ultegra 6800 vs 8000 brakeset

[cinema]

shimano is advertising the 8000 brakes as taking up to 28mm, but I had no trouble clearing 28s on wide rims with my 6800 brake.

I need to replace my rear brake and prices are pretty good right now, i can find an 8000 F+R brakeset for around 90$. any reason I should or shouldn't upgrade to 8000 from 6800

[efixler]

I have both of these, they’re both great, I think there’s hardly any difference between them.


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[ahumblecycler]

I prefer the 6800 for the capability to perform the micro adjustments. Like you, I’ve had no issue running 28mm or larger tires with them.

Sounds like you cannot go wrong either route you take.

[jtbadge]

I've only ever had tire clearance limited by the frame when using 11s Shimano caliper brakes of any iteration. I'd buy the ones that match the rest of your groupset.

[cinema]

I saw the new 8000 has a stiffening plate which looked nice. anywho, I just went ahead and just ordered a 6800 because it was cheap and matched the group like JT said.

[a1k]

Bumping this thread -- does anyone have experience to indicate 8000 or 9100 brakes have more clearance than 6800? I have a fork that clears a nominal 32 but clearance to the brake pivots on the 6800 front brake is too close for comfort.

Tire is 31.0mm wide. With 1-2 more mm clearance per side it would work!

[dddd]

The clearance difference between 6800/9000 and 8000/9100 calipers may have to do with the later calipers better clearing the wider tire size throughout their full range of pad height adjustment.

Certainly the older 11s calipers do seem to clear most 28mm tires on most setups, but perhaps not all. And perhaps also the actual dimensional differences are small(?).

[Wunder]

I have a bike with both setups.

2013 Trek Domane with 6800. Fits a 28mm (28.5 maybe on 17.5mm rims) GP5000 up front but only a 25mm in the back (brake bridge height, frame design, not the brakes fault). Clearances are a little thin inside the caliper around the pivots.

2018 Cervelo R3 with 8000. Fits 28mm (29.5-30mm measured on 20mm rims) GP5000 front and rear. Plenty of clearance everywhere in the brake. I did try 28mm GP 4000s as well (measured 32 on 20mm rims) and while those were tight but spun fine in the stand I found them to rub on the road. Pads are about middle of the slot on this bike.

So yes the 8000 does have a slightly more open design and better accommodates a labeled 28 and measured 30 tire assuming the frame has adequate brake reach (46-50mm rather than say 43 like the rear of the Domane).

I'd only "upgrade" if you are having clearance problems right/left INSIDE the caliper. The 8000 is a more open and cleaner looking design but the QR loses micro-adjust and the 6800 works equally as well on the road. Both brakes are exceptional stoppers.

[RobbieTunes]

The "cam" of the 8000 has a smoother, better modulated pull than the older dual pivot system of the 6800, but how much smoother, I am not sure.

I also have both, and the main factor for me is the adjustability and the toe-in on both. For repeated mountain descents, I've found a toe-in creates a more predictable, smoother brake response, and a LOT less chatter/howl, even on carbon rims with the "mellow jello" carbon pads.

Friends have recently switched to R8000's on their Campagnolo bikes. That's a big endorsement of R8000's in my view.

But the DA9000's are so darn pretty.