Can someone offer advice (or a link to such advice) about Shimano components? What is the REAL difference between 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace? Which steps up are really worth the money? Am in the market for a new tri-bike, and the component sets may help make a decision. Or should they? If money is an issue, do I go for dura-ace, or do I look at higher quality wheels? Help!
Chartnett,
Good luck comparing apples to apples in complete bikes. I would like for mostly Shimano Ultegra components on a bike. The DuraAce stuff is nice but it probably not worth the money for most people. Get good brakes on your bike ie. not the Tektro with the branded e’ in them (sorry Gerard but your brakes, even the new ones, suck for the price points of your bicycles) when you get a Ultegra or better bike.
Spend money on the frame and wheels as these will be the biggest differences noticed. When you get down to it the components are disposable. The frame is the backbone of the structure and the wheels can last a good long time with proper care.
good luck,
I agree with that to a point. For instance, some companies out there sell the same frame on a bike in a range of thousands of dolalrs - if you are on the low end of the market, and can get the same frame as a Record or Dura Ace bike - but with 105 and heavier wheels…go with that. Just cause it may not have the fancy name on the top tube does not mean it is not the same frame - in that instance get the 105 bike and upgrade things as you need (want) to.
Tiagra works.
105 works better.
Ultegra works great.
Dura Ace is lightest.
Ultegra works great.
Dura Ace is lightest.
As a component group/build kit, I would have to agree but not there are some individual components in the Ultegra 10 group that are a tad lighter than the DA equivalents! Personally I have no yet tried the Ultegra 10, but fpr me the selling point has been fit/finish of DA as well as the 3-year warranty on DA components versus only 2-years for Ultegra on down.
To make it more difficult, 105 10 speed will be here pretty quick. Go for Ultegra - Shimano made it too good.
Tiagra works.
105 works better.
Ultegra works great.
Dura Ace is lightest.
No no…Record is the lightest ;^)
“3-year warrenty on DA components versus only 2-years for Ultegra on down.”
Hmm, I had not been aware of that. Good to know. Thanks.
Complete novice opinion…
Going from a Sora groupset to a Dura Ace group set I have noticed only two things.
The Dura Ace shifts just a tad quicker and “feels” snappier. The Dura Ace shifts better under load. If I was going up a hill on the Sora I would have to “let up” for a fraction of a second in order to get a decent shift, not so with the Dura Ace…at least so far.
With the differences between Sora and Dura Ace being so minor, IMO, I can’t imagine the difference between 105 and Dura Ace being all that great.
As other have mentioned, and if I had to do it all over again, I’d skimp a bit more on the group and get a better frame or save the money for wheels, pedals, bottles…goo.
Oh and on the brakes…I couldn’t agree more. WTF!? Brand new bike, 5lb lighter, considerably nore expensive takes 25% longer to stop. The first time I tried to stop I thought I was going to die. Although as they were used a bit more they worked a bit better they still don’t stop as well as my heavier bottom of teh line cheapo road bike.
And another thing. If I win the lottery tonight, I’m building several bikes exactly teh same except different groups. Then I’m hiring a bunch of various level riders to ride each group under different conditions. Then we’ll see if any of these groups are really any better.
~Matt
Matt - part of that is due to your WAY to long brake cables, and the cheap ass housing that came on the bike (one great area for an OEM to cheap skate the consumer). If you put on better cables, and better pads you would get a much better feel. The other thing is you now have brakes on your bull horns as opposed to in your STI levers…quite a diffrent feel…and 25% longer brake distances is due to your much higher speed…
…What Record is trying to say, is that he’s very jealous of your new set-up, and if you win the lottery, he’d love to wash your legs and test your groupos…
BWAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (ghasp) err…HAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
.
"much higher speed… "
Oh how I wish it were true. Unfortuntely I feel I’m slower. Wether due to poor positioning or just not used to the new setup, I just don’t feel I’m getting the power to the pedals I was on my road bike.
We’ll see. A few more weeks of adjustments and some longer rides should tell the story. Won’t really know until I do a few races or tests on the thing.
You may have a point on the cables. The feeling while braking is “soft” at best. Could be cable stretch or flex rather than brake flex.
~Matt
“is that he’s very jealous of your new set-up”
Are you trying to say he’s a closet Shimano Fan?
~Matt