JayB

Have I got this right:

1 The new style 10 speed DuraAce/Ultegra Shimano brifters are the only ones compatible with the Flight Deck computer with altimeter?

2 The new style 10 speed DuraAce/Ultegra Shimano brifters are, for some reason, not compatible with FSA triple chain rings (or maybe any triples)?

I've got the old style Ultegra brifters but have to run an altimeter in addition to my front Flight Deck, have mounted a Ciclo 434 on the rear top tube, for my stoker.

Thanks,

Chris_W

There is no triple shifter or front derailleur for 7900. Both are available in 6700. A 6700 shifter is not perfectly compatible with a 6600 (or similar) front derailleur, but it has been reported to work OK (even Shimano say that it has B-level compatibility, rather than saying that it is incompatible). 6700 rear shifters should work fine with all modern Shimano rear derailleurs. Changes in brake cable pull between 7900/6700 and previous versions are much more significant than changes in derailleur cable pull - you may have reduced power if you don't use compatible brakes. As a cheaper option, Shimano 105 5700 is coming out this summer and should be fully compatible with the 7900/6700 stuff, and will also offer a triple version, and I assume also compatible with the new Flight Deck.

The crankset is pretty independent of the shifter and derailleur, and any crankset rated for 10-speed use should work fine. However, with a triple crankset, try to match the tooth difference between the large and middle rings to the tooth difference of the crankset from that series of components. For instance, 6600 and 6700 Ultegra uses 39 and 52 tooth rings on the triple crankset, whereas 5600 105 (and maybe also 5700, I don't know yet) uses 39 and 50 tooth rings on the triple. Using the non-matching front derailleur makes the vertical positioning a bit wrong, which can significantly affect performance. However, an Ultegra front derailleur with an FSA crankset that has 39/52 rings or 39/53 rings should be fine (just don't use a 105 FD with that setup because downshifts from middle to small ring will be a problem).

If your goal is to have just one computer, but still have gear information and altitude information, then instead of changing your shifters and computer, then you could go with the setup that I use. My computer is a CicloMaster 4.3A, and so has full altimeter functions (which I find essential for our frequent rides in the Alps), plus I have an inline gear indicator mounted where the gear cable exits the brake/shifter unit. Just Google "Dura Ace inline gear indicator" and you'll find it, or your LBS probably has some sitting in a drawer. The red ring slides behind the plastic cover to tell you which gear you are in. They don't make one specifically designed for the front shifter, but you could install one on that side also - I have one labeled as a 9-speed XTR indicator that is the same but only has three sections marked on it that I've often thought about putting as a gear indicator for the front triple derailleur, but instead I now use a bar-end or thumb shifter for the front derailleur which has the two advantages of continuous control of the front derailleur (rather than indexed) and gives a visual indication of gear position based on the current angle of the level. These indicators don't work well with the new 7900/6700 levers because the under-the-bar-tape routing means that there is no good place to mount the indicator. The weight is just a few grams, and so a lot less than a flight deck computer (and they create a lot less clutter in your cockpit).


I believe this statement is correct, but I could be wrong about this.

tandem rider

The mechanic at my LBS told me that the new DuraAce/Ultegra brifters are not compatible with Flight Deck. I don't understand why Shimano would drop Flight Deck but it sounds like they have.

Chris_W

Type "Flight Deck 7900" into Google and you will find more accurate information.

JayB

Chris_W,
Thanks for all this useful information. Are the Shimano Ultegra 6603 STI Triple 10 Sp, which I have at the moment still available? Or their Dura Ace equivalents, whatever they would be? I am thinking now that I will just order another set of these as they work with everything else on my setup. Thanks again.

Chris_W

Most online retailers still have some Ultegra 6603's in stock, and many are heavily discounted because they've been discontinued, so you might find a bargain, but don't wait to long because I'm sure stocks will run out soon. Shimano 105, 5603, are almost identical to the Ultegras, there is only about 5 grams difference in the weight of a pair between 6603 and 5603 levers, and I've yet to find a functional difference (they are also compatible with the old Flight Deck computer). The 105's are not being replaced until this summer, so they are still readily available and they may cost less than the Ultegras. During 2007-8, there was a second version of Ultegra available, Ultegra SL, which was slightly lighter, a darker color, and slightly more expensive than the regular Ultegra, but functionally the same, the code number for those I believe is 6604, and you may find some of those. Dura Ace 7803 is fully compatible with all of these, but finding a pair of those will be hard.