Hi all, great forum, I snoop around here daily now. I tried a search but didn't see a definitive answer so I thought I'd ask here. So I've decided on a new Bianchi Via Nirone with Sora components throughout. I think the drivetrain will suffice (for now) since the majority of my riding is done with my girlfriend. I'm in love with the bike but I would like to have shifters that work like Tiagra/105s/Ultegra. Is this as simple as swapping just the shifters or would more (or all) of the drivetrain have to be swapped? Apologies in advance if this is a newbie question but hey I'm a newbie:D

Thanks,
Erik

Since your Sora levers are 8 speed, you will need to get your shop to order some ST-R500 8 speed STI levers.
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441763170&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302049897&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181667&bmUID=1169567900027

They look just like Tiagra & 105 levers, but are 8 speed.
Your other option is to convert to 9 speed Tiagra. For that, you will need chain, cassette, and maybe a rear derailleur......Along with the Tiagra shifters.

Those shifters look great. The Tiagra setup would be nice but in the interest of keeping cost down, I'll probably go with the shifter swap. Thanks.

Erik

...I think the drivetrain will suffice (for now) since the majority of my riding is done with my girlfriend...

Well if you are just riding with a girl then how much shifting are you really going to be doing? Ride the Sora for awhile and find out if you really need to make a change. If you begin to ride a lot and find that you are ready to upgrade you may discover that the cheapest way to buy components is when they are hung on a new bike as part of the total purchase price. Heck, you may find you like the way the Sora shifters work after you put a few miles in on them.

You're right, I find myself staying in a super low gear so we can ride together, in fact this past weekend I left it in the same gear (on my Giant) for the entire ride. I may just stick with the Sora shifters. Thanks for the advice, the idea for now is to get in cheap and see if I stick with riding. Now I need to go over to the LBS and work out a deal:thumbsup: