Shimano upgrade question

I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it. I did a few
centuries this summer and plan on doing more next season, possibly even
a double-century. I'm contemplating upgrading some parts this winter
and was wondering what the general consensus was on a few questions:

- Generally, how many miles should the Sora components last? I ride in
pretty hilly areas and try to keep the chain and gears clean and lubed.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference? I was
thinking of switching to a SRAM chain with Powerlink for easier
cleaning, especially in the spring when there's a lot of sand on the roads.

Thanks for any and all opinions.

KJ

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 15:12:16 GMT, kj wrote:

I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it. I did a few
centuries this summer and plan on doing more next season, possibly even
a double-century. I'm contemplating upgrading some parts this winter
and was wondering what the general consensus was on a few questions:

- Generally, how many miles should the Sora components last? I ride in
pretty hilly areas and try to keep the chain and gears clean and lubed.

There are no hard and fast rules regarding component longevity, but at
2000 miles your Sora components should be FAR from expiring. I have a
mix of Shimano components on five of my bikes and other than chains
I've yet to have anything "wear out". Just yesterday I rode my 1989
(or so) Trek 1400 with a mix of 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace components,
all more than ten years old and with many thousands of miles.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

Big performance jumps can only be achieved by big jumps in power plant
output. Any improvements attributable to a conversion from Sora to
Ultegra would be unnoticeable.

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference? I was
thinking of switching to a SRAM chain with Powerlink for easier
cleaning, especially in the spring when there's a lot of sand on the roads.

The only noticeable difference would be if your chain is currently
skipping. A new chain might solve this problem, but then if your cogs
are badly worn it might just make things worse. You would be unable to
perceive any performance improvement. If your chain isn't worn (see
the FAQ for more info) replacing a link with a Forster (nee Craig)
Super Link or a SRAM Powerlink would accomplish the same thing for a
lot less money.

Thanks for any and all opinions.

Okay, here's another. Upgrading components on a bike just isn't cost
effective. If you want your bike to have Ultegra components it's
usually cheaper to buy a new Ultegra equipped bike than replace the
components on your current bike. Added benefit, you'll then have a
spare "beater" bike to ride when conditions aren't ideal (like early
in the season when there's a lot of sand on the roads). :-)


jeverett3ATearthlinkDOTnet http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

A new SRAM chain can be as low as $20, at my local REI store. That's
pretty cheap. If your current chain is stretched, or is the original
2-year old chain, by all means replace it. But if your current chain
is OK, you're not going to see any improvement in performance.
Look at the teeth on the rear cogs and on the crankset for scalloping.
If you see it, then you should replace those parts for sure. Excessive
tooth wear can cause chain skip with a new chain. It's a good excuse
to upgrade.
I'll go out on a limb and say that if the Sora components are still in
good condition, the improvement with Ultegra components will likely be
minimal, though shifting may seem better. You're not likely to go any
faster, though like driving a sports car, it may be more fun.
Why not consider 105 components? They are cheaper than Ultegra and
there's not any performance difference between 105 and Ultegra.

r.b.

kj wrote in message ...
I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it. I did a few
centuries this summer and plan on doing more next season, possibly even
a double-century. I'm contemplating upgrading some parts this winter
and was wondering what the general consensus was on a few questions:

- Generally, how many miles should the Sora components last? I ride in
pretty hilly areas and try to keep the chain and gears clean and lubed.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference? I was
thinking of switching to a SRAM chain with Powerlink for easier
cleaning, especially in the spring when there's a lot of sand on the roads.

Thanks for any and all opinions.

KJ

kj wrote:
I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference?

Upgrading won't make a big difference. Your Sora components have a LOT of
life left in them.

At 2000 miles, your chain is probably due for replacement. You won't
notice much improvement with a new chain, but if you don't replace it, you
risk wearing out your cassette. Put on an SRAM if you like, or else the
cheapest 8-sp chain from Shimano.

Art Harris

"Harris" wrote in message
...
kj wrote:
I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference?

Upgrading won't make a big difference. Your Sora components have a LOT of
life left in them.

This is a good point. Alot of people look *down* on shimano's lower end
stuff. Hey, I did too. However, I've recently been riding a beater mt bike
that has Shimano Exage 7 speed and fine it to perform just fine. Shifting is
smooth and crisp, braking is firm and stops you, and once I replaced all the
ball bearings with grade 25 ones and repacked them in grease, the hubs spin
smooth and are very quiet. *Upgrading* to ultegra or dura ace may "lighten"
your bike, and pocket, but it won't make a BIG difference.

At 2000 miles, your chain is probably due for replacement. You won't
notice much improvement with a new chain, but if you don't replace it, you
risk wearing out your cassette. Put on an SRAM if you like, or else the
cheapest 8-sp chain from Shimano.

Agree, get a sram or one with one of those removable links, like sram's
powerlink or IRD's "snap-link ,well worth the extra couple of dollars....

"kj" wrote in message
...
I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it. I did a few
centuries this summer and plan on doing more next season, possibly even
a double-century. I'm contemplating upgrading some parts this winter
and was wondering what the general consensus was on a few questions:

- Generally, how many miles should the Sora components last? I ride in
pretty hilly areas and try to keep the chain and gears clean and lubed.

A pretty *general* rule of thumb: a chain should last around 3K miles, a
cassette around 3 chains, or 9K miles, and chainrings perhaps 3 cassettes, or
25 K miles.

Yje important thing with drivetrain maintenance is to clean the chain before
lubing and to replace the chain before it gets significantly worn -- see the
RBT bicycle FAQ.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

No, the major difference between mid-range and better groups is a little
(trivial) weight difference.

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference? I was
thinking of switching to a SRAM chain with Powerlink for easier
cleaning, especially in the spring when there's a lot of sand on the roads.

SRAM chains are more convenient than Shimano. The important thing is to
replace a chain before it gets too worn. A new chain won't make any
performance difference though.

"bfd" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Harris" wrote in message
...
kj wrote:
I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano
Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference?

Upgrading won't make a big difference. Your Sora components have a LOT
of
life left in them.

This is a good point. Alot of people look *down* on shimano's lower end
stuff. Hey, I did too. However, I've recently been riding a beater mt bike
that has Shimano Exage 7 speed and fine it to perform just fine. Shifting
is
smooth and crisp, braking is firm and stops you, and once I replaced all
the
ball bearings with grade 25 ones and repacked them in grease, the hubs
spin
smooth and are very quiet. *Upgrading* to ultegra or dura ace may
"lighten"
your bike, and pocket, but it won't make a BIG difference.

Agreed on well maintained lower components, however I wore out a Sora Rear
derailleur in about 3 years of commuting year round but with 3 bikes and
sometimes driving. It was my main winter bike though. I don't clean my bikes
very often in the winter (ok never) and just oil dirty chains when I can't
stand the squeeking. They get covered in salt & sand and I bring them inside
at home to melt. But probably Harris doesn't treat his bikes so badly.

Doug
Toronto

"Doug Purdy" wrote in message
news
"bfd" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Harris" wrote in message
...
kj wrote:
I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano
Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference?

Upgrading won't make a big difference. Your Sora components have a LOT
of
life left in them.

This is a good point. Alot of people look *down* on shimano's lower end
stuff. Hey, I did too. However, I've recently been riding a beater mt
bike
that has Shimano Exage 7 speed and fine it to perform just fine.
Shifting
is
smooth and crisp, braking is firm and stops you, and once I replaced all
the
ball bearings with grade 25 ones and repacked them in grease, the hubs
spin
smooth and are very quiet. *Upgrading* to ultegra or dura ace may
"lighten"
your bike, and pocket, but it won't make a BIG difference.

Agreed on well maintained lower components, however I wore out a Sora Rear
derailleur in about 3 years of commuting year round but with 3 bikes and
sometimes driving. It was my main winter bike though. I don't clean my
bikes
very often in the winter (ok never) and just oil dirty chains when I can't
stand the squeeking. They get covered in salt & sand and I bring them
inside
at home to melt. But probably Harris doesn't treat his bikes so badly.

With that kind of *care*, I doubt an Ultegra rear der would last much
longer....

"bfd" wrote in message
nk.net...
With that kind of *care*, I doubt an Ultegra rear der would last much
longer....

Agreed again. Though the Sora pulley was entirely plastic and should abrade
faster than the metal bearings I'm assuming Ultegra has... never checked
yet, wouldn't it be funny if it's all plastic too!

In any case, this is using the right tool for the right job. I'm commuting
in winter conditions so using Ultegra is certainly a complete waste of
money.

With thousands, even millions riding on the outcome of a race, it would make
sense to use the best shifting action under load at any price or maintenance
schedule.

The difference between Tiagra, 105 and Ultegra is probably mostly image for
this commuter, so it would depend on the prejudices of the relevant group of
riders and what image I feel like projecting.

Here's a practical way to reduce it. If you are slower on a less costly
bike, maybe it's the bike. If you're riding top-of-the-line, you have
nowhere to hide.

Doug

In article
, kj
wrote:

I bought my first road bike two summers ago, a GT 5.0 with Shimano Sora
components. I have approximately 2000 miles on it. I did a few
centuries this summer and plan on doing more next season, possibly even
a double-century. I'm contemplating upgrading some parts this winter
and was wondering what the general consensus was on a few questions:

- Generally, how many miles should the Sora components last? I ride in
pretty hilly areas and try to keep the chain and gears clean and lubed.


With regular maintenance, it should last you for many miles to come.
The only concern with Shimano stuff is their STI shifters
malfunctioning after about 16,000 to 20,000 km or so. Not a rule of
thumb, but a gauge as some people have them working past the 20,000km
mark. Recently, both my 99 pair RSX STI brifters kicked the bucket,
the left at 16,000 and the right at 20,000km. The WD-40 trick was used
to eeck out more life before they died. I had another 96 RSX pair on
my travel bike and they both died at around the same mileage, also did
WD-40 trick plus Boeshield T-9 spray for lubrication each year. This
is from riding all season in snow and rain. So you have plenty of life
left on your components.

- Is there a big performance jump from an 8-speed Sora to say the
9-speed Ultegra group?


Absolutely not. How can it be, since you are the bike's powerplant, an
extra gear helps you in no way other than providing a less bigger jump
for the bigger cogs perhaps (30 to 32) instead of 28 to 32.

- Would simply getting a new chain make a noticeable difference? I was
thinking of switching to a SRAM chain with Powerlink for easier
cleaning, especially in the spring when there's a lot of sand on the roads.


Good idea for the new chain.. I think you're due for one anyhow.

In my opinion, I would stick with 8 speed as long as you can, only
replacing the chain as you go along. If you're happy with what you
have now, stick with it. 8 speed stuff, especially the shifters are
harder to find now if you need to replace yours. If you can't find new
8 speed replacement shifters, then you can think about upgrading to 9
speed. And by the time you do that, prices for 9 speed stuff would
probably become more affordable as 10 speed becomes mainstream.