Yes, I can admit, I’d really like to be able to say my bike has a “full Dura Ace build”, just to say it. But what REAL difference is noticeable? I know they say a little smoother, little lighter but are the differences noticeable and/or tangible? Anyone know the weight differential, is it significant?
I’d pay more just for the coolness factor…but help me I (read “my wife”) need more justification!!!
Thanks
for a road bike, the only real diff is in the finish (shiny) and the front STI shifters are much nicer DA over Ultegra. Brakes? Forget it. Chain - same. Cassette? Top 3 cogs Ti and wear out faster DA. Front Der - forget it. Rear Der? A little nicer on the DA for longevity if you keep things for a while, but no performance/shifting difference. Parts are a little lighter. Cranks? Ultegra actually tested stiffer in Tour magazine (but again, not “shiny”) 
For a tri bike - stick w/ Ultegra and use the extra money on some better wheels. Road bike? Get DA STI shifters and the rest Ultegra unless money is no object (and then I’d go with SRAM Force, Zero G brakes, etc. or Record if you didn’t already have lots of Shimano wheels).
My $0.02
I agree: for a tri bike ultegra, for the differences in quality, is a good way to go. If you are doing just road racing and crits…then I was say that if you can afford it, then go with Dura ace. Even so, when stuff goes out on my bikes I replace it with ultegra because it lasts longer, much cheaper, and the difference isn’t enough to justify the price difference. Also, for cassettes and stuff, i usually ebay or search online for the cheapest stuff…I know it is great to patronize bike shops but I have found that a lot of the time the minor stuff like cassettes and rings can go for almost twice as much at a bike shop and lately everytime I go to a bike shop I hear “we don’t have it, we can order it for you…” I have gotten cassettes for $40-$50 and some of my area shops are charging $100 for it and I figure if I have to pay twice as much and then have to wait a week then I might as well take out the extra step and just order it online.
I agree with the two previous posters. Forget it. I have had DA and Ultegra bikes- road and tri. The only difference I ever noted was when I had to replace a chain or cassette. Having to shell out 2x as much for wearable parts will annoy you very fast.
Never did notice any performance differences. I say save the money and get something else (race wheels, etc) with the difference.
Tks for the repies but…
…I have a set of brand new H3Cs (thank you euro-sports.ca) and don’t plan on spending any $ on wheels. Probikekit are selling Dura Ace for $900 Cdn, shipped. You guys are supposed to tell me “At that price, go for the Dura Ace”. C’mon now!!!
Ah, I did see that Probikekit deal. Great place/price
Well, for that money … get it and don’t look back! Seems that you want to
YES GUY!!! Now you’re talking!
At that price, go for the Dura Ace.
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My Dual came with DR bar-end shifters and Ultegra everything else - good stuff. When I had the chain replaced recently I got a DR chain which is mighty pricey, but noticeably quieter - though people tell me it may not have the durability of the one it replaced (which I managed to stretch PDQ). Should be OK for IMC in a week though!
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DA shifter make less noise apparently…
Dura ace brakes are much “stiffer” and have way better modulation than ultegra. every brake company tests there brakes against the stopping power of DA for comparison and there is none? that are stronger, definately not zero gravity. the ultegra crank is definately stiffer, just a bit heavier. the pulleys in the DA RD have better bearings.
Go! Go! Go! before the deal is off. Tell your wife that DA is a good investment and will discourage you from upgrading again for a really, really long time. I also find that buying something for her at the same time that you get your bike stuff really works. It will take her mind off it. Due to my bike spending, my wife has such things as an ipod, coach purses, a new bike with a newly upgraded drive train, and lots and lots of flowers.
Brakes? For the money, no. I have Ultegra on my tri bike and ZeroG (Ti) on my road bike that I sold the stock DA calipers for (the newer 7800 ones). I can tell absolutely zero difference in “stiffness” between Ultegra and DA ultimate brake capability or stiffness as both will easily lock up the wheel. I did notice that the DA calipers did seem to have a little better modulation than my ZeroGs (can’t compare with the Ultegras and vastly different brake levers (Tektro Carbons).
But hey, they are shinier and curvier!
Best post I’ve seen in a long time, well done.
I think that they have ultegra on for about $550 though so you could have $400 bucks left over to use to buy your wife something nice
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i bet he ain’t telling her that :=)
dirt
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Heck, on a TT bike with bar ends I cant tell Campy Record from my old Shimano 600 - 7 speed with bar end shifters!!!
You sir…are not helping (me that is, the wife, well you’re helping her!)
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Bones, I’m calling your wife and telling here that until you break 5:15 at Ironman LP, 2:20 at Tupper, 1:22 at Muskoka, 2;15 at Canadian Half etc etc you don’t deserve Dura Ace…then again, deserving something and buying it are typically uncorrelated :-).
Sh*t, to tell the truth, 99% of the riders out there are best served with 105. It’s only very slighty heavier than Ultegra, and works fine. I have 105 on two of my bikes, Tiagra on my trainer bike, Ultegra on one bike, and DA on two bikes. HONESTLY, I can’t tell the difference with 105/Ultegra/DA with the exception of the RD, which is noticeably better with DA. I CAN however, tell the difference between Tiagra and 105…THAT is a big difference… I think I still have like 4 gruppos sitting in the garage, of course one is Sora, one is 8 speed 105, one is an XTR gruppo, and one is a hodgepodge of 9 speed campy stuff.
FWIW-If I were buying a new ROAD groupset, I would buy the SRAM Rival. Rode a friends bike, and there is nothing like being in a full sprint and tap shifting flawlessly…that was really cool.