New Shimano 105 R7100 groupset goes 12-speed, Di2 and disc brake only

The Good:

1. New 105 shares parts compatibility with latest Dura Ace and Ultegra group sets
2. Reduced numbers of SKUs - less parts to manufacture/stock such as one rear derailleur, no mechanical shifting or rim brakes parts to build or stock.
3. Typically on the Road Group sets by Shimano shift more smoothly, quietly, and quickly than Sram road group sets. Shimano also has less issues shifting the front mech.
4. Electronic option at this level makes many consumers happy they can get Di2 for a little less money than Ultegra.
5. The new brakes with added clearance and the brakes are better than Sram brakes.
6. It's still black which will color match most any bike.
7. Still 24 MM cranksets

The Bad:

1. The rear derailleur is also only part of a road bicycle that's designed to break off in a crash, but Shimano decided it was a good idea to put a largest portion of the groupset’s technology in the rear derailleur.
2. Going di2 electronic only there is long delays on the manufacturing of chips and electronic components. Mechanical 105 was always easier to source than di2.
3. Shimano priced a lot of people out of a traditionally affordable groupset & bike. You don't really get a light bike, when you get a 105 di2 bike anymore compared to a quality rim brake 105 mechanical bike from the past. Some of the added weight can be made up with modern aerodynamics and lighter wheels etc., but the bike will still be heavier.
4. Built in obsolescence - at some point Shimano will stop making parts and it will be a challenge to find replacement parts for otherwise good used bikes. Example: Try and find 10 speed di2 parts when you have a problem on an older bike, especially if it's a di2 only frame. A di2 only frame with di2 2 by 10 speed bike is equivalent to an obsolete iPhone. The di2 11 speed won’t be far behind and there is a lot of that stuff out there – good luck finding parts for those in few years.
5. No ten tooth option on the cassette - I get that some research shows a 10 tooth can be a less efficient, or not as durable, but most people that run 105 would not care about that. The would broaden the gear range. It's like you’re not taking full advantage of the benefits of adding a 12th cog like Sram and Campagnolo have.
6. Not a huge issue, but it’s not 100% wireless - still needs a wire - seems to be years behind Sram at this point, but di2 would generally out perform the Sram options.
7. No power meter option in the crank either
8. Other than r7000 there is no higher end Shimano option to take older frames and rebuild them with new components from Shimano. Campagnolo will most likely fill this gap isntead. Suggestion – Shimano make non-series mechanical disc 12 speed components that could be used/mixed with dura ace, ultegra, and 105 for the traditionalists. (I could see Microshift making these and selling OEM to bike manufactures – they have done it before) Bring Tiagra to 11 speed and reduce the weight of the crankset and cassette (105 level) and leave it mechanical only with disc and caliper brake mechanical options. Shimano if you want to further reduce part numbers use the same shift levers and brake calipers for GRX and road groupsets. You could have grippy hood options for gravel and smoother for road. Most two piston brake calipers are the same anyways and a lot of road riders prefer the feel and ergonomics of the GRX levers.
9. We finally standardized on disc wheelset axle spacing and got rid of most of the crappy/squeaky bottom bracket standards, so let’s go to work on standardizing 12 speed across the brands. Now Shimano, Sram, and Campagnolo are all doing their own thing on 12 speed and free hubs. Why can't these three companies just use one free hub (Srams which I feel is the best), the same cog spacing, and close enough tooth profiles when you could at least mix and match wheels, cassettes, and chains.

I have to stand up for Shimano here- 9-speed mechanical Sora is really good and pretty cheap. You can hardly blame Big S for taking money from people who are desperate to give it to them

Surely this is about frameset manufacturers desire to only produce one road frame design, that is electronic only, disc brake only, & fully internal cables with only space for 2 disc brake hoses?

Those consoling themselves with Tiagra & 7000 miss the point that from at least the big manufacturers there won't be a tier 2 cable actuated frame available

Mechanical Campagnolo Centaur (2,484 g / £600) is 500g lighter. Yes, half a kilo !!!

And £1000 cheaper.

Shimano seem too happy to pile on the pounds (lbs & £); lose-lose for shimano buyers.

One thing I like is that they are using the extra cog to give a really low gear option.  Or at least I did until I saw the price differential between the 11-34 (still a pretty low gear ratio) and the 11-36.

A weird question, maybe.. But is the new 105 may work with 11sp cassette?

I think this is great news as electronic shifting is a game-changer.  The only concern I have is that the 105 group was the somewhat affordable race level groupset for a long time and now it's quite pricy.  I had hoped that "economies of scale" and competition from SRAM would've driven the price of electronic group sets down to a more afforadable level, but so far that hasn't happened.

I assume the front chain wheel and crank di2 version are no different from a mechanical one.

Just checking my options for when my ultegra fails !

Other places are reporting that 11spd mechanical 105 is continuing?

So quick but (at least from my persepctive) quite interesting/ important question - the Dura-ace and Ultegra shifters have the hood button which can be set up for various functions but, most usefully I found, for allowing you to switch pages on your Garmin (I find it endlessly annoying that this doesn't seem to be possible with eTap). 

There was some discussion as to whether 105 Di2 would have this button or if it would be ditched for cost savings/ to keep some premium in Ultegra and Dura-ace - any insight?

Quote:

Shifters can communicate wirelessly with the rest of the system (disc brake version only)

Thanks, I'll take the rim brake version then.

Quote:

No rim brake model

Shimano did bad not for 105 groupset seekers but also for itself. By eliminating the long lived simplest solution to braking being quality rim brakes and quality mechanical shifting from its range, it just entered in suicide mission. Nobody has to use neither di2 nor disc brakes. It just lots of fuss around when you are out of electricity, oil and noises... in the middle of your century ride. The industry just killed best quality per price being 105 rim brakes and mechanical gears 

Seems the only reason to be bothered by this is if you're branding-conscious and don't want to be seen on Tiagra, which is by all accounts excellent and will almost certainly go to 11 speed soon. Shimano haven't put the brakes on the mechanical option, just shifted the labels around. (And remember there's still GRX, which I suspect will retain the mechanical option due to the unique use case.)

I see Shimano have waited until noisy protest was made illegal before releasing this news, the bastards. 

#SaveTheRimBrake

Sort of inevitable really once SRAM shipped Rival eTap AXS, making a 3rd tier electronic groupset. I guess "we" aren't Shimano's customers, the big manufacturers are, so I would imagine there was some commerical pressure to enable a Shimano equipped bike that ticks the "electronic shifting" box at a ~£3k price point (example Boardman SLR 9.4 with SRAM's 3rd tier at £2.7k).

I was just in the process of speccing up a new Ti frameset (for long distance rides), which I had every intention of building with 105 R7020 (hydraulic disc, 11 speed mechanical shifting). If I continue I hope that 11 speed stuff remains available for the foreseeable future.

If Shimano in time drop R7000/7020, I do hope that a future Tiagra 4800 goes 11 speed with backward compatibility with 5800/7000.