Are 105 & Ultegra components the same from 5 to 10 year as today?
Nope - Ultegra and 105 are both 10 speed, where they were previously 9 speed. Designations have changed from
6500 to 6600 to 6700 for current Ultegra and
5500 to 5600 to 5700 for current 105 with various changes in design and aesthetics.
There is a compatibility chart on Shimano’s website which details the components from each iteration that will function together.
Also…trickle-down technology means that today’s 105 group is of equal or better quality than older Ultegra groups.
Also…trickle-down technology means that today’s 105 group is of equal or better quality than older Ultegra groups.
I kind of disagree with this. I have a 2008 105 bike that has less than 1 year outside riding, and a couple “trainer seasons” on it, definitely feels less crisp than the older Ultegra stuff I have tried. My 105 has been very well maintained, new cables/chains/lube etc.
Current stuff might be different but for anyone riding more than a couple thousand miles/yr I think Ultegra is worth it.
-Physiojoe
Also…trickle-down technology means that today’s 105 group is of equal or better quality than older Ultegra groups.
I kind of disagree with this. I have a 2008 105 bike that has less than 1 year outside riding, and a couple “trainer seasons” on it, definitely feels less crisp than the older Ultegra stuff I have tried. My 105 has been very well maintained, new cables/chains/lube etc.
Current stuff might be different but for anyone riding more than a couple thousand miles/yr I think Ultegra is worth it.
-Physiojoe
Certainly a valid point, though I think your 2008 105 stuff (Shimano 5600) was first released back in 2005 and was without any real changes between 2005 and 2009. I don’t know how old the “older Ultegra stuff” you’re referring to is, but to be older than the 5600 105 group it’d have to be at least pre-2005 so you’re looking at Ultegra 6500 or even the old Ultegra 600. I think the new (as of 2010) 105 5700 group compares very well to those older Ultegra groups in terms of quality.
All that being said, I also think Ultegra is worth it–evidenced by the fact that my last three bikes have all been Ultegra (except that one had a DA RD). One was Ultegra 6500 and the others were Ultegra 6600 SL; I don’t own any of the new Ultegra 6700 yet.
A 2008 bike with 105. Does it have the newer 105 the debuted in 2008 which was 10 speed or the 2007 105 which was 9 speed?
Anyway, I just replaced a 9 speed 105 with a modern 9 speed sora rear derailleur (commuter bike) and frankly it shifts just as well as the 105 did, which is just fine.
A 2008 bike with 105. Does it have the newer 105 the debuted in 2008 which was 10 speed or the 2007 105 which was 9 speed?
Anyway, I just replaced a 9 speed 105 with a modern 9 speed sora rear derailleur (commuter bike) and frankly it shifts just as well as the 105 did, which is just fine.
Yeah 10 spd. 5600 I believe. Ride 7800 DA currently- which shifts better after ~15,000 mi than the 105 did brand new.
-Physiojoe
Glad I read this. Was wondering the same as well.
Frame (ie cable routing) and the cables themselves make a massive difference to shift. I had 9 speed ultegra on my commute and 9 speed 105 on my race bike (there was a reason) and with dura ace cables on both then the shifting on the race was still crisper than the commute, even when new. Just a better alignment of the guides.
Stiffness in the bottom bracket / cranks. Again, the difference wasn’t there for me, and at 95kg and pushing out a sprint peak of over 1400 watts on a Watt bike at manchester velodrome couldn’t tell the difference between the stiffness of those cranks. Between those octalink and the newer through axle, sure, but not 105 and ultegra.
Sora on the other hand… Not tried it that much, but never found a set up that works close to the 105/ultegra bikes. I’d say ultegra is more durable for prolonged use or to withstand ‘issues’ such as the mechs being pulled sideways by chain jams.
Frame (ie cable routing) and the cables themselves make a massive difference to shift. I had 9 speed ultegra on my commute and 9 speed 105 on my race bike (there was a reason) and with dura ace cables on both then the shifting on the race was still crisper than the commute, even when new. Just a better alignment of the guides.
Agree, however in my case both were Felt road bike frames with identical routing. Extremely fair comparison 
-Physiojoe
Agree, however in my case both were Felt road bike frames with identical routing. Extremely fair comparison
-Physiojoe
You make a fair point 