BeeTL

Based on Miles Per Year.

<500=Sora/Xenon
500-1000=Tiagra/Mirage
1000-1500=105/Veloce
1500-2000=Ultegra/Centaur
2000+=Dura Ace/Chorus/Record

At least, that's how I'm explaining it to my wife!

By the way, I'm shooting for Ultegra/105/Centaur/Veloce. My goal is 2000+ miles this year.

If I hit it, next year I'll angle for Record.

jschen

Hmm, I have the wrong gruppo then... gotta upgrade to Dura-Ace, Chorus, or Record.

Will Reeves

I don't have a formula for components, but one for total price stuck in my head when I purchased my first few bikes.

miles/2 = $$$

Once I hit 3500-4000mi a year I'll think of Ultegra/Centaur. Maybe earlier if I can justify a plan like yours to my wife

thelung

I dont ride competitively and do 2000+ in summer alone... I have a sora/tiagra bike and a fixed gear. You really do not need the lightest components you just need to ride.

BeeTL

Glad to be of service!

Will Reeves

sometimes lower grade components (such as Shimano LX) just can't handle many miles. My commuter/mtn bike needed a new rear derailleur after 2000mi. When i got the XT, it wasn't a weight issue for me, it was durability.

pelotonracer

Higher grade components don't only weigh less, they FEEL better when they shift, brake, and pound on the pedals (which is huge, considering it makes you WANT to ride more), & they are generally more durable than lower-grade stuff (The CF Record and DA may be an exception though), so you won't have to adjust your derailleurs so much and buy now cassettes/chains/etc. so much.

And of course, they look better.

linux_author

- you know, i thought so too, but i found that shifting was smoother and quieter on one of my rides using a low-end cassette vs an Ultegra cassette - must have been the chain/cassette combo...

- i also like the feel of my 105 brifters more than the Ultegra brifters, and the Tiagra brifter on my recently built 9spd 'cross bike is smoother and quieter than both - perhaps there is some comfort in slightly worn mechanics?

:-)

Kabloink

The steel chainrings on the Sora crank will probably outlast the more expensive crankset chainrings by years.

rufvelo

While I do have Ultegra equipped bikes, I managed to do 2000+ miles on a Shimano Alivio equipped hybrid last year. On a $300 bike, I think that whole transmission with shifters is < $100 and worked just fine, still does.

The shifting was good, reliable and didn't need no FlightDeck, just got to peek on the flatbar, whenever I needed at a little window indicator for gear conformation. I enjoyed every mile of those 2000 and didn't miss my Ultegra equipped road bikes at all.

So it's really a question of how much money you want to spend to 'feel good' riding, or whether the act of riding outdoors, or hardware is more important to you.

BeeTL

Nope. My formula is irrefutable.

Stop confusing the issue with things like facts and experience.

GuitarWizard

Just go ahead and buy the Record....this way you won't have any excuses for not riding over 3,000 miles

BeeTL

'nother

Hmm, I should go for Record myself then (by a 3x margin) but then Will's formula needs some adjusting: $$$$/2 = miles

nitropowered

An ultegra cassette will last longer than a dura ace cassette because it doesn't have the titanium cogs.

Also higher grade doesn't mean it will last longer. For the case of road groupos it will hold true (minus the cassette), but when you compare XT to XTR in the mountain groupos, you're sacrificing durability for weight.

pelotonracer

Not once you finish drooling over the DA cassette at Competitive Cyclist- last time I checked, cassettes weren't too useful in the "Spare Parts" bin!

CardiacKid

Paging Alanbikehouston

Cyclist01012

lets see 4200 miles last year on a sora/rxs equiped bike. 700 miles on the same bike so far this year but I have swaped out the shifters and crank to 9sp 105 not because off need but because I got the parts at an insane cheap price.

I think you need to worry much more about the engine sitting on the bike then the parts on the bike.

ettsn

Jesus. I just bought a new bike with Centaur on it. I guess I better get my butt out on the road, racking up the miles!

-Paul

BeeTL

Which make and model? Centaur is pretty rare in my area...

silversmith

Century Grey? I love my new cranks. I'm going to get the Centaur brakesfor my build, too.