Why Shimano Ultegra R8000 mechanical is the best groupset you can buy in 2020
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2020
- Let me explain why I think Shimano's mechanical Ultegra disc brake groupset is the best you can buy in 2020 when performance and value matter
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I totally agree. I am a mechanical engineer BSME and after 3 decades, I appreciate simplicity and a thoroughly refined design. There are virtually NO BUGS in the mech set. I have a Dura Ace bike but I would absolutely buy an Ultegra mech set today.
I can repair or tweak anything on the mech set.
I went through the Di2 manuals, 7 of them online and I came to the conclusion that I do not want all that complexity...
I also like manual transmissions on cars too :-)
great video!
thank you, a "dinosaur"
What's your opinion on the cracking crankset of Shimano? Due to it's hollow build and they do not vacuum the inside of crank arm before they joined them together.
@@dommarilekon1242 they do vacuum it, there's a plugged port on the inside of the crank arms. The bonding agent they use is the problem, it breaks down in certain environments, after which the crank arm cracks in the area with the least support/resistance.
There are videos with slicker production,but none with better content,keep up the good work David.
Thanks Dode 👍
I have the mechanical R8000 groupset as well and ABSOLUTELY love it. So responsive and easy to shift.
i got Shimano 105 and i was already thinking of doing an upgrade to R8000
New bike day for me tomorrow, with an R8000 rim brake group set. Have been using SRAM Red 10 speed for the last 5 or so years and am looking forward to the change back to Shimano. Was never really happy with the SRAM front derailleur. Thanks for reinforcing my purchase decision. Alleviated any Di2 FOMO issues.
It’s really their design that is so good. I’m old mechanical myself, and agree with all his points. More so, the 105 group set on my bike has the same experience as this Ultegra. Wonderful kit…it all works so effortlessly and smoothly. Like silk.
R8000 is fantastic!. The brake modulation and Front Derailleur shifting is amazing!
What's the difference to 105?
@@taichihead42 105 up to Dura-Ace are now basically almost entirely similar except for material use. There's no point whatsoever for anyone besides pro riders to buy above 105s in terms of shifting quality.
Epic. Love your video's! Great review. Shouts from Aotearoa.
For me the mechanical aspect of it makes me feel connected to the bike I have ridden R8000 for one year and is so smooth and the biggest improvement is the brakes on rim version. I hope they keep improving on they try and true groupset
I really hope Shimano always does an Ultegra mech and rim groupset. Di2 takes away too much of the tactile experience when changing gears for me. Nice upload as usual!
They do - I have it.
Also on a 2019 R8000 Hydro Ultegra groupset here, absolutely love it. More refined and lighter than 105 but I dont feel bad if I forget to clean my chain for a week or so. Quite possibly the best!
You guys are cleaning your chains?
@@jonathanng138 hahaha. I mean, with this new dry lube, I haven't cleaned it in 1k miles at least.
As one who went directly from a 1989 bike with friction shifters on the downtube to a Specialized Sequoia with Shimano 105 5800, I found myself missing the downtube shifters once the novelty of the STI:s had worn off. I liked the rear shifting, but not that super long throw of the front shifter. Then I got a bike with DI2 and now I don't miss the downtube shifters anymore. Also, I like that DI2 is so maintenance free.
I've got enough rechargeable stuff in my life, I don't need my bike being one of them. Especially don't want to find it flat at 5am on a Saturday morning because I was too tired and forgot to charge it on Friday night. I've had ride mates turn up to the meeting point, then their Di2 battery died.
I don't doubt that it is beautiful in its operation, but I like the mechanical aspect of changing gears :-)
Doesn't di2 last around 2,000 kms per charge? Most people would have weeks of low battery notice before it ran out completely.
Charging once every 2 months is far easier than changing cables and indexing.
@@johnm91326 and yet, it happens to lots of riders, often enough to be a problem.
He even mentioned it in the video. If you've only got one bike, fair enough maybe not a huge problem. But I know many riders have more than one bike, and the more you have, the more likely that you'll forget which bike is at what level of charge.
We humans are fallible creatures.
Mububban23 Just charge the bike, lol. It can hold from 2000-5000km. 1 hour of charging and it’s clearly better than mechanical. If you can be bothered to change your cables, you should be able to put a cable in a charger for 1 hour every 2-3 months. Most serious cyclists care more of their bike than anything else. Washing every week etc. if you care for your bike, di2 won’t be a problem. If you don’t, maybe 105 or even tiagra would be a better fit.
Nailed it
@@oscar6938 So cost is not a factor?
I am very torn between the 2. Been using Di2 since its launch. Totally hooked on it. But tempted by the simplicity and value of a mechanical one after watching your video.
Personally, as for Di2, I just hate the idea of having a motor and the battery in a bicycle. What I love about biking is that just it's you and your bike, you can rely on yourself, your fit. Electronic make it a little bit cheating in my opinion. Once you have a motor in your derailleur helping you out, you can as well fit one in the drivetrain and you're getting an E-bike, then you put a bigger motor and got yourself a motorcycle. And yes, motorcycles are a lot more fun than bicycles. But we ride bicycles because it's all about sport and fitness don't we? Electronic aids on a purely mechanical bike just ruines the idea of it. That's the way I see it.
18 months ago bought crankset, cassette and chain in Thailand $45us. Runs a treat, cheap new better than good worn ,from the frugal cyclist.
Just rebuilt my CAAD9 with this groupset. I love it.
9 years later, my opinion still is "Who needs it? We didn't ask for it.". I'm currently using a mechanical, rim brake Ultegra R8000 on my road bike, and I cannot find any comprehensible reason why I would spend the extra money on Di2. Perfect, effortless shifting, near-to-zero maintenance required, and quite lightweight (especially compared to mechanical groupsets of the past), while the rim brakes are excellent even in the wet (albeit with proper brake pads, not the rubbish stock ones). I'd much rather spend the difference between a mechanical, rim brake Ultegra R8000 and a Di2 hydraulic Ultegra R8000 on a proper set of lightweight wheels or a better frameset.
The real problem is that it's harder and harder to find brand new bikes with mechanical/rim brake R8000 and very good wheels. Instead, you can find quite a lot of bikes with Di2/hydraulic R8000 and cheap ass entry-level wheels. That's why I'll probably never buy a new complete bike ever again and always build it out of parts on my own.
I have to agree with you. I used mechanical Ultegra for a very long time. It always worked so well. When I bought a new road bike a year ago and decided to go with electronic (SRAM Red Etap) since it seemed like the thing to do. I honestly wish I'd just stuck with Shimano mechanical. Electronic is NOT the game changer everyone seems to claim and definitely not worth the extra cost. If I was on a budget, I'd definitely pick a nice set of wheels over electronic shifting. Some say that once you go electronic, you can never go back. I say they are delusional and trying to justify the money they spent. I have mechanical on my gravel bike and I have no problems. If I get a new road bike, it will most likely have mechanical. The only issue is that more and more bikes are coming in electronic only frames .
Couldn't agree more. My R8000 groupset still feels like new and solid since I installed it 2 years ago, even compared with my newer and mixed 105-ultegra-dura ace groupset on my other bike.
Effortless shifting you say? Di2 is more effortless. Near-to-zero maintenance required? Di2 is less than near-to-zero maintenance required. I'm not saying I would never go mechanical again, ultegra mech is a really good value. But once you go di2 or etap it's hard to go back.
@@zenomolteni1253 nobody said Di2 is worse than mechanical with respect to shifting or maintenance. But given how minuscule the improvements are, the money is far better spent elsewhere. Better wheels, better frameset, better tyres, better saddle, maybe some aero components, literally anything else.
@@zenomolteni1253 see my comment above. I have zero issues going back
Thanks David, this is great. Any comments on the rim brake version?
Great video, thanks. I think you just saved me a couple of grand!
I agree. I also use R8000. No complaints.
Oh my god the sound of Ultegra R8000 absolutely love it!!!
I'm drive Specialized sl4 TARMAC 2018, Shimano 105. A good friend of mine sold it to me. so far i did 3.7k kms.
I just built a bike with the R7000 group. Love it.
I Did purchase R8000 calipers though.
I love Shimano parts. Even their low end stuff functions very well and are reliable.
I'm coming off Tourney and Claris parts n they were much heavier but rock solid reliable.
For me rim brakes all day.
Rim brake for ease of maintenance, and because you're not riding when it's wet out. Otherwise, disc is better- assuming carbon rim.
Dura-Ace rear derailleurs are basically Shimano mountain bike XTR derailleurs smoothed out for road bikes these days.
still using 20year old Sora without issues...Got 105 on my specialized Allez and its flawless.I have not bought any other brand other then Shimano so dont have knowledge to compare with Campy
Upgraded my Merckx EMX from Ultegra 6800 10spd to R8000 last summer ... sort of. In the 12 hours it took me to give the go ahead to my LBS on the quotation, COVID supply and demand wreaked havoc on the plan. Ultegra shifters out of stock in North America -- no ETA. I was left with a choice of 105, or DA. I took the DA leap ... they are amazing. Not sure how much better (if at all) to Ultegra R8000 mechanical, but I love the light action and the ergo feel of levers and hoods. I've got to have the mechanical connection to my drivetrain so I'll keep holding out on electronic shifting thank you very much!
your content is really good
Had mine for a while now and love it. Going to go to disc brakes but have cable actuated hydraulic brakes to keep them as simple as they already are and i have the parts. Dont see the need of the Di2, i can change the gears fine without charging or customising the selection options. Only thing they could upgrade is bigger jockey wheels just for a little more efficiency but it works as is.
Absolutely agree how good mechanical Ultegra is. I had a broken shifter and chain/cassette might have been due for replacement so upgraded my £999 Giant Contend from 105. In a different league to me, there is something almost magic about shifting. I just do leisure rides and I can tell a huge difference over 105.
I could not agree more Dave viva Ultegra !
My 6 year old Tiagra group set shifts perfectly if it’s maintained properly, just put new cables on it long over due and if feels amazing. I’ve not tried Ultegra but I would love to. I can’t imagine much benefit to di2 over mechanical for the average rider especially if Ultegra is noticeably better then the what I’m running at the minute.
No stupid trimming
I really like your TCR content. I have the 2019 Defy Advanced Pro 2 and the 2020 Propel Advanced Disc 1, and paid less than what it would have cost for the mid range Specialized SL7. The Defy and Propel are both amazing bikes. And considering I put 35’ gravel tires on the Defy they both have very different usage. So I’d like to ask, since there isn’t a lot of Giant related reviews with their more current products besides your own, is there any way you could do reviews on either or both of the Defy and the Propel? Such videos would go really well with your TCR series. Thanks for considering.
There's a reason why you have a 100% like rate, your videos and topics are spot on!
I've tried Sram red eTap (the worst), R8070 Di2 and also R8000 mechanical. The R8000 is so smooth, you feel so connected to the bike and it's so reliable. Absolutely love it!
Thanks 🙏
I had dura ace di2 and was good and now getting force axs etap. Ur Red was bad because of older model than axs?
Been riding since the 80s when I was back in Cuba with the brutal Russian steel framed Moscow 80 road bikes with the shifters on the down tubes, technology has changed dramatically, a nowadays mechanical ultegra is one hell of a upgrade since then, I don’t see the big deal with the introduction of electrical shifting and all that fancy stuff, I feel the need to stay connected to my bike when on it, and a mech system is the only way to go. I just don’t know when are they gonna stop adding technology to a bike, like if weight reduction wasn’t enough of a headache. A sport will always be a sport, and no matter what you do to the equipment, you can not add technology to what really wins medals, your physical and mental health.
Best part of di2 is not having to worry about cable stretch im guessing. 1000 euro vs adjusting a cable tension now and then.
As much as I love the functionality of the mechanical I find the coating on the Ultegra and 105 wear off way too fast, making the group-set look very tatty in the end. I feel I was very late to the di2 game and I resisted it for so long, but then when I got my own, I was so surprised how amazing crisp, fast and accurate the shifting was, now I have upgraded all my bikes but one to di2. Di2 in combination with the none shimano sprint shifters is an absolutely amazing combo. I think without the sprint shifters di2 alone is not worth the upgrade price., As for the battery, it doesn’t just go flat on you without a warning. You will feel it way in advance, your shifting becomes a bit sloppy on the front derailleur about a week before it goes flat, you’ll learn to recognize that once you experienced it, besides I go about 4-6 months on one charge. I yet have to jump on the disk brake wagon, hopefully not any time soon, I will resist it as long as I can and I absolutely love tim brakes, for the same reason as I love mechanical group sets, ease of travel, ease of maintenance and they work just fine. Keep up the good work with those videos.
I like your review !
Another great video and thank you for giving us a way of accessing information like this. Definitely a follower. BTW, what is your helmet?
Thanks! It’s a Specialized Evade II
david arthur Thank you.
For the price I totally agree with you. But I have my training bike with ultegra mechanical...which after 4 years is still flawless albeit with some replacement parts . My go fast bike has ultegra Di2 which is simply amazing. I find myself always in the right cadence ...and believe me after 4 or more hours with the gang....with fatigue setting in Di2 is a godsend, when even the simple task of mechanical shifting can be tiresome.Yes I know first world problems.But if you are out hammering it in the local chain gang it can make a huge difference.
Couldn't have said it better!
I love my shimano ultegra R8000! NEVER lets me down and it's a joy to maintain. Very well made and quite durable. I have DI 2 ultegra on my Cannondale system six and I like it a lot but has some bad points such as their E tube app which is just awful! In addition if you want to adjust any aspect of the shifting you won't be able to do it with an apple computer : (. I hope there is always a place for mechanical shifting because like you I love how it feels. I do think the DI 2 is faster though.... I just subbed, you do really nice work here!
Thanks for the sub 🤜
I have my Ultegra mechanical on my old titanium road bike and then a newer SRAM Red etap that I was gifted by a friend that I put on my Merckx climbing frame. After 4 months of continuous usage on the SRAM, I can say that they are far superior to my old mechanical set. I've never been low on battery power (the efficiency of the battery packs are astounding) even after a month of no charge ups. This is unlike the DI2 experience for many of my friends. I think the reason why SRAM is pushing their e-tap line is that it works so well and they have their battery science down. If Shimano could come up with a comparable battery life and efficiency of SRAM then I think we would see the demise of mechanical group sets for their road bikes.
Excellent review. I did read some people complaining about noise when shifting to the big gears (last 2 in particular). Have you any experience with this?
Thank you
I prefer mechanical shifting.
Because if the battery, I sometimes forget to charge my lights and those are every week, I'll definitely forget the shifter battery if it's something I charge once a month or even less.
And I like the feeling of resistance as I shift.
I am running the Ultegra R8000 Rim brake. The hood is so nice and low profile. So comfy.
Say what you want about any mechanical group set but Di2 is definitely the way to go in my humble opinion. It’s PERFECT in every way! ❤️
waiting for Shimano next gen 12 speed group sets. Would also like to see OSPW in the next gen as well
I have a number of bikes, with Shimano 105 on my winter bike as it is cheap and ideal for rinding in the UK winter crap. Then I have Shimano Dura Ace mech on my Canyon, then Dura Ace Di2 on Willier, then Campagnolo SR EPS 11x on F8, F10, C60, and lastly Campagnolo SR 12x mech on C64.
So I guess I ride most set ups, on long hilly rides in North Wales and odd flat rides in Cheshire but also twice yearly trips to to various World locations to ride. During winter it has to be the cheap 105, when weather allows it has to be Campagnolo EPS or Mech both perfection engineering with a heritage and over the years practical and simple improvements. The hoods are the most comfortable ever and well better than Shimano on a long ride, the reliability of Campagnolo is never in doubt and the EPS is slick powerful and smooth, the battery has never run out on me. The new Campagnolo 12x speed is uncomplicated, an extra sprocket in the same space as 11 with no silly 10 tooth sprocket and crazy small chainrings. I ride 105 with 11/28 50/34 in winter and Campagnolo 11/29 and 11/32 52/36 in Spring Summer Autumn.
So thats it, In the end its down to choice and what you can afford, also season of year. My opinion that Campagnolo is without doubt the best groupset you can buy in the past present and future. As for brakes! I ride rim only and direct mount are all that are required on the road, if you cant handle a long switchback decent on rim brakes in the wet then you should Not be riding a bike. Keep it simple ride the best All Italian.
Glad i bought a mechanical frameset gives me the freedom for groupsets like this and sram Etap
You've got to consider Chorus at this level. However I still doubt there's much faster shifting nowadays than my current set up - old Record 10s, short cage carbon RD, close ratio cassette, 52/39 up front. Never misses a beat.
I've got Chorus on one bike and Ultegra 6800 on another. The Chorus has proved very problematical - so much so that I think the derailleur must be bent. But in terms of feel - Ultegra has an intrinsic lightness and smoothness. Chorus clunks more. I really wanted Campag to "win" but in my experience, Ultegra (it saddens me to say) is better.
@@BeatPoet67 I guess the feel is quite personal. When they're working properly both systems are good, but the ability to dump gears, change instantly and have an independent brake lever mean campag is my choice for mechanical
I have r8000 mech really enjoyable and very precise.
David I just have to say that you are if not the best clearly one of the best channels to watch regarding cycling and cycling gear. I always trust your opinion, it’s typically fair and balanced and clearly not bought. Keep up the good work and thank you for all the effort you put into this channel.
Wow, thanks!
Joseph Albanese your opinion/comment is spot on....great presentation David as usual!!
I have this groupset on two of my bikes. Solid well constructed and very smooth shifting once set up correctly. The electronic version will shift among the front chainrings more easily but not much difference on the rear cassette shifting. Electronic shifting is also good for cyclists who might have arthritic hands or weak hand strength. I prefer the simplicity of mech shifting systems. Hydraulic disc brakes are the way to go unless I was traveling with a bike often and had to remove the wheels.
Cool Chain! It's my choise also...
To overstate it a bit... I think Di2 vs mechanical groupsets is like a automatic double clutch vs manual transmission. With mechanical is a little more sensitivity and experience required.
I want to upgrade my entry level road bike with Ultegra R8000, because I love the frame and the geometry. My Merida Scultura 100 was also available as Scultura 500 with Ultegra, but I didn't know back than that it would become my favorite bike.
I have one ultegra r8000 and its fantástic and costs a good value for quality
I've got Ultegra 6800....love it. Light and crisp. ✌
Nice 👍
Couldn't agree more. :)
Dave, really enjoying your videos these days. Can I request an in depth video of Centaur 11 and Potenza 11 vs 105 and Ultegra Mechanical? I have 3 road bikes, and have groupsets from Sram/Campagnolo/Shimano, and would like to upgrade 1 of them soon. Is it misty eyed to want Campag? Cheers.
Thanks Graeme! I’d love to test some Campagnolo, but it’s getting tricky to find new bikes with it as an option. I’ll see what I can do - I think their disc brake tech is great and vastly underrated
Not misty eyed to want Campag at all. It's just better, without question, but no one seems to know that! I have Shimano on my CX bikes as it is more 'agricultural' (and cheaper to replace) than Campag, which I have on my road bikes. I find that I could make a cup of tea in the time it takes to shift on Shimano though! The crisp, immediate shift of Campag is so much faster than Shimano (and I have ridden/owned DA, Ultegra and 105; Record, Athena and Veloce), so I think there definitely is something Shimano could do to improve!
I am runnung a Shimano Ultegra R8000 groupset and I recentley put on a SHIMANO Ultegra RD-RX800 rear derailleur (the one with the clutch) and a SHIMANO XT CS-M8000 Cassette and it works. Just don't cross the chain to far when your on your 50 tooth chain ring and you'll be fine.
That is fascinating to hear, thanks for sharing
I own red etap and ultegra mechanical and I love both.
good to see Prendas socks :)
Great video once again, if you were building a gravel bike would you go mechanical ultegra or GRX 800?
Colin for a gravel bike use the GRX 800 series.
Yes as Tower Runner says the GRX has numerous benefits for gravel, namely wider and lower range gears and a clutch rear mech. And 1x option if you want it
I have 5 bikes,4 with ultegra 8000 and 1 with Dura ace,all mechanical,i work in Audio/electronics
For more than 25 years,so for me and to go against all ods,i love mechanical group sets...and rim brakes too.
Yeah, Ultegra is great... but my attention is frequently caught by the noise made by the hub, lovely.
Rim brakes & 105 R7000 = affordable & quality.
Parts can individually be bought very affordably.
*#165mm* cranks 😁
if you're like me and sweat a lot, Ultegra Di2 is the best. My sweat is quite salty and every year the shifter cable would break twice a year. After I switched to Di2, all of those worries went away. No more being stuck 20 miles from home without a working rear shifter.
Spot on review. I agree and it will take an 11-40 cassette.
Does an 11-40 really work? I might have to try that
david arthur I have put one on an Enigma Escape without any issues and without a hanger extension.
Yes it will take and 11-40. Surprisingly it does shift quite well.
I have in my supersix evo , Very close to dura ace performance ,amazing shifting and vfm ,with just 300 grams penalty !
I do find the rubber hoods are getting very loose on my shifters, is that something you have found? Was one section not blending with the body of the hoods and now they loose all round. Not as tough as my old 105 in that aspect even though it is softer and more comfortable.
I'm contemplating getting this groupset. This would be my very first road bike disc brake set up.. when changing out tires, tubes, or just cleaning purposes...I've heard the discs start to rub after a few removals. How much truth is there to this?
Agreed!
I run both 6700 and 6800, both are pretty much flawless. As for disc brakes, yes on my gravel and MTB, but personally I feel absolutely no need whatsoever on my road bike. The only advantage I see to disc is the ability not to wear out a rim, and let's be honest that takes years, generally! As for power, pretty sure my FSA SLK calipers on my Bianchi perform just as well, at least in the dry ..✌️
David I love the channel so thanks for the content! I have been on a 2008 Trek Madone for 12 years now and I have decided on an Orbea Orca ORX as my new ride. Although your review of mechanical shifting was quit e convincing I think I am going electronic. Force etap vs Ultegra Di2. Do you have a preference? Is it easier to keep track of the Sram battery life and stuff with their app? What about weight, shifting performance and reliability? Thanks in advance!
I agree except I have the rim break version
Thanks for mentioning the 'feel' of mechanical - being more connected to the bike. It's kind of hard to explain to a newbie rider.
Great video! I’m stuck between deciding to upgrade from Sora R3000 to 105 or Ultegra! Also what is your setup for audio on the bike? The sound quality is really clear
I run the Sora R3000 on my winter Alloy bike and Ultegra R8000 on my Summer Bike. To be totally honest the Sora is as good functionally as the Ultegra. Possibly slightly grater pull and a bit crisper but Sora it is flawless. 9-11 cogs is the main difference. For high speed and racing, yea 11 cogs gets you into a better cadence to match the road. Ii would save your money and go with the 105.
I have the newest ultegra on one bike and the newest 105 in my other bike. To be completely honest if u don’t have the extra money go with 105 I honest to god cannot tell a difference between my 105 and ultegra and I use them both for racing
Thanks! I use an external mic to get separate audio from the GoPro and Sony camera I use
One con about the Ultegra R8000 is that the rear derailleur's barrel adjuster's sleeve could slip around the metal barrel in the long run. You can solve this by swapping it with any splined Shimano rear derailleur barrel adjuster (like the 105 RD-R7000's).
@@yonglingng5640 Thanks for the heads up! I was thinking of getting a clutched 11-speed rear derailleur so I'm thinking either GRX600/GRX800 or Ultegra RX
I just got the exact same bike you've got there.
One thing that drives me nuts about both Road and MTB bike pricing... electronic group set pricing stays constant. Would be nice to get a hundred, or couple hundred dollar break when buying a pre configured bike with an EGS. Rather, the full retail price of these group sets is factored into the bike cost. Is that really necessary? I ride Ultegra R8000 on my Tarmac SL6... but am perpetually tempted by the status that comes along with an EGS bike build LOL
The chain rubs against the skid plates of the Ultegra R8020 FD on both sides, the inner and outer. Is that normal?
Nice video just what I needed to hear. After 10+ years riding my Trek 1.5 Alpha it time for my dream bike. Place an order today for the Trek 62cm Émonda ALR 5 Disc frame and fork set, it's coming from Holland so I've plenty of time to select my group set, wheels and every other component. When I kitted out my MTB many years ago I invested in the XTR 980 group set, unfortunately this soon became discontinued and I've paid more for new-old stock on chain rings and cassettes. I want this Émonda build to be serviceable for as long as possible. David do you see Shimano releasing a new Ultegra groups set this year. Correct me if I'm wrong, as I understand the R8000 Ultegra groupset was released in 2018? I'm a big fan of Shamano and am think of having the Ultegra wheel set to couple with the group set. Can't wait to ride a road bike with disks, any suggestions on wheel sets I might consider?
Cheers David.
New Ultegra won’t launch until after new Dura-Ace, which I would have expected to be this year (Tour or Olympics) but it could be delayed due to the virus so impossible to know when it’s being updated. That’s even more reason why I think it’s such a good buy this year. As for disc brake wheels, do you have any favoured wheel brands?
@@davidarthur Shimano I use on my MTB and my fishing reals, I am a fan. I am considering a set of Chris king R45, I'm able to spread part of the cost with the cycle to work scheme. So I've more to spend upfront on parts given the frame and forks are taken care of. I don't know much about deep section rims. The old trek 1.5 alpha has a rear pannier rack and I'll be switching the carbon fork for an ally one so I can fit a front rack, winter bike / touring. My tyre of choice are Continental Gatorskin hard shells, I use them all year round. I'm excited about riding a road bike with disks. Suggestions or video uploads on good value performance rims would be great, I'm not ready for tubeless.
Are you building the wheels yourself? Check out Enve, Roval, Hunt, DT Swiss, Parcours, Reynolds and plenty of other carbon wheel brands. Enve you can get with R45 hubs already. Lots of wheel builders will build you the wheels to suit your requirements. A 40-50mm deep rim is a good choice for most occasions, and many are wide (good for fat tyres) and tubeless ready if you went to venture down that road
I’m building a ti bike and package comes with R8000 I’m thinking to change to SRAM Force AXS etap for 3 reasons: can use quarq power meter in crank, wireless so no external cables, and electronic. Downside I’m worried if i run of battery + it’s extra A$2100 from R8000. My bike will be completed in 6 months time. Do you think there will be new version of groupset!?
I really like this format of the video, clear opinion, but backed by a decade of experience. More please!
I will personally probably mix and match when it's time to upgrade, Ultegra RX mech with GRX di2 levers, which seem to be very well regarded.
Thanks Jakub 🙏 Mixing Ultegra and GRX is a cool idea and something we’ll see a lot more of in the future I reckon. Thank goodness they are compatible
Hi, I have a guestion.. I have an old Dura Ace 7800 rear derailleur and 7900 cranc set, it's possible to upgrade with Ultegra 8000 rear derailleur and 11 speed cassette? And not changing the Dura Ace 7800 shifters? Thanks..(or there is shifting difference between Dura Ace 7800 and Ultegra 8000 rear derailleur?)
It’s excellent. Highly recommend
omg that bike is so nice! I want that... but with SRAM Red eTap.. lol
I got sucked into the first generation Di2, and... it's a door stop now that everything is n+1 speed, and you might think that electronic would have allowed them to avoid that with programming. Honestly, the 2011 SuperRecord mechanical is just as quick as that year's Di2, lets me do the 'double-dump' when hitting the bottom of a hill, and with the JagWire ultra-slick cable and link housing, is soooo precise. And... it lets me trim the front so much better than even the latest Di2. If it weren't for the clean lines of internal routing or wireless, I'd see zero reason to change.
Shimano 105 is the best value. I have won races and finished top 5 for 13 races on shimano 105 and on a bike I paid less than $2000 for. That includes everything like aftermarket parts, including pedals, wahoo bolt, saddle, handlebars, stem, bar tape, carbon wheels, and radar. If I get anything above 105, I'm going for electronic shifting.
The cables routed down the down tube. Any cable rub?
I’m still wondering if I prefer the old model because of that. Minus the fact that previous version’s front brake cable is external
Nope, no cable rub anywhere on the frame, the cables are well clear of the frame so it's all good.
im happy with my old mechanical durace 9000
Me too!
Yea. I use mine for 8 years now. I had to exchange cable once though.
I'm still using 6500
Just buy the new FD and you've got all the gains
agree 👍👍
I am sorry just some information giant pro0 and pro1 got a different wheelset also dt240 vs dt350 hubs
For VALUE, I'd agree without question Ultegra is the best. Ultegra is light, durable, and usually ridiculously reliable. For sheer performance though...I'm going Campy Chorus/Record/Super Record.
I’ve owned every Ultegra groupset and the 8000 really stands out from the rest. It is absolute perfection. Some incarnations don’t have much feedback from the shifting. The 8000 has a bit more of a click and is spot on. Possible improvements would be smaller hoods and better fitting hoods. Once they’ve been peeled back a few times to bleed them they never fit flush again. Once set up well it works absolutely perfect every time. It’s that good. If you’re a rim brake person it’s good news too. Rim brake callipers on the 8000 have been massively beefed up. Have a look at a 8000 rim calliper from above and you can seen it’s literally twice as thick as years gone by translating into very powerful brakes. If you ride your bike all year round I would get discs if you can. They just make so much sense.
David Arthur, if UDi2 were to drop to the exact same $$ price as Ultegra, replacement parts as well were same/same, it sounds like you'd recommend UDi2. I have a 2017 Tarmac with UDi2 and a 2015 Helium w/ Ultegra. (Your articles reviewing those two bikes when you were with the .... who's name shall not be spoken, were very helpful, thanks!) and far and away after the novelty and cool factor has worn off, UDi2 is significantly more finicky, more things can and do require adjustment that just don't happen on Ultegra.
Thanks Ian glad those reviews helped you out. If the price was the same that really changes things, but I still think aside from maintenance and the issues you raise, the simplicity and tactility of mechanical makes it a worthy alternative
Can you double change gears on an electronic setup? On mechanical I can push the lever across further to go up two gears. Do you have to double tap like going down two on mechanical?
You can keep the buttons pressed for as many gears as you want
Have you compared (and can comment on) the shifting performance of the KMC X11 chain shown in your video and the HG701 chain that is designed for use with the R8000 cassette?
I'll be honest and say that it's almost impossible to detect any difference. The KMX chains are very high quality and shift as well as Shimano
@@davidarthur Thanks for the reply. I may try KMC next.
Agreed!
I have upgraded to a Ultegra R8000 Ultegra with rim brakes and really like it. I put Campagnolo Sirocco wheels and I am surprised how quiet the bike is on free wheeling. Don't think I would like Di2 as enjoy gear shifting.
ist the R8000 way more noisy than older 10 speed (road or mtb) drivetrains? My 10 speed XT is abolutely silent, my 11 speed Ultegra is noisy as hell. (and the carbon frame increases the noise level) what is your experience?
agreed!👍
Planning to buy that exact same bike. But can't test ride it. David what is your height and which size bike do you use? I'm 177cms (5 feet 10 inches) and based on the specs on Giant, both M and M/L seems suitable.
Go M
Love your videos, slightly off topic re the Giant tcr, what size frame is it and how tall are you. I am between m and m/l, short inside leg longer torso. Cheers any help appreciated
I was in a similar situation - 194cm but shorter legs, longer torso. I ended up with L and swapped to a longer stem. Loving it so far.
niranlh - have a look at geometry geeks website. You can enter your current bike (plus size) and then select which TCR size you like the look of. It will compare each geo measurement between the two bikes (and more if you wish) - If your happy with your current geo then you can see which TCR size would be similar. Ive used it, I'm on a Defy medium at the moment and im going to switch to a TCR - medium as well. Im 5ft 10 but very long legged. I need to sit high but i keep a close eye on Reach and Stack.
lechprotean what stem length? How long are your legs?
J S 1.79m tall inside leg 81cm ish. Currently on a 2015 bmc slr02 57cm frame but feel it’s a bit too big/high. No spacers but 100mm stem. Just not sure if flexible enough for medium tcr
@@niranlh I'm 179cm with an 88,5cm inseam, so I'm worse off. I have a ML TCR and a 56BMC SLR01. Both fit me well, the tcr with a 10 cm stem no spacers, the bmc with an 11 cm stem and 1cm of spacers
I have a bike with Ultegra R8000. I also have a bike that is mostly 105 R7000. It’s dang hard to tell the difference. Indeed, much of the difference is largely cosmetic. Di2? Ask me in a month when my gravel build with GRX Di2 is done.
what chain is that? thats not a HG701-11 right? thanks
nice choice, but i think i have to stick with my duraace 9000 .. it served me well all these years ..
Just wondering how much campy potenza in your country compare to ultrega R8000?