Originally Posted by
Syrecc
I know there are different tiers of bike components such as Sora, Acera, 105, Ultegra, Dura Ace etc... but what exactly makes each of these better then the previous? Are they lighter, more durable m or what?
If you couldn't figure it out, yes i'm a noob.
Acera is a mtn groupset.
It changes with generation to generation, so some of this may not be current. But for Shimano road groupsets it's something like this from cheapest to most expensive.
Sora: Cheap. Lots of plastic bits and what is metal, isn't plated so low durability and low protection from corrosion. Works well enough but missing features such as trim.
Tiagra: Similar to Sora, but loses the thumb shift lever for improved ergonomics.
105: More reliance on metal parts. Durable, e.g. outer chain plates are now nickel plated for corrosion resistance. Trickle down features from the latest DuraAce technology. Has pretty much the latest or one gen behind on hyperglide chain/sprocket cuts, and trim in both directions for shifting performance.
Ultegra: Lighter weight. Smoother operation. Most durable, e.g. both inner and other plates of chain is nickel plated for corrosion resistance, and other bits throughout groupset. More premium metals and materials like carbon shift levers.
DuraAce: Lightest. Smoothest. Sacrifices durability for weight, e.g. cassette uses titanium which wears faster than the hardened and plated steel of Ultegra.