Ultegra Cassette and rest of drive train is SRAM Red.
Totally compatible right?
No chance of damaging SRAM Red drive train right?
I’m using that setup right now. Perfect.
I am using that same setup as well. No problems.
All good. The mechanic at my shop actually recommended it, he likes the Ultegra cassette and chain better than the SRAM stuff.
How about a DA cassette and SRAM chain?
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Yep that works too.
We’ve experienced no compatibility issues with the configuration you’ve described.
i am curious, why wouldn’t you use a red, force, or rival cassette?
I’ve got a rival cassette that I got for free. I’m planning on putting it on my tri bike when winter is done for Challege Roth. I’ve got dura ace rear and ultegra front shifters. I’ll obviously put on a new dura ace chain at that time.
I know people have said to use a dura ace chain over the sram. Do you know if the cassette works well or not? I know it is missing some teeth and have heard rumors of skipping?
Thanks,
Dan
www.aiatriathlon.com
I have several cassettes that I run for different courses/reasons. I can tell ZERO difference between my 12-26 SRAM Rival and 12-25 Ultegra and 11-23 Dura Ace. It is weird to see the missing teeth with SRAMS “open glide” or whatever. I only have the Dura Ace cassette because it came with the bike - I’d never buy one.
Thanks for the confirmation Rod. Are you using a DA chain? Hope your training is coming along well…i’m starting to get serious on the bike here in berlin. I broke down and bought cyclingpeaks.
I use an Ultegra chain - new one after each winter before road race season. I honestly do not know WHAT exactly is the difference between a Dura Ace chain and an Ultegra chain (and no one can tell me?) Anyone? I know the difference in cassettes: Ti larger 3 cogs vs. steel in Ultegra and aluminum vs. steel lockring. Hence, the more durable Ultegra cassette. But chain? Maybe the DA has some sort of mythical coating? 
I just put on a KMC x10 SL chain and it’s outperforming the D/A and SRAM chains I’ve used in the past. Shifting is more crisp and it’s two ounces lighter so it feels a little more smooth getting around the cogs.
Just something to think about if you guys are going to get new chains soon.
i am curious, why wouldn’t you use a red, force, or rival cassette?
For me (right now at least) it is cost. I just “upgraded” my drive train from Ultegra to Red. I have the Ultegra cassette on my training and race wheels. I would need to replace 3 Ultegra cassettes.
Although, I have heard a few people comment that they actually prefer the Ultegra cassette and chain. I do not know why, but, am curious if anyone cares to comment. I have not tried the Red cassette, so, I have no basis for comparrison.
Don’t have a 2nd one. I have one SRAM Red for race wheels and then a couple of training wheels with Ultegra.
i am curious, why wouldn’t you use a red, force, or rival cassette?
The Force and Rival Cassette are the same thing. SRAM only makes two levels of cassette that are compatible with the three road series, the 1070 and the 1090 R (red).
careful with the red rear derailleur. it has a flaw and they were redesigning it. we had a host of the first red rear ders out, we had big issues with it. there is a set screw in there that was bottoming out at against the parrallelogram;
we suffered terrible shifting on various p3cs, slcs and giants.
we worked direct with Chris McKenzie @ SRAM who was terrific in helping us try to figure it out. sent new shifters, cassettes, derailleurs chains…eventually putting back on a FORCE rear der (which i used all last year) made everything perfecto again (was perfect last year with all force). frankly, i burned so much time trying to pinpoint it, i just was happy to have it running perfectly with the force rear der.
what i had heard was something needed to be machined like 1mm different and they were waiting on new versions. the sram reps that have visited the shop will not and do not counter that. they are being quite good about. some bikes might not suffer the issue if your dropout spacing fits their tolerances, but a lot of bikes, 100% of the bikes we tested it on, all had issues.
so be careful there. frnakly, having had the red and froce, i think they are almost identical in performance, minimal weight differences if you are going to use someone else’s cassette. go with Force.
i use a dura ace cassette. i found the RED cassette too loud. i couldnt tell if the loudness was just the hollow nature of the thing, or was infact poor machining and scratchign which would later lead to loss of some power, and perhaps bad shifting, destruction fo the chain prematurely. so i use a dura cassette. i personally use a custom dura cassette , the first 4 of an 11-23 and the last of a 12-25 so i get an 11-25. not cheap and a waste of some cogs, but it works great. i use a dura chain with a connex 10speed link. far stronger i think that the dura link.
just food for thought
Good write-up, thanks. My full RED setup shifts and moves super smooth. So I guess I’m one of the lucky ones, eh?
I just didn’t want to stick a Shimano cassette on there and have it do damage or screw up the drive train in any way.
I use an Ultegra chain - new one after each winter before road race season. I honestly do not know WHAT exactly is the difference between a Dura Ace chain and an Ultegra chain (and no one can tell me?) Anyone? I know the difference in cassettes: Ti larger 3 cogs vs. steel in Ultegra and aluminum vs. steel lockring. Hence, the more durable Ultegra cassette. But chain? Maybe the DA has some sort of mythical coating?
Why not a Wipperman?
Why not a Wipperman?
No reason. Used one once and it was fine - liked the little connex link thing, thinking I’d completely take the chain off more to clean since I’m pretty anal about my drivetrain (but I really didn’t). The stainless one seems nice, but for $100, no thanks.
I might try out that KCNC chain since it costs about the same, gets good reviews, and is 40g lighter! Since I change my chain out each year, seems like a no brainer here.