Originally Posted by
sam_cyclist
I don't have a problem with the gear indicators. I have them on my deore shifters as well. They're a fun and useful feature IMO.
I like the look of the polished cranks as well.
The exposed cables eliminate (or at least minimize) friction and shift quality is actually top notch.
I wouldn't be surprised if 4600 has better shift quality than either 4700 or 5800 as a result.
With their 11 speed groupsets, Shimano solved a problem that both Campagnolo and SRAM had long since dealt with. There is no downside to the concealed shift cables used on the newest Tiagra shifters,shift quality is at least as good as the previous version.