Originally Posted by
gamby
I have 3500 Sora on one of my bikes as well and yes, trickledown has been VERY good to Sora. It's about as good as my 5600 10sp 105 (the lever tooling/shape is identical). The jump from 3400 (which I also rode extensively) to 3500 was massive. Obviously, 6800 Ultegra is going to be better, though.
It seems to me there are three differences between a part across different groups:
-the aesthetic appearance (beauty)
-mechanical design (function)
-part material (plastic vs. metal etc. [long term durability])
And looking online it appears that the price difference between say, a rear derailleur and the next model up or down is equivalent to a fast food meal give or take a few dollars.
I bring this up because I'm looking at a Sora-equipped Scott bike with a decent frame and I'm wondering if it would be wise to buy it and swap the rear derailleur for a 105 to get the most bang for the buck. Sorry for the rambling question.