Shimano groupset overview - All Shimano road bike groupsets listed

Cyclists in the market for a new road bike need to pick a groupset to go with it. And there’s an overabundance of different types of Shimano groupsets for road bikes. There’s mainly the Shimano Tiagra, Shimano 105 and Shimano Ultegra. But how well do all these Shimano groupset really perform and what are the distinctions between them? We listed all Shimano groups, from Sora to Dura Ace.

First of all, it’s useful to know what components of your road bike are part of a groupset. Luckily, that’s not very complicated. A complete groupset contains everything related to shifting, braking and the drivetrain.

What parts are in a groupset?

Naturally, there is the shifters first of all as well as your front and rear derailleur. Additionally, your crankset with the chainrings, your cassette, and your chain are also standard in a complete groupset.

Lastly, brakes also belong to a groupset. Surprisingly enough, brake discs of disc brake road bikes are not part of a groupset. You’re always required to buy these separately.

How to tell a groupset’s quality

Luckily, groupset manufacturers are pretty consistent in naming their own groupsets. Below you’ll find an overview of all Shimano road bike groupsets, from the entry group Shimano Tourney to the groupsets professionals use, such as Shimano Dura Ace.

Many people think nothing but the best will do for them. But did you know that new technologies of Shimano’s higher-end models slowly trickle down to cheaper groupsets?

Those cycling on Shimano’s cheapest groupset are, in a manner of speaking, cycling with groupset quality similar to that of the ones that professionals used 10 to 15 years ago. This means you’re cycling on a high-quality groupset without paying through the nose for it.

Shimano Race groupset overview

Shimano Groupset	Level	Price	Weight	Durability	Gear shifting speed & Shifting under pressure
Shimano Tourney 7-Speed	Sporty city bike
Shimano Claris 8-Speed	Novice
Shimano Sora 9-Speed	Novice
Shimano Tiagra 10-Speed	Novice/Experienced
Shimano 105 11-Speed	Experienced
Shimano Ultegra 11-Speed	Experienced/Advanced
Shimano Ultegra Di2 11-Speed	Advanced/Expert
Shimano Dura Ace 11-Speed	Expert/Professional
Shimano Dura Ace Di2 11-Speed	Expert/Professional
Shimano Ultegra Di2 12-Speed	Expert/Professional
Shimano Dura Ace Di2 12-Speed	Expert/Professional

It’s a misconception to think that the cheapest groupset won’t be of high quality. In fact, for most people a Shimano Claris, Shimano Sora or Shimano Tiagra group offers plenty.

The difference is largely limited to the quality of the materials and the groupset’s weight. The more expensive, the more durable and lighter the material is.

Shimano Tourney groupset

The Shimano Tourney group is an ideal groupset for the first few miles. This group is not very common on beginner road bikes, but is more suited for fitness bicycles.

According to Shimano, this groupset is ideal for sportive rides or for urban use. This group is available as triple or double variant (2x7/8 or 3x7/8).

Shimano Claris groupset

Shimano Claris is really the first groupset for road bikes. This is also a good group for beginners. The Claris groupset is also suited for longer rides or for commuting.

The Shimano Claris group is common among starter road bikes. This makes a lot of sense: it’s a relatively inexpensive group that still shifts smoothly and is pretty durable. The Claris is available as double and triple (2x8 or 3x8).

Shimano Sora groupset

The Shimano Sora group is the final beginner groupset. The design is starting to become much sleeker already.

You can also opt for a very large shifting range thanks to the 9 speed triple or double. The Shimano Sora groupset is available as 2x9 or 3x9 variant.

Shimano Tiagra groupset

Starting with the Shimano Tiagra group, the groupsets become more focused on experienced road bikers. It allows you to mount a cassette with up to 10 sprockets. That’s especially useful in more challenging terrain.

This is also the last groupset that allows you to choose between double or triple, which enables you to have either 20 or 30 gears. This is also the first groupset that is compatible with hydraulic disc brakes.

Shimano 105 groupset

The Shimano 105 group is Shimano’s most popular groupset. The reason for this is simple: you’ll get a very solid, not too heavy group which shifts smoothly on top of everything.

A Shimano 105 group can fit 11 sprockets in the rear and in front you’ll get two chainrings. This makes for a total of 22 gears. However, that’s more than enough for experienced road cyclists, for whom this groupset was intended.

Additionally, the Shimano 105 group had a major update in 2018. The newer version also allows you to get it with hydraulic disc brakes. The Shimano 105 group is common in many mid-range road bikes.

Shimano Ultegra groupset

From the Shimano Ultegra groupset onward, you’re getting a real professional groupset for your road bike. It’s completely made out of lightweight and very durable materials. The amount of sprockets in the rear is fixed at 11.

As you’d expect, shifting is silent and smooth. In this groupset, you can’t choose a triple anymore. The Shimano Ultegra group is only available in double-chainring variants.

Of course, the Shimano Ultegra also comes in hydraulic disc brake version. You can even pick special Shimano Ultegra brake discs that dissipate heat.

Shimano Ultegra Di2 11 groupset

A great benefit of the Ultegra and better groups is that they allow you to use electronic shifting. This gives you the advantage of never having your chain rub again. Every click is a hit when you’re shifting.

Electronic shifting with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset is not wireless. You’ll still need to run tiny electronic cables along your bike frame. And of course you’ll need an Ultegra battery too to provide all those electronics with power. Luckily, this battery is easy to hide within your frame.

Shimano Dura Ace groupset

Shimano Dura Ace is Shimano’s very best groupset. This is really the crème de la crème. It has the lightest possible weight yet is incredibly sturdy.

The entire Dura Ace group is optimised to the extent that every bit of power you put in is translated to pure speed. Even the crank arm’s shape for example provides the best power transfer.

And naturally, shifting is very accurate and immensely reliable. Are you eyeing the hydraulic disc brake version? Then it’s worth getting the Dura Ace brake discs. These allow you to face the longest and most challenging descents without any trouble.

Shimano Dura Ace Di2 groupset

If you really cannot be satisfied by anything less than perfection? Then the Shimano Dura Ace Di2 is the electronic version that you need. It has the same high-end quality as the regular Dura Ace groupset, but including electronic shifting.

The advantage is that you won’t be bothered by less-than smooth shifting due to a stretched cable. Chain rub becomes a thing of the past, because every movement of a gear shift is pre-programmed.