index shifting seemed like we had split the Atom.
I have to agree it was a revelation!!
We've come a long way!
That was the GOAT.
Indexed thumb shifters! All the convenience of a Sturmey Archer planetary hub, and front and rear derailleurs. I felt like I had stepped into the twenty-first century.
At least it trained you to have a wider cadence tolerance.
Nowt wrong with that Trek frame, it's brilliant. Mine's 20 years old and still going strong. Blooming love it. As for Groupset - Dura Ace 9000. Best looking chainset they've ever made
Totally agree
Agree
One went past me on Friday 👍
I own and ride a fantastic 2003 Trek 5900 with r9100 mechanical components. In a word "fantastic."
Groupset aside, this is one of the most visually (and content wise) pleasing video I have seen from GCN. Starting with bike presentation, to Ollie climbing with his white TCR, and the 3 presenters riding/cornering with their rim brake bikes, down to the last picturesque scene where the 3 were giving their closing statements. Entertaining and hilarious.
Not a damn disc to be seen 👆
@@BoogieBrew 'the bike industry' must be fuming!
I absolutely love this kind of “challenge/compare” video! Informative, entertaining, and very well put together! Keep it up!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I loved this video, a bit 'Top Geary' in a good way as the guys spar with each other and do seem to be having a laugh! Always good. The only other group set i ever had experience with was Campagnolo in the late 1980's, frankly I got fed up with the super record hub bearings forever giving up the ghost! Then bought Shimano; Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace and never regretted it! Now running a mix of Dira ace/ Ultegra on best bike and 105/Ultegra on others. I have to say if money was no object I'd be running Di2 Dura Ace throughout, but for my budget its massively over priced, as I think is Di2 105!
Ok, if you had an issue with Campagnolo hub bearings, then I'm sorry but that is almost 100% user error. Campagnolo bearings have always been the best, and most of hubs from the 80's are still alive today, as smooth and durable as ever (I have several myself).
Surely its 7700 for me. At least for the looks of the cranks. However nothing beats nice Campagnolo 10sp record groupset, because they still work beautifully. Dumping all those cogs with the thumb lever is very satisfying. And its actually very very light!. And its still silly that it took shimano so long to hide the shifting cable.
The 5800 is my favorite groupset. It works flawlessly. It was revolutionary and made stronger thruaxle and disc brakes standard through the industry.
I built my first adult race bike using 105sc in the late ‘80s. The pale blue version. It was super lovely and a really easy build. Always loved 105.
7800 the most durable and about 150g lighter than the current 12spd DI2 Dura-Ace being used in the TDF.
Notice that everyone here picked Rim over Discs? Something has to be said about it.
@@hucklejoko4838 well the older groupset fitted bikes were ore disc.
DA 9000. 11 speed, lightweight, beautiful looks, mechanical. It really was a pearl, easy quick and accurate shifts and with 11 speed, allowed for an extra granny gear. Plus being 11 speed, parts have been relevant with groupsets of the last 10 years.
Maybe a challenge between super record, red and Dura ace? Personally the two groups I’ve had that have been a massive step forward from what I had before was 105 9 speed in 1999 and di2 in 2019
DA 7800 for me and I still use one on my bike. Love this group set.
The last top tier with the exposed gear cables, an homage to the aesthetics of the exposed brake cables of old.
The last top tier on polished silver and I really love the chainrings. It have the silhouette of the Japanese katana with the teeth looking like the hamon on a beautifully made blade.
Yup 7800 has to easily be the most savagely Kansai design of all time❤️👌
My favorite Shimano group set as well and used today. TDF winner as well. Best looking for sure.
Guys I loved this episode! Just watched it after coming in from a ride. I found all 3 examples compelling, but I'm 100% with Ollie on this. It's the perfect gateway groupset, making what was once expensive pro-level tech quite accessible. Please do more episodes like this!
I *really love* the coffee culture of cycling. Seeing these lads sitting at the cafe drinking coffee & chatting about bikes warms my heart.
Makes me want to get my buddies together & go for a ride.
Coffee rides are THE BEST
I've got Ultegra 6600 and I gotta say, it's pretty sweet. The classic Shimano gruppos can't be beat. Great review of these three, I must say.
Agreed, I have it and it’s the best shifting group set i have ever used. Looks good as well.
looks good and shifts well too. but the cables coming out of the tops of zhe sti shifters are annoying when you are used to newer groupsets.
Still have DA 7800 on my road bike except for the cranks because I needed a compact setup. And in spite of being beaten up, it still performs wonderfully and is buttery smooth.
Im still running my 7800 on my commuter bike (previously used for racing). The shifters are starting to go but that's not bad for 15+ years of hard use.
7 speed, pre SLR, Dura Ace 7400. Staggeringly pretty, still manages to look tech/futuristic even now. When it arrived it finally demonstrated how stuck in the 50s campagnolo really was and obsessed with style over substance. 7400 oozed style from every bolt, ran like a space aged Swiss watch AND lasted and lasted. Show a non cyclist a 7400 rear Mech and they'll appreciate its aesthetics, far less so di2!
It's all personal taste I know but there is just something about 7400.
I remember when 7400 came along. Instantly obliterated all of campag's prior tech.
Couldn't agree more 7400 is incredible and so sleek. I've also ridden 600 ULTEGRA (6400 series) and it worked incredible well, no issues what so ever, tidy rear mech on that also. The grey accents can really work with some paint jobs, looks kind of techy. 6500 series is also pretty nice.
Just saying - The new Tiagra is really nice too.
I've got the old tiagra 3x ring on a CAAD R500 and it going to make a gravel bike beast.
Has to be the Ultegra 6600 groupset, it is my first proper groupsets after riding claris and sora. Got it from a retired cyclist second hand, really felt like a passing the torch moment for me, and I've been loving it ever since.
Its pinpoint shifting has that sound click to it that puts a smile to my face every time, along with the sleek lines and glossy silver finish really gave it a classic feel.
The beauty is all 3 are rim brake!
not sure what your point is.. just another luddite? enjoy engineering for its function, not harking back to days of old
I have a Wilier Escape Triestina 2004! Is all in Campagnolo Veloce 10 speed ( 52/42/30 and 13/29 ) with tire 700x23c. I still have this bike!!
Silvery second generation ergopower. Veloce, centaur and Athena mmm tasty.
As a teen and later in my 20's I always aspired to obtain Shimano Dura Ace 7700. But then as I got older and could finally start to afford to buy some used parts, Shimano 7800 started to become much more affordable on the used market. I have a LOOK KG 361 that came with Ultegra 6500 2x9 but I slowly rebuilt it with Dura Ace 7700 parts. I also have a 03' Orbea with Dura Ace 7800 that I love. I also used to have a steel Bianchi and an Orbea with Campy. If money was no object, I'd go with the Campagnolo Record Titanium 2x10. Thank you.
I agree with Si on so many levels. That DA 7800 is a very beautiful groupset and in my opinion, the last good looking Shimano groupset. That and the Campagnolo Veloce in silver alloy. Classically beautiful.
In terms of everyday use, I think DA9000 is fantastic but massively expensive and only marginally better than 105.
I personally like and ride SRAM. I have it on the cross bike, summer bike and am fitting to the winter bike too.....at the end of the day it's down to what you like......
1055 and 6400 all the way. Still awesome performance after ~30 years, georgeous colors, no hidden cables, disc brakes or electronic shifting nonsense. Just reliable components for life.
The 7800 RD is flawless and so smooooth at shifting ❤️
Enjoyable as usual...the puns and it was hilarious for Ollie to pose by his bike in the middle of the piece - well done. My fav is the Ultegra 6800. Similar to Ollie's experience, it was my first groupset on a second-hand bike that I was able to get. Thanks guys.
I have the last gen 9 spd Dura Ace 7700 on one of my bikes and it's phenomenal. Most beautiful crank arm of all time IMHO.
I just stepped up to a Shimano 105 groupset. Fantastic.
For me it was the 1986 Shimano 600EX (the one before Ultegra). It looked amazing, and everything was 600EX, the pedals, seat post, headset etc. It was what I rode when pretending to be Greg LeMond :)
I was going to suggest the same. I had 600ex on my hand built Reynolds tubed bike back in the day.
Classic groupset
I am with you Ollie! The best groupset is the one we can afford! 😭
Tiagra 4700. The most affordable, most durable groupset that still performs outstandingly. All the range you need, forever.
Indeed, 10 speed 4ever 👍
Great to see an affordable groupset
I always had a soft spot for the forgotten Santé groupset - really looked like nothing else when it came out and top notch performance. Put it on a white pearl / pink Francesco Moser frameset. Awesome bike! :-)
Agreed!
I have two brand new Santé groupsets, and even a dealer showcase display. Still waiting to built one up onto a steel fame.
Ollie wins - 5700 for everyday riding is a solid choice. I upgraded from 4600 to 6700 and noticed a difference in shifting precision - plus the glossy grey is very stylish. 50/34 chainring with a 30T max cassette 😎👍 My other bike has 5700, but 6700 is tops among what I have.
I went from 4600 to 4700. It is a lot better too.
I'm with Ollie here - my first carbon road bike had (still has) that groupset on it, and it's been incredible!
My first carbon road bike also had Shimano 105 and is still going strong after 8 years
Love this video. I still use Shimano 105 5700. It came with my first carbon road bike 8 years ago which I still use. I use an Ultegra cassette and chain though. I'll miss it when I eventually upgrade to the new mechanical 105
Like Si, I love my bike with 7800 on it. Everything about the group says...Massive.........Although you get quicker shifts with 7800, I've always liked the look of 7700. I've got two bikes with that group on it. One of them has the ultra cool, BB7700 (still works). The other one stays on my stationary trainer.
7700 is beautiful. 7800 is functionally best
7700 with a "downgraded" Uotegra BB (sealed bearing vs 'serviceable' DA bearings) = utterly bulletproof groupset. 9 speed chains and cassettes simply last 4ever!
I have 6 road bikes all equiped with shimano from Claris to dura ace from different years. And I enjoy them all. Shimano is so reliable.
for me is the 105 latest groupset with rim brakes is the best
So here is my thoughts, the best ever 10 speed Shimano groupset is Tiagra 4700, it basically took the best that 105 speed had but added slick shift tech from the newer levers to create a fantastically quick shifting low resistance experience at a silly low price!
But Dura ace 9000 was the pinnacle of Shimano 11 speed! The last of the non shadow tech mechs that gave you shifts so so fast and slick you often wandered if you had shifted at all! Shadow rear mechs simply can't match that 9000 series mechanical shift!
But for other brands let's be honest Campy chorus 3 carbon is beautiful and SRAM's double tap is a ergonomic delight to use 👌
SRAM and best groupsets don't really go together 😂
@@MS-bw7yt didn't say best! But Ergonomically double tap is fantastic to use especially in mid winter with big gloves, and if your obsessed with weight SRAM Red mechanical is very light.
The moment the top three models (105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace) took on the Rnnnn (where n denotes a number) designations, this is the best they've been.
Shadow RD adopted from Shimano MTB (tucks the rear derailleur further inboard), existent B-tension gap adjustment, integrated front derailleur cable tension adjustment bolt, B-tension & limit screws with a metric hex tool interface, there's just not much to fault.
Also, front derailleur angle adjustment with the same 2 mm hex!
@@ltu42 This existed in their predecessors, it's more like a support bolt actually, further increasing the front derailleur's yaw stability.
Dura Ace 7400 on my silver Vitus 979. Even with downtube shifters, I still love riding it.
got 7400 on my zunow z-1
7400 too. Still shifts well, no visible wear. Even managed to put a 11-32 cassette by putting a longer B-screw.
To me, it was the DA9000. I was brought into road cycling by my friends in school in 2015. One year before the legendary R9100 came up, and by that time 9000 means the best in both performance and looks. The two tone finish would always be a timeless classic. And it would always remind me of the good old days of cycling, where there weren’t “aero everything”, there weren’t “disc-only”, there weren’t “wide tire stereotype”, and there weren’t “electronic shifting domination”. Everything were just pure and elegant.
And I can absolutely relate to that when Ollie mentioned the “cables coming out on the sides”, in China we call them “cockroach whiskers”. My first road bike was a Giant OCR5300 (also a timeless classic) and she used Claris 2400, and it was the last generation of Claris of that design. After that, all groupset looked so clean.
DuraAce 7400 is the best. Very first STI shifters and overall a beautiful looking group set. I had it on my OS Paramount and it was a game changer.
Campy. So poetically simple--the chain moves in the direction of the lever. Can you say Tour Threepeat?
105-5700 was my start in cycling too. Love this GS. I have now overhauled it completely and transferred it over to 2009 Scott Addict CX Team New Old Stock frame I found online. Brilliant GS will always love it and with care, maintenance and oiling it shifts just as well as a new 105 or Ultegra GS.
100% team Ollie and 105. I've got the same groupo on my 12 year old road bike and it's brought me many miles of joy and the only thing holding me back is... me.
Ultegra R8000 rim brake for me. Probably the groupset that is the closest to it's dura-ace contemporary (rim to rim brake comparison). You can still find it new and it costs half or less than it's big brother and delivers 90% of the performance.
Funny Ollie says ''I'm gonna Froome it'' at 8:30 . When I get dropped I always say ''I'm getting Ollied...''😅
I will go with the Dura Ace 25th Anniversary set. They took the already great and bombproof 7700 series and polished it to the highest level of finish possible.
I’m so happy to see this video. I love my bike, I have a 2007 trek 2100 ZR 9000 with the full Shimano 105’s. I truly love it so much
You pay your money, you make your choice.....end of! No need to justify to anyone else. 🤗🤗🤗
Campagnolo Record circa 2002. Carbon-alloy hybrid groupset with gorgeous carbon brake levers. 10 speed while others were still 9. Cables under bar tape while Shimano still had the fishing line. Pure style and class that looked a generation ahead of anything else around.
the best and beautiful groupset for me is old DA 7800. the people's groupeset was Always tiagra and sora, 105 is for rider with that extra buck hiden on the loot. and Ultegra and DA is for Athlete, Attorneys, Engineers, Dentists, MDs or the poser rich rider with that tourney legs.
honorable mention is Shimano Capreo what's on my folding bike Tern X18
personally Dura Ace 9000 is Shimano's GOAT especially for the looks.
Tough call between 7800 & 9000 - both glitter with metallic beauty 👌
@@BoogieBrew well said, especially for the highest appearance. but i believe 105 is their kindest product :)
*except these days's DI2 105 lol
Shimano 9000 mechanical… it changes better than anything else I’ve got.. Di2 DA and Ultegra.. Campy Super record.. it is super sweet 👍❤️
Every modern mechanical groupset from Shimano works great, when well maintained and adjusted.
No question for me -- XTR M975 with dual control shifters, the best MTB/Gravel shifters ever made. You can instantly multi-shift from multiple handlebar positions under load while keeping your thumbs fully gripped, perfect if you're climbing hard whilst gripping your Ergon carbon bar-ends. The rear cassette is just over 200g, half the weight of the dinner plates that people run today, yet the gear range is much larger. The x9 drivetrain lasts forever and rarely gets out of whack, as it is not fussy like the modern 1x systems. I run this on both my 90s Titanium hard tails, one modified for fast gravel.
You lads seem to have a wonderful time doing these videos. I am with Oli, but I have never ridden a ultegra group set so not qualified to vote. It would be like me asking you what is your favourite tractor gear box of all time in the New Holland era.
This is my favourite episode to date. I love the 105 groupset.
With road 10 speed, you can use a 9 speed mtb rear derailleur like an old xt and get a huge gear range with a shimano mullet.
I bought my groupset from AliExpress - Sensah Empire 11 speed, rim brake. It was inexpensive, it works perfectly, and I can't imagine anything noticeably better.
Rim 4 the win👌
I’m going to have to say that after cycling for 37yrs & riding mostly various shimano groupsets, I’m quite impressed with Tiagra 4700. I think it offers the best bang for the buck. For a few bucks more you can use a 7800 dura ace cassette & grab a used ultegra 6700 series crank and save about 350grs weight. For the RD you can swap out the pulleys for a set of ultegra 6700 pulleys, they drop right in. They use ceramic bearings.
I think any companies middle range might be best, because it's less weight focused and usually avoids the cutting edge tech until it's survived a couple years.
7800 hands down, 7700 and the anodised 6600 were the best looking.
Having a 105 Dura Ace screw set on my roadie is truly help me understand just how valuable shimano's products
The Dura Ace 7800 crankset looks awesome.
How about the new-to-me yet nearly unridden Serotta Titanium bike I recently bought with full 7800 Dura Ace but is fitted with a 7900 Dura Ace crank? The 7800 stuff gleams with a jewel like lustre yet the 7900 crank wouldn't look out of place today yet doesn't really feel mismatched with the 7800 group and works brilliantly. And the thing for me is that this was a major upgrade (my previous bike is a Giant TCR with 105 9 speed I'd been riding since 2002-ish and still have but is relegated to Zwift duty most of the time these days). So yeah. 7800. Plus, when this new is when I really got back into cycling so it was kind of an aspirational goal to get it too.
I've still got an old Ribble Pro-Carbon with 5700 that I use in the winter. 11 years old and it's absolutely bomb proof.
Great video guys. I enjoyed the banter and found the arguments for the different groupsets interesting. I’m a 5700 owner so it was great to see Ollie flying the flag for my groupset!
”Lance Armstrong of Poundland”🤣👏. Bridgewood you could have a career as a standup comedian. Thanks for the best laugh of today.
I unironically love 5700. Been racing it on a Venge that I built during the pandemic. It's awesome. Also have a 7800 groupset on an old bike which is wonderful mechanically, but I hate the cable routing on it these days.
I love how si and alex have both chosen groupsets that they raced on for their favourite, which tbh makes perfect sense
The best groupset is the one that's mounted on your bike...
While it's a lot of fun to look back and look forward in the end what's on there now is what's getting you places. Many people are way too obsessed with the groupset, and upgrading every time something new comes out. When you're competing for the win in races, sure that makes sense, but for most of us, it's fun to have something high end, but in the end being back home 10-30 seconds sooner really won't make much of a difference. These days its actually hard to find a (well maintained) groupset that rides like crap, it's all good, and the return on investment for newer or higher end stuff is not all that great anymore.
I still remember some cheap sets that were absolute crap in the 90's. you just couldn't get it to work smoothly. These days the lowest end big brand stuff works great already (as long as you maintain it anyway). The stuff I see on the roads here in NL, with sometimes 10+ yr old bikes where the chain probably hasn't seen lube in years, and having been parked at schools, work and train stations in the rain without any protection and been driven in all sorts of weather shocks me sometimes.. You can just hear that chain crying out in pain from rust and no lubrication, see the front derailleur vibrate as the links scrape against it, see the chain on the cassette sometimes try to skip over to other rings due to bad indexing, and yet they keep going..
I know this isn't what GCN meant, but I'm gonna say the SRAM/Shimano bottom end groupsets are the greatest for being able to still get people places with the amount of abuse and lack of maintenance they get while costing less than refueling an average a car once.
High end sets have it easy getting cleaned, lubricated and fine-tuned on a regular basis, it's those poor old cheap sets that are being tortured every day that deserve our respect 🤣
Ohhh I forgot, my best bike a Cannondale R800 from 1998/1999, still accepts modern Shimano, not much left of original bike apart from frame & forks, everything up graded now!!
I bought the same trek a few years ago for 98£ with 105 groupset and I love it! 😍
In my personal experience, Dura-Ace 7700 9-speed has the very best shift feel at the levers. Not much finger pressure required because of it’s light action springs and the low friction of the external cable routing, and the most positive feeling indexing of all generations of STI levers, a nice positive click without feeling too stiff. The front shifting in particular was very light, quick and positive. Unrivaled shift feel to this day. If Shimano would bring back mechanical shifting Dura-Ace and Ultegra with such a great lever feel, and combine it with modern braking, that would be a real winner for a lot of folks.
Never seen 105 on screen without hearing Ollie’s voice: “The groupset of the people”
I can't say for sure which actual groupset I'd select, but whatever it is, it's definitely in the 105 line. The two bikes I have on hand both have the 105 groupset (ST-5600 on my '97 Cannondale R600 & FC-R7000 on my '20 Bianchi Aria) and I love them both, not just for the affordability, but for their ability to perform seamlessly over the long term. Both are still working fine! BTW! Oh, and both also rim brake versions, so maybe a little old skool, sure. But I'm not sure that I'd want to tinker with what I find as simply, simplistic perfection. Hard to break, and easy to fix while out on the road, should something happen. Can't beat that for peace of mind!
I only have experience with three groupsets, an old campagnolo veloce, the 105 and ultegra, and i definitely go with Ollie...couldn't feel any difference between the 105 and ultegra. best bang for your buck.
105 on my older bike lastet for decades and was driven all winter through on salted roads day in day out - worked perfectly with a minimum of maintenance.
It's the 4th gen of di2. The long forgot 1st gen before the E tube cables was 7800 I believe.
The best groupset is 9000 series manical or di2 both very special depending on the depth of your pockets
You are right I have a dura ace 9000 manical on my Cannondale supersix evo. What a groupset!!
... manical? Or rather mechanical?
@@einundsiebenziger5488 oh yes I didn't see that. I'm pretty sure my phone changed that or I had a moment
100% with Ollie on this one. 105 5700 is what got me into road riding, and even gravel riding and I'm still riding it a decade later. Affordable enough that newcomers like me could afford the occasional crash requiring replacement parts (rip my rear derailleur in 2015) and still squeeze enough out of a student loan to be able to eat, pay rent and still enjoy cycling. Leave Dura-Ace for the pros, 105 is more than enough for most riders.
The current availability and PRICE of groupsets are leaving many people out. My current bike is 4yrs old replacement parts are scarce and the latest and greatest 105 is priced out of my reach. New bikes are on backorder months long and priced out of reach of many of us.
yeah, had to buy an ultegra 10 speed casette to replace a tiagra 10 speed casette. Ouch
105 R7000 after upgrading from 5700. Shifting is a dream and the disc breaks are strong. Still rooting for the R5800 rim brakes I installed as an intermediary upgrade on the old bike though.
I have Dura Ace 7800 wheels on my steel frame roadbike. Damn they were way ahead of their time; Inverted Bladed Spokes... And the hubs and freewheel are still in perfect condition almost 20 years later, it+s perfection. Otherwise I use an old Campagnolo C-Record Groupset thou.
Still have a 8-speed dura-ace R7400 groupset from the 90's. Fitted with a 11-32 cassette. Still shifts reliably, almost no wear on deraillers.
7700 was the pinnacle of shimano, it's telling that 7710 is even in 2022 the current track crankset, they haven't been able to surpass it.
The best Shimano group set is the ultegra r8000 family. It gave you quality options for almost any type of riding or rider. It had mechanical/ di2/ rim/ disc. Nearly endless options for gearing. And even an option for a clutched derailleur for cx/ gravel.
I had the wery same Giant tcr with 105, its definitley the best groupset you can by if you are on a budget
5700 was/is terrible. The shifting was worse than the previous version due to hiding the cables. The previous and following generations of 105 both had far better shifting. My favourite Shimano groupset is Dura Ace 9000. It's the last DA group aimed purely at road racing.
The silver one. The Dura ace 7800. Beautiful and totally functional.
I had Shimano Exage 500EX mounted on a Francesco Moser steel frame. 2x7 index shifters in the downtube. Beautiful to ride, no need more than that for normal use.
I have 105 on my summer bike, and love it. But it's not much better than well dialled-in Tiagra 4700 that I had on my previous winter/commuter bike (a 2015 Trek 1.2) and continue with on my current winter/commuter bike (Giant TCR Advanced 3). Considering I ride year-round in all conditions, it is more cost effective to replace corroded and well worn Tiagra components than 105 or higher spec groupsets. Plus, I LOVE the ice grey of the Tiagra groupset. It just looks great, as well as being cost effective and efficient!
I would say 105 5800. The improvement in the front derailleur over the 5700 alone is so much worth it. So much easier to shift especially when your hands are wet. The 5800 and the Tiagra 4700 were the last good groupsets. After that Shimano started replacing metal parts with plastic and the cranksets would disintegrate under load. I now have six riding mates with broken dura ace 9xxx, ultegra 6800 and r7000 cranksets. It’s a known issue.
Ultegra 6800 is great and you used to be able to get parts for only slightly higher price than 105 if you shopped around
My Ultegra 6800 on my old Trek is more reliable than my Ultegra 8000 on my new bike. The 8000 constantly goes out of alignment on gear changes
I have Ultegra 6800 and Ultegra 8000 and the 6800 is better shifting, a true classic
last year i ride 20k km with 6800.this year i already 10k km.still using & love it
I chose 105 over Ultegra on a 2011(?) Specialized Tarmac simply because it was available in black.