Shimano has released details and images of its 2016 Sora R3000 groupset, which will sit as the fifth-tier road option - one below Tiagra. It will remain 9-speed, will primarily be aimed at a sport and fitness user, and therefore likely retain its budget-conscious buyers. But with a new-look image that is reminiscent of groupsets further up the spectrum, as well as a smattering of performance updates, there are some notable differences.
Perhaps most striking is the 4-arm crankset, which mimics the sleek aesthetics first seen on Dura-Ace 9000 in 2012. The crankset will be available in either a double (50-34) or triple (50-39-30), which will cater for the needs of both road-specific and leisure cyclist buyers. An added bonus is the fact that both the double and triple chainsets can now be run with a 34-11 cassette, which dramatically increases the range of gear ratios seen on previous Sora iterations, and will make both spinning up climbs and churning along with a tailwind a far more enjoyable prospect.
Coupled with the drivetrain upgrades are the STI shifters, which for the first time on a Sora groupset are internally cabled and again emulate shifters of higher tier components. Similarly, the brake callipers become dual-pivot, which is another filter down and should aid in the 20% increase in rim brake performance that Shimano are claiming from the BR-R3000 calliper.
Shimano say there will also be alternative components (cranksets, shifters, brakes) for commuter-orientated flat-bar bikes, and state that both will be available from April 2016.
Sora R3000 is, in short, a continuation of the filter down technologies of higher tier groupsets, and in terms of both aesthetic and performance upgrades, the new Sora will no doubt prove a welcome complement to both road and commuter bikes alike. Question is, next stop 10-speed...?