6800 does not equal 9000

[etu]

lots of opinions on how ultegra is functionally dura ace, just not as light or pretty. i used to subscribe to this belief, but recently changed two bikes to 9000 and 6800 drivetrains and the 9000 is noticeably crisper in feel on downshifts for RD and smoother overall for FD, although the front shifting is not an equal comparison since the chainring combo is different - 53/39 vs 52/36. maybe i am just trying justify upgrades.

[ANAO]

If anyone disagrees with you, I have 6800 shifters and derailleurs to get rid of.

[kramnnim]

9000 crank is much nicer.

If that convinced anyone, I have one for sale. :D

[bcroslin]

Is there a difference? Yes. Is it huge? IMO no. Brand new 6800 shifts almost as crisp as 9000. I've noticed the 9000 seems to stand up to sweat corrosion a little better which means it might last a little longer than 6800. Is 9000 worth a $600 premium over 6800? That's for you to decide. I'd rather have 9000 but will happily take 6800.

[Mr_Gimby]

Is there a difference? Yes. Is it huge? IMO no. Brand new 6800 shifts almost as crisp as 9000. I've noticed the 9000 seems to stand up to sweat corrosion a little better which means it might last a little longer than 6800. Is 9000 worth a $600 premium over 6800? That's for you to decide. I'd rather have 9000 but will happily take 6800.

Yeah, there's a reason DA has a 3 year warranty, while everything else is 2.

[azrider]

9000 is noticeably crisper in feel on downshifts for RD and smoother overall for FD.

Sing it buddy.......sing it for all to hear

[etu]

maybe i was being naive, but my impression was that the difference was cosmesis and weight. when i was running campy, i couldn't tell the difference between chorus and record (speed).

most reviews including folks here, VN, etc. seem to suggest a functional equivalence as well, except Art's Cyclery on their youtube video on how to optimize mix and match. if you selectively upgrade just the shifters, the price differential is @$150-200, not a small amount of money, but given the $$$ a lot of spend for the extra improvement in whatever around here, it's seems like a decent investment. btw the only parts that are 9000 are the shifters and FD, rest is 6800.

[etu]

Sing it buddy.......sing it for all to hear

i know this is kind of an obnoxious thread, but it is glorius for another $125!

[azrider]

i know this is kind of an obnoxious thread, but it is glorius for another $125!

Ehhh, there've been more obnoxious threads so it aint all bad. :p

For an extra $125 it's a no brainer......everywhere I've seen though the difference is much larger and more like $500-$600.

[bbobway]

I keep telling myself to wait for the 9100 group to come out, then maybe the 9000 group will be on super clearance sale... I'm riding 5800 happily now, but I want the 9000 group.

[malcolm]

I don't know if it's still true or not but the consensus used to be that derailleurs were dumb and the shifter is where the difference is, as in it does what the shifter tells it.

[jimcav]

I have both 6800 and 9000 11 speed upgrade groups intended for my indy fab and black sheep. But for 3 months now I haven't ridden a road bike since my surgery I January, preferring to MTB instead. So now I am not sure which set to put on which bike, or at all. There was nothing really wrong with the red on the IF, and the blacksheep frameset is in a box from when I "sold" it here on the classifieds (buyer had last minute issue and had to back out). I was on staycation last week and almost re-did the IF with 9000, but then was saw somewhere online (didn't bookmark it) an issue with shift cables for 9000--just curious what riders here might have experienced...

thanks!
jim

[beeatnik]

I keep telling myself to wait for the 9100 group to come out, then maybe the 9000 group will be on super clearance sale... I'm riding 5800 happily now, but I want the 9000 group.

It's been on "clearance" for at least a year now. Used 9000 is a few hundred bucks cheaper than used 7900 was in 2010. So in 2010 dollars, used 9000 = 5800 Retail. Or something like that.

[eippo1]

i know this is kind of an obnoxious thread, but it is glorius for another $125!

So, even though the 9001 shifter is only $125 more than 6800, the entire new 4700 Tiagra groupset is cheaper than just the 9001 shifters.

[Dead Man]

I remember back when I rode 105 and thought it was "good enough" and "why would anyone spend like three times as much??"

But as my riding improved, and then became competitive, and as my tastes increased and I wanted to bring weight down, I ended up with DA... 7800, 7900, and now 9000... f'ing love DA. It's my group. Top notch. Don't really care how much it is - just love the performance. Love how I can shift under power, in a sprint, even with mechanical - because it's so precise and quick and I know it so well that I can unweight the pedal at the bottom of the revolution for a fraction of a second while the der moves the chain over.

And its longevity... "dura" isn't just its first name. I think I'm around 7,000-8,000 on a 9000 set, and it's just as snappy as new. How long will it go?? Probably will never find out, 'cause I'll go to the next generation long before I burn this group up.. just like all my DA groups.

Everyone ride whatever you want! I want DA.

[torquer]

My only "pure" DA bike (save cassette and chain) is 7700-equiped and mounted on the trainer.
Racing bike is 10-speed Ultegra/DA mash-up.
Next bike may well be 105, who knows?
But I bet that 7700 group gives me an extra 20 watts on the Kickr.

[azrider]

Am I the only one that has focused less on their equipment choice as my fitness and ability has gone up?

Seems like it'd be other way around but not for me......

Like others have said "ride what ya want"

[Gummee]

I've got one bike with all 9000 (except for the Verve cranks), several more with 9000 shifters and everything else 6800, and a few with all 6800.

I really like the 9k shifting better, but its close.

The 6800 stuff is on things that may crash (CX, gravel bikes) and get trashed. The D/A is on my 'good' bike(s)

There's that *something* extra they do with D/A that you don't get with Ultegra.

If I can afford it, I'll always buy D/A. If I can't and I *HAVE* to build a bike, I'll start with Ultegra and when I find deals on D/A I'll change stuff out. Ultegra gets moved to the next build down the line. Repeat till everything's D/A

M

[avalonracing]

I bought brand new 9000 and 6800 groups at the same time and personally built up my two road bikes with the groups using the same kind of new wheels. As I put on both groups and tuned them (perfectly) myself I think this is a good way to compare the two. I found the shifting performance to be pretty much identical.

[ultraman6970]

The difference between the two is 2200

[benb]

My question is are the 9000 cranks hollow and loud like the 6800?

I still can't figure out what it is with my Trek Domane.. I was mostly suspecting it's the gigantic hollow BB area but I have 6800 cranks on it and I noticed the chainrings are hollow and have a funky noise if you tap on them.

The bike shifts perfectly, it's brand new.. but the chain noise is incredible. It sounds like it's just the sound of the chain going over the rings amplified by the hollow chainrings + giant downtube. We had winds gusting to 20mph and even riding in the 15-20mph range I would still occasionally hear the chain enough to be annoyed.

If the 9000 was quieter that might have been worth it for me! My Steel bike with Tiagra cranks and cassette is whisper quiet in comparison.

[etu]

Everyone ride whatever you want! I want DA.

:beer::beer::beer:

[Zoodles]

I'm of the opinion the difference is a wash. My race bike has had dura-ace, ultegra and now ultegra/105.

My cx has ended up with full 105. I think this has something to do with being able to pick up derailleurs and shifters for next to nothing.

My bikes are remain light and I'm still able to go fast somehow.

Fitness>equipment!

[beeatnik]

I bought brand new 9000 and 6800 groups at the same time and personally built up my two road bikes with the groups using the same kind of new wheels. As I put on both groups and tuned them (perfectly) myself I think this is a good way to compare the two. I found the shifting performance to be pretty much identical.

esto

[Uncle Jam's Army]

I am riding 6800 on my S3 right now and it is great. But I am going back to 9000 on my new frameset because I love the validation from my friends and onlookers.😜

[sandyrs]

Am I the only one that has focused less on their equipment choice as my fitness and ability has gone up?

Seems like it'd be other way around but not for me......

Like others have said "ride what ya want"

Same here. Just want stuff that works and fits. Except tires. I'll always fixate on tires.

[etu]

Same here. Just want stuff that works and fits. Except tires. I'll always fixate on tires.

lol, you fixate on tires and l'll fixate lever feel.

[weisan]

This is how I roll.

http://cdn3.bigcommerce.com/s-1rmgckn/products/577/images/4601/img_6179_1200x800__66856.1411479188.1280.1280.jpg? c=2

[Andy sti]

I am riding 6800 on my S3 right now and it is great. But I am going back to 9000 on my new frameset because I love the validation from my friends and onlookers.😜

Perfect!

[sandyrs]

lol, you fixate on tires and l'll fixate lever feel.

If we find someone who fixates on derailleurs and someone who fixates on wheels (paging velomonkey) and someone who fixates on handlebars and so on we can put together the perfect bicycle