The most important facts in brief
If you are looking for a road bike with classic Bowden cables, there is no way around Shimano's 105 in the current model year. The latest version from the Japanese company is the only relevant mechanical 2x12 road groupset apart from the Campagnolo Chorus. Thanks to the attractive price, entry-level road bikes with twelve-speed drivetrains are also several hundred euros cheaper: complete bikes with carbon frames are available from 2500 euros.
These are the 5 road bikes with Shimano 105
- Canyon Endurace CF 7
- Giant Defy Advanced 2
- Stevens Xenith
- Trek Domane AL5
- Wilier Garda
- Competition racing bikes with the twelve-speed group
An outcry reverberated through the road cycling world when Shimano electrified the 105 component group to mark the company's 40th anniversary and removed the mechanical version from the range. Amateur athletes and manufacturers alike saw dark clouds on the horizon and reckoned that the Japanese company would follow in the footsteps of its competitor SRAM and in future only offer road bike drivetrains that change gears at the touch of a button.
One model year later? All-clear! Shimano updated the mechanical 105 last autumn, gave it a twelfth sprocket like the Di2 version and put an attractive price tag on it. This makes the R7100, as the Shimano model is known, predestined for maintenance-friendly and affordable road bikes. A segment that is in danger of dying out in the age of electronic shifting. At the same time, however, it is in demand by many racing cyclists, as documented by the many letters to the TOUR editorial team.
Manageable range: Few road bikes with Shimano 105
The catch: six months after the official launch of the 105, the range of bikes with this shifting technology is rather thin. Only five manufacturers were able to fulfil our test request and provide a marathon bike with the mechanical 2x12 drivetrain. However, some manufacturers have at least announced new equipment variants for the coming months: Stevens configured a Xenith exclusively for our test, which is due to roll into the shop in January. Cannondale and Rose have also announced that the Synapse and Reveal AL will soon be available with the new Shimano drivetrain.
Other brands are likely to follow, as the twelve-speed 105, together with the Campagnolo Chorus, is the only relevant road bike groupset with a Bowden cable. However, there are also signs from the industry that speak against a rapid and widespread spread of new Shimano 105 models. Cube, for example, let it be known that its warehouses are full of marathon bikes and the old 105 groupset, which is why the new version will not be fitted to models such as the Attain be screwed.
In addition, the trend across all manufacturers is that the marathon bike is subject to the same strategy as the competition bike and is gradually being converted to gears with servomotors and batteries. This development is comparable to the introduction of disc brakes. Back then, too, manufacturers still offered racing bikes with rim brakes during a transitional phase lasting several years before they practically disappeared from the market completely.
These are the 5 test candidates
Our five test candidates are cutting-edge marathon bikes. Canyon, Giant and Trek delivered their recently presented new models from the current model year. In addition to the drivetrain, which we tested in the lab and in practice, the racers are united by their orientation as long-distance companions and an attractive price.
Trek sent the Domane AL5 into the race as the cheapest bike; the US bike is the only one based on an aluminium frame. The most expensive bike comes from Stevens, although the Hamburg-based company used its own configurator to add components at extra cost. Our research shows that a marathon bike with a new Shimano 105 and carbon frame costs at least 2500 euros. Comparable models with an electronic 105 are around 700 euros more. As expected, the Stevens benefits greatly from the high-quality equipment: at just over eight kilograms, the Xenith is the lightest bike, bringing it up to the level of marathon bikes with a carbon frame. Shimano's electronic Ultegra can be approached.
Compared to the Canyon, Giant and Wilier, the Hanseate is up to 800 grams lighter. Although the Trek is somewhat out of competition due to the aluminium frame, the riding fun suffers from the almost ten kilogram total weight. With numerous luggage options and huge tyre clearance, the fourth generation of the Domane AL is perhaps better suited as an all-road bike. Wider tyres can also be fitted to the Canyon and Giant, allowing the bikes to be ridden on easy terrain without hesitation. Even on tarmac roads, the Endurace benefits from a high level of suspension comfort: the round carbon seat post smoothes out bumps in an exemplary manner, and the aero cockpit also damps well.
Reasonable maintenance effort with the Shimano 105
However, the one-piece control centre means that the seating position can only be adjusted to a limited extent. All other models come with standard aluminium handlebars and stems. Shift cables and brake lines run in unison under the stem into the frame. This looks chic, and at first glance the candidates do not differ from the more expensive versions with electronic shifting. However, changing the cables, especially threading them through the head tube, requires manual dexterity and experience.
Frequent drivers in particular should take this to heart: Depending on mileage and stress, the recommendation is to replace Bowden cables every twelve months. However, hard-working kilometre collectors are likely to prefer bikes with higher-quality equipment anyway. The models tested are aimed more at hobby riders who want to get into the saddle at weekends without a care in the world and don't want to check the charge status of the Di2 or AXS batteries before turning the cranks for the first time. You get the most bike for your money with the comfortable Canyon, which is around 1600 euros cheaper than the more agile and top-rated Stevens.
The results of all road bikes with Shimano 105 in the overview
- The sub-scores from 4.0 are in red, so you can see which bikes are out of the question for you due to weaker individual scores.
- LL=lifelong
- CR = Crash Replacement
- RA = Race exclusion
Julian Schultz
Editor
