Ultegra (or Chorus) will take you anywhere you need to go with smooth, reliable function. And, really, what else is there but vanity? D/A weighs a smidgen less and, if you're lucky, will hold up as well as Ultegra. I'd love to give up on the 600 short cage I use on my frequently ridden 9spd but the little bugger just won't die. Upper crust racers don't often use triples because if you have to go that low you probably won't be staying with the pack. Shimano marketers understand, however, there are more of "us" than there are OCP/racers. (Blown knees keep thinning out those OCP types.)
D/A is the most costly, but may not be, in all cases, The Best for any given rider.
** For flats, rolling, and the foothills, I ride 52/39 (remember those--pre compact stuff). For the steeps, I'm happy with 48/36/26 x 25....I seldom use my really lowest gears, but on a few bonky occasions I've kissed that 26 granny-- as have my 60 y.o. knees.
Last edited by CrossChain; 09-29-07 at 11:06 PM.