Shimano has a deep-rooted histo♒ry in the sport of cycling and celebrated its 100th birthday in 2021. It is one of the biggest names in the business f🐷or producing high-quality components across all cycling disciplines, from road and gravel to mountain bikes, commuters, electric bikes and more, Shimano is a market leader in cycling. 

The brand is best known for its groupsets, of which there are dozens to choose from, although it also sells 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:aero wheels, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:electric motors and other components, as well as clothing and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:cycling shoes. Its GRX gravel bike groupsets are specced on some of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:best gravel bikes.

The abundance of Shimano road bike groupsets available can be 𝔍quite confusing, so in this guide, we'll outline all of the Shimano road bike groupsets, ⛦so you can make informed decisions when choosing how to set up your bikes in future. 

Separately, we have a full round-up of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:best road bike groupsets, a detailed rundown of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Shimano gravel groupsets, as well as deep dives into Shimano's main competitors: SRAM and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Campagnolo. 

Shimano road bike groupsets: A quick run-down

Shimano's road groupset h꧋ierarchy comprises, in descending ord🦩er of functionality and cost:

• Dura-Ace R9200 12-speed
• Ultegra R8100 12-speed
• 105 Di2 R7150 12-speed
• 105 R7100 mechanical 12-speed
• Tiagra R4700 10-speed
• Sora R3000 9-speed
• Claris R2000 8-speed

We'll cover all the current groupsets 🦩down to Tiagra in detail in this guide, as well as the previous generatꦏion of Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105.

You can distinguish between Shimano groupset generations by their mode🀅l number, which alway꧂s starts with an R for its road bike groupsets.

Shimano's range-topping Dura-Ace series provides the ultimate in-road bike performance. Fit for the biggest races in the world, while its Ultegra and 105 groupsets cater for more budget-conscious racers and endurance ride꧟rs.

All are now 12-sp🍬eed and all offer Shimano's Di2 electronic shifting, although Shimano has dropped the Di2 from the official names of Du▨ra-Ace and Ultegra. It remains in Shimano 105 Di2, however. This is to distinguish the electronic version, as 105 is the only Shimano 12-speed groupset to offer a mechanical version.

Closer t🗹o the entry-level end of the road bike market, Shimano's Tiagra groupset provides reliable performance and durability at an even lower cost, benefiting from technology and performance that trickles down from Dura-Ace.

That trickle-down continues to Sora and Clar💝is too.

Continue reading for Cyclingnews' roundup on all Shimano's current series road groupsets. Lower, down we have detailed previous-generation Shimano groupsets. Some of these may still be available to buy, or you may find them on some new or 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:used  bikes and spare parts are generally still on sale.

Shimano road groupsets

Shimano's eagerly anticipated Dura-Ace R9200 upgrade delivered 12-speed, electronic-only shifting and a semi-wireless setup. After a nearly five-year wait, none of this was unexpected but, when it did finally arrive, it reaffirmed Shimano's place at the top ꦏof the groupsets hierarchy.

The move from 11-speed to 12 was something Shimano had to follow after rivals SRAM and Campagnolo had already added an extra cog. Shimano overhauled its sprocket technology on the cassette with Hyperglide+, an evolution of Hyperglide providing faster, 'shockless' shift♈s in any gear thanks to a new ramped tooth profile and revised 'sweet spot' gearing between the sixth, sevent♓h and eighth sprockets. 

There are two cassette options: 11-30T and 11-34T which can be mated with three chainring configurations (50/34T, 52/36T and 54/40T). The Japanese company made the decision to bin the 53/39T chainring option citing it as no longer commercially viaꦓble, choosing to replace it with the 54/40T option as requested by professional teams. Crankarm lengths span 160 to 177.5mm and, as with the previous iteration of Dura-Ace, there is the option for an integrated power meter in the crankarms.

The introduction of a wireless interface communication system is considered 'semi-wireless' because, while there is no longer a wired connection between the controls and drivetrain, there's still a need for a central battery to power the front and rear derailleurs. This is unlike SRAM and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Campagnolo electronic groupsets, which are fully wireless, with a batteജry attac🍌hed to each derailleur. 

To address the shifting delay challenges often associated with wireles෴s systems, Shimano made the signal response and motor actuation faster than before – shift response times are now 58 per cent faster at the rear and 45 per cent faster at the front. 

The front derailleur (FD-R9250) has taken on a sl🎃eeker appearance complete with a smoke-look cage. Not only does it weigh just 96g, but Shimano has also reduced the frontal area over the outgoing version by 33 per cent.🧸 

The rear derailleur (RD-R9250) is more refined than its predecessor, boasting a one-cage-fits-all design that works with cassettes ranging from 11-28T to 11-34T. To simplify the fitting process ಌacross multiple bike platforms, the charging port has been relocated to the rear derailleur and the cable is now cross-compatible with the oꦉptional power meter.

The cockpit has a cleaner and more ergonomic layout. There is an inward-tilting aero profile and an iﷺncreased offset between the two Di2 buttons on the lever, adding an extra layer of comfort over the outgoing Dura-Ace.

A nice feature is the ability to adjust the derailleurs electronically using the app, as well as👍 the ability to customise the multishift and synchronisation shifting – choosing how many gear changes you can make with a single button press or👍 if the rear derailleur will adjust to match a front shift, or vice-versa. Bluetooth connectivity is now built-in, whereas it was an additional cost item on the previous generation groupset.

While mechanical shifting is gone, rim brakes remain an option. For those using discs, there are a host of improvements, starting with an updated lever action. Taken from Shimano’s MTB and Gravel braking systems, Servowave applies greater braking power with improv♑ed control. In addition, a 10 per cent wider brake pad and rotor clearance and a switch towards Shimano’s RT-MT900 rotors result in a quieter system.

The s🌱econd-tier Ultegra range was given the 12-speed, wireless Di2 treatment at the same time as the new Dura-Ace – and Shimano delivered another well-thought-out, high-performing groupset.

Like the new Dura-Ace, Ultegra R8100 is electronic-only, has the option of an i👍ntegrated power meter, offers upgraded braking and utilises the same Hyperglide+ sprocket te💞chnology to improve efficiency as well as speed of shifting. The trade-off pretty much comes down to cost versus weight. Opting for Ultegra R8100 adds 278g but at a hefty saving on the price.  

The aesthetic difference📖s in the components on the new Ultegra from its predecessor Ultegra R8050/R8070 are subtle, and it is the changes in the routing of the wiring that most affect the look of the groupset. 

It is vastly simplified with no more junction boxes and the whole system now revolves around the rear derailleur. There's still a central battery, good for approximately 1,000km of riding per charge, but now this battery has only two wires. One runs to the front derailleur and one runs to the rear derailleur. The interface button and charge ♔port sit on the rear derailleur and the front controls use their own coin cell batteries with a life expectancy of two years.🌠 

The same Servowave technology taken from Shimano’s MTB and Gravel braking system𒁏s that are used on the new flagship Dura-Ace trickles straight down to ꦓthe Ultegra to improve braking power and control.

The biggest thing that stood out for us when testing 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Ultegra R8100 was the brakes and the hoods. The hoods are narrow and extremely comfortable, even on long rides. Buttons on top of the hoods can be linked up with a cycle computer to switch screens – and felt like magic to use. When it was t🔥ime to brake, it felt natural to wrap one or two fingers around the upper part of the brake lever while keeping the lower fingers wrapped around the bars. 

Adopting tha🦩t hand position means very little leverage againsওt the brake lever. That, in turn, plays into the strengths of Servowave technology. There's plenty of power for strong braking performance even without moving to the drops for the best leverage on the brake levers.