Dura Ace or Ultegra

[nachetetm]

Having already started the 12 speed era, I would not buy 11 speed stuff. At least at your budget. It will "feel" outdated soon, specially DA, that most likely will be replaced soon. My current choice would be Chorus with subcompact crankset and 11-29 or 11-32 cassette. Perhaps with record levers for the carbon bling.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by berserk87

A recently deceased cycling mentor of mine once said that he could never afford to drive an F-1 car, but he could reasonably afford to have the same equipment used in the pro peloton. I've used this as justification to ride Dura Ace, and I've been doing it for years. I've had Ultegra stuff too. It works. Just depends what you want.

The thing I see zero benefit from, however, is a Dura Ace cassette. For the price difference, I say no way. I've ridden Ultegra cassettes for the most part. The Dura Ace cassettes I've had have been throw-ins that came with a used wheel set.

As far as Campy vs Shimano, it all works. Depends on taste. I like Campy stuff a lot too.

I pretty much run Ultegra level consumables and D/A everything else

...when my bike isn't already Ultegra that is!

M

[Redbasso2]

Last winter Colorado Cyclist was having Shimano component sales. I was running Ultegra 6800 on my Tarmac but was wanting to use a 11-32 cassette. I find mid-compact, 52/36 up front with the big cog up back gives me a huge range.
Anyway for $500 I picked up from CC; DA 9100 shifters, Ultegra 8000 derailleurs , chain and cassette. I'm very happy with the outcome. Yes I do prefer the Chorus 11 on have on my Merckx bike, but one doesn't always want to spend a boatload of dough on a new gruppo.
Shimano value is always been incredible and still is.
The DA 9100 shifters are the first Shimano hoods that I can really lean on for a long time without any crazy fatigue or discomfort.

[pdmtong]

I agree there is market pressure for shimano to go 12sp...not sure why they passed when GRX was announced but certainly 9100 is at the end of their normal generation cycle

I also agree with the comment about putting your hands on some hoods and see what you like. All three companies have evolved the shape.

if you are truly indifferent, I would pick the gearing first then the hood shape.

Your choice is DA with Ultegra RD/cassette is just fine. I have 9120 on a bike a bike and go back and forth with it and C10, C11 and R10. They are different but the rider is highly adaptable.

[robt57]

Same for me on 10s D/A cassettes. I got as may 12-27s used or even bought wheelsets with one before going to 11s. Same thing on my main now Campy bikes. I got two bikes used [barely] that came with SR cassette, 6 Ti cogs. I am not using them in the hopes I can trade to a weight weenie for Chorus level cassettes, two to one of course.

I am using mostly Ultegra cassettes on my Shimano wheels on my Campy bikes.

Originally Posted by berserk87

The thing I see zero benefit from, however, is a Dura Ace cassette. For the price difference, I say no way. I've ridden Ultegra cassettes for the most part. The Dura Ace cassettes I've had have been throw-ins that came with a used wheel set.

As far as Campy vs Shimano, it all works. Depends on taste. I like Campy stuff a lot too.

[NHAero]

12 speed is only useful if it gives you another useful gear ratio. A 12T is as small as I need. The cog choices on the HG800 Ultegra 11-34 have larger jumps at the small end - 11-13-15-17 - but closer spacing in the larger cogs where I do most of my riding. And I've changed the 11t to a 12T on two bikes. So a 12 speed would only be useful to me if the 11-34 went from 25-27-30-34 to 25-27-29-31-34, or to 12-36 with 12-14-16-18-20-22-24-26-28-30-33-36. Adding another 1T jump up at the small end would be marginal.

And do the systems get fussier to set up, and less durable? Not a given, surely, but my 11 speed stuff is fussier than all the 9 speed Ultegra/XT/XTR stuff I've been running for years.