Transitioning from hybrid to road/cyclocross

[north woods gal]

As I mentioned before, the new Tiagra is probably very comparable to the old 105. I rode the new Tiagra for a year and, honestly, couldn't tell any difference between it and 105. I very much doubt you'd notice a difference on a cassette. Might weigh a touch more than 105, but it will make very little difference, otherwise. You'd have to ride a lot of miles to wear out any Shimano cassette. No one beats Shimano when it comes to making gears. The industry leaders. They make gears for all kinds of equipment, not just bicycles.