I have the opportunity to pick up a new bike at a substantial discount with Ultegra 10. I was considering a different bike with Dura-Ace 10, but the amount of money that I can save by going with Ultegra 10 is making me rethink my position.
Anyone have any thoughts on the new Ultegra 10 spd v. DA 10 spd?
Thanks.
I would think of it this way. Dura-Ace was Shimano’s first production 10 speed group. Ultegra may be more refined since they had a chance to work any kinks out which may have surfaced with Dura-Ace. Besides, the Ultegra crank looks better. I’d go with Ultegra.
That’s entirely possible. In their mountain groups, the new LX shifts better than the slightly older XT which shifts better than the slightly even older XTR.
I have heard for many years and from many sources that both Shimano and Campy “re-brand” their DA and Record groupos each year to make way for that year’s model. That is to say that the 2005 Ultegra 10-speed is the 2004 DA. I have never been told this by a Shimano rep. but it makes perfect sense to me and I have been told by enough people in the industry to believe it.
I have recently ordered a new tri-bike and it is coming with the 2005 Ultegra 10-speed group. In fact, the guy who fitted me and is building the bike (one of the most respected fitters in the U.S.), told me that it would be a waste of $$ to go with the DA now that Ultegra comes in 10-speed. If it’s true that it’s really 2004 DA, then there is no need to spend the substantial extra $$. I have a road bike with DA on it, and I have ridden many bikes with Ultegra and I can’t tell much of a difference. I don’t know what the weight savings is, if any, but it can’t be enough to justify the $$, particularly if you are getting bar-end shifters in a TT set-up.
Good luck.
There wont be much difference between Ultegra 10 and DA10, less than there was between U-9 and DA-9. Only problem with U10 is availibility, supposedly it is and will be hard to get for the foreseeable future.
I just received my '05 Guru Cron’alu with Ultegra 10sp. There wasn’t a delay and everything is great.
I have heard that the mechanical parts in the shifters are made of different materials, and that the DA is likely to be more durable and to perform at a high level for longer. Same might be true of rear derailleur, but I’m not sure. The prices of the cassettes are pretty different, I think because the DA uses titanium.
Like others have said, the differences between Ultegra and DA are currently less than in the past.
Just ordered my serotta NOVE’ with ult-10 had the kit in my hands and had da in hands I can not tell the difference, but I did go with the da cranks because they look better.
With Campy gear last years Record is this years Chorus with Chorus bits drifting down.
I don’t think you get the same drift with Shimano. The crank profile and chain rings are completly different from one another. That is just one area but if you look at the weights of DA when it first came out vs. the weight of the Utl 10, they are nowhere near the same.
I’d say the Ultegra is it’s own design and materials. There isn’t anything wrong with the Ultegra gear and many people are of the opinion that it has benefitied from the time that the DA has been out with some thoughtful tweaks to design and materials. You won’t be shortchanged if you go to Ultegra.
I spoke with a Shimano employee yesterday at a 'cross race here in SoCal, and he said they shipped a bunch of Ultegra last week. He indicated the supply issues are not the problem they’ve been made out to be. Maybe he was quoting the company line - not sure, but given a choice between the two groups, I’d pick Ultegra. Shimano components are disposable anyway.