Shifters: Ultegra 6800 versus Dura Ace 7900

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
FitzroyBoy
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:23 am

by FitzroyBoy

I searched this topic and found lots of ultegra vs dura ace stuff but my question is a bit more specific. I'm about to spring for a groupo upgrade and am going Ultegra 'cause Dura Ace is just so eye wateringly more expensive and all of the reviews (those I can find anyway) amount to yes - dura ace is better of course but it's not nearly twice as good which the price diff amounts to - it's more like 5% "better". I don't mean to spark a whole DA is way, way better debate here - this just seems to be the consensus having read lots of forums, reviews etc. so the overall DA vs Ultegra train has left the station (for me I mean) :-)

So to my question - I have the option when I order the new ultegra groupo to swap out the shifters for DA for only A$114 more. This seems like it just might be a sensible thing to do here.

Pros:
The obvious design sweetness of the DA shifters since this is the part I'll be in contact with and it might (?) provide ever so slightly slinkier shifting. Even if it makes no difference to the shifting - the design is just that much sweeter (of course - it's DA right?)
The price lift is smallish in absolute terms - bang for buck looks right

Cons:
I may be "fixing something that aint broken" - i.e. even the $114 for the DA shifters may not be justifiable in relative dollar terms.

So is are the DA levers "worth" the upgrade?

Oh and FWIW - the Ultegra will be replacing a 2010 SRAM force groupo - so I'm used to a pretty slim set of levers. Oh to answer the obvious question - no I'm not unhappy with SRAM but I had Ultegra 6700 on a past steed and was very, very happy with it. The SRAM came on the new bike so I made the switch - no complaints. It looks like the 6800 version is another big upgrade and the switch back to Shimano will give the whole thing a better "newness" feel :-)

Any thoughts/advice appreciated - especially from someone who may have done the SRAM to Shimano switch.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Doolop
Posts: 550
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:19 pm

by Doolop

I think so. The DA shifter hoods are a dual density and just seem to sit on the shifter better. The ultegra and 105 shifter hoods that I have used tend to move around a bit when I'm really gripping them.

How often do you buy shifters? $114 is worth it.

FitzroyBoy
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:23 am

by FitzroyBoy

Doolop wrote:I think so. The DA shifter hoods are a dual density and just seem to sit on the shifter better. The ultegra and 105 shifter hoods that I have used tend to move around a bit when I'm really gripping them.

How often do you buy shifters? $114 is worth it.



Thanks Doolop - when I read your reply I had the "of course!" moment. If I divide the $114 over the thousands of Kms I'll spend with my hands on those things it looks pretty cheap even if it's only better by a tiny amount.

Cheers

5DII
Posts: 281
Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2014 7:52 pm

by 5DII

do you mean dura ace 9000? 6800 and 7900 are not interchangeable

FitzroyBoy
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:23 am

by FitzroyBoy

5DII wrote:do you mean dura ace 9000? 6800 and 7900 are not interchangeable


Oops - good pickup - I meant 9000! Thanks...

maxxevv
Posts: 2012
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 4:51 am

by maxxevv

That difference in upgrade is definitely worth it if you intend to keep the groupset for prolonged, multi-year usage.

Personal experience between Ultegra and DA is that for a 2 year period of use, the Ultegra tended to wear out develop a little bit of sloppiness in the shifting with more or less equal use with the DA, which had no discernible difference even after 5 years ( 3 years after that ). That was between the 6600 and the 7800 though. But I believe the differences in material and quality will still be relatively applicable now for the 6800 and 9000.


aram
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2015 1:19 am

by aram

The new stuff is supposed to the same. The old 7800 ones did hold up better over time it seemed than the 6600 shifters.

964Cup
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:31 am

by 964Cup

I would. If only because shifters require the most work to change later when you (inevitably) want to upgrade from 6800. The shifting performance of 6800 is, in my view, indistinguishable from DA9000, so this is for weight and bling only.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply