# Shimano 2300



## philoanna (Dec 2, 2007)

Does anyone have any experience with Shinano 2300 stuff? I am thinking of getting a Specialized Allez Steel, which comes with 2300 and wanted to hear some testimonials about the drivetrain.
Thanks for your time.


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## moostapha (Oct 1, 2009)

It's cheaper than Sora, and Sora pisses me off. 

For that price and wanting steel, you might not do much better. But, I'd expect it to be absolute carp, but I could be really wrong. There's at least one guy on a group ride who rides that bike, so it can't be so frustrating as to not be usable.


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## navyem2 (Apr 16, 2010)

it worked well for me but i had buyers remorse as soon as i had some miles on the bike. i just didnt feel comfortable when i had to shift when sprinting or doing hills. i got a new bike with 105 as soon as i started riding in groups.


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## felix5150 (Mar 15, 2009)

Downtube shifters aren't for everyone, but the 2300 shifted clean enough while I had it on my steel Allez. I think I rode the bike for about a month before upgrading to DA w/ downtube shifters. Just couldn't put STI on the bike


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

philoanna said:


> Does anyone have any experience with Shinano 2300 stuff? I am thinking of getting a Specialized Allez Steel, which comes with 2300 and wanted to hear some testimonials about the drivetrain.
> Thanks for your time.



If you ride your bike once a week, it's good enough.......Maybe even twice, if you only go on 20 mile rides.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

The issue is the difference between "good enough" and enjoyable. Personally, I would avoid a bike without STI shifters.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

It works just fine......I've ridden a few bikes with it and had no issues.....


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## skyliner1004 (May 9, 2010)

its the lowest of the low end... take that for what its worth. It should work, though i've never ridden it. I did ride Shimano's lowest end MTB stuff and it didn't work, lbs couldn't fix either. Sold it.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

nealric said:


> The issue is the difference between "good enough" and enjoyable. Personally, I would avoid a bike without STI shifters.


Shimano 2300 is STI. And having tried it, it's perfectly fine for recreational riding. The "can't-downshift-from-the-drops" criticism is a red herring because 99% of all recreational riders are on the drops less than 1% of their ride time.


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## felix5150 (Mar 15, 2009)

wim said:


> Shimano 2300 is STI. And having tried it, it's perfectly fine for recreational riding. The "can't-downshift-from-the-drops" criticism is a red herring because 99% of all recreational riders are on the drops less than 1% of their ride time.


The Allez Steel double is using the 2300 downtube shifters and not the 2300 STI. Funny thing is, on shimano's website (well last time I looked), you won't see downtube shifters anywhere, but you can still order them through your LBS.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

felix5150 said:


> The Allez Steel double is using the 2300 downtube shifters and not the 2300 STI.


Correct. I actually knew that some months ago, but forgot. Getting old sucks.


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## |3iker (Jan 12, 2010)

You'll be fine. Shimano 2300 STI shifts just fine as Tiagra from my experience. Poor shifting has to do most of the time with poor tuning.

Put it this way, my commuter sports a low end Shimano Tourney RD and they never miss a shift. Each click results in sure footed gear changes. I dare say it is as sharp and swift as my DA on the _other_ bike.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

> I dare say it is as sharp and swift as my DA on the other bike


Really? I've never ridden DA, but I've ridden a bike with Tourney and even a properly adjusted setup still shifts kind of crappy. It works- but it's not even close to my Ultegra bike.


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## |3iker (Jan 12, 2010)

Yup. And that's no lie. Maybe my Tourney TX-whatever was a ringer. Even when powering up inclines, it never 2nd guess up-shifts to larger cogs.
To this day I do not want to mess with it because it shifts so bloody well.


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## moostapha (Oct 1, 2009)

|3iker said:


> I dare say it[cheap, older shimano] is as sharp and swift as my DA on the _other_ bike.


Statements and reviews like this are part of the reason I'm switching to SRAM when it's time to upgrade. If Shimano can't make anything better than what I currently have, why would I spend any more money on their garbage? I can shift from the drops just fine on Sora (though not while sprinting). It's not as comfortable as real shifters, but I can do it. So, why spend money? 

Conversely, if you honestly think that low-end stuff shifts just as well as Dura-Ace, then why did you spend money on Dura-Ace? 

As a side note, the SRAM drive trains that I've ridden are a lot more impressive. They don't feel quite as crisp in the interface, but they happen faster…and when you shift under load, nothing changes. Oh yeah…and their front shifters work. I can't say the same for Sora, regardless of who adjusts it. 

If DA front shifters are as bad as Sora front shifters (getting stuck in the big ring and having a setting that throws the chain…unless the FD is set to rub the chain in the biggest 2 cogs) then Shimano deserves to go out of business.


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## |3iker (Jan 12, 2010)

moostapha said:


> Statements and reviews like this are part of the reason I'm switching to SRAM when it's time to upgrade. If Shimano can't make anything better than what I currently have, why would I spend any more money on their garbage? I can shift from the drops just fine on Sora (though not while sprinting). It's not as comfortable as real shifters, but I can do it. So, why spend money?
> 
> Conversely, if you honestly think that low-end stuff shifts just as well as Dura-Ace, then why did you spend money on Dura-Ace?
> .


Errr.... I didn't. But that's for another thread.  
I can only vouch from my own experience. Maybe I am just a master tuner than some. :thumbsup:


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## sawz67 (Jul 21, 2011)

my tourney always gives me a slip foot when shifting. drives me nuts


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## Blackss06 (Feb 26, 2011)

I've got 2300 STI on one of my bikes and it's perfectly fine, never let me down, when adjusted correctly it shifts good, of course my campy record shifts better but I've got 1000+ miles on the 2300 with no problems, and I'm not gentle on my bikes.


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## Zeekster64 (Dec 23, 2010)

Tiagra or better. You'll regeret the shifters really soon. I spend quite a bit of time in the drops, any chance I get.


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## paco1961 (Jul 31, 2011)

I've spent a fair amount of time in the saddle with both Tiagra and Soras and aside from the different shifting pattern, I'm hard pressed to see enough difference to justify the price. Admittedly, I'm not a sprinter so can't speak to performance under that load, but based on 20+ mile rides several times a week, I don't see much if any difference. Honestly, I also have an old clunker Schwinn hybrid with old clunky Suntour shifters/ and front/back gear sets that I keep for riding on rougher roads and as long as I stay ontop of keeping them adjusted, They do the trick nicely. Sometimes I think we get a little too caught up in the nameds!


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## chrisym (Jul 29, 2012)

Im looking at a defy4 and 3 at the moment, main difference between them is the 4 has 2300's and the 3 has sora's...is it worth the extra cost?


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

I have a hard time keeping my 2300 RD tuned. On the other hand the FD has been fine aftwr the initial break in.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

I would try to stick to the 7900 stuff.


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