# Upgrade to Ultegra 6800



## bwbishop (Sep 17, 2011)

This post is to provide my insight into the differences when upgrading to Ultegra 6800.

My bike is a 2010 Felt Zc, that came installed with 105 all around except the brakes which were unmarked brakes. Over the years I've replaced the crank and rear derailleur to Ultegra and well as having to replace the shifters under warranty due to stuff breaking. So overall, the bike was half 2010 105, and half Ultegra.

For the last year, I would have a cable snap about every month or two, always snapping inside the shifter. No mechanic that I took the bike to could see any sharp edges or anything to cause it, so it was kind of a mystery. Then a few weeks ago my front derailleur crapped the bed and the cage broke, necessitating a replacement.

Since I was annoyed by the shifters, needed a FD, wanted to move up from a compact crank, and wanted to get real shimano brakes, I took the plunge and bought an entire 2014 groupo.

I was amazed at the difference. Coming from 2010, the shifting is amazing. The throw feels like it's half as far and takes half as much force. The difference is especially noticeable on the FD where the shifting feels like butter.

The hoods are also much more comfortable. The top of the hoods seem much flatter and wider where they connect to the handlebars, but are narrower where you grip it with your hand. I have large hands but I still love it. If you have small hands this is a huge improvement. My wife would have trouble with my old shifters. These new ones are great.

The new brakes are also amazing compared to my old no-name brakes. I feel like I have much more control and modulation of the braking power than before.

If your stuff works great, it's probably not worth upgrading, but if you're like me and needed to replace thing anyways, the upgrade to 6800 is fantastic.

Will it make you faster? Hell no. But it's way more comfortable, shifts a lot better with less effort, and the braking is fantastic. For me, the $1000 was worth it. YMMV.

Cheers,

Brian


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

bwbishop said:


> This post is to provide my insight into the differences when upgrading to Ultegra 6800.
> 
> My bike is a 2010 Felt Zc, that came installed with 105 all around except the brakes which were unmarked brakes. Over the years I've replaced the crank and rear derailleur to Ultegra and well as having to replace the shifters under warranty due to stuff breaking. So overall, the bike was half 2010 105, and half Ultegra.
> 
> ...


Switched from 6700 to 6800. While had the former too short to comment on reliability, the 6800 performs better in every single way. Actually preferred 6500 to 6700. 6800 is a very high end professional group set. It does everything right.


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

Glad to hear you like the 6800. That puts my mind at ease a bit, as I ordered a Lynskey R255 with the 6800 group set. It will be here on Thursday night and I'll have it built up on Friday and hope to take it for a ride later Friday afternoon. I previously had the 6700 group set on a Bianchi Infinito and thought it was OK, and much better than SRAM Force!!


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

adjtogo said:


> Glad to hear you like the 6800. That puts my mind at ease a bit, as I ordered a Lynskey R255 with the 6800 group set. It will be here on Thursday night and I'll have it built up on Friday and hope to take it for a ride later Friday afternoon. I previously had the 6700 group set on a Bianchi Infinito and thought it was OK, and much better than SRAM Force!!


I hear tons of bad stories about SRAM. Their fans point to "it looks cool" and it weighs a little less, but think its' no accident that the company charges a drop less.

What makes me nervous about SRAM and the potential for problems franky is their business model. They've grown by constantly acquiring companies and in other industries this can lead to integration and quality control problems, so I expect that to be the case till proven otherwise.


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

I had the SRAM Force on a Giant Defy Advanced 1. I can't begin to tell you the headaches I had with it, and some of those headaches even had both the LBS owner and wrench scratching their heads. Constant problems with trying to shift to the larger and smaller chain rings on the front, problems with shifting the gears on the back, left everyone perplexed even after adjustments and new cables were put on. I'd be on a group ride and go to shift, and nothing would happen. I'd try and try again to shift, as I'd fall further behind the group as they'd pedal away. I can't begin to tell you how many times I was dropped due to shifting problems. Numerous attempts to fix the problem failed. I got to a point where some parts were replaced, then I sold the dang thing!! That, on top of having a cracked front fork, which was recalled, and a few other CF problems with the Giant frame, put me over the edge to say no more SRAM and no more CF bikes.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

From what I can tell on the bike stand the FD 6800 trimming is very nice by comparison to the 6700. Unfortunately it's too cold to go for a test ride and see how the overall performance and feel compares between the two yet, but I can't wait.


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## TJay74 (Sep 9, 2012)

nice to hear, my plan is to find a 6800 set later on this year for my bike and move my Ultegra stuff over to my wifes bike to replace her 105 stuff.


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## masont (Feb 6, 2010)

I don't get the SRAM hate in here. I've got Force 22 on one bike and 6800 on another. They're both very good, and not much of a step down at all from DA or Red. The new Shimano is miles better than the last generation, which I wasn't much of a fan of at all.


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## bwbishop (Sep 17, 2011)

Srode said:


> From what I can tell on the bike stand the FD 6800 trimming is very nice by comparison to the 6700. Unfortunately it's too cold to go for a test ride and see how the overall performance and feel compares between the two yet, but I can't wait.


The new trim is definitely much nicer.


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

I was just notified my Lynskey R255 with the 6800 shipped from Chattanooga the other day, and I'm picking it up today and taking it right to the LBS where they'll assemble it and fit me today. I'm hoping they get it all together today, so I can test out the ride and the 6800 group set.


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

I just upgraded to 6800 also but I actually did a whole bike upgrade. My new Felt F4 is back ordered so I will not see it till late February. Have not seen 6800 in person other than the upgraded 6800 brakes on my current bike. They are really nice and work really good with 6700 levers. I am sure that I am going to love the 11 speed and other than wheels my bike will have full 6800 group. Cranks, shifters, derailers, brakes and cable's. Everything I have heard about the new Ultegra is that it's phenomenal. My LBS tells me it's effecting sales of Dura Ace and other than weight it's about as nice functionality. Really looking forward to riding it.


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## Dcmkx2000 (Mar 18, 2010)

Upgraded from rival. Thought rival was way too noisy, the FD never shifted consistently (after numerous visits to different lbs), and the lever action for the FD was hard. Even tried the red FD with yaw....still no luck. My favorite lbs has told me to try his ultegra demo bike saying I would like it much better. I never rode it, but finally decided to try the new 6800 group. Wow! Every shift is super smooth and effortless. And the FD shifting is ridiculously smooth and light. I was always mad because my entry level mtn bike with shimano components shifted better and more consistently than my road bike. I know it is a preference thing, and some people have a better experience with one brand over the other, but I think I'm hooked on shimano. The SRAM stuff is light, but I don't race, and the motor makes the bike fast, not the weight of its components.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

6800 is the best group there is right now, from any manufacturer.


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## mannymerc (Nov 19, 2013)

I have DA9000 and is awesome, so with that said, I think ultegra will shift just as good.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> 6800 is the best group there is right now, from any manufacturer.


Careful, keep that up and the inquisitors from Campy will be knocking on your door.


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## Jason rides (Jul 6, 2012)

My bike also came with 105 and some no named brakes and Shimano crank with no name on it. I made some upgrades to Ultegra including derail's front and back as well as the brakes. I also noticed a nice difference as well. Thinking about getting the Ultegra crank and shifters as well. Once i got to Ultegra level, I have no interest in upgrading to anything more expensive. If it reduces the weight and perhaps shifts a little better due to the way the teeth are on the crank it would be with it.


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## Wynnbb (Oct 16, 2012)

I just upgraded my drive-train to Ultegra 6800/Rotor 3D+ from 105 5700/FSA Gossamer. The difference is substantial!


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