Is Shimano 105 all the groupset you really need?

[@vaponte8541]

The 105 is in my opinion the best for the buck.

[@SIvers-or2ke]

I actually like and appreciate the fact that there’s no carbon on 105. The workers groupset suits me just fine thank you.

[@glennoc8585]

Yea but there's hardly any carbon.on the ultegra or dura ace either. The.105 pedals.are the same carbon injected composite material. True workers group.is sora and tiagra. One if the fasted guys in my.group ride is on a 10 year old alloy.frame, alloy wheels and 10spd Tiagra.

[@neilcomiso3079]

Yeah...the 105 groupset is the groupset for the Working Class anywhere...got such groupset on my steel road bicycle.

[@DaveCM]

@@glennoc8585 I have Tiagra on my commuter bike. I have top spec on my other bikes. I am always amazed just how well Tiagra works. Lever throw is a bit longer, but works smoothly and works every time

[@fiskfisk33]

just to clarify: "carbon injected composite material" = plastic with carbon particles mixed in

[@robertnoltefavorite]

There’s a difference in what we need and what we want (and buy). Cycling is a cosmetic sport with a lot of emotion 😉

[@Stefanosinf]

True and a LOT of guys spend a huge amounts for their passion, but, i think most people just cannot afford what they want. So thank you Shimano for giving us the option of a great groupset at a logical price!

[@glennoc8585]

@The Schadenfreudist True that some are.but I know guys that are cashed up.45+ in bling bikes and they are getting.podium and state titles in their age groups. Quality wheels and tyres do.make a difference.in the upper levels.

[@nickjanssen]

​@The Schadenfreudist I am a newby (ride a race bike since 1,5 years). Mine was rather expensive but I had the money to spend. Am i a douchebag :-)? Do I feel embarrassed? No, not really, why should I? Is it immoral not to buy a cheap/budget bike when you start riding? Do not think so. Btw, I know how to change a flat but even if I did not, that would be totally my problem.

[@ferencvarju651]

That’s an eternal debate in most sport disciplines. Imho everyone deserves a nice bike. Talent, fitness and wealth are three different things and rarely correlate . On one hand, I think everyone should see that the fun to be had during cycling doesn’t really depend on how much you spent on your gear, if everything is properly set up and safe. On the other hand, let’s be honest with ourselves: we all love bling, and we all love to show off. That’s just human nature. Nothing wrong with it - we just need to be aware of it. Cheers: an amateur, mediocre-powered cyclist with a €3000 gravel bike. :)

[@ferencvarju651]

The Schadenfreudist I know that feel. And I aggree with you, partially, I think you have fair points. And I’m also with you, against consumerism. I just don’t think that those who have bling stuff with no skills to match, should feel embarrassed. Their decision on spending a ton of money on shiny dura ace bikes, should be respected, just like yours on not doing so. Peace! ;)

[@cypriano8763]

200 grams, no even half a pound is nothing to 99.9% of riders. because 99.9% could use to loose weight. thats where the real performance gainz lie. the difference in price between a 15lbs bike and a 18lbs bike is huge, from 7000 to 3000 can dollars. 3lbs to a guy that could use to loose 30lbs is nothing. the reality it seams like half the reason people buy high end bike is for status, for bling. most buyers dont ride much, are overweight and just like the look of the bike hung up either on the bike rack in the living room or the car. riding is what ultimately makes you faster not weight weeny status bikes

[@solefreak2]

Thing is I've been riding and now feel like my bike is holding me back.. Granted don't think I made the right choice in picking a gravel bike (Specialized Diverge) instead of a road bike so feel I need a carbon road or even an aero bike to help me go faster..

[@nojapier]

100% true Cypriano First skills then gears!

[@miroslavbankovic1610]

👍👏👏👏🇷🇸

[@DavasEdwards]

LOL.. about right

[@ehiggins7476]

Training and riding is what matters. I can ride as fast as the fancy carbon bikes on my group on a Surly Straggler with a decent 105, Ritchey, DT Swiss build. Bike weight comes into play when racing guys that are fit and are around the same weight

[@GregGrude]

I recently made the jump from Sora to 105. It made a big difference and was worth the money. Being a recreational cyclist, 105 is all that I will ever need moving forward.

[@DilbertMuc]

Saying goes that 105 is the first semi-professionel group. All groups above are similar, but lighter.

[@ehiggins7476]

@@DilbertMucactually used by pros on their training bikes.

[@donharrold1375]

I’ve just upgraded from 105 R5600 to R7000. The extra gear (11 speed versus 10 speed) is hardly noticeable but the quality of shifting, particularly from the front derailleur is much better. I replaced the bottom bracket and installed some aero bars at the same time and the bike feels like it’s re-born.

[@kennethstreet7868]

Even the new tiagra is better than you would expect for the price. 10 speed is still good for most people.

[@fakesharky3497]

I have 8 Speed and im totally Fine with it

[@fennec13]

The cost gap between Tiagra and 105 isn't that huge tho. But yes Tiagra is an amazing groupset. I ran the 9 speed Sora for quite a while and the only thing that really made me want to trade up was having hydro brakes.

[@knife1406]

I will say 105 shifters are a few levels down behind ultegra as far as build quality goes. 105 shifters will usually develop play and rattle as they get worn in, ultegra is built to prevent this with a different side pin and rubber stops on the inside of the hoods that 105 has neither. Everything else is pretty spot on though.

[@LuciTulcea]

Had a 10 speed 105 on my roadbike. It worked wonderfully!

[@5veRodriguez]

I had Ultegra on my CAAD12 and now have 105 on my TCR and it’s great!!

[@colinsteel4219]

Another cracking review Dave, by far the best Bike and equipment channel around.

[@mikeengland8331]

Colin Steel I have to agree with you the reviews Dave gives are up there with the best. I,m a Giant road bike owner and it's very reassuring when he gives the brand top marks for value and performance.

[@steveindorset]

Colin Steel agreed. I’ve just stumbled on Dave’s vids and find them excellent. Just playing catch up binge watching his old vids.

[@JonFairhurst]

I’ve got a previous generation 105 bike and it’s so-so. From new, the shifting wasn’t very good. Index one gear and two cogs down were noisy. After three years, the rear derailleur fell apart. (I also have a SRAM NX derailleur that failed on my XC bike. This isn’t a Shimano vs. SRAM post.) I upgraded from a non-series crank to the R7000 crank. It’s great! About the same weight as a 7900 Dura-Ace and very rigid. I heard that the offset changed a bit with the R7000, so I upgraded to the R7000 front derailleur. It works great and accommodates my upgrade to Absolute Black oval rings nicely. Back to my blowed up rear derailleur. Rather than go to 105, I chose to go with GRX. The shifting is now PERFECT, and I’ve got the clutch for the light gravel I might do on this 32mm tired winter bike. Frankly, the indexing across the cassette is even better than on my almost perfect Ultegra Di2 bike. It seems that R7000 105 is a nice improvement over the previous generation of 105. And the GRX rear derailleur is the best mechanical gear changer I’ve ever experienced.

[@cityhunter2501]

GRX RD works fine with r7000 shifters?

[@JonFairhurst]

Earl D - Yes. All of Shimano’s 11 speed stuff has the same indexing. (My shifters are pre R7000 105.) The one thing is to match the GRX crank with the GRX FD. The chain line for GRX is slightly wider to allow for fatter rubber.

[@stevecox8576]

Thanks, David, that’s a very helpful video. I’ve been “weighing” the choice between 105 and Ultegra for my next bike. You reassured me I’ll likely not miss very much if I choose “less-blingy” 105 (especially for the recreational riding I’ll be doing now, at 64 yrs. old.). What’s also reassuring is knowing I have a “low enough” choice in gear ranges to help me pedal the hills here in the east San Francisco Area. BTW, I appreciate your “enthusiastic-but-low-key” narrations; just technical enough to be informative, while still accessible and enjoyable for someone who rides informally ... and perhaps not that regularly ... like me. 😉

[@davidarthur]

Thanks Steve!

[@mancello]

Good honest review. I run Ultegra on two bikes and 105 on another bike. Performance is quite similar. I like the aesthetics of Ultegra more but I can't detect any significant difference in shifting or braking. I use mechanical shifting and hydraulic disc brakes.

[@mister_ray]

The only reason I see to get Ultegra would be the Di2 version. Otherwise 105 offers the best value/performance for a mechanical group set.

[@elmerrichardson6413]

Your reviews are straight and to the point without all the fluff. I'm glad to hear that about the 105. I have an older 105 5800, that gets the job done. The bike came with only partial 105 components, so I filled out the groupset with 105 brakes, bottom bracket, crankset, wheels with 105 hubs and pedals too. Also I upgraded to long cage derailleur as well. This works for me, can't see any reason to spend more money on either Ultegra or Dura Ace upgrades. I'd just by another bike.

[@Shawntrow00]

Shimano 105 is my favorite groupset due to the performance quality whenever i have looked at buids for my personal bikes i always choose the 105 line. I have been trying to recommend this to all my friends that ride and are looking for top quality at a lower cost. The Newer 105 group set is amazing my Old school Lemond could really use an all black set up like that hahaha. Awesome work brotha.

[@charliecroker7005]

7:30 You can't mention durability without long-term testing, or measuring the things which affect it- plain bearing fits, surface finish, surface hardness of bearing races. In my experience, the cheaper the parts, the quicker they wear out. The moving parts become floppy and loose, the ball bearing races fatigue and become pitted etc. The features, weight and appearance are only part of the story, which does not change from one generation to another. It's always been that way. If you use 105 (I do), you need to dismantle and check wheel bearings, pedals and BBs every season or so. Check the exploded diagrams for the hub bearings- Tiagra, 105 and Ultegra will all have similar bearing cones, all with different part numbers. You can't see those parts, so it's nothing to do with paint finish or "features". Do a couple of seasons racing on the parts, then open them up- you may see where your money has been spent.

[@antonoat]

Glad I found your channel, loving the clear, informative reviews, quite refreshing actually!

[@kellrockets101]

Always look forward to David Arthur reviews!

[@MrChippinator]

I just threw this on to replace a worn out Ultegra 6700 groupset. Although I haven’t ridden the new Ultegra or DuraAce, the 105 is miles ahead of the older Ultegra.

[@jamesphillips9632]

I’ve got a full 105 group set , 100% top Quality I’ve recently changed my cassette from 11-32 to a 11-36 excellent shifting and even better for the hills 👍🏻👍🏻

[@johnossendorf9979]

Having owned both 105 and Dura-Ace, IMO, 105 is the hands down value leader ! If you are not racing for a living, 105 is the money spent to performance gained sweet spot !

[@anderslarsson6149]

Very happy with my Campagnolo Veloce from 2009. Still in perfect condition. No fishing gear on my bike 😉

[@marksheehangolfcourses4722]

You state for an excellent case here for the 105 and if it was unbranded many cyclists wouldn’t even know the difference!

[@mohongzhi]

True. I am having my SRAM Etap on Trek Madone, collecting dust for the most time, and enjoying my steel frame with 105 for most of the time. I build and maintain all my bikes so they all in perfect condition. 105 can let me actually feel it's really rubust to where ever I ride.

[@chrismadden9126]

Raise your hand if you're dying for a Di2 105 🕺

[@samuelkmaina]

🙋🏿‍♂️

[@mlara03celtics]

🤚 I would buy that right now!

[@edwardwilliams9185]

I got a second hand Ultegra Di2 groupset, and I'll never ride mechanical again! If there was a Di2 105, I'd be all over it

[@chrismadden9126]

It sucks that they dont make even the upgrade kits cheaper. Like i bought r8020 full price. Surely they could give me di2 hoods, front and rear mechs for like 500🙄😏

[@chazphot]

Can't see how they'd do it myself, ultegra and 105 are so close in price already there's no room for a more expensive Di2 105 inbetween.

[@konstantinosroditis8414]

I have the latest edition of 105 and way better than the old 105 or older Ultegra. Only reason to go higher is if you want Di2, otherwise waste of money. I spent my money upgrading my wheels. Very happy with 105.

[@jinngeechia9715]

The beauty of the 105 R7000 is the crank. It is available in 160mm crank length. It is sold out everywhere as I type this. I have bikes equipped with it. For petite riders, it is the goto for the price point. The fact it is sold out everywhere tells you that Shimano is onto something. There are petite riders out there that demand such a crank length. Sure, Rotor makes 150-160mm arm cranks but they cost just too much.

[@camj.7474]

Or stay on lighter rim brakes and get Ultegra for almost the same price as 105 disc.

[@smallerfreeze]

currently jenson has the r8000 shifters for 299 thats exactly what amazon is selling the 105 shifters for... ultegra atm seems to be best bang for buck

[@TheImprobableIronman]

Absolutely agree with you - 105 is my personal go-to choice. And the new R7000 is fantastic.

[@DilbertMuc]

Based on your video I just bought a 105 R7000 groupset to build up an old carbon frame. And what can I say... the 105 looks fantastic and is much better than the old 6600 Ultegra that I've been using the past 15 years.

[@IronHorsey3]

How old is the carbon frame? Very interesting and what size wheels will the old carbon frame get? In the same club. 🧐

[@DilbertMuc]

@@IronHorsey3 It's a 2013 carbon frame of a TDF bike that I bought some 8 years ago. It spent 8 years laying in a box until I now made a decision to build it up with a 11speed R7000 groupset. /:facepalm

[@IronHorsey3]

@@DilbertMuc - Very nice!!

[@tomrachellesfirstdance7843]

I got a new bike with the new 105 and I am really enjoying it I cannot fault it at all

[@solitaryrefinement6787]

I have both Dura-Ace 9100 and 105. Knowing what I know now, I would've stuck with 105 on my SuperSix EVO and "not" updgraded it. The headaches it brought me were horrible. First, you need an excellent mechanic who knows how to dial in Dura-Ace. Secondly, the differences are only noticeable at race level performance. For 90% of recreational riders, they aren't going to know any difference really. I'll ride 105 all my life and never miss Dura-Ace, but there's no doubt that Dura-Ace is the absolute best mechanical groupset on the planet and 105 benefits from that. If you're chasing a certain weight on your rig, yeah, go for Dura-Ace, but if you just ride your bike, 105 will last you a lifetime practically. Oh, as far as durability goes, 105 last longer than Dura-Ace (especially cassettes). All my bikes have Ultegra cassettes. Good weight savings for $20 more and practically gets same shift quality as Dura-Ace cassettes, but outlasts them by hundreds if not thousands of miles.

[@pedrodanielu]

So you use 105 components but use ultegra cassetted?

[@ferencvarju651]

Nice, informative review, thank you! I’m using the same hydraulic 105 groupset on a Specialized Diverge, and I’m perfectly statisfied, it never missed a shift, and braking is so easily modulated and intuitive you kind of forget about it, just like in cars. I’d be very curious how Ultergra r8020 performs in comparison, but haven’t had the chance to try it yet.

[@tccycling]

If there was a Di2 105, that would be all you need. Of course, no one needs electronic shifting, but once you use Di2 for a bit, you won't want to go back to mechanical. Electronic shifting is amazing.

[@phush3495]

I used 105 for years, it's great but I was going through a chainring a year. I've had my ultegra for 2 years and no signs of needing replacement. So for me that's the only noticeable difference.

[@Mrwitte95]

105 groupset + Ultegra chainring then, r7000 and r8000 are fully compatible with eachother as far as i know

[@phush3495]

@@Mrwitte95 are they the new versions?

[@KushPizzaSleep]

Froome would win the tour with 105 or dura ace, makes zero difference

[@rswc55]

Just bought a 7000 series 105 groupset with upgrades to Ultegra RD, cassette, and chain from Merlins. Best deal I've found anywhere. Think I'm going to be very happy for a long time. Cheers.

[@glennoc8585]

The 10spd 105 was a bit low grade compared to ultegra but the latest group is pretty close. If 105 was offered in di2 I'd seriously consider it.

[@fjbT2024]

11 speed?

[@glennoc8585]

@@fjbT2024 Yes 11spd joe

[@flooooooo0686]

this is a beautiful bike! the color is soooooo nice, looks much better than the product photos on the ROSE website. I ride 105 on both my bikes and while I sure am looking to upgrade on my new bike I am perfectly happy with 105 right now. only the di2/electronic shifting is missing...

[@syahizzat]

Great content David! Currently using Claris and thinking of upgrading to ultegra.. but now im will look for 105 which cost me less bucks!

[@solitaryrefinement6787]

105 is Shimano's best groupset. It's durable, nowhere near as finicky as Dura-Ace, it's cranks don't break like Ultegra's, it doesn't need frequent tuning and replacing bits is insanely cheap. Weight wise? Sure, Dura-Ace and Ultegra beat it, but how light is a bike that's in the shop more? I run Dura-Ace 9100, but I'm going to spec all my bikes with 105 from now on.

[@frischi56]

Thanks for your review. You may be pretty light and never tried the 105 brakes in the alps. I used to have big issues with overheating on big descents. Just switched the brake pads and the discs to Ultegra. Since then I never experienced this issues again.

[@alexmites]

lemme save you watching this video, the answer is yes. The latest 105 (specially the hydraulic version) has improved massively to the point where the performance (arguably) matches the previous ultegra iteration at the very least

[@scottttym]

Having just upgraded to a 2003 9 speed dura-ace set up I can say 100% that 105 is not as good as it gets. The dura-ace I am running is 18 years old and way smoother than my 105 from 2015. I would love to try out a 2021 Dura-ace... Bet it's even crazier.

[@dannyshearer]

I still think Tiagra 4700 is by far the best groupset for money by a long way.

[@brulsmurf]

Cheaper groupset is always more bang/buck

[@zodgzod]

Tiagra is great value, particularly with disc brakes, which I think are identical to the 105 ones, but I'm upgrading to 105 next week because I want an 11 speed, 11-32 cassette.

[@gabes-t]

Make 105 Di2, that will be a top seller.

[@elmerrichardson6413]

Great comment. I think Shimano knows this would take sales from Ultegra, so I doubt they would make this 105 version.

[@steveindorset]

Elmer Richardson I totally agree mate, but surely it has to come? Maybe when they upgrade Dura to wireless 12speed (They have to do something, as SRAM etap is taking sales), Uteg will become the old Dura and bang 105 will be the old ulteg??....maybe

[@elmerrichardson6413]

@@steveindorset Thats good way of looking at it, given the trickle down approach we've seen the last few years of the Dura Ace tech flowing down to their other groupers. You're right, they can't let SRAM get to far ahead them.

[@steveindorset]

Elmer Richardson exciting times ahead! what a great time to be into bikes. We’ve never had it so good and hopefully it will only get better! 2030 Trek Emonda 4kgs, super stiff, mega comfy with the SRAM 15speed Etap neurology. Gears change just by thinking about it!! 😂😂😂👍

[@mashkina]

It will never happen

[@petergiourelas3753]

I have old 86 105 groupset just fine for me , no plans to change

[@TheKMov]

Great groupset. More than enough for beginner 🔥

[@PersonaN007Grata]

Just installed a 105 R7000 groupset onto one of my frames. The rear cassette, 11-34 with medium cage RD was kinda loud. My other bike with Ultegra R8000 is super quiet. I have a few Ultegra cassettes lying around so I swapped out the 105 11-34 to an Ultegra 11-30 and noise was gone. I guess the machine work on Ultegra is better than the 105. I’ll be buying an Ultegra 11-34 cassette for the quieter ride and weight savings. Otherwise, the 105 shifts really well. The shift levers require a little more throw and the engagement isn’t as light and positive but no real issues. I would say the shift quality is 9/10th of the Ultegra. I really don’t mind riding the 105 bike over the Ultegra bike. Much much better than my old 105 FC5700. I would say the older 105 shift quality was pretty good but even with brand new cables, was only about 7/10th of the Ultegra.

[@rich.e]

interesting point on the 11-34 cassette noise.... did you get the Ultegra one and was it an improvement?

[@PersonaN007Grata]

@@rich.e No I didn’t purchase an Ultegra cassette yet. But I did throw the 105 11-34 on my other bike which is full Ultegra and the noise was there. Definitely a louder cassette. I wouldn’t say it’s defective. Just machined a bit rougher.

[@marcg611]

@@rich.e it's actually an issue with the 11-34 in general, I went 105 11-32 to ultegra 11-34 and it's generally louder and difficult to get indexing perfect..

[@helicart]

I've been ultegra mech and electronic for 15 years. But I am finding 11 speed cassettes and chains are wearing quicker. I have a 4 year old CX bike with 105, and it changes gears very very reliably. No problems at all. So the issue is ultegra is getting too expensive to replace cassettes, chainrings, and chains for. I like to rotate 3 waxed chains....and my ultegra drive train is just not lasting as long, which makes things very expensive, and annoying considering the additional time involved in maintenance. I am older, and I don't see myself ever buying ultegra again. Next bike will be 105. I also won't be buying Di-2 again. It's just not worth the premium, especially if you put your bike down and have to replace ders. Mech is easier than most realize to keep fine tuned. You just have to learn how to do it. I have also ordered 2 new cassettes from a Chinese company called Sunshine - slightly heavier than 105, but all comments are good.

[@davejenkins8013]

The disc brakes leak oil , if you leave the bike for any length of time. You cannot change the seals on Shimano callipers, so you have to replace the Calliper. This has happened on two of my bikes , the rest of the group set is great, Shimano needs to sort out this issue withe the brakes. If you search the internet you can see this is a common fault.

[@asim9379]

Just upgraded my bike from a bike with claris r2000 to a bike with 105... It is lightyears in performance 👍. Absolutely love the 105 and will never go back. Hydro 105 brakes are also on point coming from tektro MD brakes.

[@mvnorsel6354]

I just bought a new bike with 105, more than good enough for me. But honestly in 12 years nothing wrong with Sora. Its all overkill. As long as its got its rim brakes I'm happy.Pick her up on the 12/1.

[@Kurz_Weber]

Durability? In 105 tends to last longer in the general wear and tear parts: cassette, chainrings due to more conservative alloys. My 3 bikes have 4700 Tiagra, 5800 105 and 6800 Ultegra... And its hard to really pick a clear favourite. Ultegra does have the best crisp shifts under load; but only marginally. Tiagra you can ever so slightly feel the rotating weight in the crank and cassette at the start - but everywhere else its great. 105 is the one-and-done groupset.

[@steveindorset]

David I do enjoy your vids mate. You generally don’t slag anything off, which to be honest I don’t think anyone wants you to. But you do give good constructive criticism. The truth is we all love bikes and have our different opinions. I don’t think anything is crap or was designed/made to be crap, but some things have been superseded and others are just better. I like your positive view point on things and it’s quite obvious to us of your great love of bikes and all things bikes. I’m really glad I subscribed, I’ve spent the day binge watching your vids and have learned loads. Also I like the fact that, like myself, you’re an avid MTB’er too. You don’t have any snobbery about either discipline. Nice one David. Keep the great vids coming! 👍

[@davidarthur]

Thanks for the very kind words Steve 👍

[@jakubpu]

My method is mixing parts to get the best performance and feel with the lowest cost: -105 cassette, crankset, FD, hydraulic calipers, rotors, BB, chain -Ultegra STI levers and RD -Dura-Ace pulley wheels

[@Stefanosinf]

Apart from the cassette, i agree. Ultegra cassette saves a lot of weight for not much more and it's very durable.

[@cookingconfessions]

When I was buying my road bike I went head to head between 105 and Ultegra. There IS a difference in the shifting quality and even the noice when shifting. That being said 105 is an excellent group-set, BUT I would go for Ultragra if within my budget same as I go for XT on a mountain bike. Dura Ace and XTR are made for racing and have gone through costly modification to safe extra weight and also the long-tern durability is theoretically less on the highest group-sets.

[@bindingcurve]

Be very carful about that. Most "test" drive bikes are new and there is no telling how well the shifters are adjusted. I test drove a bunch of bikes, ended up getting a used R7020 bike and after adjustment it shifted better than every mechanical bike I test road including DuaAce and Ultegra bikes. Also I have had more issues with XTR parts than LX parts on my Mountain bike, so durability on the highest end components is a issue.

[@alannkevin]

I’ve ridden ultegra for a long time now, and after buying another bike with full 105 groupset I regret spending the extra $300 to save 200g ...stupid. I built my bike with a mix of 105 and ultegra r series (were on sale) ....So far so good. The only problem I found was the 105 rear derailleur, it’s a little dummy I have to say, changed it to ultegra, but kept the 105 shifters, I can’t complaint. Now, after trying out 105 I would move up to dura ace because I don’t see why I should spend extra money on ultegra since it doesn’t offer a real difference in weight, maybe less that 200g at most. Shimano is scamming us with ultegra 😁

[@MsPietpaaltjes]

U serious? I think ultegra shifts wat better under pressure

[@mashkina]

Dave is trying to sell us that endurance Rose bike with 105. No way.

[@johnwalker656]

Good honest review 👍

[@daihat]

Ultegra has polymer shifting cables which are slightly smoother. No big deal but when replacing it I would suggest polymer for rear derailleur. Also Ultegra jokey wheels have ball bearings. In my training bike I have Ultegra, in my new race bike 105 and I`m totally happy with it. Only thing bothers me is extra 150g weight but whell, Its only in the head.

[@leedickson3444]

Another well informative video Dave. I own 105 and ultegra. I'll stick with ultegra in future slightly better shifting. Plus 105 hoods keep rattling (even after gluing pin fix).

[@twatts4436]

If it's the first generation of 105 Shimano were doing warranty replacement on them

[@leedickson3444]

@@twatts4436 Have Shimano changed the spec of the r7020 when first released ?

[@twatts4436]

@@leedickson3444 someone in my club mentioned that the first batch had an issue like this. Since been fixed.

[@leedickson3444]

Thanks

[@stanleycraftsman8325]

If you have a 105 gs that is very clean amd nicely lubricated. I think it would be good enough..

[@carlhulston7157]

Why not mix and match, say 105 shifters with ultegra mech and dura ace cassette? MTB riders (and manufacturers) do it all the time to balance performance, weight and cost.

[@theodosiosvafias4244]

i cracked at 0:26!!!! 105 is the way to go. give the reveal back pls. or i m buying my first blue bike (i generally hate blue bikes). great video again!!!

[@DavidslvPT]

Shimano has said that Ultegra has never been so close to Dura-Ace, I'm very happy with my current 105's but if I was to look into upgrading the groupset I believe I would go for SRAM nowadays. There's nothing wrong with the 105's, I've moved from mechanical to hydraulic disc brakes and I'm absolutely happy with my setup, also I'm not very interested in paying premium on maintenance or even be worried about where I service my bicycle.

[@maxs6775]

Just bought a scott addict 20 with 105 , very impressed # saw a 2 bikes side by side in shop # ultegra and 105 # ultegra looked.much better in quality and style ! £ 200 price difference for Scott adidct 20 or Scott addict 10

[@lloydhlavac6807]

This is what I have been thinking if I get a new bike or group set. I'm still using Ultegra that's almost 20 years old, so I would guess 105 has gotten a lot better in that time.

[@DilbertMuc]

Same here. My new 105 R7000 is lightyears ahead of my old trusty 6600 Ultegra.

[@jp93309]

Except for GRX for all around usability on all road surfaces. And better brake lever operation from the hoods.

[@tonywebb532]

That's what I could afford. Very happy with my 105 groupset.

[@afewspokesloose2699]

105 is amazing. I've raced around the world and 105 won't stop you winning a race unless it's in the world tour, up a mountain. I prefer Ultegra because I can.

[@davidhuck1683]

I was never very fond of Shimano Groupsets . However, it works like perfect all the time all the time. I had SRAM Force and always had issues with it. I believe the Ultegra is best u can get for value. Mechanical. Maybe if u do not want to break with shifters next to your palm....then go CAMPA or SRAM that's maybe the only thing with Shimano. In 20 Years Cycling the most reliable is Shimano....105....Ultegra and DURA ACE. CAMPA i only had little time with it. But sure good it was.

[@kennethstreet7868]

105s great, plus there's finish options if you don't like the dark look.

[@jackcisco33]

Great insights. Best cycling channel. Thank you!

[@h.s.5995]

I have this groupset and over 8,5k km/150km elevation, and haven't changed anything apart from chain, and the cassette as well the cranks have minimum wear. I bet it's going to last at least up to 20k km!

[@ianseager9084]

Love the 105 groupset and have covered many 100's of miles on it through several iterations...if only they had kept the triple ring up front as an option!

[@ehiggins7476]

100% agree. All the tech and performance any amateur needs

[@jonpoon3896]

If you’re sticking with mechanical shifting, get 105 and stay on top of cleaning and maintenance

[@biking261]

I have a pair of 105 shifters (5800) that have done at least 20,000miles no problems with it lasting.

[@keithbailey4044]

I have 105 on my caad 12 and ultegra on my giant both work very well hardly any difference at all

[@stewartmarler1416]

Forget first - 105th comment! Reading the other 104 comments, I'd agree that if Shimano came out with a Di2 105, many people wouldn't buy Ultegra again. I have two Ultegra di2 bikes, and they're only Ultegra for the electronic shifting. The rest is gravy. Expensive gravy.

[@c.d.j300]

105 is awesome. I thought about changing to sram force etap but as it stands, my bike is 15.5lbs with 105 r7000 rim brake. Shifts like a dream and is absolutely 💣- proof for +/- $500.

[@williamko4751]

No way. 15.5 lb with 105, I don't believe it. What other weight saving you've done to your bike?

[@c.d.j300]

@@williamko4751 vitus vitesse evo team with prologo dimension nack saddle, lightbicycle AR46 carbon wheels on dt240s.

[@c.d.j300]

@@williamko4751 I've since sold it though.

[@c.d.j300]

@@williamko4751 now I'm riding a emonda sl6 with elite drive 50d, s-works power mirror saddle,carbon seat mast, vision Metron 5D ACR int. handle bar and D-A 9170 with FSA k-force carbon crank and it's still at 16.2. THE SHAME!

[@williamko4751]

@@c.d.j300 ok ok money bag.

[@ilgour]

Agree with shimano 105 quality and value. I have never tryed mechanical disc lever before but i I really hate how bulky they look. Been riding shimano rim brake lever for decade and yet i cant imagine been confortable on these big bulky lever. Whenever i will move on to disc, its going to be di2. But I guess i should try...

[@EvendimataE]

when i was in canada in 2008, i got a late 80s road bike from a thrift store with all 105 parts....i paid $15.... sold it for $125 because i had to move....i should have just disassembled it and brought with me the 105 parts

[@DarenC]

My best bike is 105. But it's from 2009 so I dare say today's 105 is significantly better. Maybe today's 105 is better than Ultegra from a decade ago. But I do want Ultegra when I get a new bike - because I want Di2, and that hasn't filtered down to 105 yet

[@davidarthur]

This is the best 105 has ever been for sure. A comparison with current 105 and 10 year old Ultegra or Dura-Ace could be very interesting. Who wants to see that?

[@twatts4436]

@@davidarthur go for it.

[@mikeengland8331]

@@davidarthur Be interesting, do it Dave.

[@pigeonpoo1823]

Me me me. A bit like being told a new Fiesta is better than a 20yr old S Class, I imagine.

[@DarenC]

@@davidarthur Definitely interested. I'm also interested in whether Ultegra today is better than Dura Ace from a decade ago! :D

[@getreadyforthepunch3474]

im using 105 5800 and once it breaks(i dont think it will, unless crashed lol) im just gonna go and upgrade for the r7000. after all, i just wanted the 11 speed option.

[@pigeonpoo1823]

Haha, me too. The sodding thing is bullet proof no matter how badly I shift. 5800 really is good enough for most, and r7000 is merely refinement

[@fjbT2024]

My flat bar road bike has this 105 and its perfect for me

[@bobcabot]

i only heard the Sram shift system is much easier or logically :up and down/left and right - thus a comparison with the Force would make sense really

[@twatts4436]

That's electronic only. And the price difference is massive. You get 105 disc for £500ish, force AXS shifters and brakes (no cranks, cassette, chain) was £1100 last I looked. Force AXS can be compared to Ultegra Di2. Otherwise the force mechanical is less intuitive than Shimano. You push the same lever to go both directions, a 'small' click for harder gears and a 'big' click for easier gears.

[@phoebetan7519]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think one major difference between 105 and Ultegra (hydraulic brake) hoods is that reach adjustment is built in for Ultegra but not 105. Yah, but otherwise, not much of a functional difference otherwise. (But I have small hands, so Ultegra for me!)

[@davidarthur]

Good point. They do offer specific small hand levers for each groupset

[@phoebetan7519]

David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes I guess it matters more if buying a complete bike. Manufacturers seldom give customers a choice in the size of brake levers.

[@phxrsx]

I have tiagra and ultegra di2. They are both great.

[@t.b.r.2844]

One point missing: the much lower price on new chain, chainrings and cassette when worn out

[@BG-my7eg]

I've been riding 20 year old 105 parts for just as long, they are just fine, reliable. Don't waste your money on upgrades since you are not racing. Because be honest, you are not.

[@JIMWSMITH]

Cycling really is surrounded by bike snobs , let's not beat around the bush here. Yes we would all love di2 etc etc , but for the majority of people this 105 just works . Blind fold a group of riders would they be able to tell the difference in shifting 🤔

[@roa5359]

At full Retail 105 is probably the sweet spot but it gets little Kudos in your Group Ride. After release and after prices have dropped Ultegra is better value for both resale and in fiscal terms. At release Ultegra is around 400 quid more than 105, now, a few months after it is only around £200 more. Conclusion ... wait a few months and buy Ultegra.

[@robertandrews3055]

The 105 groupset isn't bad, but it also isn't very light, if that matters to you. No doubt Shimano is great, but I'm really more of a Sram guy myself.

[@LOZUPONEJ]

If you can afford it go with Ultegra but 105 is great too

[@yangguan4070]

I will probably choose the R8000 over the R7000...the price is too close with the former having better shift quality

[@mikeengland8331]

"Shimano Ultegra R8000 mechanical is the best groupset you can buy in 2020", Dave needs to make his mind up, this was from a review back in May this year.

[@davidarthur]

I still stand by that, Ultegra is the perfect sweetspot of price, weight and performance. I was just making the point that if money is tight then 105 gets you a very good groupset

[@sabamacx]

@@mikeengland8331 they're different questions. read more carefully.

[@wildsurfer12]

I have a 105 bike and absolutely love it! The only reason I’d consider upgrading to Ultegra is to get Di2.