Shimano’s mid-range groupset offerings – Tiagra and 105 – are some of the most common groupsets among amateur cyclists.
Shimano is the world-leading manufacturer of components, and for a good reason. They are trusted by much of the pro peloton and have supplied the groupsets on every winning men’s Grand Tour bike since 2020.
So, it begs the question, is it worth the upgrade? What’s the difference between Shimano Tiagra vs 105?
Shimano’s wheelset range covers four tiers: Dura-Ace (top, carbon clincher and tubular, $2,500–4,000); Ultegra (premium clincher and tubeless, $1,000–1,800); 105 / RS-series (mid-range alloy and entry carbon, $400–800); and the WH-RS01 / RS300-series (OEM wheels on $1K–2K complete bikes, $200–400 to buy separately). Shimano’s wheels are known for hubs that last 50,000+ miles, conservative aerodynamic … Read more
Shimano’s road groupset hierarchy (top to bottom) is: Dura-Ace R9200 (top, $4,500+), Ultegra R8100 (premium, $2,000), 105 R7100 (mid, $1,200), Tiagra R4700 (entry-performance, $700), Sora R3000 (entry, $400), and Claris R2000 (budget, $300). Modern Dura-Ace, Ultegra, and 105 are 12-speed wireless or wired electronic; Tiagra is 10-speed mechanical; Sora is 9-speed; Claris is 8-speed. Below … Read more