Full Dura Ace - Pros & Cons
 

I know it's all personal preference, but anybody have a bad experience with going full Dura Ace track group versus individual components - Pros & Cons? I tried searching archives, but I haven't really found anything. Looking to build a SOMA Rush.

unless you are independent wealthy, con = stuff can be quite pricey.

i would personally piece-meal it based on ebay / CL deals. [for example, i snagged a low-flange dura ace/mavic wheel set for $200 a while back).

dont u know lugoona is independently wealthy, AND he's sponsored.

Pros -
Everything looks nice together.
You have really nice parts

Cons-
Expensive
The dura ace stuff is made specifically for the track. I've heard that their hubs don't stand up well to the dirt and potholes of street riding.

If my hubs get hurt, I'll die immediately.

:(

Hubs would be my biggest concern. Suggestions for comparable performance and durability?

The hubs are made with speed and the least amount of drag in mind therefore the seals won't keep out dirt or water. You just have to be vigilant and overhaul them regularly to prevent any pitting or damage.

For worry free street riding get something with cartridge bearings... ala IRO/Formula, Miche, or Phils.

erm.

I have a 'another' 10mm gruppo, full set of rings/cogs/NIB chain and 2 sets of wheels (clincher/tubular) ALL 100 Dura-ace. All mint. PM me

can't get more DA than that.

If you can get the whole gruppo for a decent price go ahead. If the hub races go on ya you can always cartridge em out later.
The older 10 pitch era stuff is really durable. I have had both 10 and the regular hubs from that era and they are super tough.

i had no problem riding dura ace hubs all last winter through some craptastic rain.

agreed. I ride DA on open pros through all kinds of stuff. In Baltimore and DC. They do tend to go out of true somewhat quick. But that may have to do with all my curb hoping antics. They are still super fast a year later and i still havn't repacked them.

If you are talking bout the same hubs I am on right now, then for sure you didn't. ****s butter smooth.

I race Dura Ace on the track and train on it all winter long on a fixie. Dura Ace does fine on wet roads with just a couple suggestions. First, you can get an Ultegra Octalink bottom bracket instead of the Dura Ace 7710 track BB. It's much more durable and carefree. It fits the same cranks and has the same dimensions, but is the best sealed of all the Octalink bottom brackets.

On the hubs, Dura Ace provides some seals that you can insert when you remove the axle and pop out the dust covers. They increase drag a little, but keep some of the muck out. However, people raced on Campy Nuovo Record road hubs for years without problems with the same bearing design and same weather protection. You do have to know how to strip and clean your hubs, and be prepared to do it every 2-3 months during the winter if you want to ensure your hubs remain as new. It's the care they get that will make them faultless for years of use.

That being said, sealed bearings have a place on the road, but sealed bearings tend to be a way to save costs on cheap hubs. Some sealed bearing hubs are lower quality in overall construction (quality of axle, quality of track nuts, precision of bearing seating, quality of spoke holes, etc.) while others manage to out-engineer a Dura Ace 7600 hub. In the former category are Surly's, Formulas, Miche, the inexpensive Suzue's, etc. -- they may work fine, and they can be better value for the dollar, but they aren't going to be comparable in quality to a Dura Ace gruppo. In the latter category are, first and foremost, Phil Wood hubs. Some would add Paul hubs and a few others, but Phil's are the gold standard.

Everyone gets emotional about hubs, but as for the rest of the components ... Dura Ace crankarms are about the stiffest you can find, and their chainrings are at least reasonably round, have a good tooth profile that's smooth and quiet, and are made of alloy that doesn't wear quickly. On headsets, you can get all kinds of rants about Chris King's, but they are like Phil Wood hubs -- pricey but superbly made. Dura Ace headsets are fine, but they are almost as expensive as Chris Kings these days. On seatposts, the Dura Ace had a bad reputation for a while for breaking the head loose from the shaft, but these days it's quite reliable. It does have a setback; if you need a setback it's a nice post. If you don't need a setback, the dual bolt adjustment of a Thomson is just easier and more reliable. On pedals, it depends on what kind of pedal you like. On the track, Dura Ace PD-7400 clip/strap/cleat traditional pedals are most common among sprinters and kilo riders. Gaining in popularity are PD-7700 clipless SPD-R pedals, often modified to use a toe strap in addition to the clipless setup. However, there are quite a lot of different pedals on the track, just like on the road, so go with what you like.

Hope this helps.

I've got a new set of Dura Ace 7600 High Flanges that are unlaced if you wanted them.

Wow, 11.4 knows his *****!

We always enjoy his informative posts.
My pal has been messing on a set of low flange DA's for like, years. I know they get ******d out (very) occasionally, but still spin smooth as you'd like.
Good stuff. Me, I like a nice Phil. No muss, no fuss.