Shimano Road Bike Components: Brand, Grade, and Identification

Types of Shimano components for road bikes

There are seven brands of Shimano components for road bikes.

• DURA-ACE
• ULTEGRA
• 105
• Tiagra
• SORA
• Claris
• Tourney

The different grades are as follows.

At the top of the lineup is DURA-ACE, designed for pro-level performance. The latest R9200 series, released in 2021, is fully Di2 (electronic shifting), which drove the price of the full groupset up to ¥450,000. Even the previous R9100 series costs over ¥200,000 just for the components.

On the other hand, entry-level Claris can be purchased for around ¥40,000 for a full set—cheaper than just the STI lever set from DURA-ACE.

Understanding these component price ranges allows you to better assess the cost-performance of a complete bike. For example, if a beginner-level bike with full Claris components is priced in the ¥40,000 range, you’re essentially paying for just the components—making it an excellent value.

How to Identify Shimano Component “Grade” and “Generation” by Model Code

You can determine the grade and generation of Shimano components by looking at their model code.

Shimano uses a naming convention in the format of XX-0000:

• XX: Indicates the part name
• 0000: Indicates the grade and generation

By reading the numeric part (0000) of the code, you can tell which grade and which generation the component belongs to.

Generations of Shimano 105 Components

For example, when it comes to 105 STI levers, the latest model is in the ST-R7100 series, followed by the ST-R7000 series, then ST-5800, ST-5700, and finally ST-5600 in order of age.

The ST-5700, which is three generations older than the currently available R7100 series, was released in May 2010—over 15 years ago.

The latest ST-R7100 series was initially released in 2022 with only the 12-speed Di2 version (ST-R7170). However, a mechanical shift version (ST-R7120, hydraulic brake only) was also launched on September 1, 2023.

While ST-5600 can be found cheaply on second-hand markets such as auctions or flea market apps, it is a 10-speed model from 15 years ago. Since the 105 series moved to 11-speed starting with the 5800 series, older models are not compatible with current parts.

More importantly, the durability of components from 15 years ago may not be reliable.

Performance Difference: “Generation > Grade”

Shimano has a well-known principle: “Generation (new vs old) > Grade.” This is because newer models often incorporate advanced technologies from higher-end groupsets.

So, a higher grade doesn’t always guarantee better performance. An older high-end model may perform worse than a newer lower-end model. This is important to keep in mind when shopping for used Shimano components.

As seen in the 105 example, a two-generation-old component may already be a 10-year-old model. When considering older generation components, it’s recommended to compare functionality and performance differences with current entry-level groups via Shimano’s official site or user reviews.

Compatibility Varies by Generation

Even within the same grade like Shimano 105, details such as the number of gears the STI levers support can differ between generations, as shown in the earlier table.

Incompatible parts may not function properly, so when mixing components of different grades or generations on your road bike, always check for compatibility.

While official Shimano manuals do include compatibility information, they can be lengthy and hard to navigate. For a simpler compatibility check, see the page below:

Which Groupset is Best? How to Choose Your Components

Choose by “Usage” Rather than “Target Demographic”

When you start riding road bikes, it’s tempting to aim for higher-grade components. However, your usage matters more.

If you’re racing competitively, 105 or higher might be ideal—but that doesn’t mean you can’t race with lower grades. Some people have even won races with SORA.

Conversely, for weekend cyclists, 105 is more than sufficient. But there are enthusiasts who do 100km+ rides or hill climbs every weekend and use DURA-ACE for that reason.

Lower-grade components also come with cheaper replacement parts like chains and cassettes. So if your goal is to keep maintenance costs low, intentionally choosing lower grades like CLARIS is a valid strategy.

While it’s true that higher grades mean higher performance, even Shimano’s lower-grade components maintain a high standard of quality. Upgrading isn’t always necessary.

More Gears ≠ More Usable

Higher Shimano grades typically mean more gears.

More gears are great for riders who need fine-tuned shifting like in

Frequently Asked Questions About Shimano Road Bike Component Grades and Model Numbers