Can Shimano Tiagra 9 speed levers (ST-4500) be used with 105 brakes (BR-5700)? I want to replace the non-Shimano rear brake that came with my bike with either Shimano 105 (BR-5700) or Tiagra (BR-4600) brakes, preferably the 105 model. The Shimano compatiblity chart says the 10 speed Tiagra (ST-4600) levers are compatible but the bike has the older Tiagra ST-4500 levers.

Will the ST-4500 levers be able to work well with these newer brakes or do I have to trudge off to eBay and try to find older Shimano 105s?
As long as you use a Shimano brake caliper designed for a road STI lever, which is any Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, or Dura-Ace, they will work not just well, but perfectly. There may be a performance difference, but there will not be a compatibility difference.

Even most 3rd party brake calipers will work just fine.



New additional information: Starting with the Dura-Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800 groups, there are differences in the brake caliper design which require levers which match the design. They also recommend, but do not require, a specific type of cable to get full benefit from the new brake design.