I’m thinking about buying a new bike and upgrading to Dura Ace from 105. I’m admittedly hard on bikes – how vigilant do I need to be about cleaning the components (ie, how frequently)?
Depends on how long you want it to last! 
As a mechanic, I can tell you that ANY bike parts last much longer, and work much better when they are kept clean! Not only does cleaning your bike help it perform better, it gets you more aquanted with it. You will learn how to fix things better, and will be able to spot problems sooner. It doesn’t take long… only 5-10 minutes. Get a few rags, a good degreaser, and some lube and you’re set.
I usually recommend +/- every two weeks, depending on the conditions you ride in. Always after a ride in the rain (snow, sleet, etc.)
If you are going to spend the money on D/A, make sure to take care of your investment.
The motto in our shop is “Clean Shit Works Better” so whatever component group you have, it should be cleaned with some regularity.
Gather all your old t-shirts and towels as cleaning rags and spend $20 on a bottle each of Pedros Bio-Degreaser and Green Fizz and you’ll be set. you may want some latex gloves too, but those are only $5 at the hardware store.
Bob
I’ll keep the 2 week mark in mind. Just for perspective, the last time I cleaned my road bike was in November (I suck, I know)…One of my issues is that every time I clean my bike, I end up having to take it to the shop for a mechanical problem that I created. Sounds like it’s time to go to a clinic/buy a book – especially if I’m going to use D/A.
Depends on how long you want it to last!
I usually recommend +/- every two weeks, depending on the conditions you ride in. Always after a ride in the rain (snow, sleet, etc.)
If you are going to spend the money on D/A, make sure to take care of your investment.
Is there any good websites on proper cleaning techniques? I have had troubling finding a good one. Maybe someone could submit an article to Slowman so that it can be published.
I agree – I’ve had problems with that, too. I think it is hard to translate pictures and text from a website/book into actual practice, though, so I’d really like to take a clinic.
Is there any good websites on proper cleaning techniques? I have had troubling finding a good one. Maybe someone could submit an article to Slowman so that it can be published.
Maybe someone else can comment on this if they have more knowledge.
If you are hard on your equipment you might consider Ultegra instead of Dura Ace. I had heard that the equipment tends to get better and lighter as you move up the product line. However going from Ultegra to Dura Ace tends to use lighter/softer metals and Dura Ace tends to wear down faster than Ultegra (and lower level components). I suppose this is most applicable to the chainrings, chain and rear cassette.
So basically if you want highest performace go Dura Ace but if you want high performance but a little more durability go Ultegra.
Anyone know if this is an urban myth or if there is any truth to this?
2 weeks sounds about right. All you need to do is wipe everything down with some rags to get the dirty grease off, nd ue degreaser if there are any tough spots. You should be wiping down the frame, wheels, tires, etc, not just the Dura Ace components. Lube the chain routinely and you should be pretty much fine.
DA uses titanium i dont think thats a softer metal.
Stainless steel* is roughly 2X harder than Ti. Ti is harder than Al, but a big part of the DA weight savings is the Ti in the cassettes, which would make it lighter but not more durable than the Ultegra.
*clearly there are hundreds of different alloys and coatings available, but steel is harder than titanium. 304SS has a brinell hardness of ~120 with Ti ~60. Titanium is not generally measured with the same equipment as SS due to its softness.
The motto in our shop is “Clean Shit Works Better” so whatever component group you have, it should be cleaned with some regularity.
Gather all your old t-shirts and towels as cleaning rags and spend $20 on a bottle each of Pedros Bio-Degreaser and Green Fizz and you’ll be set. you may want some latex gloves too, but those are only $5 at the hardware store.
Bob
Or free if you grab some next time you are sitting at Dr’s office waiting for the Doc to come into the exam room.
Speaking as a part-time REI employee, we usually offer advanced bike maint. clinics where you tear apart your own bike…If you have an REI nearby, check into it.
Bob
if you are admittingly hard on bikes and parts, you may want to upgrade to Ultegra then. Will last longer than D/A as it is Shimano’s workhorse groupo. That way you have about 700.00 and can use that money on replacement parts. The new Ultegra is almost as light as the D/A groupo now
Is there any good websites on proper cleaning techniques? I have had troubling finding a good one. Maybe someone could submit an article to Slowman so that it can be published.
If you have a question about maintenance - www.parktool.com is the answer. Lots of clearly written articles with step by step pictures that explain what to do better than anyone is going to bother to on a forum. They have a cleaning guide on there too. Of course all the instructions involve park product but there are cheaper substitutes (which you would ask about on forums).
If you are hard on your bikes drivetrain because you don’t maintain it, then stick w/105 (the new 10speed 105 is excellent. Almost as good as current Ultegra). You can spend the savings on upgrading your wheels. If you are hard on Bikes because of a lot of use then go Dura Ace. DA has better bearings all around (BB, DR pulleys) and will last longer under extensive use.
edit: I may be wrong, but I think there is a significant weight difference between Ultegra and DA, but I think 105 is less than 200g heavier than Ultegra
I found this website and it seems to be very user friendly. Be sure to scroll to the bottom for the link about maintaining/lubing your chain. I’m no expert, but it seems to cover the basics.
http://bwbc.bfn.org/CleanYourBike.htm
Is there any good websites on proper cleaning techniques? I have had troubling finding a good one. Maybe someone could submit an article to Slowman so that it can be published.
The shifting difference between 105 and D/A is enough to make me maintain my bike better. D/A is so smooooth.
If you are hard on your bikes drivetrain because you don’t maintain it, then stick w/105 (the new 10speed 105 is excellent. Almost as good as current Ultegra). You can spend the savings on upgrading your wheels. If you are hard on Bikes because of a lot of use then go Dura Ace. DA has better bearings all around (BB, DR pulleys) and will last longer under extensive use.
edit: I may be wrong, but I think there is a significant weight difference between Ultegra and DA, but I think 105 is less than 200g heavier than Ultegra
Yep, that’s been the big issue with DA…the Ti cassettes invariably wear much faster than the other shimano cassettes. The shifting my be slightly smoother than Ultegra. You have to figure out if it’s worth the extra money, FWIW, the 08 DA may be EDA, and the Ultegra will become the top of the line mech gruppo…that is just rumor now, but people that would know have verified it to me.
Well, I’m buying the bike used, so it comes with D/A. It is a pretty sweet bike, especially for the price. So, I’m thinking that I’ll just have to be good and clean my shit!