misterwtty

I'm still in the process of purchasing a new road bike (my first one) and I have a question or two.

How much of a handicap is an 8 speed Sora system over a 10 speed Ultegra or Dura-Ace in terms of actual speed?

Will the 10 speeds give more speed with less effort?

ElJamoquio

My personal opinion is that the extra two gears aren't really a big deal to have or not have. The shifters, on the other hand, are nice.

If it were me, I'd pony up the money for the 105 system, either the 10 spd or the 9 spd. But that's just me. I don't think you'll be any faster, but I don't really like the Sora shifting system.

Kenal0

Actual speed probably none. If you are on the front ring 53 and the back 12 it will be the same on both bikes however the shifters are nicer and have a more solid feel as you get more expensive in my opinion so you have to weigh that plus the 10 speed will give you smaller increments when changing gears and give you more of a selection.(obviously). This of course is merely my opinion and I am a recreational rider and do not race so that might also play into your decision. I always feel it is better to go with better componentry now than look at upgrading later if you have the opportunity.
Kenal0

misterwtty

So speeds of say 35mph are attained on a Sora system just as easily as one with Ultegra?

FWIW, I'm debating between the Trek 1000 in orange and the Trek 2200. I don't want to spend the extra money for the 2200, and the 1000 is gorgeous in orange, and I like the way it felt at the LBS.

mike9903

Why not settle for a 9 speed Tiagra Trek 1200 or LeMond Reno?

ElJamoquio

More or less, yes. The top and bottom gears are generally the same, you just have more or less gears in between to fine-tune your leg turnover rate (cadence).

If you like the Sora shifting mechanism, or just don't ride in the drops, you'll be fine. If you want to ride 35 mph, though, riding in the drops is going to make life easier.

badkarma

Why not something like the Trek 1500 which is a mix of 105/ultegra?

misterwtty

Sorry for being the new guy, the drops???

mike9903

This is riding in the drops.



This is riding with your hands on the hoods.

misterwtty

It definitely isn't out of the question though

merlinextraligh

There is virtually no difference in speed from an 8 speed Sora bike to a 10 speed Dura Ace bike. Climbing a hill, there might be a very small difference because the D/A bike is lighter. Other than that it won't change your speed at all. The 10 speed D/A has some advantages, lighter, shifts better, closer spaced gears, probably a little more durable, arguably prettier. But its not faster.

Jstyle

More adjustability in a 10-8 speed difference is the only difference as far as effort goes. 10 speed will not make your top speed any higher the end gear ratio's are the same...

johnny99

If you're riding in a pace line, the more closely spaced gearing of a 10 speed drivetrain will help you maintain the pace more easily at your prefered cadence. This doesn't improve your top speed, but it will improve your efficiency.

misterwtty

Cool! Thanks for the answers, looks like the 1000 is going to be the one I buy. This way, I'll have an excuse to buy another one later down the line, and if I do buy a better bike, I'll have a rain worthy one.

gurana

I don't really think the number of gears you have will have much to do with your speed, per se. I mean, my standard transmission hyundai accent has 1 more gear than a nascar stock car, and those are way faster (probably because of the awsome weight savings that accompany having 1 less gear).

badkarma

The Trek 1000 is a fine bike, good luck with the purchase. FYI, I'd encourage you to get a pump (either CO2 or a frame pump), a spare tube, a patch kit, and a multitool, and then a saddle pouch to store all of them. They all can be had for ~$50. There's been many times where I've flatted far from home, and if I didn't have anything to change out my tube, I would've been SOL.

bike4life

Buy this man a beer - I like how you think!



I give you two years on the 1000 before you trade up, that's how long me. And, yes, I'm already dreaming about my next ride.

jschen

I don't like the Sora shifters. My sister, on the other hand, loves them. If you like the feel of the shifters, nothing wrong with Sora. Personally, I much prefer the STI shifters on Tiagra and up, so I would get Tiagra.

I have a Tiagra equipped bike and an Ultegra equipped bike. Are the Ultegra components nicer? Yeah, they do have a bit nicer feel. Am I unhappy about the Tiagra components when I ride my Tiagra bike? No way! They work great.

misterwtty

Now... the question is... how the hell do I have a designated driver on a Trek 1000?

I plan to fully get my moneys worth out of the bike before I consider to upgrade.

operator

Has it really come to this? People can't even maintain speed in a paceline without a trillion gears in between? Ever heard of learning to ride at different cadences?

Psimet2001 

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I hear you, and agree, but lets face it...Tight blocked 10 spd cassettes are like chicks in beer commercials...can you sell beer without them? Yes, but who cares.

Then again I still consider an 8spd as a leap in technology compared to what I started with....

OP - if you run out of gearing on that 8spd then give me a call. I'll be your agent.

garysol1 

UGH....Get your panties out of a wad...Holy Cow......The poster said it would help...thats all....HELP!!!!

garysol1 

My neighber has the Trek 1000sl in Orange as his first road bike and he loves it. If finances allow I would agree to jump up to 105 shifters if at all possible. The Sora's work fine but why not learn now how true brifters work so when the time comes to upgrade yo have one less thing to learn.

misterwtty

Well, my finances will allow the purchase of the 2200, however, for now, I don't want to spend more money than I have to.

The 1000 rides great, and the Sora system feels fine under my control, so for now, Ill stick with the 1000, and later if I want, I'll have an excuse to buy a new bike... I mean, if I have top of the line stuff now, I'll never convince my wife to allow me to dump another 5k or so in a new bike right?

Mr. Beanz

Gears aren't gonna help you go faster, but remember, if you buy if you spend a little more money and go with an Ultegra equipped bike, you're more than likely gonna get better wheels than if you go with a Sora equipped roadie.

Wheels can make a difference.