If you’re choosing between Shimano Tiagra and Shimano 105 – either fitted to a complete bike or as an upgrade on an existing bike – here’s everything you need to know to make the right decision.

A groupset is a component manufacturer’s collection of mechanical parts, usually covering the derailleurs, shifters, brakes, chainset, bottom bracket, cassette and chain. Brands group these parts into various different levels.

If you want to know more about what a groupset is, check out our beginner’s guide.

Shimano offers six road groupsets. Starting at the top these are:

• Dura-Ace
• Ultegra
• 105
• Tiagra
• Sora
• Claris

Plus, Dura-Ace and Ultegra are available with Di2 electronic shifting, and Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 are also available with hydraulic disc brakes, and Shimano offers both hydraulic and cable discs for Tiagra

The recommended retail price of a complete Shimano Tiagra groupset (chainset, shifters, derailleurs, chain, cassette, brakes, bottom bracket) is £500 or £450, depending which retailer you choose to believe. A Shimano 105 R7000 groupset is nominally £596. That’s a difference of £96-£146.

However, both groupsets are widely available heavily discounted. You can pick up a Tiagra group for about £300, and 105 R7000 for as little as £400, though cheap deals like that usually don't offer the full range of chainring, cassette and crank length options.

Read more: Complete guide to Shimano groupsets

The biggest difference between the groupsets is that 105 – which is the most popular groupset in the world, according to Shimano – is 11-speed (there are 11 sprockets on the cassette) whereas Tiagra is 10-speed.

Tiagra is offered with both a double chainset (there are two chainrings) and a triple chainset (there are three chainrings) whereas 105 comes as a double only.

A number of technologies have filtered down to 105 R7000 from the more expensive Ultegra and Dura-Ace groups and Tiagra components are a little heavier. As ever, you pay more for lighter weight.

Read our full Shimano 105 R7000 groupset review.

Read our full Shimano Tiagra 4700 groupset review.

Dual control levers (mechanical)

The main difference between the dual control levers is that Tiagra (below) is a 10-speed system and 105 is 11-speed.

In both cases the bracket is made from GFRP (glass-fibre reinforced plastic), the main lever is aluminium, and you get screw-operated reach adjustment to bring the levers closer to the handlebar for smaller hands.

Gear shifting on the Shimano 105 R7000 group is light and snappy, a significant improvement on the previous 105 iteration. Shimano has captured the very light lever action of Ultegra and Dura-Ace and brought it down to a cheaper price.

Tiagra has cables that are routed underneath the handlebar tape like the higher level Shimano groupsets, a feature that was a long time coming to the budget groupset.

When we reviewed Tiagra we said, “Shift feel is perhaps a little heavier than Dura-Ace or Ultegra, but that's an unfair criticism given the huge price difference.”

Unlike 105, Tiagra is available with a triple chainset (with three chainrings rather than two, see below). If you want to go down that route you’ll need to buy the compatible dual control levers.

Dual pivot brakes

One of the biggest differences between 105 and Tiagra is the braking performance.

Shimano calls its latest calliper design SLR-EV Dual Pivot and this is now found on 105 (above), Ultegra and Dura-Ace. The new symmetrical twin pivot design equalises the braking forces through each arm for better control and power.

Slowing rather than stopping can be achieved with just a couple of fingers applying pressure to the lever and it's easy to avoid locking a wheel. The brake pad compound feels a little more grippy than the previous version in both wet and dry conditions.

The latest Tiagra brakes (above) do provide more stopping ability than before but they aren’t a patch on 105. The brakes will certainly stop you in a hurry, they're just lacking in feel and feedback through the levers.

The one-piece brake blocks also exhibit some flex, and changing them isn't as simple as swapping a brake pad in more expensive cartridge brakes such as those found on 105 and Ultegra.

Shimano says both 105 and Tiagra have room for tyres up to 28mm wide. However, the latest 105 R7000 brakes have slightly more drop (the distance from the mounting bolt to the brake pads) than before: 51mm v 49mm. That implies you should be able to run 30mm tyres with the right frame.

105 is also available in a direct mount option (you need to have a compatible frame and fork) where the brake arms bolt straight on to the frame/fork rather than via a central bolt. There is no Tiagra direct mount option.

Disc brakes

The 105 hydraulic STI units for disc brakes are 11-speed, as you'd expect, while the Tiagra are 10-speed. The new 105 R7000 STI units are considerably streamlined compared to both their predecessors and the Tiagra versions.

Riders with small hands should definitely look to the R7000 brakes. The ST-R7025 levers sit closer to the handlebar than the standard ST-R7020 levers.

We've been impressed with the Tiagra hydraulic discs. They were fitted to the Genesis Datum 10 that Mike Stead tested in mid-2017, and he commented: "I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that Shimano can do no wrong brake-wise, the performance being consistently excellent across all specs from base model non-series to Dura-Ace. Stopping power is enhanced by the use of a 160mm rotor up front, meaning there's never any need for more than two fingers on the levers, even with hands on the hoods let alone in the drops." The Tiagra brakes specifically boosted the Datum 10's performance downhill: "the wide tyres and hydraulic brakes give you the confidence to bomb rough-tarmac descents without fear."

Chainset

Shimano Tiagra (below) and 105 each feature chainsets with aluminium crank arms and a steel axle. They both use a four-arm spider with uneven spacing between those arms, the idea being to provide strength and stiffness where it’s needed while keeping the weight low.

The outer ring in both cases is aluminium/GFRP. Again, the design is intended to provide stiffness.

Both 105 and Tiagra are available in 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm and 175mm crank lengths. Diminutive riders can also choose a 160mm 105 R7000 crankset

Chainring options are slightly different. With 105 you can decide between 53-39, 52-36 and 50-34 tooth setups but Tiagra lacks the traditional, racing-orientated 53-39 option.

On the other hand, Tiagra is available in a triple chainset configuration: 50-39-30. You’ll need a triple-compatible left hand shifter and front derailleur as well.

All 105 (below) and Tiagra chainsets use the same bolt circle diameter (BCD, 110mm) so it’s easy to swap from one size of chainring to another.

As commenters have pointed out, the 105 chainset is significantly lighter than the Tiagra, but is reported to work fine in an otherwise Tiagra set up, so if you have a Tiagra bike, a 105 is a worthwhile upgrade.

Front derailleur

The 105 (below) and Tiagra front derailleurs are made from the same materials – aluminium with a chrome plated stainless steel chain guide – and each comes in braze on and band on varieties to suit different frames.

The differences are that the 105 front derailleur is suitable for 11-speed use and a large chainring of between 46 and 53 teeth while the Tiagra one (below) is 10-speed compatible and takes a large chainring of between 46 and 52 teeth. (If you want to use a chainring larger than 53-teeth, Shimano says you have to go all the way up to a top level Dura-Ace front derailleur). You can also get a Tiagra front derailleur that’s suitable for use with a triple chainset.

The two derailleurs have very different appearance because the 105 R7000 uses what Shimano calls a "compact toggle design". This design — previously seen on Dura-Ace and Ultegra — increases tyre clearance and provides a cable tension adjustment screw in the body of the derailleur.

We found the Tiagra front derailleur to shift cleanly, smoothly and quietly, even under load.

Rear derailleur

Following the design of the Ultegra R8000 rear derailleur launched the year before, the 105 R7000 is a radical departure from previous 105 derailleurs and looks very different from the Tiagra unit. The 105 R7000 derailleur uses the Shadow design Shimano originally developed for mountain bikes to tuck the derailleur in to the bike and increase the largest sprocket it can handle.

The Tiagra version is designed to be used as part of a 10-speed setup while the 105 version is designed for 11-speed. Each is made with a bracket body, plate body and plates made from aluminium.

Both Tiagra and 105 rear derailleurs come in short cage and long cage versions for use with different cassettes. The short-cage Tiagra derailleur can handle up to a 28-tooth large sprocket, while the 105 R7000 equivalent can shift up to a 30-toother. The long cage versions will both handle a 34-tooth sprocket, though we've found the long-cage version of the 105 R7000 will actually shift all the way to a 40-tooth chainring without any hassle at all.

When we reviewed Tiagra we said, “Shimano says it has revised the cable pitch on the rear derailleur (above), claiming it now offers 'precise and long-lasting shifting performance'. It's certainly living up to those claims compared with old Tiagra.”

Cassette

The Tiagra and 105 cassettes both feature nickel plated steel sprockets although the 105 version has an a spider arm and a lockring made from anodised aluminium and it’s considerably lighter. The biggest difference, though, is that a 105 cassette is 11-speed while a Tiagra one is 10-speed.

105 is available in 11-25, 11-32 and 12-25 tooth options, plus a newly-introduced 11-34 that will fit on a 10-speed wheel, while Tiagra comes in 11-25, 12-28, 11-32 and 11-34 tooth.

When he reviewed the previous Shimano 105 Stu said, “Resistance to wear has always been a reason for me to buy 105 sprockets even with an Ultegra or Dura-Ace equipped bike, and that remains here as the nickel-plated sprockets are standing up to pretty much anything you can throw at it.

“The shifting is sharp and those computer designed tooth profiles must be doing their job as even under load there were no missed shifts.”

Chain

The 105 chain (below) is 11-speed rather than 10-speed, so it’s narrower and a little lighter than the Tiagra version.

They both run very quietly thanks to Sil-Tec (PTFE) coated links.

Bottom bracket

The Tiagra press-fit bottom bracket is nearly as light as the 105 version. Although the threaded model is quite a bit heavier than the 105 one (above) in percentage terms, you’re still only talking about 15g, and that’s negligible considering the overall weight of your bike. That said, for the tiny increment in typical price, the BB-R60 (105) is also used in the Ultegra groupset and has an excellent reputation for durability.

Conclusion

Tiagra is a really impressive groupset. It does everything you want from a mid-level road bike with only a few minor quibbles. The biggest decision is whether you're really fussed about having the 11-speed of Shimano's more expensive 105.

If you go for Tiagra you can’t upgrade to 105 one component at a time because 10-speed and 11-speed drivetrain components aren’t interchangeable. You’d have to upgrade most of the groupset components at once for optimum performance. As well as an 11-speed cassette having an extra sprocket, the spacing between those sprockets is smaller, an 11-speed chain is narrower than a 10-speed chain, and, obviously, an 11-speed shifter has one more position than a 10-speed one. However, you should be able to put a 105 rear derailleur in a Tiagra system as the cable pull ratios are the same, but to go to 11-speed you're eventually going to need the big bang of new sprockets, chain and shifters.

If you go for 105, on the other hand, you could swap to Ultegra or Dura-Ace gradually as each component wears out. That might be attractive, but only if you’re realistically likely to do this.

If you want really low gears, 105 is the better choice. In theory both systems with handle a 34-tooth largest sprocket, but while we've heard of people persuading Tiagra to cope with a 36-tooth, we have direct experience of a long-arm 105 mech cheerfully shifting to a 40-tooth sprocket.

The other major difference between the two groupsets is that the 105 brakes are considerably better than Tiagra ones. They are a real highlight both in terms of all-out power and fingertip control.

Tiagra offers excellent value for money but 105 is certainly the better groupset and we’d recommend going for it if your funds allow because of the better brakes, the small weight saving and the upgrade to 11-speed.

A change of pedals can lop a chunk of weight off your bike and also give you a chance to switch to pedals that work better in other ways such as providing a broader platform for your shoes or user-friendly double-sided mechanism.

In the selection of lightweight, high-end pedals below we’ve picked pedals designed to save weight but that also improve over regular or less expensive designs in other ways.

For example, Look’s latest Keo Blade pedals have a very large steel contact plate, which in theory makes the cleat — and therefore the shoe — steadier on the pedal.

The Hairsine ratios for these pedals are based on Shimano’s 330g R540 pedals, except for the Ritcheys which we’ve compared with Shimano’s 374g M520s.

>>Read more: Buyer's Guide — The best clipless pedals

Ritchey WCS Micro — £93.05

Weight: 208g Hairsine ratio: 1.34

The Ritchey WCS Micro Road Pedals are lightweight, sleek pedals for SPD-cleat users. At 208g (plus cleats), they’re are at the lighter end of heavy; they’re almost certainly the lightest option if you want to use shoes you can easily walk in.

Once clicked in they feel just as good as any other high-end SPD-style pedal, with a decent amount of float, no fore-aft slop and clean entry/exit even with grime underfoot. Being single-sided you have to look a bit, and without the SPD-SL's large rear end they don't hang ready to clip into.

We didn't find flipping them over to engage to be any hassle, the compactness meaning they didn't want to spin all the way over under their own gravity. Double-sided SPDs might be a boon off-road where you are clipping in-out frequently, but for even moderately-experienced road users the single-sidedness of the Ritcheys shouldn't be an issue.

The Pro version we reviewed is no longer available, but the WCS model is lighter and has recently had a bearing and axle upgrade to prolong its service life.

Read our review of the Ritchey Micro V4
Find a Ritchey dealer

Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedals — £143.99

Weight: 208g Hairsine ratio: 0.85

Those who love Speedplays rave about the low weight, adjustability, and shallow stack. But it's undeniable they need more looking after than most pedals, the large cleat is awkward to walk in (the new aero cleat is a big improvement on the original naked cleat though) and they're susceptible to clogging from even the smallest amount of dirt.

But if you have knees that are in any way fragile, or you want pedals that are incredibly easy to enter and release but fit stiff-soled road racing shoes, their free float and double-sided design make Speedplays well worth considering.

Read our review of the Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedals
Find a Speedplay dealer

Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Carbon SPD-SL — £134.99

Weight: 228g Hairsine ratio: 0.76

Shimano's top-level Dura-Ace R9100 pedals offer loads of security and stability and they're a few grams lighter than the previous version, although still not quite as light as some of their biggest rivals.

The pedals feature an injection-moulded carbon composite body with three small stainless steel plates across the centre to provide protection from wear. These plates are moulded in and aren't replaceable (the screwed-on plate of the previous generation Dura-Ace R9000 pedal wasn't replaceable either).

The pedal platform is 66mm wide – a little wider than previously – and provides plenty of stability. That broad platform is one of the best things about these pedals, and is especially welcome when you're riding out of the saddle.

Read our review of the Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Carbon SPD-SL

Xpedo Thrust XRF08CT — £178.03

Weight: 184g Hairsine ratio: 0.82

Despite their conventional steel springs, these carbon-bodied Look Keo clones from the upmarket arm of Taiwanese pedal giant Wellgo are very light, thanks to their pared-down carbon fibre bodies and titanium axles.

Out on the road these provide you with a whole lot of stability. That wide pedal body gives you a solid platform underneath your foot for putting down the power, with no rocking from side to side. The mechanism hangs on to your cleat securely, and if you wind up the tension there’s virtually no chance of your foot disconnecting unexpectedly.

Read our review of the Xpedo Thrust XRF08CT

Look Keo Blade Carbon Ti Pedals — £224.99

Weight: 180g Hairsine ratio: 0.67

This is the lightest incarnation of Look’s Keo pedals, and uses a weight-saving carbon fibre leaf spring to provide the retention force in place of the usual steel coil.

We like the less expensive Keo Blade and these have even more bells and whistles, including a very large steel contact plate for stability (700mm² rather than the Max’s 400mm²) and titanium axle.

The latest versions of the Keo Blade Carbon and Keo Blade Carbon Ti have interchangeable leaf springs; they come set up with 12Nm springs, but there's a 16Nm spring in the box, and a special tool to help make the job easy. You can also buy a 20Nm spring, but Look warns that you shouldn’t come crying to them if you crash because you can’t get out of the 20Nm version.

Read our review of the Look Keo Blade Carbon Pedals

Time Xpresso 15 — £304.99

Weight: 140g Hairsine ratio: 0.62

The Time Xpresso 15 pedals are extremely light and clipping in/twisting out could hardly be easier. The downside is the price, and the cleats wear noticeably faster than those of other brands.

At just 140g for the pair, they're phenomenally light thanks to carbon bodies, titanium axles, aluminium top plates and ceramic bearings. Clipping in is very easy thanks to a spring mechanism that stays open after you click out.

Read our review of the Time Xpresso 15
Find a Time dealer

Speedplay Zero Titanium Nanogram — £508.99

Weight: 120g Hairsine ratio: 0.41

At just 120g/pair these race-day-only pedals are Speedplay's demonstration that the Zero design can be made extraordinarily light. Speedplay has often displayed superlight bikes at trade shows; these pedals help make bikes like those even lighter.

The low weight is achieved by the use of every lightweight material you can think of: carbon-reinforced thermoplastic bodies; ceramic bearings; titanium axles; titanium bolts; and aluminium top plates. The cleats have been lightened too with carbon fiber replacing the plastic and aluminium fasteners instead of steel. They're bonkers expensive, but you have to admire the fanaticism.

Find a Speedplay dealer

>> Read more: All road.cc pedal reviews

A groupset is a collection of matching components used by a bike manufacturer to turn a frame into a bike. But confusingly, the term doesn’t cover all the parts on a bike, so let’s take a look at what it does cover, and why groupsets exist.

The first groupsets were produced by Italian component maker Campagnolo and just as today, a groupset was a collection of components that matched visually and in quality and function. The shapes of the various cast, forged and machined parts of a groupset all follow similar lines. Often there will be a common colour too, with various shades of grey currently in vogue.

Who makes groupsets?

The big names in bike component manufacturing are Shimano, Campagnolo, and SRAM, and these are the brands you’ll see almost exclusively on the groupsets fitted to bikes. In fact, you’ll have to look fairly hard to find anything but Shimano, such is the Japanese company’s domination of the market. You’ll find SRAM groupsets on a few mid-priced bikes, but this American-based company is currently focussing on very high-end bikes with its wireless eTap electronic shifting, and on cyclocross and gravel/adventure bikes with its 1X transmissions that combine a single chainring with a very wide-range sprocket set. Taiwanese/Italian manufacturer FSA has been working on groupsets for some years and launched an electronic system in 2018, but it hasn't been widely adopted.

There used to be more. Mavic made some strikingly-styled groupsets in the 1980s, and we previously wrote about the demise of SunTour of Japan and Zeus of Spain. Sachs, part of the German Mannesman industrial conglomerate, made groupsets in the 1990s before selling its designs and production facilities to SRAM. A few other brands have appeared on groupsets, but usually some of the parts have been rebranded components from other manufacturers. Italian company Miche, for example, used to offer groupsets with rebranded SunTour derailleurs, while Galli, also from Italy, made its own brakes and derailleurs but rebranded other companies’ parts for the rest of its groupsets.

Today, each of the big three makes a range of groupsets covering bikes from the entry level up to professional racing. The table at the foot of the page lists them, and gives an idea of the cost of the bikes you'll find them on. 

What’s in a groupset?

Campagnolo invented the groupset. Dripping with carbon fibre and titanium, Super Record is its top offering.

A modern groupset usually comprises brakes, brake/gear levers, chainset, derailleurs, chain and sprockets. That’s changed over time, though. For example, there was a time when a groupset included pedals and hubs. Groupset makers still offer hubs and pedals that are designated as part of a group, but it’s rare to see them on off-the-peg bikes. Bike makers usually buy complete wheels, sometimes from the groupset manufacturer — Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM all make wheels — sometimes from another company. Bikes often come with very basic pedals, or none at all. The customer is expected to fit their chosen pedal system. Campagnolo and Shimano used to offer seatposts, Shimano made headsets and handlebar stems (and very lovely the stems were too, as Kim Chee points out in the comments), Campagnolo has dabbled in saddles and for a while made highly-regarded rims.

What about the other bits?

A bike’s bar, stem, saddle and seatpost will come from a different company than the one supplying the groupset. There’s no particular reason for this, except that groupset makers tend to have long-standing specialisation in moving parts and leave the less complicated components alone.

But we’re talking about the bike industry so it’s Not That Simple. Some manufacturers of non-groupset components have expanded beyond that original remit, notably FSA and Ritchey with headsets, wheels and chainsets. From the other direction, Shimano owns Pro Bike Gear, which makes bars, stems, saddles, seatposts and wheels, plus bags and accessories. You’ll need tyres and tubes, but it’s otherwise possible to build a completely Shimano/Pro-equipped bike, and when FSA’s gear system becomes available (see below), you’ll be able to the same with its parts.

Why have a groupset at all?

In its top-end Emonda SLR 10, Trek carries the colours of the SRAM Red eTap group to the whole bike

We’ve already touched on two reasons why groupsets exist: matching aesthetics and matching quality. A bike with a complete groupset looks good, because the chainset, brakes, levers and derailleurs will all be the same colour and share other visual features. Perhaps more importantly, the quality of all the parts will be similar, so you can expect them all to be similarly durable. The metal treatments and high-strength alloys that make pivots and bearings more durable and that also make parts lighter are expensive, so better groupsets are pricier. If you ride 10,000 miles per year, the reliability of an expensive groupset is a decent investment; if you’re a 2,000 mile-a-year weekend warrior, perhaps not so much.

Materials themselves may delineate groupsets. You won’t find any carbon fibre in Campagnolo’s entry-level Veloce groupset, but its top-end Super Record groupset is positively dripping with composites, as well as a fair amount of titanium. That use of high-tech materials makes Super Record the lightest groupset on the market, as well as the most expensive.

Another reason is that a bike with a complete groupset almost always works better than one with a mix of parts from different manufacturers. Component makers design their shifters to pull just the right amount of cable for each gear shift or braking action, and their sprockets and chainrings to grab their chains and move them smoothly from one tooth to another. Change almost any component and things won’t work quite as well.

That said, some manufacturers are pretty good at making compatible parts. SRAM sprockets work well enough in Shimano transmissions and it’s not unusual to find KMC chains on bikes equipped with any of the big three’s groupsets. In fact, KMC is widely reported to supply chains to Shimano, so you’d expect its chains to work with Shimano gears. Nevertheless, with rare exceptions, if you want your bike to work as well as it possibly can, then fitting a complete groupset is the way to go.

How many gears?

Aside from weight and durability the main difference between cheaper and more expensive groupsets is the number of gears you get. The latest top-end groupsets have 12 sprockets on the rear hub, giving a wide range of closely-spaced gears. From the next tier down to the middle of the range, you find 11-speed transmissions.

When it comes to groupsets you'll find on bikes in the shops, Shimano's Tiagra transmission is the only common 10-speed set-up, although SRAM's Apex groupset and Campagnolo's Veloce ensemble are also 10-speed.

If your needs are more modest, Shimano is the only game in town, with the 9-speed Sora groupset and 8-speed Claris.

Stopping options

Just a few years ago there was only one way of slowing down a road bike, with brakes that acted on the wheel rims, operated by cables. Since then, hydraulically-operated disc brakes have become common on bikes from about £1,200 and up. 

All the major manufacturers now offer groupsets with disc brakes; Campagnolo was the last to come to the party, and aside from the grizzling of a few retrogrouches they're now an accepted part of the bike component universe. While they're a bit heavier than rim brakes, they offer better control, are less affected by the wet and still work if your rim gets damaged of you break a spoke.

What’s the future of groupsets?

Shimano's Dura-Ace R9150, introduced for the 2017 model year, is the state-of-the-art electronic-shifting groupset

The barrier to entering the groupset market is high. Most of the customers are bike manufacturers with well-established relationships with their existing suppliers. You need substantial amounts of heavy machinery for the forging, casting, stamping and moulding processes that convert raw metal to bike parts, and either robots or inexpensive labour to assemble them.

As a result, nobody enters the field with a complete groupset. The trick is to get started with a part that’s better than what’s already available, or at least very different from it. SRAM did this with its throttle-style gear shifter GripShift, and expanded by buying other companies like Sachs (derailleurs), Avid (brakes) and Truvativ (chainsets).

The rear derailleur of the FSA K-Force WE electronic groupset

A new entrant we’ll almost certainly see in the near future is FSA. Its logo is already a common sight on bikes with its chainsets, seatposts, bars, stem and headsets. FSA has been threatening for years to make complete groupsets for road bikes, but so far has only produced a triathlon bike set. At the 2016 Tour de France, prototypes of an FSA electronic gear system, dubbed K-Force WE, appeared on the bike of top Italian rider Ivan Basso. A few weeks later FSA showed off the new shifters at the Eurobike show  and our Dave Arthur was able to take it for a spin.

We tested K-Force WE when it finally became available and found it had some way to go to catch up with the electronic groupsets from Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM.

The reason it took so long for FSA to get a groupset out is probably that decent-quality road bikes now all have combined gear and brake levers. There are only so many ways to do this and they’re all covered by patents held by Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. However, since Shimano introduced its STI brake/shift levers in 1990, its patents on that design should now have expired. That we’ve not seen copies yet is testament to Shimano’s technical expertise in getting a quite delicate mechanism to work reliably.

The trend over the last few years has been to ever-greater integration between parts, and that will continue. In the days before indexed shifting you could use a Campagnolo derailleur with Shimano gear levers (though Campagnolo derailleurs of that era shifted so badly it’s a mystery why you’d want to). You can’t do that now and be certain the indexing will work properly, nor should you use Shimano levers with Campagnolo brakes — they have different cable pull requirements. And you definitely can’t use SRAM hydraulic brakes with Shimano levers because they use different, totally incompatible hydraulic fluids.

Imagine a system that senses that you’re braking and changes gear for you. That would require a level of integration beyond the current state of the art. Or how about a seatpost that automatically adjusts your saddle height within a range: lower for descending, higher for climbing?

Read more: Your complete guide to SRAM road bike groupsets
Read more: Your complete guide to Campagnolo road bike groupsets
​Read more: Your complete guide to Shimano road bike groupsets

Know your groupsets

The table below lists the groupsets currently offered by Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo, along with the recommended retail price of a complete set of each one. You'll almost always be able to find them for less than RRP, but the prices give you an index of the relative quality of each groupset.

We’ve also listed the approximate price range of bikes with each group. We have to stress these ranges are very approximate. Some groupsets — especially those from Campagnolo — are very uncommon on off-the-peg bikes.

SRAM offers a rim-brake version of Force AXS but we haven't been able to find any bike manufacturers that are using it

[This article was last updated on July 9, 2019]

If you’re deciding between Shimano 105 and Shimano Ultegra groupsets, either on a complete bike or as an upgrade, here’s everything you need to know to make the right choice.

Starting at the basics, a groupset is a component manufacturer’s collection of mechanical parts, usually covering the derailleurs, shifters, brakes, chainset, cassette and chain. Brands group these parts together in various different levels.

Going from the top, Shimano's current road groupsets are:

• Dura-Ace
• Ultegra
• 105
• Tiagra
• Sora
• Claris
• Tourney

Additionally, Dura-Ace and Ultegra are available with Di2 electronic shifting. We’ll leave Di2 to one side here because there’s no 105 version to consider. If you want it, your decision is between Ultegra Di2 and Dura-Ace Di2, and that’s outside the scope of this article.

Check out our Complete Guide to Shimano Road Groupsets.

Shimano usually updates each groupset every three years. The latest version of Shimano 105 is called R7000 (the disc brakes are R7020) and the most up to date Ultegra is R8000 (the disc brakes are R8020, the Di2 is R8050 and Di2 with hydraulic disc brakes is R8070).

A Shimano 105 groupset with rim brakes retails at £612.91 (without pedals) while an equivalent Shimano Ultegra groupset is £982.91 (without pedals) – that’s £370 more, but what do you actually get for the extra money?

We quote official recommended retail prices here, of course, but we've also included typical online prices. The weights listed below are Shimano’s official figures.

Both 105 and Ultegra are 11-speed systems and there are many more similarities between them than differences. Although Ultegra is more expensive, all of the same technology features in 105, and you operate them in exactly the same way.

The differences are mainly down to materials used, and because of this 105 components are a little heavier.

We've put all the prices and weights into a table at the bottom along with the scores we awarded when we reviewed each groupset independently, just to make life easier for you.

Check out our full Shimano 105 review here and read our full Shimano Ultegra review here.

Dual control levers

The dual control levers are high points of both the Ultegra and 105 (above) groupsets and they each work in exactly the same way. They’re slim and comfortable to use with a short stroke and a light action (much lighter than earlier incarnations).

When he reviewed the Ultegra levers (above) Stu Kerton said, “The biggest difference of R8000 [current generation Shimano Ultegra] over 6800 [the previous version] is the shape of the brake lever. The curve for your index finger is more pronounced and if, like me, you like to wrap your finger around the bar when on the hoods then you'll find it very comfortable.

"The shape allows you to use just your second finger for braking to slow down, and to quickly add all your fingers for hard braking efforts."

The 105 levers have been redesigned with shifting mechanisms that make the shift a bit more snappy than before, and the shape of the lever is squarer, slightly more compact and features a patterned rubber cover for extra grip on the hoods.

There is a difference in the materials used. Ultegra dual control levers have carbon-fibre reinforced plastic brackets and main levers while 105 has glass-fibre reinforced plastic brackets and aluminium main levers.

The 105 levers are a little heavier but you won’t notice any difference in performance.

Chainset

The 105 chainset (below) has a spider with four unevenly spaced arms, the idea being to provide stiffness where it’s needed while saving weight over a five arm design. This is technology that started off in the top-level Dura-Ace groupset and has trickled down via Ultegra.

Both 105 and Ultegra (below) are available with 53-39-tooth, 52-36-tooth and 50-34-tooth chainrings, and Ultegra is also available in a 46-36-tooth cyclocross option. All of them use the same bolt circle diameter (110mm) so you can easily swap a 53-tooth outer chainring for a 50-tooth, for example.

The 105 and Ultegra chainsets use the same technology and the same materials in key areas. Although many rivals have shifted to carbon-fibre cranks, Shimano has stuck with aluminium. Its Hollowtech technology results in a hollow crank arm to keep the weight low while retaining stiffness.

The 105 chainset's outer chainring is heavily machined on the inside face to reduce weight, retaining splines across the machined section to make sure stiffness isn't compromised. It's not quite as technically advanced as the Ultegra outer chainring which features a two-piece construction, but you wouldn't know unless you looked at it from the back. The design is a bit more susceptible to storing grime in all the recesses but that's not a huge issue.

As usual, there’s a slight weight penalty if you go for 105.

Whereas some chainsets feature a aluminium axle in a 30mm diameter, Shimano uses a steel axle with a 24mm diameter across the board.

The weights given above are for chainsets with 50/34-tooth chainrings.

Front derailleur

The 105 (above) and Ultegra (below) front derailleurs each come with a glass-fibre reinforced plastic outer link, an aluminium inner link, a chrome-plated steel chain guide, and light shifting. A trim position allows you to avoid chain rub as you move across the cassette.

Both the Ultegra and 105 front derailleurs have been redesigned and use a cam arrangements to actuate the shift, allowing the units to be much more compact than before.

They each feature a tension adjustment screw, which means there's no need for an inline barrel adjuster.

The largest chainring recommended for use with each of them is 53-tooth. That’s fine for most people although some time trialists who like pushing big gears might struggle.

Rear derailleur

Both Ultegra and 105 (below) rear derailleurs are available in short cage (SS) and medium cage (GS) versions to suit the chainset and cassette that you are using. Go for the medium cage version of either and the maximum sprocket size you can officially use is 34T (although in reality they'll handle much more).

They're similar to one another in terms of materials although the Ultegra model has better pulley bearings.

For the latest versions of its top three groupsets, Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105, Shimano has incorporated its Shadow technology, brought over from the mountain bike side of the business.

Its design means that the rear derailleur profile is much narrower when you look at the bike from the rear, sitting 12mm closer to the bike when in the bottom sprocket of the cassette. This means that should you crash or the bike gets blown over there is less chance of damage to the bike or wrecking your gear hanger.

The new design is compatible with direct mount frames, although there aren't many of those in the road sector right now.

In his review of Shimano Ultegra R8000 Stu said, "The gear shifts feel slightly quicker and lighter than on 6800, and it really is a joy to use."

Once set up, we found 105 shifting to be precise and consistent across the whole cassette. It's crisp and light whether you're using the short cage or the medium cage rear derailleur.

As well as the normal rear derailleurs, Shimano offers clutch-operated Ultegra RX options (£89.99 for the cable-operated version, £259.99 for the Di2 version) which are aimed at the gravel/adventure market. There's no Shimano 105 clutch derailleur.

Cassette

Both 105 and Ultegra are 11-speed systems. 105 cassettes (above) are available in 11-28-tooth, 11-30, 11-32, 11-34 and 12-25 options. Ultegra is available in all of those plus 11-25 and 14-28. There’s no reason why you can’t use an Ultegra cassette with an otherwise 105 groupset, or vice versa.

With both 105 and Ultegra, the largest sprocket you can officially use is a 34-tooth, although in truth you can go much larger than that; we have gear systems with 11-40 cassettes that work very happily.

In both cases, the sprockets are made from nickel-plated steel, although an Ultegra cassette has a carbon/aluminium spider arm and an anodised aluminium lockring while a 105 cassette has an aluminium spider and a nickel-plated steel lockring. These differences make for a difference in weight, but we're talking about 23-35g, depending on the size of the cassette.

Dual pivot brakes

Both Ultegra and 105 SLR EV dual pivot rim brakes are made from anodised aluminium and we rate them very highly. They’re essentially the same design: a symmetrical twin pivot system that’s designed to equalise the braking forces through each arm allowing for better control and power.

In reviewing the 105 brakes (above) Dave said, “The Shimano symmetrical dual-pivot brakes are, for me, the best road rim brakes out there. They have a very solid feel and modulation is excellent. I've been using the brakes on my race bike, which has Swiss Side Hadron 485 wheels that have an alloy brake track, and the brake performance is about as good as you're going to find for a rim brake. The 105 callipers are not noticeably inferior to the Ultegra brakes in anything other than weight, and even there the difference isn't great."

The maximum tyre width Shimano recommends for its Ultegra (above) and 105 SLR EV Dual Pivot brakes (below) is 28mm.

Shimano also offers direct mount brakes in both the Ultegra and the 105 groupsets. They’re virtually identical to one another, each taking tyres up to 28mm.

Hydraulic disc brakes

Shimano has offered 105-level and Ultegra-level hydraulic disc brakes for some time but it's only recently that designs have actually been incorporated into each of the groupsets.

The new Shimano 105 mechanical shift/hydraulic brake dual control unit is based on the cable-operated version (above), with the same lever design and a similar hood profile with the textured finish for better grip in the wet. The body of the hood is a bit bigger, especially at the bottom where the hose exits the lever, but not so much that it's a problem.

Read our Shimano 105 R7020 hydraulic disc brake review here

The 105 system has an aluminium brake lever while it's engineering composite if you go for Ultegra, which is a little lighter.

The brake callipers are very similar to one another, although the body on the 105 version is painted while it's anodised for Ultegra.

Will you notice a difference in the quality of the braking if you opt for more expensive Ultegra? In short, no. It works brilliantly whichever you choose.

You can buy a brake calliper and dual control lever separately (see table above) or you can buy a set that includes the lever, the brake calliper and the hose (£249.99 per brake in the case of 105, £309.99 per brake for Ultegra).

You'll also need to factor in £55.98 for two Shimano 105-level disc rotors, or £99.98 for two Ultegra-level rotors to complete the package.

Chain

Both the Ultegra and 105 chains undergo a Sil-Tec low friction plating process that’s designed to make them run smoother and require less maintenance, as well as increasing the durability.

The only difference between them is that the 105 chain has this treatment on the roller link plates (the inner ones) only while the Ultegra chain (above) has it on the pin link plates (the outer ones) too.

It's great to see that Shimano is finally offering its chains with a quick link similar to those used by KMC and others, making them much easier to fit and remove.

Bottom bracket

Shimano recommends the same bottom bracket whether you go for an Ultegra or a 105 groupset. The BBR60 (77g) is available in both British and Italian threaded versions, while the BB72-41 (69g) is for press-fit systems.

Pedals

The Ultegra and 105 (below) pedals both have wide carbon composite bodies, widely spaced bearings, chromoly steel axles and adjustable entry and release tension. The Ultegra pedals have slightly more stainless steel body plating, designed to reduce flex and wear, and a little more clearance (33° as opposed to 31°).

The Ultegra pedal is also available in a version with a 4mm longer axle for more clearance between the crank arm and your shoe.

Conclusion

If you’ve read everything above, looked at the pictures, and come to the conclusion that there’s not all that much difference between 105 and Ultegra components, you’re right. They work in the same ways, the shaping is the same and so is the engineering. There are no major technological features in the Ultegra groupset that aren’t included in 105.

Table comparing the prices, weights and road.cc review scores of Shimano 105 and Shimano Ultegra components

The differences are minor and mostly come down to materials. This results in Ultegra components being a little lighter than their 105 counterparts. No single Ultegra component is massively lighter and the small savings add up to just 191g across a whole groupset (the figure could be a little more or a little less than that depending on exactly which options you choose).

We reckon that 105 is as good as it gets in terms of bangs per buck right now and there is no compromise in functionality: this groupset is better than top-level Dura-Ace was a few years ago, for a fraction of the price. There's no aspect of its performance that would be meaningfully improved by going one rung up the groupset ladder.

We awarded both Shimano 105 and Ultegra 10/10 for performance, and we give out very few 10/10 marks. We marked Ultegra 7/10 for value while giving 105 9/10 courtesy of offering a very similar level of performance at a significantly lower price. That might or might not be important to you.

Whether the small weight saving you get with Ultegra is worth the extra cash is something you have to decide for yourself based on your bank balance and your priorities.

If you’re choosing between Shimano 105 R7000 and SRAM Rival 22 groupsets, here’s everything you need to know in order to make the right decision.

Starting right at the beginning, a groupset is a component manufacturer’s collection of mechanical parts, usually covering the derailleurs, shifters, brakes, chainset, bottom bracket, cassette and chain. Brands group these parts into various different levels. 105 and Rival 22 are the third tier road groupsets from their respective manufacturers.

Shimano 105 is much more commonly fitted as original equipment on complete bikes than SRAM Rival 22. It rules the roost on bikes priced from about £1,000. You might easily find yourself having to decide between a bike fitted with 105 and one in a Rival 22 build, though, or you could be looking to upgrade from Shimano Tiagra or SRAM Apex and want to check out the options open to you. Either way, the aim of this article is to explain the differences so you can make an informed choice.

A complete Shimano 105 R7000 groupset, available in both silver and black finishes, costs about £600 at RRP while a SRAM Rival 22 groupset is priced from £524.

SRAM Rival is also available as a 1x system with a single chainring matched up to a wide-range cassette. We’re not covering that here because it has no direct rival from Shimano. Just bear in mind that SRAM Rival 22 and SRAM Rival 1 are not the same thing.

We’ll go through each component in turn.

Shifters

105 RRP: £194.99 | Typical price: £149.99 - £154
Rival 22 RRP: £221 | Typical price: £153.38

In use, the biggest difference you’ll notice between 105 and Rival 22 – and between any other Shimano and SRAM groupsets, come to that – is in the way the shifters work.

With Shimano’s design (above), you change to a larger sprocket by sweeping the brake lever inward, and you change to a smaller sprocket by pushing a lever that sits behind the brake lever. Shifting the chain between chainrings follows the same principle. It’s a very light action thanks to polymer coated cables.

SRAM uses what it calls a DoubleTap mechanism. A shift paddle located behind the brake lever handles both upshifts and downshifts. You tap it to move to a smaller sprocket, and you push it further to shift the other direction. Shifting at the front operates in a similar way.

We wouldn’t say that one system is inherently better than the other, but they are different. We’d suggest you try out both systems before making a buying decision, perhaps at a local bike shop, to see which you prefer. This will also tell you whether you find the hoods of one brand more comfortable than those of the other. You’re likely to spend a lot of your riding time with your hands resting on them.

105 provides 10mm of reach adjustment for smaller hands while Rival 22 offers individual reach adjustment of both the brake lever and the shift paddle.

Rival shifters are lighter than their 105 equivalents. A pair of 105 R7000 brake/shift levers weighs 500g. Rival 22 shifters are about 150g lighter.

If you go for a hydraulic brake system, the shifters will be a different shape because they have to incorporate a master cylinder. The levers of the SRAM Rival 22 Hydro system (above, £284 per wheel) are chunky, though not as large as SRAM’s original hydraulic levers, and some people just don’t like the look of the tall front end. On the other hand, the high hood can be easy to grab, especially if you're riding with your forearms parallel to the road.

We liked the old Shimano 105 5800 hydraulic disc brakes (RRP £500; typical price £379.99); the new R7000 version is a substantial improvement on them. They're so easy to feather and control, even when braking from the hoods, that they'll instantly put a smile on your face. Go down to the drops and settle in for a technical descent and they're even better. It's so easy to scrub off a bit of speed that it becomes second nature; going back to a bike with average brakes is a bit of a shock. RRP is £470; typical price: ~£350.

Chainset

105 RRP: £129 | Typical price: £99-£119.99
Rival 22 RRP: £220 | Typical price: £109.99 - £139.40

Both the Shimano 105 and the SRAM Rival 22 chainsets are made from aluminium with hollow arms to save weight (go up to SRAM Force and the cranks are carbon fibre; Shimano sticks with aluminium right up the range).

Shimano (above) now uses a four arm rather than a five arm spider to secure the chainrings, with uneven spacing between those arms. The idea is to provide the strength where it’s most needed while dropping the weight of the fifth arm. SRAM uses a five bolt system.

The Shimano 105 chainset has a reputation for being super-stiff. When we reviewed it we said, “Regardless of how much power you put through the cranks, there’s no detectable flex there whatsoever.”

Shimano lead the field here but we’ve been impressed by the SRAM Rival 22 chainset too. Our man Dave Atkinson reported, “I had no issues with derailleur rub under power which suggests [the chainset] is nice and stiff.”

You can get the 105 chainset in a standard 53/39-tooth option, semi-compact 52/36, and compact 50/34. There’s no cyclocross-specific option, though.

SRAM’s Rival 22 chainset (above) is available in 52/36, 50/34 and 46/36-tooth options. With both Shimano and SRAM, you can swap to other chainring sizes quite easily.

Shimano offers 105 cranks in 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm lengths – which will cover the vast majority of people –while SRAM provides all of those plus 167.5mm and 177.5mm options.

The Rival 22 chainset is available in both 24mm and 30mm axle options whereas Shimano offers 24mm only. Whichever you choose, you obviously need to get the correct bottom bracket for your bike (105 £21.99, Rival 22 £29).

The 105 chainset we reviewed here on road.cc hit the scales at 737g while you’re looking at over 100g more for Rival.

Front derailleur

105 RRP: £32 | Typical price: £24.95
Rival 22 RRP: £41 | Typical price: ~£27

SRAM boasts that you don’t need to adjust the position of your front derailleur (below) to avoid your chain rubbing on the side plates, no matter which sprocket you’re using. This results from what it calls ‘Yaw’ technology that has trickled down from its higher end groupsets.

Essentially, the front derailleur cage rotates slightly when you shift from the small chainring to the large one, so its angle relative to the chain remains the same.

When he reviewed SRAM Rival 22, Dave Atkinson said, “It's a bit of a fiddle to set up, but once you have it dialled in it works perfectly, and I didn't have any derailleur rub at the front even when I was crossing the chain on purpose.”

With 105 you’ll sometimes find that you need to trim the position of the front derailleur as you move the chain across the cassette.

When we reviewed 105 here on road.cc, we found that the new cam design of the front derailleur combined with the other tweaks to the group made for a slightly improved shift. Dave Atkinson wrote: " It's not a seismic change, but the front shifts are a bit lighter and more predictable than with the previous version."

There’s not much to choose between them in terms of weight, the 105 front derailleur weighs 95g and the Rival 22 one a claimed 89g with a chainspotter included (to stop the chain coming off the inside of the inner chainring; you don’t get one of these with 105).

Rear derailleur

105 RRP: £47.99 | Typical price: £35.40/£42.56
Rival 22 RRP: £46/£57 | Typical price: £40/£47.39

We’ve been massively impressed by the Shimano 105 R7000 rear derailleur (below).

“Shifting is everything you'd expect: precise and repeatable across the whole cassette. We've used both the SS derailleur on an 11-28 cassette and the GS derailleur on an 11-34, and there's no meaningful difference in performance between the two: shifts are crisp and light,” we said in our review.

We’ve not had any issues with SRAM Rival 22 shifting either.

With both SRAM and Shimano, you need to choose the correct sized rear derailleur for the gears you are running. Shimano’s 105 R7000 GS rear derailleur will handle up to a 34-tooth maximum sprocket, while the mid-cage version of SRAM’s Rival rear derailleur (above) allows you to use a maximum sprocket size of 32-teeth.

A short cage Shimano 105 rear derailleur weighs 225g while the SRAM Rival 22 equivalent is 45g lighter.

Brakes

105 RRP: £83.98 pr | Typical price: £65.99 pr
Rival 22 RRP: £74 pr | Typical price: £58.30 pr

Shimano’s 105 twin pivot brake callipers (below) are exceptionally good, offering loads of power and plenty of control.

They have a very solid feel and modulation is excellent. In our review Big Dave wrote: "I've been using the brakes on my race bike, which has Swiss Side Hadron 485 wheels that have an alloy brake track, and the brake performance is about as good as you're going to find for a rim brake. The 105 callipers are not noticeably inferior to the Ultegra brakes in anything other than weight, and even then we're only talking about 20g here and there."

If you have a frame with direct mount points, you can use the BR-7010 versions (£44.99) built to the same SLR-EV design but with two frame mounting points rather than the traditional single.

There’s no direct mount option in the Rival 22 lineup but the dual pivot callipers come with very good SwissStop pads. Both 105 and Rival 22 are compatible with tyres up to 28mm.

The Shimano 105 brake callipers weigh 379g the pair while SRAM claims 300g for its Rival 22 brakes.

Both the Shimano 105 (above) and the SRAM Rival 22 groupsets include hydraulic disc brakes (see under 'Shifters', above) that are more powerful than mechanical rim brakes, and less affected by wet conditions. Obviously, you need the correct frame and fork to take these.

In terms of overall performance, they’re very similar.

“Shimano's units feel a bit more powerful overall but the SRAM brakes (above) are a bit more progressive through their range of power, so it's swings and roundabouts,” said Dave Atkinson.

“If I had to choose one or the other, the SRAM brakes would probably edge it. They're a bit more keen to squeak when they get wet, but in my experience there's less rotor rub after heating the discs up on a long descent.”

We’ve found that bleeding the SRAM brakes is a bit more of an involved process than it is with Shimano.

SRAM also offers hydraulic rim brakes (above, £254 per wheel with brake/shift levers, though you can now pick them up for £194.99 - £228.78) that will fit to a standard (non-disc) bike, although we can’t say we’ve seen these fitted as original equipment on any bikes.

Cassette

105 RRP £42.99 | Typical price: £36.95
Rival 22 RRP £62 | Typical price: £46.99-£62.99

Both 105 and Rival 22 are 11-speed systems, and each offers cassettes in various tooth ranges.

One SRAM cassette covers 11-36 teeth, although you’d have to use that as part of a 1x system with a specially designed rear derailleur. For the R7000 version of 105, Shimano has introduced an 11-34 cassette to provide an even wider gear range, and we've found that the GS rear derailleur will even work with the 11-40 cassette Shimano makes for its mountain bike systems.

You’re looking at weights from around 260g for both brands, depending on the size option you choose.

Chain

105 RRP £29.99 | Typical price: ~£17.50
Rival 22 RRP £19 | Typical price: £15.78

We’ve found the chains of both systems to be smooth and reliable, although the SRAM chain is easier to set up thanks to the inclusion of a PowerLock connecting link that doesn’t require the use of any tools. With Shimano (below), you have to use a connecting pin and a chain tool, or buy a connecting link separately.

A SRAM Rival 22 chain weighs a claimed 259g for 114 links while our Shimano 105 chain weighed 265g for 116 links, so they’re about the same.

Overall

Properly setup, both Shimano 105 and SRAM Rival 22 offer similar levels of performance to the top-level components from their respective manufacturers, it’s just that they’re a little heavier.

Each system has its strengths. We highly rate Shimano’s braking, for example, and we really like the Yaw technology that SRAM uses in its front derailleur.

By far the biggest difference that you’re likely to notice between 105 and Rival 22 is in the shifting, not in their level of performance but in the way that they’re designed to operate. You’ll probably adjust quickly to either shift system – most people do – but just make sure you’ve had a test ride before you lay down your cash.

We'd be interested to hear about the experiences of readers who have used both systems.

When it comes to clipless pedals, you have the choice between a three-bolt road-style system, like Shimano’s SPD-SL, and a two-bolt mountain bike-style system, such as Shimano’s SPD, and here we’re going to help you decide which is the best option for you.

Check out a whole road.cc forum topic on the subject .

Now, although I’ve already described a three bolt system as ‘road-style’, not everyone who rides on the road opts for this type of pedal, and SPDs are certainly not confined to trail use.

One other thing to mention up top is that most of the characteristics of Shimano’s SPD-SL system are shared by other three-bolt designs from the likes of Look and Time. Plus, other mountain bike systems are similar in essentials to SPD. We're sticking to Shimano here to keep things simple, but here's a pic of some Look Keo Blade Carbons, just to show we're not biased!

Oh, and then there’s Speedplay, a unique system that has many avid fans, although for clarity we’re not going to cover it here. Sorry. If you want to know more about Speedplay, which is particularly valuable for those who need a lot of float, go to our article on 10 of the best clipless pedals.

Read our pedal reviews here.

Okay, so what are we talking about when we say SPD and SPD-SL?

Shimano first released its SPD (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) design way back in 1990. A smaller metal cleat is mounted to your shoe with two bolts, fitting in a recess in the sole. The recessed cleat makes it easier to walk in SPD shoes and helps guide the cleat into the mechanism, so it’s easier to clip in. Originally intended for mountain biking, SPD has become popular with commuting and recreational riders too who tend to go for inexpensive workhorses like the Shimano PD-M520, above, £21.99).

SPD-SL pedals, on the other hand, are quite similar to the original road racing clipless pedals introduced by Look in 1984 and updated many times since. These have a three-bolt cleat that stands proud of the sole, hooks into the front of the pedal and is held in place by a spring-loaded latch at the rear. You can see the mechanism in the carbon-fibre-bodied Shimano 105 R7000 pedals, above which are popular with road riders and will typically set you back about £66. This allows an uncomplicated, rigid sole, but is awkward to walk in; think of a penguin waddling on ice or a sheep on lino and you’re somewhere close.

"Our pedals are always developed with particular shoes in mind (and vice versa), so we can give riders a complete pedalling system," says Shimano's Ben Hillsdon. "When making a decision on which to go for it's important to consider whether the shoe and pedal combination offer you the right level of usability and comfort for the type of riding you're doing. One of the biggest differences between the two pedal systems is how easy it is to walk in the shoes, which can have a big impact on a rider's experience and mid-ride coffee stop!"

What type of soles are right for you?

When you walk in SPD-SL shoes, the prominent cleat is in contact with the ground. Little tips on the cleat provide some protection against wear but you get relatively little grip. Most manufacturers make three-bolt soles as rigid as possible for cycling performance, and that’s far from ideal when you’re not on the bike. Really, you want to keep walking to a minimum: getting to and from your bike, tapping in and out of the cafe, that kind of thing.

The £70 dhb Aeron Carbon Road Shoes that we recently reviewed here on road.cc are typical shoes for a three-bolt system. They come with a full-carbon sole that has a 3k weave top layer.

“Although it's not the most rigid sole ever, it's pretty damn stiff and there's no sense that your power is being directed anywhere but straight into your pedals,” we said.

That’s great when you’re in the saddle, but it doesn’t make for ease of walking. You get very little grip on wet surfaces, while mud and SPD-SL systems really don’t get along.

The fact that an SPD cleat sits in a recess means that when you’re off the bike it’s not in contact with the ground nearly as much as an SPD-SL cleat. Manufacturers can give you a treaded sole that’ll grip on various different surfaces.

“The grip on the sole is pretty fat, chunky and made from SlipNot rubber tread,” said Jo Burt in his review of Specialized’s £200 two-bolt Recon Mixed Terrain shoes. “There's even a little bit of waffle grip mid-sole should you fluff a clip-in or be a little nervous and need to ride a section resting on the pedal not clipped in, and there are studs in the toe in case any rides see you scrabbling up muddy banks and suchlike.

“The tread works well in both on and off-road environments, although they're going to flounder in really muddy situations, and for off-bike applications they're confident even in the slipperiest of surfaces – such as the floor of a gent's toilet in a pub.”

Read our review of Specialized’s Mixed Terrain shoes here.

The two-bolt Giro Civila Women’s road shoes (£69.99)that we recently reviewed are designed for more recreational riding.

“They are easy to walk in, comfortable for the job and the grippy sole sections offer a much better likelihood of staying on your feet on a tiled or laminate floor than many shoes offering equivalent performance,” we said.

Also, although mountain bike race shoes, like road race shoes, have rigid soles, some shoes designed for SPD pedals offer more flex.

Giro describes the Petra VR shoes (£59.99), for instance, as “versatile shoes that combine performance riding features like clipless pedal compatibility with the walkability and comfort of light hiking shoes” (the recess for the cleat is covered in the picture below).

When she reviewed them here on road.cc Lara Dunn said, “These are one of very few pairs of cycling shoes of this ilk that I've tried that genuinely don't feel like cycling shoes when you're walking, such is the fine-tuning of the flexibility of the sole. The soles are also grippy enough to be genuinely useful to walk in.”

Check out all of our shoe reviews here.

There are many two-bolt touring shoes out there, like Shimano’s RT5s (£71.99 - £89.99, RT stands for Road Touring).

“There’s no ultra stiff low profile carbon sole with a road-style three-bolt cleat drilling here,” we said. “Instead, it’s a glass fibre sole with a recessed two-bolt drilling that’ll accept Shimano’s mountain bike SPD cleat system with the raised tread sections ensuring you can walk without fear of slippage. It’s not an aggressive sole like you get on a mountain bike shoe – they’re not intended for walking in muddy conditions, but getting around town, the office or cafes without slipping up and spilling your flat white.”

Read our Shimano RT 5 First Look.

Some two-bolt shoes are designed specifically for urban use, like Shimano’s £65.50 CT5 (CT stands for City Touring) which have a casual trainer style to them along with an EVA mid sole designed to add walking comfort.

The more time you’re likely to spend walking, the more appealing SPDs become.

So why wouldn’t you want the treaded outsole that an SPD system allows? There’s no point for a lot of us. If you get on your bike and ride until you get home again, or you just stop for a coffee or to nip into a garage for an emergency Snickers, you might as well save a little weight by doing without.

If you really don't know whether you'll be better off with a two bolt or a three bolt system, some shoes, such as Shimano's RP2 Women (above) are capable of taking either. Look out for a sole that has a pair of SPD bolt holes nestled among the three spots for SPD-SL cleats

Clipping in

Most SPD-SL pedals are single sided, meaning that you can only clip in to them when they are the right way up. With most of the weight at the back of the pedal, they’ll usually hang with the correct side facing backwards towards your foot, so clipping in is straightforward when you get the hang of it. Occasionally, though, bikes do funny things and you might find yourself trying to engage the wrong side of the pedal. Hopefully, no one will notice!

Some people find it easier to clip into SPD pedals than SPD-SLs. First, most (not all) SPD pedals are double-sided, so you can clip in to either side. There’s no such thing as having those pedals the wrong way up.

Second, the recess in the sole of the shoe can help guide the cleat into the mechanism. In truth, though, you’ll probably soon adapt to whichever system you choose.

Shimano Click’r is essentially a variant of SPD with even easier entry and release. You use the same SPD cleats but clipping in and twisting out of Click’r pedals takes far less effort than with standard SPD pedals. You want figures? Shimano reckons it takes 60% less force to clip in, and 50% less force to release.

Over on the road side, the R540 pedal is available in a standard model for £27.50 and a Light Action model (£26.99).

All of these pedals have spring tension adjustment allowing you to alter the force holding the cleat in place. It’s a simple hex key job that takes seconds.

Check out our guide to getting started with clipless pedals.

Contact area and weight

SPD cleats are small and many people find an SPD-SL system more stable, especially when riding out of the saddle. The top-level Dura-Ace 9100 road race pedals (£150), for instance, have a platform that’s 66mm wide.

Read our Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 pedal review.

However, you can buy SPDs that have a cage around the pedal body to increase the size of the contact area with your shoe. Shimano’s PD-M424 pedals (above, £32.99), for instance, features a resin cage that’s designed to increase foot stability while the PD-M324 pedals (below, £33.49) have an SPD mechanism on one side with a steel platform on the other.

Despite being larger, SPD-SLs are a little lighter than SPDs of an equivalent standard. SPD-SLs weigh from 228g (per pair) for race-focused Dura-Ace R9100 up to 330g for R540.

SPDs weigh from 310g for XTR cross-country mountain bike pedals to over 500g. A pair of the M324 SPD/flat pedals (above) just mentioned, for example, weighs 533g.

People often say that SPD-SLs offer more stable attachment of the shoe to the pedal than SPDs. Is that true?

"SPD-SL pedals hold the cleat in three positions whilst the SPD pedal holds the cleat in two positions (fore and aft) to make it easy to unclip in off-road situations." says Shimano's Ben Hillsdon. "With both pedal systems, though, the cleat retention (and therefore the stability of the connection) can be adjusted."

Cleats

SPD-SL cleats are available with three different amounts of float (the degree to which your feet can rotate while the cleat remains engaged with the pedal). Cleats with red tips are fixed (0°), blue offers 2° of float and yellow gives you 6°.

The fact that they’re made from plastic and they’re exposed (rather than recessed into the sole of your shoe) means that SPD-SL cleats wear out fairly quickly if you walk far in them on a regular basis.

SPD cleats are metal and they’re better protected when you walk so they tend to last much longer. They’re cheaper too – £14.99 rather than the £19.99 you have to pay for SPD-SL cleats.

SH51 SPD cleats allow you to release from the pedal by twisting your heel outwards while SH56 SPD cleats (above) allow you to disengaged by twisting your foot in either direction.

"Common Shimano SPD cleats (like the SH-51) offer at least 6° of float," says Shimano's Ben Hillsdon. "It's worth mentioning that as cleats wear the amount of float increases so it's important to adjust tension on the pedals to reduce unwanted unclipping."

Prices

SPD-SL pedal prices start at £26.48 for a pair of PD-R540s (above) and go right up to £150 for Dura-Ace PD-R9100s.

SPD pedals are a little cheaper than SPD-SLs of a similar level. They start at £21.99 for PD-M520 (above) and go up to £89.99 for XTR-level PD-M9020 trail pedals.

Multi-purpose M324 SPD pedals are £32.99.

What we say

Comments from the road.cc team

“I find SPDs more practical, particularly for commuting, getting on and off the bike, popping in to Sainsbury's on the way home. They're easier to walk in, and because the cleats are metal they don't wear at anything like the rate of a plastic SPD-SL or my Time road cleats. Even when they do wear, they still work. Also, maybe because I'm more used to them, I find them more comfortable over short to medium distances.”
Tony Farrelly, road.cc editor

“I use SPDs for mixed rides and long rides, and the shoes are better for walking in. Maximal power transfer and platform stiffness aren’t such an issue on a 400km audax as not falling down the steps at the tea rooms. Also, they’re easier to clip in to because they're double sided, and cleats and pedals cost 3 shillings and sixpence and last about 1,000 years. If I'm racing, or on the chaingang, I use road shoes and SPD-SLs because they look more pro. Erm. I mean, they're lighter and stiffer”
Dave Atkinson, road.cc tech guy

“If it has fat tyres and I know I’ll be heading off-road at some point in the ride, I ride SPDs. If I’m staying on the road I’ll always go for a three-bolt system because I know I won't be doing any walking and prefer the lightness and stiffness for maximising every measly watt of power I can output (even if it's only in my head). That and I'm also using PowerTap's excellent power meter pedals that i can easily swap between test bikes for consistent power measurement.”
Dave Arthur, road.cc technical editor

What you say

Comments from the road.cc forum

“When I got back into road a few years back I just took the SPDs off my mountain bike and went riding in my carbon soled mountain bike shoes. It was okay but felt wobbly on climbs.

I was then persuaded to buy SPD—SL and some mid range road shoes… The difference in power transfer, and more importantly, foot stability/knee tracking, was night and day different.

I still use SPD on the mountain bike, but for road riding riding, including hill climbing, long distance and even commuting, it’s SPD-SL.”
hampstead_bandit

“The physical benefits of SPD-SL over SPD's are the wider platform of the cleat and pedal means there is more lateral stability for your foot on the pedal.

“The single sided nature of the SL also reduces the profile of the pedal allowing you to pedal marginally deeper into a corner.

A proper road shoe has a stiff sole all the way to the tip of the toe giving a more stable base, whereas in most MTB shoes the carbon or nylon stops just ahead of the cleat to allow the sole to bend slightly at that point, to aid walking as often required in MTBing.

“Road shoes are generally lighter as they don't have tread and reinforcements, so a slight reduction in rotating mass.

“As with all the bike industry claims, none of the above will make the huge difference they would like you to believe, but I do prefer the more stable, lower profile of a proper road shoe/pedal setup.”
DaSy

“Having learned to ride clipless with SPDs, I thought I should try SPD-SLs on my road bike. I never got on with the clipping in on the SLs. Partly this is because it is much easier clipping in to double-sided pedals, but this is not the only factor - I ride A530 single-sided SPDs on my commuting bike, and even these are much easier than the SPD-SLs, even though they are not double sided.

“I was also really unimpressed with the wear on the plastic SPD-SL cleats. I made a real effort not to walk in them, and they still rapidly wore down such that I think I would have needed to replace them at least twice a year, and they're not cheap.

“If your shoe sole is stiff enough, SPDs are fine.”
Mystery Machine

The cheapest of Shimano's line-up of Boa-dial road shoes, the RP4s are snug, comfortable and easy to live with. There's a tiny amount of flex in the fibreglass-reinforced soles, but it's barely noticeable in use, and they're bang-on in the value-for-money stakes.

• Pros: Boa closure for on-the-fly adjustment, snug fit from moulded upper
• Cons: Non-replaceable heel pad

With a fibreglass-reinforced sole, a moulded synthetic leather upper, single-dial Boa closure and overall snug, foot-cradling fit, the RP4s might be the third-from-bottom in Shimano's road shoe line-up, but they're still a decent pair of performance shoes for all-day rides.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Your foot is held firmly but comfortably in place by a pair of Velcro straps at the front and a wide, slightly offset strap over the top that's adjusted with a Boa dial. In effect the Boa dial replaces the ratchet closure that used to be common on shoes in this price bracket, but provides finer adjustment of the tension, and is easier to release to either take the shoes off or tweak the tension as you ride.

There are as many ways of deploying Boa dials as there are cycling shoe makers. Some use a single dial and have the Boa wire do the job of laces, pulling together the entire upper. Others combine one or two dials with a Velcro strap or two, so different parts of the shoe can be adjusted independently, while still others achieve that with a pair of dials. We're not aware of any three-dial shoes, but what are the odds a shoe designer isn't beavering away on such a beast right now? And while most put the dial on the upper outboard side of the shoe, we've seen them right on top and even out the back.

What Shimano has done here is arguably the simplest way of using a Boa closure, because the shoe ends up very similar to a ratchet-buckle design, but with the lighter and more convenient dial in place of the buckle.

And it works well. Slip them on, cinch the Velcro, turn the dial till it's snug and away you go. I didn't feel the need to faff with the adjustment at all after that and in fact at the end of one ride found I hadn't tightened up one dial very much at all, but it hadn't mattered because the overall fit was so good the shoe had just stayed in place without any fuss.

And that's how the RP4s are: fuss-free. They just get on with the job of transmitting muscle power to pedal, without drawing attention to themselves all the time.

Stiffness

We make, in my opinion, too much fuss about sole stiffness. Shape matters far more because you want the force you apply through your feet to be spread evenly to avoid uncomfortable pressure points. When Fizik first got into cycling shoes its – very stiff – soles had a high arch that meant they only fitted a small percentage of riders well. Riding in them quickly became painful, for some.

Fortunately, the sole of the RP4s is really well-shaped and complemented by a firm insole that helps support your whole foot. Very sporty riders might want a stiffer sole, but the small amount of flex didn't bother me at all, and I suspect that for longer rides it actually helps a bit with foot comfort.

Details

Shimano has done a good job with the detailing of the RP4s. There's a soft backing to the microfibre upper that's comfortable even with very thin socks or, indeed, no socks at all. Perforations cover the upper to help keep your feet cool, and the sole has a substantial vent under the toes.

Rubber pads under the toes and heel help with walking, though the toe pad is quite small. I'm tempted to coat them both with a sacrificial layer of Shoe Goo, especially the left toe. That's my touch-down-at-stops foot and shoes always wear there fastest for me.

The upper is perfectly shaped round the heel for me. There's enough padding that it's comfortable, but your heel is securely held in place with no lift or movement.

The sole is only compatible with three-bolt cleats, so you'll have to look elsewhere if you want to run road-style shoes with two-bolt SPD cleats.

Rivals

For £115 you can grab a pair of DMT D5s, with a very similar combination of fibreglass-reinforced sole, moulded upper and Boa closure, though the D5s use the Boa wire to cinch the entire upper.

The Bontrager Circuit shoes that we tested a while back are still available for a hundred quid, and perform well for the money, though they're a little heavier than the RP4s.

> Buyer's Guide: Cycling shoes – find the right ones for you

If you're a bit strapped for cash, you can get dhb's Aeron Carbon shoes for just £70, while if you want to spend a bit more you've so many options it's silly, but I'd suggest you take a good look at the Fizik R4B shoes.

Conclusion

It's hard to get too excited about mid-level shoes like these. They don't have the featherweight wow factor of shoes like the Specialized S-Works EXOS, but on the other hand they're not 450 quid. Nor do they get the 'amazing value for money' kudos of some cheaper shoes. Rather, the RP4s are good, workmanlike cycling shoes that'll do you very nicely for long rides, sportives and maybe even your first race if you don't want to spend silly money on shoes. They're not thrilling, but they're perfectly good at doing what they're supposed to.

Verdict

Decent-value endurance-riding shoes with a sound combination of Boa dial, synthetic upper, and fibreglass-reinforced sole

Eddy Merckx once famously said that you shouldn’t buy upgrades, but should ride up grades. Riding more is almost always the best way to improve your cycling, but there are some component changes that will improve your comfort, safety and speed. Here’s a selection that each cost under £100.

Gravel bike low gear kit — £96.50

Shimano SLX CS-M7000 11-40 cassette — £37.47
​Shimano 105 RD-R7000-GS rear derailleur — £35.64
​Shimano CN-HG701 HG-X chain with Quick Link — £23.39

If you have a typical gravel bike with an 11-32 11-speed cassette, this combination of components gives you a substantially wider gear range with a 25% lower bottom gear. That's enough to make the difference between riding and walking when things get steep, or between spinning comfortably up a shallower climb and grinding up with your knees whinging that they didn't sign up for this.

But hang on, you're saying, surely even the long-arm GS version of the new 105 rear derailleur can only handle a 34-tooth largest sprocket? That's the gospel according to Shimano, but Shimano's official specs are always very conservative. As we demonstrated in this article, it works just fine, although there are a couple of gotchas to watch for during installation. And since the idea is to ride up grades, we think Eddy would approve.

Continental Grand Prix 4000S II tyres — £61.99/pr

Why: Faster rolling; improved comfort (if switching from 23mm to 25mm or 28mm)

Consistently rated in the top handful of tyres, the GP 4000S II is deservedly massively popular. Its main claim to fame is its low rolling resistance. As a tyre rolls along, it flexes, and this flex absorbs energy; the tyre literally resists rolling. Tyres with thin tread made from flexible rubber, and light, supple casings have low rolling resistance. Problem is, they also tend to be easily punctured. The success of the GP 4000S II is down in part to a layer under the tread of fabric made from Vectran, a high-strength synthetic fibre. This helps ward off punctures, though they still happen. It’s not as effective as the thick anti-puncture layer in a tyre like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus but it’s considerably better than nothing.

While you’re buying new tyres, consider going up a size or two. The 28mm version of the GP 4000S II rolls superbly and can be run at lower pressures to improve comfort and road holding.

A pair of these comes well under our budget, so consider adding Michelin or Vittoria latex inner tubes too (both £8), to further reduce the rolling resistance. Can’t be bothered pumping your tyres up daily? Fit a pair of Continental’s 50g Supersonic tubes.

If you want Conti's latest and greatest you can get a apir of the new GP 5000 tyres for £85, but if you're on a budget the relatively small improvement over the GP4000 might not be worth it.

Read more
All tyre reviews on road.cc
Buyer’s guide to tyres
The best tyres for winter riding

Speedplay Zero Aero Walkable Cleat Set — £48

Why: easier walking for Speedplay Zero users

If you’re a Speedplay pedal user, then you know the system’s biggest weakness is that the cleats are very awkward to walk in. To make things worse, any significant amount of walking, or even frequent touching down at lights, erodes the aluminium outer plate.

Speedplay’s Walkable cleats fix both these problems by putting a rubber cover over the cleat mechanism, so the metal is protected.They come with plugs that stop crud from getting into the mechanism too, fixing another common gripe with Zeros.

USE Duro Carbon Seat Post — £64

Why: Less weight, less road buzz

USE is better known to road cyclists for its Exposure lights, but it has a long history as component maker, particularly of seatposts. At 174g in 400mm x 27.2 post, this is a light post, and will be lighter still in a more road-appropriate 300mm length.

Weight aside, carbon fibre seatposts have the advantage that they’re usually more flexible than those made from aluminium,reducing the road buzz that gets through to your bum.

If road buzz is more important to you than weight, Syntace’s P6 Flex post is specifically designed to absorb road shock. It’s usually over £200 but we’ve just noticed Amazon has 27.2mm versions for around £100 (okay, £101.20, but what's £1.20 between friends?).

Read more: All reviews of seatposts on road.cc

Fizik Aliante R3 K:ium Saddle — £70.99

Why: Improved comfort; less weight

At 215g, this classic saddle lops almost 100g off a typical stock seat and is famously comfortable. The usual caveats apply, of course: everyone’s bottom is different, so what suits other riders may still give you a bum rap.

More broadly, changing your saddle, and carefully adjusting its height, angle and fore-aft position, can be the biggest comfort improvement you can make. If you’re not sitting comfortably — if cycling is literally a pain in the arse — then go shopping for a better seat.

Read more
All saddle reviews on road.cc
Buyer’s guide to saddles
Buyer's guide to women's saddles
Buyer's guide to performance saddles — improve comfort & save weight in one upgrade

Shimano Ultegra 11 Speed Cassette & chain — from £69.99

Why: Better shifting; less weight; chance to change ratios

For the most part, Shimano shifting systems work best if all their components are made by Shimano. If the company that made your bike shaved a few cents off the bill of materials by using a non-Shimano chain and sprockets, then you’ll get slicker shifting if you fit Shimano parts when they wear out.

With its alloy carrier, the Ultegra-level CS-8000 sprocket set is in Shimano’s value-for-money sweet spot. It can be found for around £50, weighs 212g in an 11-23 (the Dura-Ace cassette is feathery at 166g, but costs three times more) and Just Works™. In a bundle with an Ultegra chain, it’s a no-brainer.

Ultegra brakes — £93.98/pr

Why: More stopping confidence

The brakes on many less-expensive bikes are, frankly, not great. In particular, the cheap unbadged brakes you often find on sub-£1,000 bikes lack feel and oomph. Replacing them with these solidly-built stoppers substantially improves braking feel and power, and if you can brake with more control, you can go faster.

Shimano says these brakes should only be used with Super SLR levers, but that’s all current Shimano brake/shift levers.

Hope Stainless Steel Bottom Bracket — £85

Why: Improved reliability and durability; pretty colours

Hope’s bottom brackets have an enviable reputation for durability, with plenty going strong after five years or more of mountain bike use. Your cranks spin on Swiss INA bearings, and for another £24 you can have ceramic balls in them instead of steel.

Because the sleeve between the two threaded bearing holders is aluminium not plastic, the Hope bottom bracket is slightly heavier than a Shimano unit, but to make up for it you can have it in a choice of colours.

Shimano Ultegra R8000 SPD-SL Pedals — £85

Why: Light weight, excellent durability and reliability

Shimano’s SPD-SL pedal system is popular for its reliability and function. The Ultegra version is light thanks to a carbon fibre body and durable because of its stainless steel top plate and excellent, easily-maintained bearings. As with many Shimano pedals, you can remove the axle unit, fill the body with grease, and screw the axle back in, forcing fresh grease into the bearings.

Read more
All pedal reviews on road.cc
Buyer’s guide to clipless pedals
Buyer's guide to high-performance pedals

Save money and keep your bike running better by doing your own maintenance; here’s what you need.

You don’t need a vast array of specialist tools to work on your bike. Most essential jobs can be done with a few good quality standard tools and a handful of bike-specific ones.

If there’s an area where the adage ‘buy quality, buy once’ applies, it’s tools. Good tools work better, last longer and are less likely to damage the parts you’re working on. Think of them as an investment, not a cost.

Each bike’s different, but there are many tools common to almost all bikes. Here’s what you need for straightforward jobs such as changing cables, adjusting brakes and gears, tweaking saddle position and angle, setting up handlebars, changing and inflating tyres and changing your chain and sprockets.

Ball-end Allen keys. Don’t skimp on these; you’ll be using them a lot. Ball-end keys allow you to turn a bolt from an angle, which speeds up many jobs. As well as being harder and more accurately made, and therefore less likely to mash the bolts you tighten with them, high-quality keys have a narrower neck for the ball, and therefore work at steeper angles, making them more versatile.

Recommended: Bondhus 1.5 - 10mm Hex Key Set — £11.93 | Park Tool PH1 P Handled Hex Wrench Set — £57.05

Screwdrivers. You want a couple of flat-blade screwdrivers and Phillips (cross-head) No 1 and 2, and possibly a size 0 too. A more extensive set will include sizes that are useful round the house too.

Recommended: Stanley Cushion Grip 8-piece Screwdriver Set — £20.95 | Draper 43371 16-Piece Screwdriver Set — £39.06

Combination spanners. I almost hesitate to include these because bolts with spanner flats are now rare on good quality bikes. You will almost certainly never need more than 8, 9 and 10mm, plus a 13mm if you have bolt-up hubs. If you need spanners for other jobs, then the sets we've suggested have everything you need for the bike too, but if bike fettling is your only need, then it'll be cheaper to buy individual spanners.

Recommended: Draper 11-Piece Metric Combination Spanner Set — £22.65 | Bahco 12-piece Metric Combination Spanner Set of 12 — £37.99

Pliers. A set of combination pliers has lots of uses, from generally holding and pulling parts to crimping cable ends.You'll also find lots of uses for long-nose pliers, so a set of three with side cutters is good value.

Recommended: Draper 09405 160mm DIY Plier Set — £17.83 | Stanley Tools FatMax Compound Action Plier Set of 3 — £33.85

Torx keys. Torx fittings are becoming increasingly common. Like Allen keys, you can get them with plain or ball ends.

Recommended: X-Tools Torx Star Key Set — £6.99 | Wera Multicolour Tamper-proof/Ballend Torx Key Set — £21.95

Bike-specific tools

Tyre levers. You need a couple of sets, one for your home toolbox and one for your on-bike toolbag.

Recommended: Lezyne Power Tyre Lever — £3.20/pr | Park Tool TL-5 Heavy Duty Steel Tyre Levers — £23.28

Floor pump. It’s much easier to keep your tyre pressures up to snuff with a floor pump (aka a track pump) than any portable pump.

Recommended: Topeak Joe Blow Sport III — £26 | Beto Surge — £45

For more options see our Buyer's Guide to track pumps

Pedal spanner. If your pedals have 15mm flats, then you'll need a 15mm spanner to take them on and off. A standard 15mm spanner will fit some pedals, but others need the thinner jaws of a specific pedal spanner.

Recommended: Lezyne Classic Pedal Spanner — £16.81 | X-Tools 15mm Pedal Spanner — £3.99

Cable puller. Owners of hydraulic-braked bikes with electronic shifting can ignore this. The rest of us will find fitting and adjusting brake and gear cables a lot easier with a tool that pulls the cable snug and holds it in place while you tighten the clamp bolt.

Recommended: Draper 31043 Cable Tensioner — £11.99 | Park Tool BT-2 cable puller — £39.99

Cable cutter. Do not try and cut cables with pliers, sidecutters, tin snips or any other vaguely sharp snippity-chop tool you have kicking around; you’ll just make a mess of them. Get yourself a proper set of cable cutters with blades shaped to keep the cable strands together.

Recommended: Draper Expert 57768 Cutters — £9.97 | Shimano TL-CT12 — ~£33

Chain wear gauge. You can keep an eye on the wear of your chain by measuring its length over 12 full links with a good quality ruler. If it’s 12 1/16in long, then it’s time to replace it and if it’s reached 12 1/8in you will probably have to replace the sprockets too. A wear gauge makes this easier by telling you when your chain needs ditching.

Recommended: Park Tool Chain Wear Indicator CC3.2 — £8 | Park Tool CC-2 chain checker — £18

Chain tool. Essential if you want to replace your own chain. If you've a Campagnolo 11-speed transmission you'll need a tool with a peening anvil like Campagnolo's, which has a wallet-clenching £153 RRP. Fortunately, Park Tool and Lezyne, among others, have cheaper alternatives that will tackle other chains too.

Recommended: Lezyne Chain Drive Tool - 11 Speed — £20.99 | Park Tool Master Chain Tool — £50

Chain joining link pliers. Almost all chains now come with a joining link. SRAM calls it a Powerlink, KMC a Missing Link and Shimano a Quick-Link, but they're all basically the same thing: a pair of outer link plates with a permanently mounted pin in each that fits into a slot in the other. Once upon a time, joining links like this could be opened by hand, but for 10-speed and 11-speed chains there's just not enough room to leave slack for hand operation, and they have to connect tightly enough that you need these pliers to separate them. Shimano's 11-speed master links are an extremely tight fit and need force to join them too, which is why these pliers have an extra set of jaws.

Recommended: Shimano TL-CN10 Master Link Pliers — £22.74 | SuperB_ToBe 2 in 1 Master Link Pliers — £8.40

Workstand. On the one hand, this is a bit of a luxury; on the other being able to hold your bike steady and well clear of the floor makes any job easier. Your back will thank you for not leaning over a bike for hours on end too.

Recommended: FWE Compact Folding Workstand — £49.99 | Feedback Sports Pro Ultralight — £130.59

Torque wrench. Expensive, but essential to prevent damage if you're wrenching carbon fibre or other super-light components.

Recommended: Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza II — £149.99

Sprocket tools. To change your sprockets you’ll need a chain whip — to hold the sprockets in place — and a lockring tool to undo the nut that holds them in place.

X-Tools Pro Chain Whip BTL11 — £14.99 | Acor Cassette Lockring Remover — £11.24

Find stockists

Lezyne
Park Tool
Birzman
Shimano
BBB

The Shimano S-Phyre R glasses might look slightly retro compared with some, but the photochromic optics and protection rival others that I've tested recently. Their large lens also wins when it comes to protection from dust and other airborne pollutants.

• Pros: Great coverage, excellent optical clarity and comfort
• Cons: Bike-specific design limits versatility in terms of off-bike use

The glasses were developed in conjunction with the riders of Team LottoNL, and their bike-specific design might be a deal-breaker if you're in the market for a set of technical sunnies that cross over to street wear. However, their larger-than-average lens promises optimal protection to the eyes, and we only get one pair...

> Find your nearest dealer here

The photochromic lens reacts very quickly to subtle as well as more extreme light changes. There's a momentary pause when entering extremely harsh sunlight, but emphasis is on the momentary. By my reckoning it turns light to dark in about 15 seconds, dark to light in a more pedestrian 35, though the incremental nature means it isn't a hindrance.

The polycarbonate lens also promises high impact resistance, with UV400 protection and an anti-scratch coating, and its hydrophobic (water-repelling) treatment encourages rain to bead up and simply roll away. I had no problems riding in heavy rain at speeds between 35 and 42mph on a 1-in-7 descent.

The lens is also resistant to dust and oils, though mud and similar spatter occasionally needed some extra persuasion.

It's worth noting that while these coatings do an excellent job, it's still advisable to wipe the lens with a cloth afterwards. I've also found periodic helpings of Salclear TT-X or similar helps, especially tackling water staining and muddy spatter.

The large lens's additional coverage makes a small but significant difference, most notably keeping pollen, dust, 'thunder bugs' and similarly invasive critters out.

Misting in cooler weathers can present, even with more expensive/sophisticated glasses. I wore a Respro type pollution mask on a couple of very early outings and, as I expected, there was some fleeting condensation, but this vanished and didn't return for the remainder of the 25-mile ride, even when I stopped to tighten a slackening seatpost cradle.

Frame and fit

The frame has a tactile, almost rubbery silicone texture. It's made from Grilamid TR-90 with supple, rubberised, non-slip TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) tips. The glasses sat securely at the key points, confirmed by several hours of mixed terrain riding, remaining perfectly aligned.

Adjustability, should you need it, comes in the shape of a reversible nosepiece (it has different front and back thicknesses), though the springy frame can accommodate different head shapes comfortably. The silicone gripper on the arms also enables the glasses to be positioned closer or further away, to prevent eyelashes brushing the lens, for example.

I'm lucky in that most glasses tend to fit me very well, and straight from the case there was no need for any tweaking/adjustment for these to sit comfortably on me. The precision fit also seals out eye-watering breezes.

Value

Although £129.99 is hardly small change, it's not outlandish for this kind of specification or performance. The Julbo Aerospeeds, for example, are £135, while Oakley's Sutros are £130, and arguably hold the crown if bigger is better.

> Buyer's Guide: 24 of the best cycling sunglasses

That said, it's possible to get some very good glasses for around £40. If you don't mind swapping lenses, BBB's Avengers are decent, wallet-friendly, non-photochromic alternatives.

> Buyer's Guide: 11 of the best cheap cycling sunglasses

Conclusion

Frankly, I'd expect something super-competent from Shimano, with team development, especially at this price point. These deliver in every respect and genuinely offer great protection. The only thing that might limit their appeal is their bike-specific design, if you want something that won't look out of place off the bike. You even get a spare lens and nosepiece in the deal, which is a definite plus.

Verdict

High quality glasses that work really well on the bike

What are the key factors when choosing a new road bike? It might be price, purpose, style, weight, but for some, it might very well come down to what groupset the bike is equipped with. And one of the most popular groupsets is Shimano's Ultegra, a groupset that combines a competitive price with top-level performance.

Here, then, is a roundup of road bikes fitted with Shimano’s Ultegra groupset, and we’re going to focus on the mechanical version because it covers a wider range of prices. Shimano launched the latest R8000 version of Ultegra in 2017 and now all new Ultegra-specced bikes have swapped over to the new components. The new version is functionally very similar to 6800 but styled to look like its Dura-Ace big sister.

>> Read more: Shimano launches new Ultegra R8000 groupset

If you read Mat’s head to head feature, pitting Shimano Ultegra against its rival SRAM Force, you’ll know that Ultegra-equipped bikes can range in price from just over £1,000 right up to £3,000 or more. That means there’s a wide selection of bikes to choose from, with different frame materials and riding purpose, and a choice of disc brakes or aero frames.

Some bikes will feature a full Shimano Ultegra groupset, but at both extremes of the price spectrum, you’re going to find some manufacturers mixing in some other components to help them meet key price points. The most common changes are brake calipers, especially on cheaper models, and sometimes chainsets get swapped for another make.

>> Head to head: Shimano Ultegra v SRAM Force

Let's dive in then...

Cannondale CAAD13 Ultegra — £1,900

With the successor to the popular CAAD12 Cannondale haven't focused on shedding grams — a CAAD13 frame weighs about the same as a CAAD12 — but on ride quality. After a brief spin on the new bike at Cannondale's launch, David Arthur wrote: "in the CAAD13, Cannondale have produced a bike that is wonderfully smooth all-round. The Cotswolds isn’t generally known for its smooth roads, and over the crusty surface on some quieter country lanes, the CAAD13 blew me away with its ability to not just provide a smooth and calm ride, but to really close the gap to a carbon fibre bike."

Cannondale have also made the CAAD13 a shade more versatile than its racing-orientated predecessor. The rim-braked bike has room for 28mm tyres, the disc bike will accommodate 30mm rubber, and both have mudguard eyes discreetly tucked away in the drop-outs.

This model complements the new frame with the Ultegra groupset for a bike that looks like a winning combination of performance and value.

Read more: New Cannondale CAAD13 First Ride

Merida Silex 700 — £2,100

Sitting in the upper end of the gravel range from Merida, the Silex 700 delivers a no-nonsense package of reliable components, parts and a geometry that brings a stable ride feel. Its geometry vaguely references mountain bikes, which makes for a really excellent ride feel, on road or off, blurring the line between road and mountain in a fast, fun bike.

Read our review of the Merida Silex 700
Find a Merida dealer

Van Rysel RR 920 AF — £1,200

Going with an aluminium frame is one way to get maximum value for money. And with modern aluminium frames offering the great performance they do, it’s a choice we can wholeheartedly recommend. Decathlon’s Van Rysel RR 920 AF combines a triple butted aluminium frame with a direct mount front brake and internal cable routing, with a carbon fibre fork and a smart paint job. Best of all, it gets a full Shimano Ultegra 11-speed groupset, including the brakes and a 52/36 chainset. The wheels are Mavic’s Cosmic Elite with matching Yksion Comp 25mm tyres.

Planet X Pro Carbon Ultegra – £1,300

British company Planet X has a reputation for affordable and well-specced road bikes, and so it’s the case with the Pro Carbon, which as the name suggest, offers a full carbon fibre frame and fork. It's the cheapest carbon fibre road bike with Ultegra that we're aware of. The frame has a compact geometry and it’s been designed to provide long distance riding comfort, so ideal for sportives and leisure cycling. It’s equipped with a full Shimano Ultegra R8000 groupset, and the build is finished off with Vision 30 aluminium wheels with 25mm Hutchinson Nitro 2 wire bead tyres.

Canyon Endurace CF 8.0 2019 — £1,699

German direct-sales brand Canyon has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity and sales in the UK, and it can always be counted on for providing very good value for money. The Endurace’s carbon fibre frameset is designed to offer a more upright and comfortable riding position than it’s racier Ultimate. You get a full Shimano Ultegra groupset with a compact chainset, along with DT Swiss P1800 wheels and a claimed bike weight of 7.5kg.

If you prefer a speedier ride, then the Canyon Aeroad CF SL 8.0 (£2,999) swaps the sportive frame for one designed in a wind tunnel and switches to deep-section wheels. It retains the identical groupset. It’s a good demonstration of how widely Ultegra is used in a bike manufacturer's range.

Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc Ultegra — £4,500

Some people say you should never put a Shimano groupset on an Italian frame. We say you should make up your own mind. The Bianchi Oltre XR3 draws inspiration from the company’s top-end race-ready Oltre XR4, but uses less expensive carbon fibre to hit lower price points. It’s a full Shimano Ultegra groupset too, including brakes. Wheels are Fulcrum’s Racing 7 LG shod with Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slicks in 25mm width. Once he learned that this was a bike to be coaxed to speed not thrashed, tester Stu had a great time with it.

Read our review of the Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc Ultegra

Trek Emonda SL 6 2019 — £1,800

Here’s the 2019 Trek Emonda SL 6, which features the slightly-less-exotic-but-still-light 500 Series OCLV version of Trek's pared-down Emonda platform. It has a full Ultegra transmission plus Trek's own Bontrager direct mount brakes, and the Bontrager Paradigm Tubeless Ready wheels mean going tubeless is just a matter of fitting tubeless tyres. Reduced from its previous £2,250, this is an end-of-season bargain, especially as the £2,000 2020 model is identical but for the paint job.

Giant Defy Advanced 1 2020 — £2,199

Maybe you’ve got your heart set on a road bike with disc brakes? Well, Giant has completely overhauled its Defy endurance/sportive model with disc brakes, and for its £2,199 RRP, the Defy Advanced 1 offers you a carbon fibre frameset, designed to provide a comfortable ride, with a Shimano Ultegra groupset. For 2017, Giant upgraded the brakes to Shimano hydraulics, a significant improvement over the previous mechanical discs, and that spec carries over for 2020. Giant supplies its own-brand finishing kit and tubeless wheels, along with 25mm tubeless tyres.

Looking for a bargain? There are still some 2019 versions round at substantially reduced prices.

Liv Avail Advanced 1 2020 – £2,099

Giant launched the Liv sub-brand to cater for women cyclists, and the Avail Advanced 1 shares many design features with the Defy, but the company says the carbon layup has been tuned specifically for women. As well as that, the geometry has also been adapted, and Giant has optimised the stem lengths, handlebar width and drop, crank arm lengths and brake lever reach across the size range. It’s similarly equipped, with a Shimano Ultegra 11-speed components and hydraulic disc brakes.

Looking for a bargain? There are still some 2019 versions round at substantially reduced prices.

Specialized Tarmac Disc Expert 2019 – £5,249

The women's version of the Specialized Tarmac received a rave road.cc review and the latest version is as good to ride as it is to look at if you've the money to spare. The latest version has the added stopping confidence of disc brakes. The Tarmac Disc has all the gubbins you'd expect for the money, including neat internally routed cables, a high grade full carbon frameset, tidy wheels and a super plush Oura Pro saddle. The brakes are direct mount, and you also get a set of the Specialized S-Works Turbo tyres in 26mm. The men's SL6 has an iridescent paint job and this is the only colour option for the women's version; but if you like it, then there are few finer Ultegra-equipped carbon race bikes than a Tarmac. We also recently reviewed the men's Tarmac Pro which has some Ultegra parts in there, and it's fair to say we were impressed.

The technically identical 2019 version can be had for quite a lot less, in limited sizes.

Read our review of the Specialized Tarmac SL6 Expert Women's

Look 765 Optimum — ~£1,760

When we tested the Look 765, a sleek and stylish carbon fibre endurance bike, we were very impressed with its performance. Not all carbon frames are made equal: the Look designers have infused this frame with some linen fibres, which in key places (the fork legs and chainstays) is claimed to help dissipate nasty vibrations from ruining the ride quality. It appears to work, there’s very little road buzz through the saddle or handlebar when riding. This bike is finished with a full Shimano Ultegra groupset and the build is completed by way of some Mavic Aksium wheels and matching tyres, in a comfortable 25mm width.

Read our review of the Look 765

Cervelo S3 Ultegra — £3,599

Cervelo's S3 might have been around since 2009, but it’s still regularly the choice of racers and professionals, and in 2013 it received an update so it's still a decent choice. It's a frame, reckoned by some to still be one of the most aero choices, that combines comfort with skinny rear stays, so you can have your aero cake and eat it. 

If you want to change the wheels on your disc brake road bike, we have 12 pairs here ranging from under — £300 to over — £2,000.

Your stock wheels might have worn out, perhaps you want a second pair of wheels/tyres setup for a different kind of road surface, or maybe you just fancy an upgrade. The wheels shown here are the ones that have impressed road.cc reviewers most over the past couple of years. They've all scored at least eight out of 10 in testing so you can be sure that they're the real deal.

Read everything you need to know about disc brakes

If you're interested in any particular wheelset, we've included a link to our original review where you'll find all the details you need to make your buying decision. We've also included a link to help you find a local dealer for each brand, while clicking on the product name will take you direct to an online retailer.

Axle compatibility

Most rim brake wheels attach to your bike with quick release skewers, but things are more complicated in the disc brake world. Some disc brake bikes use quick releases and traditional-style open-ended dropouts, but others use thru axles. This is where the dropouts are closed, an axle passing into a hole on one side of the frame/fork, through the wheel hub and screwing into a threaded hole (usually) on the other side of the frame/fork.

Most of today's road bikes that use thru axles take 12x100mm at the front (the diameter is 12mm, the length is 100mm) and 12x142mm at the rear. However, some disc brake bikes take 15mm thru axles (or even 9mm thru axles) and some have a 135mm rear spacing, although this is uncommon.

The same wheels can usually be made to fit different bikes through the use of axle adaptors. The Hunt Superdura Dynamo Disc Wheelset (below), for example, will work with both quick release skewers and 12mm thru axles (and less common configurations).

Just make sure that you get the right adaptors in order to replace like with like.

Centerlock or 6-bolt?

There are two different standards for fixing disc brake rotors to wheels: Shimano's Centerlock and 6-bolt. If you have a preference for one system, make sure the wheels are compatible (or be prepared to buy an adaptor).

Let's dive in.

16 of the best disc-brake-compatible wheels

Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel Disc X-Wide wheels — £899

The Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel Disc X-Wide are the UK brand's flagship gravel wheelset. The step up to 23mm internal rim width sets them up for the new breed of mega-wide-clearance allroad bikes – and the adaptable hubs mean your investment now is almost guaranteed to fit any future bike purchase.

The main reason for getting the X-Wides is the super-wide 23mm rim bed, backed up by a few square acres of carbon chunkiness to keep things in one piece. There's a great deal of comfort to be had from the rim profile when you're bombing about taking drop bars where no sane person would consider sensible or even possible. Everything about the X-Wides murmurs 'Find Your Limits', and it didn't take  long to trust that they were more than up to the job.

Read our review of the Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel Disc X-Wide wheels

Scribe Aero Wide 50-D wheels — £870

The Scribe Aero Wide 50-D carbon disc wheels are all about speed according to the manufacturer, and they don't disappoint. Matching a wind-cheating 50mm-deep rim to smooth-running hubs, an instantaneous freehub engagement and plenty of stiffness makes for a set of wheels that delivers for those who want to put the hammer down. The impressive weight and a sensible price finalise the deal.

A wheel weight of 1,449g (1,438g claimed) is impressive full stop, but when you consider that's including a wide and deep carbon fibre rim, plus the extra spokes needed for a disc build, it is truly awesome and something you really notice when fitting them to your bike.

Read our review of the Scribe Aero Wide 50-D wheels

Pacenti Forza-C 30mm Disc Clincher wheels — £899.99

The Pacenti Forza-C 30mm Disc Clincher wheels are a new design from the ground up and they are absolutely lovely. You can feel the quality of the build as soon as you start riding, and their stiffness is impressive considering their very svelte 1,378g weight. Pacenti hasn't even stung you on the price either.

Pacenti builds these wheels by hand in the UK and it shows – not necessarily the UK bit, but definitely the handbuilt part. The wheels feel tight and stiff, but the spoke tension allows enough comfort through to take out any harshness.

Read our review of the Pacenti Forza-C 30mm Disc Clincher wheels

Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheels — £819.00

The Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheels are light enough to excel on the tarmac while being so tough that you can smash them over rocks and tree roots with little concern for their wellbeing. They won't break the bank either.

With a 40mm-deep U-shaped carbon rim they weigh in at just 1,406g with the tubeless rim tape fitted, which ties in well with Parcours' claimed weight of 1,390g bare.

Fitted to the Flanders Forte cyclo-cross frameset that we had in for testing, the wheels offered snappy acceleration, and their low weight helped the whole bike feel flickable at the front and rear for hopping over potholes, rocks and other obstacles.

Being fitted to a cyclo-cross bike they spent most of their time off-road and they took the knocks and bumps from the gravel tracks and tree roots of the local singletrack without issue.

Read our review of the Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheels

Shimano RX31 Wheelset — £272.22

Shimano's RX31 wheelset is perfect for bikes that see a hard life, whether that be slogging along on the commute in all weathers, a bit of light touring, or even some gravel or cyclocross abuse. Our test wheelset proved to be pretty much bombproof and the bearings ran smooth and quiet no matter what we through at them. The build quality was good, the tension remaining high and even across bladed spokes, and the rims staying true. These are solid, dependable wheels at a good price.

Read our review
Find a Shimano dealer

AlexRims CXD4 700C Disc TL Ready Centerlock Road Wheelset — £287.99

The CXD4 is a mid-level alloy disc wheelset that weighs a reasonable 1,580g for its price. The rim is a tubeless-ready 23mm-deep alloy extrusion, sleeve-jointed for extra strength. Its 19mm width means you really want to be running at least a 28mm tyre, with anything up to a 50mm okay if it'll fit in your frame. The hubs have an alloy body and axle and sealed cartridge bearings: two in the front and four in the rear.

On the road, the wheels feel stiff and solid and the bearings run smoothly. They can take a battering on rougher surfaces and still run true. They can handle a cyclocross race or a gravel event fine.

Read our review
Find an AlexRims dealer

Fulcrum Racing 5 Disc Brake Wheelset — £245.39

The Racing 5 is a well-established general-purpose road wheelset that's a good choice for a first upgrade.

The wheels have 26mm deep rims that are 21.8mm wide, and these are now officially suitable for tubeless tyres. The hubs are quality affairs, as befits a sub-brand of Campagnolo, and the spokes are built with round, straight-pull spokes.

The Fulcrums are solidly built, reasonably stiff and generally easy to live with. Coming in at a decent weight (we weighed our review set at 1,640g), these are excellent wheels for the money.

Read our review
Find a Fulcrum dealer

Halo Evaura Uni 6D 700C Wheelset — £348.98

These are well-made wheels that can be adapted for a variety of cycles and purposes. They work with both disc brakes and rim brakes and Halo has developed hub adapters for both conventional and offset cranks to allow any combination of axle length, chainstay length or crank offset. The rims are tubeless-ready, allowing a tubeless tyre to snap into place with a very satisfying crack. The ride quality is excellent, the weight modest and we found it impossible to provoke them into twisting or flexing.

Read our review
Find a dealer

BORG22 Disc Road/CX Tubular Tyre Disc Brake Wheelset — £404.00

The BORG22 wheelset features 22mm-deep aluminium tubular rims and triple butted Sapim Force spokes laced onto Miche Syntium DX hubs. It's not a flashy package, but it bats well above its price tag – it's tough, fast and will suit riders looking for a brilliant road or cyclo-cross wheelset.

Although not light, these wheels are responsive while the aluminium rim and higher spoke count mean these put up a strong and robust performance. The hubs are unfussy and last very well.

These wheels are built up to order in the UK so you can have the spoke tension tuned to suit your weight and riding requirements.

Read our review
Buy Borg wheels

Hunt Superdura Dynamo Disc Wheelset — £539.00

If you're looking at a dynamo system for your road bike then the SONdelux hub dynamo is pretty much the best out there for low resistance and weight, and it's renowned for great build quality which is matched by the rest of the components on these excellent Hunt tubeless ready wheels. Considering how much the dynamo costs on its own, the price is excellent too. They might be a bit much for the odd night ride, but if you rack up the miles after dark they're an investment worth considering.

These wheels put in a near-faultless performance. They're a must for your list if you're looking into dynamo power.

Read our review
Buy Hunt wheels

Edco Optima Roches Disc Brake, Tubeless Ready Wheelset — £260

Edco's Optima Roches are a tough set of wheels that are tubeless ready and compatible with SRAM, Campag 10/11 and Shimano 10/11-speed (yes, all of them). These wheels are built around Edco's own SuperG hubs, which are handmade in Edco's Swiss factory and guaranteed for a whopping eight years.

These are about as tough as they come, which is no mean feat for a pair of wheels that weigh 1,725g, have a low spoke count and spin up fast enough to enjoy sprints. Like a good wheel, they are stiff without rattling the fillings, making them perfect for any kind of riding that requires a fast wheel that will take a battering.

Read our review
Find an Edco dealer

Just Riding Along Gecko Carbon Wheelset — £850.00

Just Riding Along's Gecko Carbon Wheels are impressive hoops that take on the constant knocks and vibrations the roughest gravel tracks can throw at them, while still being so light that they won't hamper your performance on the road. With a 1,400g weight (with the tubeless rim tape and valves fitted) and all the strength you could need, it's also pretty amazing that they come in at well under a grand.

Read our review
Buy Just Riding Along wheels

Mavic Ksyrium Pro UST Disc — £773.10

Mavic's Ksyrium range has always had a good reputation for offering decent performance whatever your type of riding, and these aluminium alloy Pro UST Disc models further confirm this with a solid build quality and plenty of stiffness, all at a decent weight.

We haven't just used these wheels on the road, we've taken them onto gravel bridleways, towpaths and other rough tracks and they can take a kicking without their trueness being affected.

You can run the wheels tubeless with Mavic's own Yksion Pro UST tyres that come as part of the package.

Read our review
Find a Mavic dealer

Token Prime Ventous Carbon Disc Road Wheelset — £999.99

This is an excellent full-carbon clincher wheelset. The build quality is high, they look great, perform really well and are pretty good value too.

Smooth and quiet, they gain speed quickly and continue at pace whatever the gradient. The buttery bearings and stiff construction make for controlled descending, but the Tokens are at their best on flatter, faster rides when the aero profile helps you bowl along at a good speed. Rough sections of tarmac are dealt with easily too, the wheels absorbing a reasonable amount of buzz and feeling composed,

Tubeless rim tape is already installed if you want to run them with the appropriate tyres.

Read our review
Find a Token dealer

Roval CLX 50 Disc Wheelset — £1,848

Fast, light and wide, these tubeless carbon wheels offer excellent performance. They're superbly fast in a straight line and maintain excellent momentum when you're really pushing hard on the pedals. The rounded rim profile provides exceptionally good stability with little sign of buffeting even in the strongest gusts.

They're also tough and dependable, easily shrugging off bad road surfaces. We smashed into potholes and rode them along gravel tracks during testing and they took all the punishment with no sign of loose spokes or going out of true.

Read our review
Find a Roval dealer

DT Swiss ERC 1100 Dicut DB Wheelset — ~£1,700

These tubeless-ready carbon-fibre wheels are aimed at meeting the demands of endurance bikes, combining speed with stability and comfort.

A disc brake specific 47mm deep clincher rim is optimised for 25 to 28mm tyres with hubs based on DT's proven 240 design, but wrapped in a new aero shell and rolling on ceramic bearings.

These wheels aren't cheap but they do provide a fantastic aero performance that excels in a wide range of conditions with the durability you'd expect at this price.

Read our review
Find a DT Swiss dealer

We’ve previously taken you through the wheel ranges from Mavic and Fulcrum, now it’s time to turn our attention to Shimano’s rather large offering of wheels. Shimano wheels are frequently specced by bike manufacturers and they’re popular aftermarket upgrades, no doubt helped by being a common sight in the professional peloton - it supplies wheels to more teams than any other brand.

Your complete guide to Shimano groupsets

GRX wheels — £381.09

The newest members of Shimano's wheel collection are the dedicated gravel bike wheels that sit alongside the company's recently-announced GRX components.

The tubeless WH-RX570 wheels come in 700C and 650B sizes and feature 21.6mm internal width rims that accommodate wider tyres.

Dura-Ace R9100 and R9170 wheelsets

Shimano unveiled new Dura-Ace wheels with the launch of its latest groupset last summer. The new C40 and C60 wheels have a fashionably wide rim designed for improved aerodynamics.

The rims have a wider profile than the previous generation Dura-Ace wheels, following the current trend for bulbous profiles that are more stable in crosswinds than the older V-shape rims. Each is available in a clincher or tubular version, so you can emulate the pros if you want or be sensible and fit some inner tubes.

Alternatively, the R9170 versions of the C40 and C60 wheels are designed solely for disc brakes and use a 12mm thru-axle hub and a rim that is tubeless compatible. There’s also a tubular option as well.

If you want the lightest option, the R9100-C24 has a very shallow 24mm rim that keeps the weight low, making it an ideal wheelset for climbers. It's virtually unchanged from the previous R9000-C24 in case you're wondering.

Clincher

R9100 C24 — £770.99
R9100 C40 — £996.99
R9170 C40 Disc — £1,440.99
R9100 C60 — £1,178.08
R9170 C60 Disc — NA

Tubular

R9100 C40 Carbon — £1,708.02
R9170 C40 Disc — £1,536.90
R9100 C60 Carbon — £1,979.98
R9170 C60 Disc — ~£2,300.00

Shimano’s previous Dura-Ace R9000 generation wheels are still available if you shop around. There’s the C24 (£1,999.98) and C75 (£1,699.98), the classic C50 (£1,599.98) and finally the C35 (£1,499.98).

Review: Shimano Dura-Ace C24 Carbon Clincher wheelset

Ultegra  wheelsets

Along with the latest version of Ultegra 8000 launched this year, which follows closely in the wake of new Dura-Ace, Shimano released updated wheels. It’s offering two wheelsets under the Ultegra label, the carbon-laminate RS700 for rim brakes (£490.90) and the RS770 (£498.26) for disc brakes.

Both are tubeless-ready and the later is compatible with thru-axles. There are also new hubs to shed about 60g of weight compared to the old 6800 wheels, and there’s a lighter carbon layup in the new rims. Claimed weight is 1,568g for the rim brake wheels and 1,639g for the disc wheels.

A step down, but also allocated to the Ultegra groupset are the tubeless RS500 wheels (£299) with 24mm deep rims. Claimed weight for the rim-brake version is 1,648g.

RX830 35mm Tubeless Disc Brake wheelset — £452.99

The RX830 combines Shimano’s proven carbon laminate technology in a 17mm wide (internal) tubeless-ready rim optimised for disc brakes, so there’s no brake track on these rims. The hubs are cup and cone and ready for disc brakes with conventional quick release axles - so you’ll only see these on cheaper or older generation rim brake bikes, as most disc brake bikes are moving over to thru-axles. Shop around and you can find them discounted, as is the case for most of the wheels here.

RX31 Road Disc Brake wheelset — £272.22

The RX31 was one of the very first dedicated disc brake wheelsets available when disc brakes started appearing on production road bikes a few years ago. Shimano has built a solid wheelset around 24mm profile aluminium clincher rims with 24 stainless steel butted and bladed straight pull spokes in each wheel to best deal with the disc brake forces. Hubs are now thru-axle compatible with contact sealed bearings with an 8,9,10 and 11-speed compatible freehub.

- Review: Shimano RX31 wheelset

RS330 Alloy clincher wheelset — £207.83

Looking like a good upgrade option for many entry-level bikes, though you’re likely to see these wheels specced on a lot of mid-range bikes, the RS-330 uses a lightweight aluminium rim with a 30mm depth providing good aerodynamics, making them ideal for anyone wanting to inject a bit more speed into their riding.

RS11 Alloy clincher wheelset — £179.98

You’re getting a bit more technology in return for your extra £50 at RRP over the RS010 wheels below, with a 24mm profile aluminium rim and bladed stainless steel straight pull spokes - 16 up front and 24 our back. The hubs have labyrinth sealed angular contact bearings and low-friction seals for low rolling resistance and good durability.

RS170 disc brake wheelset — £127.01

The WH-RS170s are part of Shimano's entry level into the world of disc brake ownership and while they aren't the lightest set of wheels out there, they are strong and well made, so should be ideal for the winter trainer or the odd excursion onto gravel tracks and bridleways.

Read our review of the Shimano RS170 Clincher Disc wheels

RS010 Alloy clincher wheelset — £109.98

The RS010 is the most affordable in the RS line and uses much of the same technology as you'd expect higher up the range, and is a really good entry-level wheelset. You get the same 24mm rim depth as the more expensive wheels with 20 front spokes and 24 rear spokes and quick release hubs with wide flanges, contact bearings and steel axles.

RX010 Centre Lock Disc wheelset — £132.46

An affordable disc brake wheelset with 28 spokes in each wheel for extra durability and a 24mm rim for low weight, combined with Centre Lock disc rotor mounting system. The rim width is recommended for 25 to 38mm wide tyres. The hubs use regular quick release axles.

Read more: 22 of the best road bike wheels