Trek 1.2 C or 1.5 C
 

I'm looking for a new road bike and have narrowed it down to the 2015 Trek 1.2 C and 1.5 C.... It will be used for fitness and not for racing. I normally ride approx 100 miles per week. Will the 1.5 with Tiagra be worth the extra money or will the 1.2 with Sora be fine? I just don't want to be plagued with shifting woes. Thanks!

I would go for 1.5 for the 10 speed. You also get lower gearing with the 30 cassette.

I started out on a '14 1.2 and just got rid of it this past fall. It was a good bike. The Sora stuff shifted just fine. Never had an issue. I did a couple of charity rides on it...one 50 and the other 75 miles. The 34/28 was good enough for any hills that I encountered. I was totally new to road biking, btw. Don't remember what the price difference was, but if it's significant, it'll come down to whether or not you think that price is worth 2 more speeds and a 30 tooth cog vs. a 28 on the cassette.

The price difference is $150... I'm not concerned about the rear cassette being 28T that's if fine, my main concern is shiftability. I would rather use the extra money on new shoes and pedals is the Sora is good shifting.

I've test ridden tiagra 12-30 and it shifts very, very well.

I've also test ridden sora, but not in 11-28, but 11-34. The lowest gears are a bit slow and noisy to up and down from under pressure.

I would go with the tiagra for the slightly tighter gear ratios and slightly lower lowest gear.

Both of these bikes are right in my price range, so hopefully I can test ride one or both and share my impressions with you.

Get the 1.5. Nicer components across the board. If at all possible try to stretch your budget or possibly find a close out deal on a 2.1. The 2.1 is really a fabulous bike!!!!

You don't need a 30T granny cog anywhere on Cape Cod. Especially with a 50/34 compact up front. Even an 11-28 is overkill, unless you are just starting out. And in any event, cassettes are easy and cheap to swap. I run 12-25 here, with a compact crank. I can't remember any hill that had me on 34/25. I would go with the Tiagra group. I like having one more cog in the middle range of the gearing, to close down the gaps.

I'm going to buck the trend and say that once set up correctly-I've had absolutely no issues with my Sora equipped bike doing 400-600 miles a month. Providing I clean and lube the chain every couple months, but that's any level drivetrain.