Eye of the Tiagra

• Until recently, Shimano's Tiagra lineup was rather forgettable. From a design perspective, it didn't have a lot in common with its glam siblings 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace. Yet it was appreciably nicer in function and durability than entry level Sora and 2200 bits. For 2008, Tiagra can finally eat at the adults' table, receiving trickle-down upgrades for its levers, brakes, and crankset. The entire gruppo has been re-sculpted and shaped; the mechs are sensuous and (most importantly) polished aluminum, the calipers are gently bulged and asymmetrical, and if you squint, you'd probably mistake the STI levers for 105 stuff.

  That's all fine and good, but what most impresses me is the new Hollowtech-II external bottom bracket and crankset combination. I'm not the biggest fan of external BBs, but in a world of carbon madness, the crankarm's sleek lines almost make up for the fact that the beefy cups. And astoundingly, this setup saves nearly 200g over last year's square taper model.

  I haven't had a chance to test the 2008 Tiagra lineup just yet, but have long felt that it's Shimano's best kept secret. Today's Tiagra is the same weight as 105 a few years back. All of the components are almost entirely metal both internally and externally and should therefore have a long functional lifespan. I suppose folks might rib you for running the stuff, but given the price delta between Tiagra and 105 (it's about 50%) it's well worth considering for your next build.

  Tiagra is still made in Shimano's main Malaysian factory, unlike the elite road gruppos. On the one hand, there's still something special (if jingoistic?) about the "Made in Japan" stamp and what it represents in terms of quality control and finish work. But quite honestly, the thing I've enjoyed most about Shimano's nicer Japanese bits is the smell. It comes from the radioactive-looking neon-green grease Shimano slathers all on before the boxing. And so it was a pleasant surprise to find the Tiagra crankset and bottom bracket cups smelling sweet and glowing right out of the box. I guess this means Malaysia is radioactive, too...