Fldaves

The quality difference is more noticeable between 105 and Ultegra then is the quality difference between Ultegra and Dura Ace.

StanSeven

Yes it does. Someone (Velonews) did a long term test of Dura-Ace and said the same thing. The Ultegra cassette lasted much longer.

FLvector

Tiagra - 2,584 gm $315

105 5800 – 2,445 gm (<139 gm) $400

Ultegra 6800 – 2,294 gm (<151 gm) $600

Dura Ace 9000 – 1,998 gm (<296 gm) $1,300

I believe the best bang is Ultegra, or 105 if money is tight. But for an additional $200 you can step up to Ultegra, a bit lighter and better components. You need to jump another $700, over twice the price to go DA, but the weight savings are noticeable.

garciawork

I would say, honestly, to go 105, unless you are buying from Europe where the price difference is slight. I just ordered a 105 kit with Ultegra level hydro discs, because I did want to save every penny I could. If I had the spare change, I would have gone full Ultegra. DA... is expensive. I would love it, but it isn;t in the cards now.

bruce19

The new 105 on my Colnago cross bike is at least as good as the 10 yr old Dura Ace on my Masi. In most purchases in life I have found that often the best bang for the buck is to buy the level that is one down from the top of the line. The only place where that hasn't been true for me is Assos clothing. But, that's another story. To the OP.....functionally you will be fine with 105, Ultegra, & Dura Ace. The rest is what you want to do and get with/for your money. The only right answer is the one that works for you.

redfooj

Yeppers
DA cranks da oogly

American Euchre

Great post. This is the info I've been looking for.

I think 6800 is noticeably more refined than 5800 in shifting, IMO. 5800 wasn't bad by any means, but dang, 6800 is just so smooth.

rms13

I've had 5800 and 6800 and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference blind folded

SSRI

Value vs Bling...

105 is the best value, DA has the bling.
Sounds like you are leaning toward value, therefore go Ultegra.

Stratocaster

My 105 shifts so well, I can't imagine Ultegra or DA being much better.
I mentioned this to an ex-pro, and she told me that the difference is more noticeable for the front derailleur. I can see that.

vinfix

The OP said "Feel Matters, and "Smooth matters". Besides weight, DuraAce is the best for this. Before I decided on an Ultegra 6700 bike (10 speed) I tried a bunch, from 105 up to DA Di2. Sure, 105 works OK, but it was noticeably "notchy", less smooth than Ultegra. The difference between Ultegra & DA wasn't so pronounced, but it was there, at least for shifting. If you're doing a build & want to save some bucks, do Ultegra brake calipers, crank, cassette, and DuraAce for everything else.

qcpmsame 

If you want some beautiful components, Dura Ace is hard to beat, and its smooth as butter. 9000 is supposed to have gotten the few shifting gremlins sorted out and is as said to have the best. But, as far as value and operation, I am very, very happy with 6800 Ultegra. I upgraded from SRAM Rival back in January, and I am stone happy that I did. I actually cannot imagine something being smoother shifting than my 6800, I'm certain that some folks can feel the difference, I am just not one of them. The engineering and fabrication on the 6800 is absolutely fantastic, I am a nut about quality machine work, and Ultegra fills this bill.

Best of luck on your choice, its nice to have problems like this, instead of having to hope that Claris will do the trick, when you can't even afford that level.

Bill

popeye

Perhaps but they are as stiff as a wedding *ric*.

dim

Art's Cyclery Blog » Shimano Road Components ? Where to Spend Your Money

Andy_K 

The one time I have regretted getting lower spec components was a set of 5700-series 105 hubs on wheels I built with HED Belgium C2 rims. The 105 hubs didn't spin as well as other wheelsets with 6600 and 6700 Ultegra hubs (and understand I am talking about free spin with the bike in a stand, not observable on-the-road differences). Even in that case, I'm not convinced yet that it isn't just a matter of breaking in the races on the 105 hubs. I've got a little under 1000 miles on them now and they are spinning a bit better than they did when they were new.

Right now I have one bike with 5700 105, one with 6700 Ultegra, one with 5800 105 and one with RS685 levers and 6800 Ultegra derailleurs. The difference in shifting performance between the bikes is imperceptible, well within the noise of which one has been tuned up most recently.

Looking at the exploded views on the Shimano web site it looks like there are a few part differences that should make Ultegra slightly more durable, but 105 is really good stuff these days.

Gus90

I would agree with most of the people here that the Ultegra would be the way to go. I think the overall weight difference is less than a pound at best but at a significant cost. I have the mechanical 6800 on my road bike and on my CX (except for the crank) and the shifting is really consistent and smooth. I've had both for about a year so I can't comment much on the durability other than it's been problem free so far. My old 105 from 2010 never had any issues either though. My CX also has the hydro discs which are simply amazing compared to my road bike with the rim brakes. Plus, I kinda like the look of the ultegra crank better not that that matters much.

anotherbrian

I spent a month on a borrowed bike with full 9000. It was appreciably better in enough small ways than my 6800 that I decided to use it for the shifters and front derailleur on a bike that's getting rebuilt for riding brevets. Rest of the parts (crank, rear derailleur, cassette) are Ultegra, though brakes are Paul mini-V's.

wphamilton

Why not Claris/Sora unless you're a weight weenie?

beatlebee 

I like the DA brakes better than the 105; the rest of the group I can't tell much of a difference.

rms13

Because shifting and braking is noticeably better on 105 and above (ok maybe Tiagra now with 4700). Also aluminum parts vs plastic is a much better difference in quality and longevity than carbon vs alum

wphamilton

There's not that much plastic in Sora, or even Claris and I don't see how braking is better than a skid/end over which Sora brakes can provide. If you really wanted to. So are you sure that aside from fractionally faster or smoother shifting there's any real difference other than weight?

Andy_K 

I don't know, that doesn't sound like very good braking to me. I prefer more controlled stops.

I haven't used Sora or Claris, but I am convinced that 105 shifts better than the 4600-series Tiagra stuff.

Stucky

I had 10 speed Ultegra, and still have my 9 speed Dura Ace. Absolutely no difference in performance. The only difference is in aesthetics- touch, feel and looks. I do love my 7700 DA- but if buying new, I wouldn't pay the hefty extra price just for those aesthetics. if performance is all that matters, go for the Ultegra or even the 105.

hogger453

If nothing matters, 105.
Also, as someone else said, Chorus.

wphamilton

Well assuming that there is a gradient between pulling the lever and end-over the front, stopping the bike would be as effective either way.

I'm not arguing against 105/ultegra/dura ace. I'm just saying, IF your opinion is that only weight weenies would prefer anything higher than 105, (not caring about slightly better shifts, looks etc) then the same thing applies to Tiagra