# Dura ace or ultegra electronic vs dura ace mechanical ???



## Bluspwr (Aug 16, 2012)

Anyone with practical experience on this subject? Currently have dura ace 11 speed mechanical and I was wondering if it is a worthwhile upgrade to go electronic. Thanks


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Bluspwr said:


> Anyone with practical experience on this subject? Currently have dura ace 11 speed mechanical and I was wondering if it is a worthwhile upgrade to go electronic. Thanks


I think that is a lot of personal preference. I personally am not a fan of the electronic group. It just didn't do it for me. That being said the DA 9000 mechanical is very nice. I don't think you would have much to gain there.


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## Bluspwr (Aug 16, 2012)

tihsepa said:


> I think that is a lot of personal preference. I personally am not a fan of the electronic group. It just didn't do it for me. That being said the DA 9000 mechanical is very nice. I don't think you would have much to gain there.


Not a fan because of ????


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

If I already had a mechanical DA drivetrain, I wouldn't bother switching. If I were to get a new bike, I would probably pick Ultegra Di2 over DA mechanical.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

While Di2 is great, if I currently had a mechanical 9000 bike I wouldn't think about 'upgrading' to electronic. The front Di2 derailleur is pretty damn good and very reliable. The rear shifting is not necessarily better, it's just different. Very reliable, and the continuous shift feature on the new stuff is cool. 
Unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, I'd use the 9000.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Bluspwr said:


> Not a fan because of ????


I don't really know why. I just couldn't get used to the way it shifts without the brake lever. I rode a loner bike for about a month with it. I was happy to get back to my old mechanical. I had the same issue with SRAM and sold off that groupset.


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## Bluspwr (Aug 16, 2012)

Thanks for all the feedback. I was thinking the auto-trim on the front derailleur would be nice. I also like the idea of precision rear sprocket shifting where it nails the shift perfect every time. Just didn't know if electronic is as good as advertised.


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## Burnette (Mar 25, 2013)

*What You'reTryin' To Get In Wll Be In The Bargain Bin, Wait And You Win*

OCD is hell at times for me, but there is an upside to it. Data.
I got to touch Di2 at NAHBS and got the run down about it's pluses and minuses. 
I'm looking into haveing a bike made and have to choose a groupset, so I have spent time looking at different options.
My own personal parameters are ease of function (FD specific), low maintenance an appearance.
My parameters are function, low maintenance and appearance.
*Function:*
Pro 9,000: at NAHBS, Shimano rep and more than a few Dura Ace 9,000 owners said that it rivals Di2 in front shifts and it has that tactile feel to it. 
Con 9,000: it will need normal adjustements, no bigge there.
Pro Di2: Shimano rep showed me that Di2 is programable and that you, for more money, ca add more buttons to the top of your bar so you can shift from there too. 
Con Di2: you lose that tactile feel of shifts
Pro Ui2: feels and shifts like Di2
Con Ui2: it uses bigger, heavier, louder servo motors, doesn't hurt function, just a difference, a con if that bothers you, it does me
*Low Maintenance
*Pro 9,000: no better, no worse in this regard than what it replaced
Con 9,000: like any groupset, adjustements will have to be made time to time, no biggie, but it's there
Pro Di2: set and forget
Con Di2: batteries! not really much of a con there for me
Pro Ui2: it too is set and forget
Con Ui2: batteries! cell phone, Garmin, rear light, I'm kinda pre-programmed to charge batteries, like Di2, a wash for me.
*Appearance 
*Pro 9,000: looks great, love it
Con 9,000: none, just look at it! awesome
Pro Di2: see above, it's awesome
Con Di2: I can't hate, I've tried
Pro Ui2: like the design of it
Con Ui2: the FD and RD are bulkier, I could live with that, but that crank in black won't jive with my planned bike, just don't like it
Di2 wins in my personal set of wants, but I wouldn't buy it now.
Way too pricey. The biggest pull for me for Di2 is that it is set and forget. Mech shifting is pretty darn good now though and small adjustements to it would be infrequent.
I would get what you already have, Dura Ace 9,000.
They're not done tweaking Di2, wait awhile if you want "better than", the next big "gotta have" (even longer battery life, wireless, etc..) is a heartbeat away. And what you want now will be old news and cheaper.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

tihsepa said:


> I think that is a lot of personal preference. I personally am not a fan of the electronic group. It just didn't do it for me. That being said the DA 9000 mechanical is very nice. I don't think you would have much to gain there.


Rode with someone recently who loves electronic, but ironically tells a story about not being fully charged on a long ride, and having to get home in a very uncomfortable gear. It's one thing for a computer to lose charge, but gears?...you must be kidding. No way I'd ever want to deal with this.

Also believe electronic shifting systems will continue to evolve rapidly, unlike mechanical. Only a matter of time before systems are offered that shift for you based on computer settings/preferences such as cadence, etc


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Trek_5200 said:


> Also believe electronic shifting systems will continue to evolve rapidly, unlike mechanical. Only a matter of time before systems are offered that shift for you based on computer settings/preferences such as cadence, etc


^^This. At some point, it's likely that electronic shifting will be wireless, and then the current Di2 will be outdated.

DA9000 works exceptionally well...and let's face it...you still have to pedal.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

tvad said:


> ^^This. At some point, it's likely that electronic shifting will be wireless, and then the current Di2 will be outdated.
> 
> DA9000 works exceptionally well...and let's face it...you still have to pedal.


Agree, Current mechanical works very well. I guess you have to ask yourself if shifting on the mechanical group set bothers you. For me, I'm used to it, and it for me. Some people love it, but to me it looks like a solution looking for a problem. I have similar feelings about threaded bottom brackets. I don't quite get why people feel the need for the newer systems, but that's a whole other thread.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Trek_5200 said:


> Rode with someone recently who loves electronic, but ironically tells a story about not being fully charged on a long ride, and having to get home in a very uncomfortable gear. It's one thing for a computer to lose charge, but gears?...you must be kidding. No way I'd ever want to deal with this.
> 
> Also believe electronic shifting systems will continue to evolve rapidly, unlike mechanical. Only a matter of time before systems are offered that shift for you based on computer settings/preferences such as cadence, etc


You'd have to be particularly oblivious to run your battery dead on a Di2 bike. It does require that you learn to check it periodically, but every new drive train will likely have some 'learning' period. Checking the battery on a Di2 bike should be like checking the air in your tires and putting bottles in your cages. This is definitely not a fault w/ Shimano, but w/ your friend being forgetful.


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## Bluspwr (Aug 16, 2012)

So does the auto-trim for the front derailleur work as advertised on the shimano di2 electronic groups? (i.e. No chain grind on front no matter what back gear or front ring combination you choose)


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Bluspwr said:


> So does the auto-trim for the front derailleur work as advertised on the shimano di2 electronic groups? (i.e. No chain grind on front no matter what back gear or front ring combination you choose)


Not directly answering the question...but useful info, IMO...I have no "chain grind" on the front derailleur of my DuraAce9000 no matter what chain combination I choose.


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## Madone SIX (May 13, 2012)

Trek_5200 said:


> Rode with someone recently who loves electronic, but ironically tells a story about not being fully charged on a long ride, and having to get home in a very uncomfortable gear. It's one thing for a computer to lose charge, but gears?...you must be kidding. No way I'd ever want to deal with this.


There are so many battery features that I find this surprising.

1. The internal battery lasts 1500 miles on a charge (I have gone up closer to 2k miles in my testing on a SM-BTR2). Surely you can remember to charge it at least one time somewhere in that 1500-2000 miles.

2. You can check the charge at any time with the press of a button and it is stupid simple to charge. The battery also has no charge memory, so you can leave it charging overnight. First cue you need to charge is when you see the red light.

3. The FD starts to get sluggish when you are getting low. Second cue you need to charge.

4. The FD stops working when you are very low. Third cue you need to charge.

5. After the FD stops working, you have roughly 150 RD Shifts before the RD stops working in the last gear you were in. You really should never even get to this point.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Bluspwr said:


> So does the auto-trim for the front derailleur work as advertised on the shimano di2 electronic groups? (i.e. No chain grind on front no matter what back gear or front ring combination you choose)


Yep, I have it on my cross rig no chain rub. Also its super easy to swap out front rings.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Madone SIX said:


> There are so many battery features that I find this surprising.
> 
> 1. The internal battery lasts 1500 miles on a charge (I have gone up closer to 2k miles in my testing on a SM-BTR2). Surely you can remember to charge it at least one time somewhere in that 1500-2000 miles.
> 
> ...


^ This ^


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## Croptop (Jul 2, 2013)

Add me to the pro Di2 camp. Now that I have a bike running Ui2, I don't think I'll ever go back to a mechanical groupset.

Battery running flat is such a non-issue. Just follow the guidelines posted above by Madone SIX.

On top of that, you get nice, crisp shifts every time, even under load. As for future-proofing, the Di2 and Ui2 components are all firmware upgradable. Got an Ultegra 6770 10-sp groupset and want to go to 11-sp? All you have to replace is the rear derailleur and cogset. Perform a firmware upgrade to get all the components talking to each other and you're off and running with 11-sp.

I don't doubt that DA9000 is a great groupset but for my money, Ultegra Di2 was worth every penny to me.


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## L_Johnny (Jul 15, 2006)

> Got an Ultegra 6770 10-sp groupset and want to go to 11-sp? All you have to replace is the rear derailleur and cogset. Perform a firmware upgrade to get all the components talking to each other and you're off and running with 11-sp.
> .


Really? So no need for new brifters?
For some reason I thought one needed to.


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## Croptop (Jul 2, 2013)

L_Johnny said:


> Really? So no need for new brifters?
> For some reason I thought one needed to.


Nope. No need for new brifters. After all, they're just two buttons; "Up" and "Down". See this article: How to Convert Shimano 6770 Ultegra Di2 to 11 Speed | Fit Werx

To be fair though, I *did* miss one other component that you would have to replace and that is the chain.


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## frdfandc (Nov 27, 2007)

Only time when new Di2 shifters are needed is if using the 1st gen Dura Ace Di2. The Ultegra Di2 (10 sp) uses a 2 wire system, just like the 11 speed Ultegra and D/A Di2. The 1st gen D/A Di2 uses a 3 wire system.


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## L_Johnny (Jul 15, 2006)

Have the 11sp RD, new cassette and chain on the way. 
As an aside, Is there such thing as 11-30 or 12-30 11speed ultegra cassette? I didn't want to go up the way to 32. So ended up with 11-28.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

L_Johnny said:


> Have the 11sp RD, new cassette and chain on the way.
> As an aside, Is there such thing as 11-30 or 12-30 11speed ultegra cassette? I didn't want to go up the way to 32. So ended up with 11-28.


There is not. They have the following:

11-23
11-25
11-28
11-32
12-25

So I guess the 11-28 is the right choice for you.


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## J.R. (Sep 14, 2009)

Bluspwr said:


> So does the auto-trim for the front derailleur work as advertised on the shimano di2 electronic groups? (i.e. No chain grind on front no matter what back gear or front ring combination you choose)


Yes, it works perfect on my bike, the only way to tell what gear you are in (other then keeping track of shifts) is by looking down.


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## Jutrast (Jan 26, 2014)

I went Di2, and won't go back to mechanical. I've had some bad cable shifting show up during long rides and the Di2 is set and forget. Never have to worry about degrading shift quality.


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## L_Johnny (Jul 15, 2006)

Thanks. I have another bike that I am going to keep with 10S Ui2 12-30, compact. I rather like that combination for hilly rides. At least for a while. Maybe in a while I may to to the 11-32 on that bike as well (Med cage RD)


MMsRepBike said:


> There is not. They have the following:
> 
> 11-23
> 11-25
> ...


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## brinox (Jul 30, 2010)

I just finished my Dura Ace Di2 build and I'm also never going to go back to mechanical. The lack of lever throw on the brifters did take some getting used to, and the lack of tactility in the shifting is different. However I can honestly say that the push-button function of Di2 is more than worth it.

For me right now, riding Di2 takes a little more brain power to remember that I can't throw the lever to shift, and to make sure I push hard enough. However, I am certainly not concerned about shifting correctly because the derailleurs do it all for you, flawlessly. I think after another 100 miles I'll be right at home with electronic shifting.


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## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

I also would not go back to mechanical. At the end of last season I ran the 9070 and 9000. I bit the bullet and decided to upgrade the 9000 to 9070.

More then happy and never going back.


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