Price Paid:  $70.00 at Nashbar

Favorite Ride:
backroads

Bike Setup:
An old Specialized carbon fiber Epic from the Jurassic period. It's built up w/ a bunch of components dredged out of the dark recesses of my garage.

Summary:
I wanted to do a budget build on a sweet old frameset that I have. I know that 'Rosebud' deserves a better nameplate than Sora, but I'm a little short right now. Actually Rosebud & I are really happy with the performance of these dbl. shifters. I ride w/my hands 99% on the hoods, so the the shift levers are real accessible. If you ride in the drops you may have trouble getting your thumbs on the inside shift levers.

Strengths:
Inexpensive, clean and precise shifts.

Weaknesses:
Sora nameplate. Other than that, I'm pleased w/ the performance.

Similar Products Used:
Ultegra on my other 2 bikes

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Price Paid:  $120.00 at On Line

Favorite Ride:
Hilly & scenic

Summary:
Converted an old steel Peugeot with downtube shifters to a seven speed with Sora shifters. They shift great; reliable, durable, precise and inexpensive. They look nice. What more can you ask for?

Strengths:
As indicated above. No problems whatsoever. I ride the drops, and have no problems with the thumb shifting.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Ultegra shifters, which perform no better.

Price Paid:  $110.00 at Online

Favorite Ride:
Anyplace without traffic

Bike Setup:
Old steel frame with cinelli lugs, Campy dropouts - Shimano 105 with Ultegra hubs and Mavic Open wheels.

Summary:
Decent, inexpensive shifter for the thrifty (cheap) upgrader or the entry level road rider. I bought these to update an old steel frame bike that had 7 speed downtube shifters. They've worked perfectly for about 1,000 miles, some of it pretty rough.

Strengths:
Reliable and inexpensive. These let you put STI on old bikes without spending much money. Ignore the reviews that use the word "sucks" both in general and especially in this case. These aren't fancy but they work.

Weaknesses:
The thumb levers are a bit hard to get at from the drops, I've got large hands and it's a reach for me. The body is a bit smallish for large hands. I would spend more and convert to Campy Mirage if I were to do it over.

Similar Products Used:
Shimano 105, Campy Mirage.

Price Paid:  $100.00 at na

Favorite Ride:
Sora st-3300

Bike Setup:
Cannondale, Ultegra

Summary:
This is a note of thanks to the reviewers of this product. Shimano's photos and specs do not make it obviousl that the Sora shifters have a thumb shifter for the large-to-small gear shifts. I was about to buy Soras to replace my no longer functioning Ultegra 8 speed shifters, but I don't have chimpanzee thumbs, so I found used gear on eBay.

Strengths:
Looks nice, and seems to shift well.

Weaknesses:
I don't have chimpanzee thumbs. These are for people who only ride the hoods, never ride the drops, e.g. people who really want a hybrid, but don't want to look wimpy.

Similar Products Used:
Ultegra / 600 / 105

Price Paid:  $78.00 at Limbros

Bike Setup:
Mixed components: Shimano 105 (front derailuer), Tigra (rear derailuer), 105 (brake set), Sante (crankset) and Sora (shifter).

Summary:
Had used the shifter for training (sprints & climbs)... i'm a new roadie - cross trained from MTB to road.

I'm satisfied on the Sora's performance... also used it for racing. Had no complaints on handling from the hoods...

Strengths:
Shifting is crisp... a real value for your money...

Weaknesses:
Plastics are used - well what can we ask for on its price...

Similar Products Used:
None... my first STI