Shimano has launched an update to its Tiagra groupset, which sees it gain an extra speed, increasing the available gears to 2×11-speeds paired with a wider range cassette. It fills a hole left by the promotion of 105 mechanical to 12-speeds in mid-2023.
There’s plenty of trickle-down from 105 mechanical, with similar tech including the lever and derailleur shapes and cassette range. As with 105, new Tiagra is available with hydraulic disc brakes only.
The new Tiagra R4000 groupset’s wider range gearing follows a trend seen across every road bike groupset. Shimano says its weight is decreased, while its updated levers are designed to fit a wider range of riders.
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Tiagra R4000 offers an 11-36-tooth cassette with the same 327% range as 105, although with 11 sprockets rather than 12. It continues to use Hyperglide tooth profiles, again similar to 105.
Shimano claims that the new cassette, at 398g, is lighter than alternatives, helping to lower the groupset’s overall weight. That compares with a 105 12-speed cassette with a 391g claimed weight. The Tiagra cassette is priced at £64.99 in the UK.
Shimano says the ergonomics of its new Tiagra levers are based on those of the 105 levers too. The lever position and bracket design are claimed to provide better comfort and control for a wider range of hand sizes. Each lever has a 622g claimed weight and is priced at £174.99.
The levers pair with Shimano’s hydraulic disc brakes, abandoning the cable brake alternative of old Tiagra and mirroring Shimano’s other latest generation groupsets.
The Tiagra cassette is designed to work with a new rear derailleur, which updates the geometry to Shimano’s newer Shadow design with increased wrap around the chain and a single long cage in place of old Tiagra’s short and medium cage variants – again as per 105 mechanical. The derailleur has a 275g claimed weight and £64.99 UK price.
There’s a new front derailleur too, which Shimano says delivers lighter front shifting. The front mech has a 95g claimed weight and £39.99 price.
Further trickle-down comes in the updated crankset, which mirrors the design of Shimano’s 12-speed cranks and is available in 50/34t and 52/36t chainring sizes only.
Crank length choices remain the same as for the previous generation Tiagra R4700 with 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm and 175mm lengths available. Claimed weight for a 50/34t is 907g and UK price is £139.99.
The new drivetrain components are designed to work with Shimano’s existing CN-HG601-11 chain.
Totting up the individual component weights and prices, we reckon a total groupset weight of around 3.5kg and a price including Shimano’s existing chain and rotors in the region of £750.
New Tiagra isn’t Shimano’s only 11-speed groupset for drop bars, with CUES offering an alternative with 10 and 11 speed compatibility and hydraulic disc brakes, as well as 9 and 10-speed cable brake options and a 1x configuration.
CUES uses Shimano’s Linkglide standard for its cassettes and chains, which is heavier and more robust. Shimano positions new Tiagra as a pure road mechanical groupset that sits between CUES and 105 mechanical.
Shimano plans to discontinue 10-speed Tiagra 4700 from early 2027, so it will still be available alongside the new 11-speed Tiagra R4000 for a time.