Da-9000

[AngryScientist]

i had the great opportunity yesterday to attend cyclesport's annual open house in Park Ridge NJ. Good times.

I had a first up-close look at the new DA9000 stuff, i was very impressed with it. i never cared for the aesthetics of the 7900 crank, and i actually think the look of the 9000 crank is a definite improvement from an aesthetic standpoint. shifting seemed effortless and "clean". i'm a pretty die-hard campy guy, but would definitely consider the latest iteration of mechanical dura-ace for a machine in the future, nice stuff.

i do have to wonder, though, what the niche is for mechanical DA. expensive top-tier group that doesnt get any love on pro bikes, in favor of the electric counterparts. it will be interesting to see moving forward if campy. shimano will shudder their top tier mechanical groups as electric gets more widely accepted. i sure hope not, but i'm pretty confident that we're at about the pinnacle of cable pull shifting technology, and the mechanical components we have around today will be good and viable until i am too old/dead to ride.

[christian]

Current D-A 9000 and Campagnolo Super Record Ti will be collectible in 20 years. Time to build an e-Richie-like stash now!

[Ahneida Ride]

I also shifted the new DA at Cyclesport.

It's a no brainer. FD is instantaneous.

Brakes are also redesigned.

An impressive group indeed.

[texbike]

I love Dura Ace with the 7400 and 7800 groups being my favorite.

However, I had a chance to try out the new 9000 mechanical a couple of weeks ago and I'm just blown away by the styling, finish quality, the brakes, and how smoothly it shifts. I will definitely be a buyer just as soon as my 7400 and 7800 groups wear out.... :)

Texbike

[spaced_ghost]

need to get some hands on this stuff so I can compare to the hype. not in too much of a hurry to go electric myself

[vqdriver]

just put my first ride on my 9000 group and i like it. tho i'm reversed on the crank aesthetics. the style of the new cranks is very distracting for me and i plan on pairing it with a 7900 or 6700 crank.

[spaced_ghost]

agree. the x-wing cranks are fugly

[crownjewelwl]

i picked one up at my shop last week...it is STUPID light

the aesthetic is growing on me

but i don't think i'll ever buy another road bike again

[FlashUNC]

I'm not a fan of their exposed shifting internals. But otherwise the stuff is pretty trick.

[mcteague]

agree. the x-wing cranks are fugly

That is what I think as well. When I first saw them I just thought some designer is working way too hard to make it look different. While current Campagnolo cranks don't hold a candle to those from years gone by they still look better than what Shimano and SRAM are producing.

Tim

[bluesea]

I'm getting closer to setting up my first Shimano groupset (Ultegra 6600/6700), specifically to determine whether to go Dura Ace 9000. :banana:

The hollow alu 9000 cranks are pure class.

[slidey]

With the usual maintenance, you'll be able to pass on the 7800 groups to your future generations...so no 9000 for you, unless you plan to build up a new bike!

I love Dura Ace with the 7400 and 7800 groups being my favorite.

However, I had a chance to try out the new 9000 mechanical a couple of weeks ago and I'm just blown away by the styling, finish quality, the brakes, and how smoothly it shifts. I will definitely be a buyer just as soon as my 7400 and 7800 groups wear out.... :)

Texbike

[Keith A]

With the new crankset design, you certainly don't have many options for replacing the chainrings.

[cat6]

The story takes place on the planet Grool, a planet inhabited by mostly short, anthropomorphous felines. The idyllic and mundane lifestyle of the feline aliens is interrupted when an alien invader known as Kat of Nine Tails kidnaps Grool's sentient populace, inadvertently leaving one of them, Squeak, behind. Shortly after, Squeak encounters a human boy known only as Bubble who agrees to rescue Squeak's captured populace.

[tiretrax]

i do have to wonder, though, what the niche is for mechanical DA. expensive top-tier group that doesnt get any love on pro bikes, in favor of the electric counterparts. it will be interesting to see moving forward if campy. shimano will shudder their top tier mechanical groups as electric gets more widely accepted. i sure hope not, but i'm pretty confident that we're at about the pinnacle of cable pull shifting technology, and the mechanical components we have around today will be good and viable until i am too old/dead to ride.

I am not sure mechanical groups are unloved. I remember a few intermediate sprints in the TDF last summer in which Sagan went unchallenged because they OP's Di2 malfunctioned.

Do a search for the video "A year with Dura Ace" or something like that regarding the 9000 and electronic version. It has some nice shots in it.

[AngryScientist]

With the new crankset design, you certainly don't have many options for replacing the chainrings.

yea, this is a concern, so is the limited number of wheels that will take the 11-sp cassette, and the cassette itself. in a few years, i expect this should all be ironed out.

it's been a while since i've lusted after some parts, but i'd love to get my hands on one of these 9000 groups, maybe once the price settles down a bit, just too much $$ right now.

[sc53]

I also shifted the new DA at Cyclesport.

It's a no brainer. FD is instantaneous.

Brakes are also redesigned.

An impressive group indeed.

My shop had this gruppo in for someone else's build and I got to look at it and even touch some of the parts! The shifters are very very nice, slightly different shape from 7900, could be better for my hands, I don't know since my bike wasn't right there for a comparison. Crank is strange looking to me. And my new Bedford with 7900 FD shifts instantly, as if I've pushed a button, so I don't know how much better the front shifting of 9000 could be! I'm perfectly satisfied with 7900, I have it on two bikes now.

[texbike]

With the new crankset design, you certainly don't have many options for replacing the chainrings.

I assume that this is why Shimano went with the 4 bolt pattern. Hard to use non-factory parts if no else has them.

Regardless, I love the look of the crankset. However, I've also been a fan of the 7800 crank since it came out as well. Neither of them have a place on a classic machine, but they look great on newer stuff.

Texbike

[texbike]

With the usual maintenance, you'll be able to pass on the 7800 groups to your future generations...so no 9000 for you, unless you plan to build up a new bike!

That's what I'm hoping for.... :cool:

Texbike

[oldpotatoe]

i had the great opportunity yesterday to attend cyclesport's annual open house in Park Ridge NJ. Good times.

I had a first up-close look at the new DA9000 stuff, i was very impressed with it. i never cared for the aesthetics of the 7900 crank, and i actually think the look of the 9000 crank is a definite improvement from an aesthetic standpoint. shifting seemed effortless and "clean". i'm a pretty die-hard campy guy, but would definitely consider the latest iteration of mechanical dura-ace for a machine in the future, nice stuff.

i do have to wonder, though, what the niche is for mechanical DA. expensive top-tier group that doesnt get any love on pro bikes, in favor of the electric counterparts. it will be interesting to see moving forward if campy. shimano will shudder their top tier mechanical groups as electric gets more widely accepted. i sure hope not, but i'm pretty confident that we're at about the pinnacle of cable pull shifting technology, and the mechanical components we have around today will be good and viable until i am too old/dead to ride.

Unless the price comes down. a lot, don't expect mechanical to go away any time soon.

[Waldo]

I have 90 miles on an almost full DA-9000 group (without the crank). My favorite features are brake calipers and front shifting. Over the first 75% of brake lever travel, the bike slows gradually. Initial slowing is indistinguishable to me from other brakes, but as you keep squeezing, the bike then just stops quickly and incredibly smoothly. Brake arches are shaped to accommodate larger tires, which I like a lot and this may tempt me to retrofit one bike with DA-9000 calipers, assuming they're compatible with the levers I have on the bike. Front shifting is just stupid fast and there's nothing else to say.

One thing I don't like is that as I begin to apply pressure on brake levers, the levers move inward, almost slipping out of my fingers. This is particularly noticeable in full-fingered gloves. When I took off the gloves (it was warm enough in the Bay Area this weekend), this was not much of a problem.