For that matter, there isn't enough difference between the 7800 shifters I have now and the 5600 I had before (sold the bike it was on) to justify the upgrade based on shift feel. 7800 is nice and slick, no doubt about it, but for the cost? Nah. The only practical difference I expect would be durability, yet I didn't put nearly enough mileage on the 5600 to see what its limits could be, either.

The best drivetrain upgrade I've made so far was a warranty swap from a Truvativ crank to Shimano (Elita to 105). I had a feeling that the CAAD8's frame wasn't at fault for letting the crank/BB flex and rub the chain on the FD. Now, out of three Shimano road cranks I've had so far (105, R600, R700, all compacts), they all shift great and feel solid. If I could only have one Shimano part on a bike, it'd be the crankset & BB.