Warning, this may be long winded.

I recently read a post where a senior member of these forums stated that Shimano 105 would not cut it for racing. General statements that are discouraging to new or prospective riders really bother me, and are one of the reasons I do not frequent these boards or any others. 50 posts in about a year is really not that many. Any ways I have a close friend who races for the U.S. Navy triathalon team. The guy rides a KHS 500 that is SORA equipped. He is consistently in the top 5 finishers and often wins his age group. This is on a SORA equipped bike. If my buddy can do that on low end, entry level or what ever you wanna call it componentry then the stuff must not be too bad. Whenever some friends of mine, or for that matter even people I dont know too well, approach me about wanting to start cycling I always encourage them. A lot of times they will tell me about the trek 1000 they are drooling over or some other bike that many cyclists believe are ill equiped. I will point out the difference between shifters and 8 and 9 speed casettes but I wont tell them its junk. Because its not. I am always looking for someone new to ride with. I am active in a local cycling club and I believe its our duty to encourage the young and old alike to take up a new hobby, sport or lifestyle. This is not a personal attack to the member who made that statement but an observation from someone who is Military member, father and part time student who has to work a second job and save for months to get a new 105 bike, or deore mtb.

PEACE

No one should tell you that any equipment isn't good for racing. 105, Ultegra and DA are better for the weight and durability side of things but no one should feel inadequate with whatever they have or can afford. Racing is suppossed to be fun and something many cyclists enjoy.
No one I know puts anyone down for using 105 or lower equipment. Fact is, once you get into cycling it is sometimes cheaper to buy someone's used Ultegra group (or whatever) so you can get high quality equipment very cheap.
Cycling is all about the enjoyment of things so all the info on equipment is just further into that aspect. It should not be used to berate, belittle or make beginners feel inadequate at all.
You can win on any type of bike. Don't you think Erik Zabel on a Sora equiped 30 lb. K-mart bike would still smoke 95% of all pros in the USA? Absolutely.
If you get into equipment, that is a hobby in itself but should never be something you see as a shortfall to racing or performing well. Fact is, 105 is better than Sora and DA is better yet but all that is about the best use of money for your use and amount $ you want to spend.

Too many thinks mo money makes you faster.....Ha!

Darn straight it's not junk! What this stuff costs, even the "low end," would make the eyes pop out of the head of a non-cyclist. Besides, Shimano and Campy both have too much to lose to put some crap out on the market. They have good, better, and best products, but they would never release junk that could threaten their image and damage their market share.

Yup! Well said RacerX

Now if I could only ride faster and have some more $$$ to support my hobby

and sometimes all the hype about higher end components is just that-hype.
I just finished rebuilding all the rearhubs in our entourage and the one wit the worse wear, by FAR, was the LX. It's bearing races were pitted BAD and yet the acera hub which has seen butal treatement was fine.
Doug

you obviously haven't met D*Alex..... LOL

I wouldn't say low-end components are inherently junk but they won't last as long as many of the higher-end stuff. Quality aside, I personally don't like Sora brifters. Tiagra is fine but I can't shift from the drops with Sora. Additionally, Sora is only 8-speed so if I want more gear options then Sora rear mech, cassette and brifters are out. However, I see nothing wrong with mixing and matching. For a low end option I'd probably mix Tiagra and Sora.

I agree with Khuon's remarks. Sure you can race on lower end components, but the durability becomes the issue. BUT you can always replace lower cost stuff with more of the same. The more expensive equippment will be lighter, have smoother bearings (thus faster) and should last a lot longer. However put Lance Armstrong on a Walmart special and the rest of us here on his Trek and I bet he would still beat most of us! So your also right, the bike is only as fast as the rider; but IF the riders were the same (clones), the better equipped bike would win. Also one has to decide how long they want to keep the bike with out replacing parts. I bought a bike and equipped it with Suntour Superbe components about 20 years ago and they now have over 65,000 miles with no breakdowns or failures, and you should expect this from DA or Record or Chorus.

Probably not. Your Suntour was 6 or7 speed friction. Current groups are 9 and 10 speed indeX.More complex,more precise,more places to screw up and not work like a fine watch.Friction is a whole different ball game. The analogy is a bit insane.

I use Acera hubs on my heavily used commuter bike. They are handbuilt into quality wheels, and are strong and durable. Low-end Shimano stuff is amazingly good value and very effective.

Apples and oranges,riding and racing.

well i think the difference more is comfort and ergonomic efficiency than speed. for a long race or a ride, those little things that make life easier... like lighter, crisper shifting action, STI levers vs downtube indexed or friction, etc etc... will all add up to a more comforable ride. basically you have to spend less of your energy thinking about your equipment, and just concentrate on keeping your legs moving.

90% of the assembled TT bikes I see in shops are equiped with 105 to offset the cost of the frame.

Do the shops think the buyer is going to swap out the components immediately upon purchase to Dura Ace?

Oh, this is just silly. In order of importance, here's what makes a difference in performance:

1. Natural ability and genetics
2. Commitment, training & technique
3. Fitness and proper attitude
4. Proper fit and adjustment of the bicycle
5. The right type of bicycle and equipment, i.e., road for road, mtn for mtn, etc...
6. Proper care and maintenance of critical components (frame, wheels, drivetrain: which includes replacing worn-out parts)
7. Wheel quality & reliability (Remember Rolf's debut at the TdF & Jan Ulrich's off-road adventure)
8. Frame quality & reliability (can't finish if the fork or frame break)
9. Component quality & reliability (most good components can be made to work well and none of the major brands sells junk)
10. Weight of the frame & components
11. The brand name on any of the above.

Get out and ride what ever you can, whenever you can.

Now, now....
I actually have one bike that has several 105 components, and, other than the fact that they weigh more than D/A, they work fairly well.
I'm sure that Sora components named will work fine, as long as they are kept clean. Still, I'll be those Sora bit will wear out a lot quicker than Ultegra...

I think he would beat all of us.

I have old 105 components. 1993 vintage that is and I can remember on several occasions waiting for my friend with DA do to minor problems. 105 is a workhorse and seems to take a little more abuse. Sure it does not have all the bells and weighs a little more, but for entry level it is just fine. Besides if you are in entry level your chances of going down in a race are a little greater and 105 is cheaper to replace. Plus I never felt to bad beating on it if a mishap resulted in some bending or mis alignment.

Just ride and have fun. You can upgrade when the time is right.

You beat on your bike parts???

Wow. That avatar is appropriate. You are a little devil. I don't know if there is room in Heaven for a bike part beater. Do you go to Confession for that?

"Father, I have sinned. I smacked my rear derailleur with a crescent wrench."

"What brand of rear derailleur?"

"Father, it was a Shimano 105."

"Oh, that isn't a sin. Go on your way little boy."

I prefer a rubber mallet in the shop. On the course my hands due just find. Carrying a pitchfork on a bike is not as easy as it looks.


The worse part is that I worked in bike shops for about 5-6 years during high school and college.

"Father, I never hit the frame, or the fork, or the wheels"

"What about the computer son?"

"Father, only once, but I did not mean it"

"Just promise me that you will treat Ultegra better"

"Father, I promise no more component abuse"

"Now go and wax your frame and degrease your components"

You are right Pokey, but I was trying to prevent a flame war like I got into at the other forum when this subject came up. So the analogy was insane but only for the sake of peace.