Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Sora 3500 vs Tiagara 4500 brifter

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Sora 3500 vs Tiagara 4500 brifter

Old 05-31-20, 11:38 PM
  #1  
StargazeCyclist
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 67
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 16 Times in 9 Posts
Sora 3500 vs Tiagara 4500 brifter

The left brifter of my 2012 TCR is broken (A plastic part of the holding mechanism broke into two - don't think it can be reliably used even if I glue it back). So I am looking for a new (left) brifter. The Tiagara 4500 9 speed group set is what I am now using. Because I am broke I have no plan to change the derailleur. I think my options are
1) 'Downgrade' to a pair of Sora 3500. I am not sure whether it is really a downgrade.
2) Just replace the left brifter with another Tiagara 4500. This costs about half of option 1 but the problem is I didn't found any 4500 right brifter available for sale and I don't know how long the old one will last.
3) ???
I am not very knowledgeable with bikes so what would be the best option?

I suppose I also need some tutorial on how to replace a brifter.
StargazeCyclist is offline  
Old 06-01-20, 03:02 AM
  #2  
delbiker1 
Mother Nature's Son
 
delbiker1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 3,111

Bikes: 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 838 Post(s)
Liked 1,414 Times in 801 Posts
I will have to look, but I think I have an extra left side 4400, 9 speed brifter. Obviously, not a visual match, but a workable option. Right side is always hard to find. I guess they wear out due to the amount of use compared to the left. Let me know if you have interest and I will look. Cost of shipping only, should be the flat rate package of $8.50/8.95, whatever that rate is.
delbiker1 is offline  
Likes For delbiker1:
Old 06-01-20, 07:39 AM
  #3  
StargazeCyclist
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 67
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 16 Times in 9 Posts
Originally Posted by delbiker1
I will have to look, but I think I have an extra left side 4400, 9 speed brifter. Obviously, not a visual match, but a workable option. Right side is always hard to find. I guess they wear out due to the amount of use compared to the left. Let me know if you have interest and I will look. Cost of shipping only, should be the flat rate package of $8.50/8.95, whatever that rate is.
Thanks a lot. I am in China, so I am not sure about the shipping cost, or how to arrange payment. To compare the 4500 above costs 30 USD, a single Sora left brifter is even slightly cheaper. I guess the main question is, should I replace the right brifter as well?
StargazeCyclist is offline  
Old 06-01-20, 08:16 AM
  #4  
delbiker1 
Mother Nature's Son
 
delbiker1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 3,111

Bikes: 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 838 Post(s)
Liked 1,414 Times in 801 Posts
Shipping it to China definitely cost prohibitive. I would probably replace both of them and have the old one for a spare. I have an Schwinn SS DBX that has mismatched shifters, right 4500 and left 4400. I have replacement for the 4400 If I decide to do that. I am actually leaning towards using the 4500's on an early 90's road bike, it has DT shifters still. I have them in friction mode and am using a 10 speed cassette with them. It shifts great, but I think I would like it more with the STI shifters, That would be a strictly 9 speed set up all the way.
delbiker1 is offline  

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.