Originally Posted by aliasfox

I’d argue to actually throw in the extra bit for 105, rather than the other direction. $450 for Sora seems high, and as bampilot points out, 105 can be had for under $500. The benefits:
- if he’s into it, he’ll have no reason aside from vanity to upgrade
- You’ll have a bike with parts that are completely cross-compatible. Need a wheel or any drivetrain component? Borrow it from the other bike, no worries about 8, 9, 11 speeds and chains

I think one of the upsides of Claris over anything higher up the chain is that fewer cables are hidden, which makes maintenance just a little easier.