Originally Posted by
bsear
Sounds like the little thumb buttons on the Soras is some kind of Shimano ploy to get you to go to the next level. I've only had my current bike for about five months but I guess considering I now know that cycling is something I love and will probably continue to do for my whole life, it would be worth a possible setback of $4-500. What are your opinions on the different brands out there (I understand that this is a ridiculously open ended question).
Thanks
you may have missed my original point. i rode a sora equipped bike for several thousand miles when i was getting back into cycling. the thumb shifters were not the most convenient, but they weren't terrible either. my real advice was to just keep the sora and you'll learn to live with it, the current sora is light years ahead of dt shifters of the past, and with good adjustment they work very well.
i advise AGAINST buying used 8 speed shifters. you have no real way to know how many miles are on them, and how worn they are, and you're pretty likely to end up with worse shifting then you have now.
for the record, and i still say stick with what you have: to upgrade to 10-speed, all you need are the shifters and the rear cassette. i know for a fact that the sora rd will handle 10-sp.