Upgrade to 11 speed Shimano
 

I would like to upgrade my bike from the 5700 Shimano 105 group set (10 speed) to 11 speed. The crankset is the Ultegra FC-6800 compact crankset. Can I simply get a 5800 or R7000 11 speed shifter, 11-34 cassette, and 11 speed 105 derailleur? To give you an idea of my riding, last year I climbed 207,000 ft.

Dave

You will need 11 speed shifters, cassette, chain, and long cage RD. Highly recommend that you skip the 5800 and go with 7000, especially for the FD and go with a clutched RX800 or RX810 RD.

If you are needing to replace your 10 speed shifters because they are worn out, then the cost of replacing all the other stuff you'd need to go 11 speed isn't that much more, depending on what specific group and model you go with.

Shifters, STI's in particular are typically the most pricey single item. If yours aren't worn out, ask if it's really worth it. To me, upgrades like that don't really add value to a re-sale. They might sell it quicker. But you likely won't recover any of what you spent, especially if you want me to buy it. <grin>

105 5800 is a great shifting group. I put that on my old Paramount. But IMO, if you are going to upgrade, get whatever 11 whether 5800 or 7000 or whatever you can get for the best price new. I personally wouldn't buy someone's used STI's to put on my bike. And most people selling used are asking new retail MSRP.

At this point the shifters aren't worn out. Got maybe 5500 miles on those. So far I haven't found anything that was unclimbable, but an 18% grade I did last year was pretty tough. A cop was near the top and saw me do it, and cheered me on, lol. Anyways, not a bad idea waiting till they wear out. Any idea how long they might last? This wi probably depend on use of course.

Dave

Another option is to put a 46/30T GRX 10-speed crankset on there. It might well work with your current front derailleur (mine did).

For the rear, you can get a 10-speed 11-34T microshift cassette and perhaps get away with just an adjustment of the B-screw. I was able to get my wife's 10-speed derailleur to work with a SRAM 11-36T 10-speed cassette.

These options might be less expensive than a conversion to 11-speed.

Nope, I stupidly thought friction shifters on the down tube were the thing for way to long. I didn't switch to STI's till about 2016 or 2017. My oldest pair on my Paramount probably have 7 or 8 thousand miles on them. It doesn't get ridden much anymore and probably by the time I get that many miles on my Tarmac, I'll be bike hunting again.

Don't name your bike. That'll help keep you from developing an attachment to it. That way when it comes time, you'll be okay with trashing your current bike, getting another and never looking back.

(I don't really mean trash it as in throwing it away. That was just for creating shock effect. Just give it to someone that needs a bike)

But if you don't give it a name, how will it know you love it?
(Owner of Dreadnought, Old Tom, Plastic Fantastic, and Kippers)

Do you know if your current wheel's freehub will accept an 11-speed cassette? That would seem to be a limiting factor. (As an aside, I've picked up a few really nice 10-speed wheelsets from folks who had "upgraded." My son and I have 4 10-speed bikes between us and it's great to be able to swap wheels for whatever the purpose, especially on our CX bikes.)

The last time I took the cassette off, there was a spacer behind the cassette, so that should work with 11 speed, right? The wheels are Vuelta Corsa Lites. Bought them from Nashbar around 2014.

For the record, I'm pretty attached to the bike. It is the first one I ever built, and super fun to ride. Frameset is a Scattante XRL Comp. It doesn't have a name yet LOL.

Dave

Shimano make 10sp mtb cassettes ( M771) in 11-32, 11-34, 11-36.
Combined with an older 9sp Shimano mtb rear derailleur you will be good to go.

The 11-34 cassette will still need that spacer. It hangs the 34t cog over the back of the freehub body so it will fit on "10 speed only" hubs.

Shimano's 11-34T cassette will fit on a 10-speed hub. (It comes with a spacer that is required for a normal road 11-speed hub.)

Ahh... upgradeitis. It's a common affliction.

Brutal truth - 5500 miles is nothing to a Shimano shifter of that generation. You mention waiting until it wears out - I have known people with 60,000+ miles on shifters without a problem.
Wanting 11 because ...11? not worth it on it's own.
Wanting smaller gearing? You said you were fine with what you had...The only thing I found by getting lower gearing over the years was that I went slower. ;)

If you are trying to buy new parts and pieces to make a gearing solution to what you already have then yeah it will most likely be less expensive to get a new group.