Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

Upgraded my full Ultegra bike to full 105 with great results

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Upgraded my full Ultegra bike to full 105 with great results

Old 10-09-18, 08:08 PM
  #1  
John00
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Bend Or.
Posts: 573

Bikes: 2 TiSports and a Ho Ko E Koo

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 54 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 1 Post
Upgraded my full Ultegra bike to full 105 with great results

I took the 16 year old 6500 Ultegra triple crank 9 speed set off and replaced it with the 105 R7000 11 speed set that just came out 5 months ago. It's like a new bike! Shifting is much faster and easier. Instead of taking a full turn or two of the crank to shift, making lots of noise, it now shifts quietly in about a quarter turn. The dual pivot brakes look very cool. The Hollow tech bottom bracket alone saved me about half a pound. The compact 34-50 compact crank made me lose the 30 tooth low front gear. With my 69 year old knees, and everything else I was worried about riding the long steep hills on all of my rides so I made a frankin bike with a Woolf Tooth Roadlink, dropping my rear derailleur a half an inch so I'm able to run an 11-40 MTB cassette on the back. Everything went together well, but I had to take the B screw on the rear derailleur out and put it in backwards to drop the jockey wheels further. The first time I shifted into the 40 I thought my chain had fallen off because peddling as fast as I could, the freehub didn't engage until I slowed a few MPH. It's has no trouble making the jump from 35 to 40 gear. I was happy with 9 gears, 11 is just going to confuse me, but the bike was ghost shifting, dropping the chain a lot, it made noises in 1/2 of the gear combinations and when I tried to sprint up hill out of saddle the rear cassette would cross chain and freeze up. It was time to go, it served me very well for 10s of thousands of miles. I'll keep it in a box in a special place.

Last edited by John00; 10-09-18 at 08:14 PM.
John00 is offline  
Old 10-09-18, 09:19 PM
  #2  
bogydave
Senior Member
 
bogydave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: ALASKA , SoCal
Posts: 914

Bikes: /Skye/ Torker mt, Sirrus flat bar

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 188 Post(s)
Liked 24 Times in 10 Posts
Wow

Nice upgrade for the 60+ crowd
liking the 34x 40 low gear for the steeper hills.
I have one hill that kicks my a55.

I have 50/34 crank., 10 speed 11 x 36 cassette.
Can see an 11x 40 in my future.

Chain length ok?
bogydave is offline  
Old 10-10-18, 12:25 AM
  #3  
John00
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Bend Or.
Posts: 573

Bikes: 2 TiSports and a Ho Ko E Koo

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 54 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 1 Post


B screw in backwards
Originally Posted by bogydave
Wow

Nice upgrade for the 60+ crowd
liking the 34x 40 low gear for the steeper hills.
I have one hill that kicks my a55.

I have 50/34 crank., 10 speed 11 x 36 cassette.
Can see an 11x 40 in my future.

Chain length ok?




I took out 3 links ( actually 4 links and added a Quick-Link) because I was getting a lot of sag in the 34-11. There is enough room between the jockey wheels in the 50-40 ( with the B screw reversed) but it's about one link to short to go in there easily, not that anyone would use either combination except by accident. It goes into the 34-40 very easily. Wolf Tooth sells a longer B screw for about $3.00, but someone on another website or U-Tube video said that long screw pushes past the short cog it engages, it's just a small cog and the head on the reversed screw is much wider and engages very well. Looks like that to me too. I don't know how many links are in a new 105 chain.

Last edited by John00; 10-10-18 at 12:53 AM. Reason: Added picture
John00 is offline  
Old 10-10-18, 05:21 AM
  #4  
Hondo Gravel
Life Feeds On Life
 
Hondo Gravel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Hondo,Texas
Posts: 2,143

Bikes: Too many Motobecanes

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4385 Post(s)
Liked 4,496 Times in 3,008 Posts
I have a 2004 Cannondale CAAD5 I never ride and for a few years was thinking about the Shimano 105 build kit to give it new life. You’re overhaul had turned out great it’s like a new bike.
Hondo Gravel is offline  
Old 10-12-18, 08:30 AM
  #5  
TakingMyTime
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Los Alamitos, Calif.
Posts: 2,477

Bikes: Trek 7.4 FX

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1026 Post(s)
Liked 912 Times in 535 Posts
Good to know and thanks for the post. I am in sort of the same position except my 9 speed Ultegra (6500) setup still runs great. But... I have been thinking about picking up a 105 5700 groupset and taking that route. I'm really curious about how much better it might make my bike feel.
TakingMyTime is offline  
Old 10-16-18, 10:13 AM
  #6  
sch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Mountain Brook. AL
Posts: 4,002
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 303 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 136 Times in 104 Posts
I am half way into the same conversion. Thought about it when the R8000 Ultegra came out last yr but put it off and waited for the R7000 105
group to become available which it finally did past month or so. The 11-34 R800 cassette which allows 11spd on 8-9-10spd wheels is nice as
well. My plan was 48-32 crank with the 11-34 cassette and the rest to be R7000. Everything obtained (about $650 for the lot) but a glitch with
the FSA Megaevo BB having an undersized bearing will put off final assembly for several weeks, awaiting a replacement but hope that FSA
didn't buy a container load of undersized bearings. Sealed bearings come in shrink fit, press fit and slip fit sizing depending application and
BB spindle should be slip fit. Glad to see your report of improved shifting and am looking forward to the final build reinforced by your post.

To TakingMyTime, the R7000 is a completely new re-engineering of the group RD/FD and cassettes allowing native use of larger cassettes
than the 5700 does. OTOH, if you don't anticipate needing 11-40 the 5700 saves $1-200 over the R7000, at least over the next yr or so,
until stocks are depleted as it will go out of production. My decision to change was prompted by the failure of the R brifter and the RD/FD were
18yrs and 24K miles old.
sch is offline  
Old 10-18-18, 08:31 AM
  #7  
bruce19
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
I have 3 bikes (I'm a BF under-achiever) one has 12 yr. old Dura Ace, one has 3 yr. old SRAM Red and the other 3 yr. old 105. Best shifting? The 105.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 02-09-19, 05:23 PM
  #8  
Duo
Banned.
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 509

Bikes: The Good Book of bicycling

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 535 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 29 Posts
Shifting is much faster and easier. Instead of taking a full turn or two of the crank to shift, making lots of noise, it now shifts quietly in about a quarter turn.
that is attractive.

normally i don't consider upgrading or repair until the end of a useful life. my bikes are more c and v, so not too worried about the latest tech. on country roads where we live there is not much use for shifting fast or shifting at all.
Duo is offline  
Old 02-09-19, 09:50 PM
  #9  
cccorlew
Erect member since 1953
 
cccorlew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Antioch, CA (SF Bay Area)
Posts: 7,000

Bikes: Trek 520 Grando, Roubaix Expert, Motobecane Ti Century Elite turned commuter, Some old French thing gone fixie

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 121 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 38 Times in 21 Posts
If anyone else is doing this you might think about looking for a 48-32 or even 46-30 crankset instead of the giant cassette. Praxis makes a great 28-32. I have on eon my Roubaix. FSA makes an inexpensive Adventure 46-30.
cccorlew is offline  
Old 02-09-19, 11:44 PM
  #10  
Midway
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Seattle/Tacoma
Posts: 74

Bikes: Colnago Master PIU 90's era, Cannondale Synapse Hi-MOD Disc 2018

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times in 9 Posts
In the spirit of the tread "No Doubt - I'm Out of Touch", I also have Ultegra 6500. Mine with 9 speed, STI, 12x23 I purchased in early 2000.

I have been thinking of upgrading but torn between current components or going retro for my mid-90"s, I think, Colnago Master Piu frame.

I have ordered a 2018 close out endurance bike as I rehab my hip but have no plans to get rid of the Colnago. the question is upgrade to a similar current Shimano group set that is consistent from bike to bike or do a classic Italian frame justice with a Campy group, retro or current. Nice to hear so much progress has been made with components while I've been away from the sport for 15 years.
Midway is offline  
Old 02-14-19, 02:11 PM
  #11  
zjrog
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,753

Bikes: 1986 KHS Fiero, 1989 Trek 950, 1990 Trek 7000, 1991 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, 1992 Trek 1400, 1997 Cannondale CAD2 R300, 1998 Cannondale CAD2 R200, 2002 Marin San Rafael, 2006 Cannondale CAAD8 R1000, 2010 Performance Access XCL9R

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 284 Post(s)
Liked 385 Times in 207 Posts
I recently updated my 33 year old frame with Shimano 105 5600 components, and an Ultegra 6600 10 speed 12-27 cluster. I chose a FSA Vero compact crankset with 50-34 combo. I also opted for a 700c conversion from And I doubt my fitness level will ever have me the 27" wheels.. What little I rode on the street, it felt good over all. And the 12-27 is great on the trainer. But I've been watching a lot of builds go with compact cranksets and 12 -32 and bigger cassettes. I doubt my fitness level will allow me to run the 50/12 anytime soon. And as I live at the top of the hill in my town, maybe a wider geared cassette might not be a better idea. Of course. I have to overcome my fear of going downhill (broke my back in a downhill accident and my mind is afeared), but I think I can go uphill. I hope...
zjrog is offline  
Old 02-16-19, 04:41 PM
  #12  
BlazingPedals
Senior Member
 
BlazingPedals's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Middle of da Mitten
Posts: 12,474

Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1511 Post(s)
Liked 733 Times in 454 Posts
Originally Posted by John00
Instead of taking a full turn or two of the crank to shift, making lots of noise, it now shifts quietly in about a quarter turn.
If that's what it took with your old stuff, there was something seriously wrong with it.
BlazingPedals is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Robert A
Road Cycling
34
01-09-19 04:39 PM
rollingsound514
Bicycle Mechanics
11
04-21-17 10:18 AM
pepsi4all
Bicycle Mechanics
12
12-03-13 07:28 PM
adamjmeek
Bicycle Mechanics
45
08-12-12 08:39 PM
Schmadley
Road Cycling
13
11-01-10 12:23 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.