6 Tiagra road bikes under 1,400 euros on test - Good and affordable: 6 Tiagra racers compared

Professional cyclists are visibly impressed by Shimano's affordable component group: "Technically, the Tiagra is on a par with the old 105, visually almost on a par with an Ultegra," says Frank Greifzu, Head of Marketing at Bavarian manufacturer Cube.

The term "component group" is usually used to describe the technically and visually coordinated brakes, gears, grips, cranks and chainrings. Since its most recent general overhaul in 2015, the Tiagra, which sits below the Ultegra and 105 groupsets, has made a huge leap forward. The shift cables now run elegantly under the handlebar tape instead of in front of the handlebars as before. The rubber grips feel just as good in the hands as on Ultegra & Co.; the crank picks up on the modern four-arm design of the more expensive Shimano groupsets. And the surfaces now shine in elegant meteor grey - instead of silver as before.

The current Tiagra is also a far cry from its predecessor in technical and functional terms. The difference to Ultegra and 105 is barely perceptible, especially in terms of shifting performance. The operating forces for the front derailleur have been reduced to an unprecedented level thanks to a longer lever arm; the chain slips so effortlessly from the small to the large chainring and back again that even riders of a ten-year-old version of the top Dura-Ace groupset would be envious. The rim brakes now have friction-reducing ball bearings between the brake arms. The operating forces are significantly lower, especially from the most frequently ridden position, with the hands on the grip humps. Since summer 2016, Shimano has also been offering a hydraulic disc brake with a mechanical-hydraulic shifting brake lever, which is not assigned to the Tiagra by name, but is technically and visually matched to the groupset.

You can find the entire test report with these Tiagra racers as a PDF in the download area below:

• Cannondale CAAD Optimo Tiagra
• Cube Attain Race Disc
• Felt VR 40 (TOUR tip: test winner)
• Fuji Roubaix 1.5
• Giant Contend SL2 Disc
• Haibike Seet Race 2.0

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