You can add a left-side power meter to any road groupset that uses Hollowtech bottom brackets. I mix a silver 6800 Ultegra with older FC-700 chainring on m CX bike and used it before I got a matching black 105-7000 for my road bike. It was mismatched group and colour but I figure nobody looks at both sides of the bike at the same time anyways.
That’s a good point, even in pictures! I love having the PM on my Saris and when doing TR sessions try to keep it +/- 1W (I’m a data guy so it comes naturally). My crank right now is the RS-200 solid arms not Hollowtech II. Like I said above, small improvements 
1 Like
You lucked out! They won’t ship this to the US…
Thanks for the suggestion and I’ll keep it in mind certainly
I’m in Canada so in the same boat. Chainreaction can’t ship Shimano parts here either. Merlin Cycles will, but I also just ordered GRX parts from Jenson USA who is one of the few to offer free shipping to Canada from the US (over a certain $ amount). I can’t understand how UK sellers can offer cheap/free shipping to North America but US <-> Canada is usually outrageous.
Maybe a UK friend could help out here and reship. $459 US for a full rim brake groupset is an insane deal really. Jenson’s pricing would be about $650
If you was looking to buget 1500 for axs or 105 di2 could find pretty of used bikes in that price range with 105 or ultegra 11 speed already. You could also sell your Domane with that on top it wouldnt be a far strech for a new Giant, Ferazzi, Canyon with that sort of buget really struggling to see the value in upgrading what you got.
Cars and bikes can only partially be compared as higher spec level cars may come with a bunch of upgrades such as a Mercedes AMG which is an entirely different car than the base model as far as parts go. But sometimes cars come with very few upgrades like a bike. For example a Tesla could have a battery replacement which could result in a battery upgrade. Since multiple spec levels of teslas have identical components this would upgrade the model of the car. Similar to a bike because if I upgrade the entire bike groupset it will effectively upgrade the model of the bike. If a bike brand sells the exact same frame with different groupsets, without color/aesthetic design clues how would anyone know that you upgraded the groupset instead of it coming stock?
Feel different? Yes. Will 8-speed “hold you back” in any appreciable way especially if you’re not used to 11/12-speed? I don’t think so. Yes cadence has to be varied more but it’s fine.
The “sentiment” is correct and one wonders what the motivation is to tell people they need better. Perhaps we’re all trying to justify our own shopping addiction.
Now if someone could point me to some nice new aero bars that are at max 400mm wide and 70mm in reach so I can win a bike race please do! I really want those new bars-no carbon bars though. Those are junk.
Even if you are used to friction shifters and completely rigid mountain bikes, it doesn’t mean that indexed shifters and suspension forks don’t make a big difference when riding. Going from 8 to 11 or 12 speeds is a huge jump.
In these extreme examples it isn’t about a shopping addiction. It isn’t akin to going from 2x11 to 2x12 speeds on a road bike, there are certain technologies which are a massive jump ahead. Hydraulic disc brakes on mountain bikes and drop bar bikes is another, not just because of the superior braking performance and modulation, but also because it enabled the Cambrian explosion of bikes on the dropbar side of things.