What's the average life span (in km's) of Ultegra?

good question....Right now I'm trying to decide between ultegra and campy centaur for my next bike.

A question with no answer.

i've got a bit over 3600 on my ultegra cassette, and its starting to die. I'm gonna try to nurse it until the spring, though, then I'm gonna get new chainrings, cassette and chain.

Not the question you asked, but along the same lines.

I've got over 15k on a DA group. 3k of that was pulling a trailer (with a different cassete). I replaced the chain once during this period. My group is currently WASTED and I have a new one, but still riding the old group for the moment.

The next time arround, I'm going to try to get more miles by replacing the chain more often (and keeping it cleaner).

I'd like to hear what kind of mileage others are getting too.

you'll get far more than 3600 miles if you replace your chain when it gets stretched - instead of letting it kill the chainrings and cassette...

Ditto ShinyBaldy - so much of your drivetrain's life depends on your keeping it well maintained - cleaned, lubed, changing chains when necessary, what kind of terrain you ride, (up/down, flat, etc.) and knowing what gear combos cause needless wear.

Interested to know what kind of maintenance you did during this period. You should get many k's more out of an Ultegra cassette.

I agree with the others that this number seems very low.

I've wiped out a cassette in ~1k miles before, but with an important distinction. It was on a mountain bike.

BTW when I say 15k on my DA, I'm talking miles.

15 - 20 thousand miles for any group lifespan sounds right. That's about what I have on mine (Dura Ace).

The headset's indexed, the BB was just replaced, the wheels have been replaced, the shifters are not as crisp as they have been, the cables have been replaced (twice), cassette? I forget, but I think I'm on the third cassette. The chainrings have been replaced twice, the crankset got replaced because there's better stuff out there now... etc, etc, ,etc....

I rode on my original 1996 Ultegra Trek 5200 for just over 35,000 miles. I had replaced the chain and cassette twice during that time. I replaced the wheels/hubs about 18 months ago. The front hub felt like sandpaper and on both front and rear the spoke nipples were begining to pull through the rims. I replaced the headset at about 35,000 miles - it felt like sandpaper, too. The bike now has new 9 speed DA with the original Ultegra brakes and new Ultegra 9spd shifters.

SAB

I was actually pretty good to the bike. I lubed the chain, cleaned it, didn't cross chain much. I did do some hard shifting though...but it shouldn't make that big of a difference.

and, well, its not really "dying" it skips on the fourth cog from the bottom of the cassette when I really apply power. it shifts ok otherwise. maybe I should just get a new 16 (I think its a 16) cog.

BTW, its 3600 miles, not kms.

3600 mile is still short for a cassette - I don't think you get it.... you're suppoed to measure your chain and replace it when it reaches a point where it hasn't done the damage to your cassette/chainrings....

I have 6,000 miles on my Ultegra grupo and so far only the right shift lever is not functioning like it use too, but it still works find to me. I haven't replaced anything as of yet.

That is about my experience. I ride Shimano 105. One would think that Ultegra would hold up at least as well as 105. My rear derailler started to get cranky after 40,000 miles. It was still functional but I replaced it. 105 brakes, front derailler, and cranks all last more then 40,000 miles. I had to replace the shifters after 25,000 miles.

If you keep the drive train clean and replace the chain when it starts to get worn, the rear cluster and chain rings will last much longer. The bottom bracket will go after about 30,000 miles. The hubs should last nearly forever with adequate maintenance (which I am sometimes remiss about).

Oddly enough here in hot humid central FL, my handlebars are one of the most replaced items! My sweat gets in 'em and causes corrosion where the hoods are fastened on with those little steel bands. AL + Fe + sweat = a battery. Handlebars last about 15,000 miles.

As you can see, bike components are amazingly robust. When you figure that not many cyclists ride more then 5,000 miles per year, a decent bike should last even a high mileage cyclist 10 years without any problem at all. I suspect that most bikes are discarded not because they are worn out but because the owner is lusting after the new "improvements" that the bike industry has dreamed up.