Shimano 105 7000 Is The New Black

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A long time ago, at a bike shop far away, I did a two-minute review of the first generation of Shimano Ultegra Di2. At the time, it was - dollar for dollar - the absolute best component group I’d ever seen. Nothing else since then has knocked me off my feet, until now - I got to ride the new-ish Shimano 105 7020 DISC group on a 2019 Canyon Grail demo bike, and man is it good

My first ever ‘real’ road bike back in the mid 80’s had the very first generation of 105 So you might say got a soft spot for it. 105 7020 is aesthetically identical to Dura Ace: it looks GREAT on the bike and to my hands, the levers feel exactly the same. The black cranks are better looking than their Ultegra cousin and the rubbery front derailleur shifting that plagued past 105 groups is LONG gone...and the rear shifting and lever ‘feel’ is as smooth and as crisp as my DA 9000 group.

From what I can tell, the price for a full kit ranges anywhere from 600-800 dollars. Ultegra is 1200ish and Dura Ace can be had for 2000, but unless you’re a complete weight weenie Shimano has almost made Ultegra redundant at this point and if you’re eyeing a complete road or gravel bike in the 2000 dollar range, it blows bikes in that range with SRAM builds clear into next week.

I’m not gonna fixate on cassettes and chains here, because they’re almost identical to Ultegra but what I WILL fixate on is the brakes - because they’re incredible: Stopping power, feel, modulation, EVERYTHING is pitch perfect. They remind me of Shimano’s all-time great XT mountain bike brakes - which were, and still are, some of the finest disc brakes ever made. And the 105’s, tuned for the road, go toe to toe with the XT’s in every way.

I wouldn’t hesitate to throw this group on a top end carbon bike and use the money I save to splurge on a nice set of wheels, a powermeter, or a premium smart trainer and a Zwift subscription. Is it light? No. Does it have the ‘prestige’ of Dura Ace or Campy Record? No. But guess what - it’s so damn good that I just don’t care.

So, to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. I had the previous version on a BMC not too long ago and it was total crap - it felt flimsy, there was a ton of plastic, and the brake calipers weighed as much as a brick. It was barely a step up from Sora: It definitely had an ‘entry level’ feel, but that’s also long gone. 105 7020 has a much higher quality feel, and an almost premium finish.

Now, before I go I just want to say that Shimano had nothing to do with this review - this was all me. I simply felt so moved by the quality of the group that I had to put something together and share it because I was honestly blown away. If you’re thinking about picking one up or you want to take a closer look at the specs, do me a favor and click the link in the description - it’ll direct you to a familiar place - I’m happy to say I just signed up for the Competitive Cyclist Afilliate program, and I think you’ll agree it’s a great place to research (and make) your next purchase. And who knows - if I drive enough traffic their way, maybe they’ll send us a promo code!

One last thing - I want to give a quick thanks to all my subscribers. I passed the 400 mark this week, and a few of my videos are up over 3,000 views. I’m truly humbled, and I’m really gonna get the ball rolling. I’m working through scripts for about 12 videos right now, so it should be an active month or two. On the docket is:

Pinarello Grevil - Jerseys and bibs from Giordana - POC helmets, kits, and sunglasses - Suplest shoes - the Polar Vantage V, and a 3-way shootout of the Grevil and the Canyon Grails. I’ve also got the inside line on a NEW Pinarello model and should be seeing some Canyon road bikes in my garage soon. Oh! And my first ever BAAAAAAD review. Like, scathing. You’ll love it.

So, if you haven’t subscribed and want to know when these are published, please do and ring the bell icon to be notified when they ‘drop’ if, uh that’s what the kids are saying these days. OK, see ya next time.