Shimano's Workhorse Groupset Gets a Big Update
Shimano’s 105 groupset is the workhorse of the cycling world. It’s arguably the most bang you can get for your buck when building up a bike and handles everything from long training miles to entry-level racing with ease.
Adopting a similar aesthetic as the upper-tier Ultegra R8000 and Dura-Ace R9100 groupsets, the new 105 R7000 looks to continue Shimano’s mid-level price range market dominance. And thanks to the consistent trickle-down 105 will more closely match its more expensive bigger brothers in features as well. Those hoping to see Shimano’s Di2 electronic shifting offered at a lower price point, however, will need to continue waiting though. Shimano is sticking exclusively to 11-speed mechanical shifting with 105 for now.
As for aesthetics, while Ultegra and Dura-Ace are only offered in dark anodised finishes, Shimano will offer 105 in a choice of dual-tone black or silver. The silver colourway would be a great choice for building up a more classically styled bike. I’m not personally a big fan of the blacked out groupsets.
A stand out feature of the new groupset is that 105 now has an official disc brake option. It wasn’t long ago that Shimano offered hydraulic road disc brakes only as non-series components. Shimano’s heat dissipating Ice Tech finned brake pads are compatible, but not included as stock equipment.
