shoota 

Do any of you guys have problems keeping your shifting in tune? I've only been riding my gravel bike for a couple months and already I've had it on the stand 3 times to adjust the 5800 105 stuff and each time it only takes a few rides for it to be missing shifts or whatnot. It's getting pretty annoying.

dgodave

I ride the hell out of both my AWOL (10sp Deore) and my mtb (10sp SLX) and have no problems for years.

(I am having a terrible front derailleur issue on the AWOL, but thats bad derailleur choice for my build... basically a road triple for mtb gearing.)

MinnMan

I have about 2500 miles on my bike, bought last September, with a 105/5800 drive train and it shifts like a dream and hardly ever needs adjustments. I'm just about ready to swap out the chain for the first time.

athrowawaynic

Mine does feel like something's off. That doesn't mean I've gotten around to making any adjustments though.

MinnMan

YMMV, but my 105/5800 drive train is almost as smooth as the Dura Ace 7900 I have on a different bike and MUCH less prone to slippage/going out of adjustment than the 105/5600 on a third.

Lazyass

Check the derailleur hanger alignment. If it's off even a hair it will mess up the tune. My '11 Focus was off by like 2mm brand new. Took a lot of hair pulling until I figured out the problem. But I don't think these Shimano integrated shift cable STI's are all that great.

ksryder

My 105/5700 drivetrain never shifted right over two years and two frames. Could be a design flaw, no idea if the 105/5800 stuff is better. I switched to Potenza a few months ago and I love it.

In very broad terms I find myself doing maintenance 2-3x as often on my gravel bike than road. Gravel dust wears things out more quickly, and frequent lubing of the chain and cables are a must for me. Even more often if I ride in wet conditions (but I stopped riding in wet.) YMMV.

Lazyass

My 5700 group is the worst I ever had, and I had a lot over 30 years. Even tuned spot on it will go up an extra cog a few times almost every ride. I'll loosen the cable tension one click on the barrel adjuster to prevent it and then it won't downshift right. It's too finicky. The Claris on my Diverge is better.

shoota 

Amazing how different everyone's experience is. This is my second set of 5800 105 and both have been less than stellar. To put it into context I've had everything from Shimano and Sram from 9 speed to 11 speed with many of the same groups being installed on different bikes. Best - 9s Dura-Ace, hands down no question. Worst - 11s 105.

I know there are a lot factors so it's never going to be apples to apples. I guess I could check the alignment but I don't know how to do that on my Tamland to be honest.

Right now my only thought is "eTap, eTap, eTap...."

shoota 

Random thought: the Tamland comes specced with a Sunrace cassette, could that be the problem?

shoota 

Next thought: 5700 does suck the big one.

mstateglfr 

Ive had a few sunrace cassettes. And 1 sram. Then a handful of shimano.
Cant tell the difference.


As for keeping shifting in tune...
My 11sp gravel is perfect. Gevenalle shifters, 105 deraileurs, and 11sp sram cassette with a wolftooth roadlink attached. Even the extra space due to the roadlink hasnt messed it up.


Meanwhile, my 9sp ultegra road bike is brutal for front shifts- the limit screws are all wonked no matter what i do. Its been years of limit screw and cable tension adjustments.

shoota 

Well there's another vote against the 105 bits and the Sunrace cassette. Sigh. I guess I'll rip it all apart and start over at some point.

TimothyH

105 11 speed has performed well for me. I've run it with both 11/28 cassette and SS derailleur as well as 11/32 cassette with GS derailleur. Both configurations work very well.

I think flexy bikes may have something to do with cable tension as the bike flexes. My frame is pretty stiff.


-Tim-

mstateglfr 

Please dont think my post was sayong 105 and sunrace dont work.
I wasnt trying to say that.

I havent used 105 and sunrace together.

My sunrace cassettes shifted fine.

redlude97

i've never had problems keeping 5700/6700 in tune. I always use shimano cassettes and kmc or shimano chains and high end cables. FD stiff shifting was always more than 5600 or 5800 but never a problem with actual performance. Any easy solution to get 95% of the shifting performance of 5800/6800 is to use DA9000 or 6800 polymer cables for the shifters. Smooth as butter after that on 5700 and 6700 groupsets with both sp41 or jagwire lex-sl or xex-sl housing.

Marcus_Ti

My way of keeping shifting tuned...Di2. Set the indexing once and never worry about it*. Aside from cleaning and lubing, and the odd chain replacement. The more gears you cram in the rear, the more sensitive that mech-actuated steel cables get to grime.

*Of course, as Tour de Nebraska proved last week....bent RD hangers from people knocking over your bike can still muck up your day.

shoota 

Oh I meant a vote against the combo being the reason I can't keep it in tune.

Hence my lusting after eTap. And yeah I really think 11s is just getting too tightly spaced.

Marcus_Ti

11s can work fine cable-actuated but you either:

A) You need to ride fair weather
B) Have full-length cable-housing (AKA from shifter to mech)
C) Have CX-style cable routing...AKA top-tube routing

(C) only tends to come on CX rigs as it uglies up the lines of a slick frame....also it interferes with top tube bags/boxes. (B) only is viable on MTBs or frames with Di2 routing. And frame makers are concerned with looks more than functionality, at least on drop-bar bikes.

Of course, given enough time or much even those measures will foul up.



Thing with eTap to be aware of....depending on your frame's tubing, FD placement, and chainstay length.... you can have tire-clearance issues. Also the eTap FD has a buldgey design that will not work with certain narrower-Q-factor cranksets like some Shimano Hollowtech IIRC.

mstateglfr 

This describes my 11sp setup. And yup, the top routed cables make frame bag mounting less than perfect for sure. Its the one thing I have found to not like. But I see the benefit of top routed cables on the bike, so its definitely a give/take sorta setup.

shoota 

Aaaand I have none of those on my bike...
I'm thinking about getting an RLT Aluminum frame which has full cable housing routing. Whaddya think?

justin1138

so..... I put 5800 on my most recent bike build and have

a) ridden through one of the wettest winter's in the history of the Pacific Northwest
b) don't have full length cable housing, and
c) have a bike with downtube cable routing. I even have the exposed cables crossed under the downtube for extra frictiony goodness.

The only drivetrain issue i've had with this bike over the last 666 miles (actual # according to strava) was a broken chain on the very first ride.

5800 is good stuff.

While I fully support N+1, I think it's worth getting a new derailleur hanger (if that's an option), or having the alignment checked for your current bike.

shoota 

I hate you lol.

It's steel so there is no hanger. I really need to get the alignment checked I think.

Marcus_Ti

Thing I don't like about the RLT bikes...pressfit BBs. #BottomBracketsAreAReligion

Would probably build up to be a nice bike. I've heard good things about the straight RLT9 bikes, never ridden one though. Depending on frame size the 435mm chainstay might get along well with eTap FD or not WRT tire clearance.

BNB did a Stinner, and due to small frame size and chainstay length....ETap capped his tire clearance at 32-35mm. Meanwhile due to differences in those measurements there are CX bikes like Jeremy Powers out there with room for 38+.

shoota 

Yeah BSA ftw but I've heard good things about the pressfit adapters from Praxis, Wheels Mfg., and KCNC. I would be ok with using one of those, just don't like the added expense.

KCNC/RWC PF30 to HT2 BB Adapter with Enduro Bearings

eTap ain't gonna happen anytime soon so no problem there.