Lazyass

I don't care about the chain because I run SRAM. I already mentioned the cassette. Cables would be no detectable difference. 300 grams away from 2 pounds is almost one pound, like I said lol

Karman321

Karman321

Lazyass

Yes.

njkayaker

That's not a sufficient answer either.

How different is the acceleration going to be for < 2 pounds of bike (not wheels)?

And the difference in weight is might only be on the order of 132 g (1/4 pound).

The difference is going to be small. That small difference might be worth the usually significant increase in cost to a racer but it's likely not going to matter for the OP.

Racing Dan

Yes, but how much. Try to quantify?

chainwhip

So an off the shelf Sora equipped bike and an off the shelf 105 equipped bike are likely to have almost identical framesets/forks and wheelsets with regard to weight and quality?
As an example: I wouldn't be surprised if the Sora bike came with an alloy or steel fork.

The point about partial groupsets is also useful when shopping around.

Perhaps the OP needs to share specific model names and year of the bikes being compared to get better feedback here.

fietsbob

"Cherry picking", is when you put something nicer looking where its visible, then scaling back the cost elsewhere on parts less visible, to compensate and still make the price point attractive..

njkayaker

The other stuff is likely different. No one is suggesting otherwise.

In any case, the OP was asking only about the group (keeping everything else the same).

If the OP is talking about actual bikes, he would do better letting people know what they are.

Nachoman

It's science.

gettingold

Is this a joke? The fact is, 105 is a really nice level; the wheelhouse for recreational riders. I have Ultegra and 105 and the 105 compares very favorably.

Nothing like useless advice....

rgconner

Yeah, calling the 105 the "gold" standard is a bit much.

It is definitely the "standard" meaning it is more or less right in the middle of the pack.

Iride01 

Well you didn't say what model 105 or Sora. Those in themselves are just names for a performance level or product tier. Sora is and has been a 9 speed group since introduced I think. Current 105 R7000 or slightly older 105 5800 series are now 11 speed groups on the rear. But at one time long ago 105 was just 5 speed. I think, Let me know if memory is faulty though.

So from my opinion, it's all about gears. Why wouldn't you want eleven if it is a 105 5800 or newer? More choices for hills long and short. More choices for tired legs at end of long ride. Makes a big deal for me. Particularly the hills. It's nice to have gears so close in ratio that you can click once to the next higher ratio gear with out killing your cadence on a climb. Sure you can do it with a 3x5 but you kill your cadence still by having to shift mutiples and you have to know what gears you are in and what you have to go to to find the next. On my 105 5800, the front double is now thought of as a single speed and the action takes place on the back 11. Especially with a 52/36 or 53/39 front.

As far as weight, unless your body is to the point physically where you can't get any more watts out of it, then the little weight difference isn't going to help you. So don't buy for weight alone.

San Pedro

I think the op will get very poor quality hookers, porn, drugs, and guns at that price. Op should choose two out if the four to maintain 105 level of quality.

MRT2

No, Sora used to be an 8 speed group. As for your other point, IMO, cadence is more important on flats than on hills. And frankly, if you look at 11 speed cassettes and 9 speed cassettes, the main difference is, you get 1 jump differences in teeth on the first 4 gears instead of the 2 tooth jumps between lower gears on a 9 speed cassette. There is no difference in jumps on the larger cogs. So effectively, two riders on identical bikes but for one is a 9 speed and the other 11 speeds won't notice any difference at all when climbing.

njkayaker

It might have a better cost/benefit ratio (than DuraAce or Ultegra).

Iride01 

Maybe, maybe not. Think it depends on leg strength which I don't have. I depend on cadence. So when in the higher ratio's on the back, it's nice to have that many extra one and two tooth changes before getting to the bigger tooth changes on the low ratio gears (bigs)

Of course all this also depends on what you consider your requirements for your maximum tooth and minimum tooth. I run an 11-32 on the back of my 11 speed with a 52/36 on the front. That gives me 8 gears with just 1 or 2 teeth difference. I don't think any 9 speed cluster will do that with 30 or more teeth on the largest unless it's a custom built.

I'm still well in the 1 tooth gear range when I hit the hills. So since I'm not strong in leg muscle, having more one tooth shift options are a plus that allow me to accelerate on some hills that my former 7 speed cluster never gave me. With my 7 speed 14-28 a shift on a hill to a higher ratio killed my cadence and speed.

But true, the 9 speed cluster can give you the same number of 1 tooth shifts, but only if you don't need more than a 26 maybe 28 on the rear. Since I don't want to be bothered with shifting the front, I need a 32 as well as the 11.

rgconner

It might.

I have Campy on the current bike, and it is old enough to vote... I am pretty sure Veloce and/or Athena would not have held up as well.

I rode two Specialized bikes this weekend, same exact model, one with 105, the other with Rival 22.
Personally, I though the Rival was superior, but then it is slightly more expensive.

No difference to ride quality.

McBTC

...finding 105 technology on a new $900 bike won't be easy and assuming it's impossible-- further assuming it comes in at something in the neighborhood of ~$1,500, what then?

MRT2

OK, here are the ratios of Shimano 11 speed 11 - 32 cassette. 11-12-13-14-16-18-20-22-25-28-32
And, here are the ratios for a Shimano 9 speed 11 - 32 cassette. 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32

Given what you said about not having the strongest legs, chances are you are climbing on the largest 4 cogs. With the 9 speed,, that is 21, 24, 28, and 32. And with the 11 speed, it is 22, 25, 28, and 32. The only difference is on the 9 speed, a 4 tooth jump between 24 and 28, compared to a 3 tooth jump on the 11 speed between the 25 and the 28. As you can see, the only difference between the 9 and 11 speed is one tooth jumps in the range of the cassette where you can't practically use for climbing.

MRT2

That was my thought. Sora is in the cheap and cheerful range. 105 equipped bikes are usually much more money, unless you are getting a screaming deal, or a generic bikes direct special.

pvillemasher

I just did a quick look at Performance Bike and they have sub-$100 bikes with 105, but probably not everything (Tektro brakes and that sorta thing).
But the OP's premise is off - I don't believe you would find the same bikes, one with Sora and the other with 105. Even Tiagra and 105, they usually have different wheels and other components, no? So I think it's kinda moot.

105 is better than Sora, how much $$ better is up to the individual.

MRT2

That is true. Though honestly, I wish the the bike companies would offer the same quality frame and fork in, say, a basic Sora drive train, and an upscale 105 drivetrain.

Spoonrobot 

That's not how you use the term wheelhouse.

I've seen more problems with 5800 come through my shop than any other shifter. R3000/4700 are objectively better from my point of view. They shift better for longer and are less sensitive to cable and housing quality. How many 5800 bikes have you worked on? I'm well into several hundred at this point in my career.

MonsterFat

I am curious. What type of problems are you seeing? From my sample size of 1, things have been trouble free for 3+ years.
As an aside last time I test rode bikes, front derailleur performance/shifting was noticeably better starting at the 105(5800) level. Don't know how much has trickled down?