Dura-ace - is it Dur-able

stokepa31
stokepa31 Posts: 560
edited May 2010 in Road buying advice
Evening all

When I got my scott CR1 I had riser bars put on it. I know I know and I have taken shed loads of stick for it :lol:

I have been riding a spesh allez to get used to drops and have decided its time to sort out the CR1 to go full bore racer styleee. I kept the STIs and bars and was going to get them put back on but got to thinking about upgrading the bike to make it my dream bike.

I have chosen some WCS evolution carbon bars and have an old WCS wet black stem sitting in the garage so will go with that.

the bike shop are doing me a deal on a full ultegra grouppo but have said that they just happen to have a new dura-ace compact chainset that they will throw in instead of the ultegra. I think this is cool but just wanted to check the dura-ace chainsets are not made of chocolate and wear really quickly.

Its nice to have the bling but I do want it to last! The quoted price is £590 for the groupset fitted plus a ton for the bars which I think is reasonable?


Cheers

Paul
Burning Fat Not Rubber

Scott CR1
Genesis IO ID
Moda Canon

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Comments

  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    DA is shimano's top end groupset - it will last. I'm still running 8 year-old Ultegra on one of my bikes and I would expect DA to last longer....
  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    Strange thing is that the dura ace chainset weighs more than the ultegra (according to Ribble's web pages at any rate!).
    I have the older 7800 dura ace on my bike and I've been amazed at how I haven't even needed to adjust the gear cables in three years use.
    Whether dura is better than ultegra, I'm not sure, but if it helps I have just ordered the 7900 dura compact chainset having suffered the surrender monkey steep hill experience a few weekends ago - walking up a hill ain't fun!!

    Peter
  • stokepa31
    stokepa31 Posts: 560
    Cheers guys. you hear stories about high end kit not lasting the distance so its nice to know it works well and lasts.

    You're right about walking Hills Peter. Last year I was doing that a lot but haven't put a foot down yet so far this year.
    Burning Fat Not Rubber

    Scott CR1
    Genesis IO ID
    Moda Canon
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    DA is awesome, everyone must treat themselves at least once. It lasts forever. The chainrings are noticably harder than Ultegra for example and the braking is always a step above even if the shifting is hard to tell.
    I have 1986 7 speed (like the stuff on Hampsten's giro bike) i think it's 7400.
    i have 2000 7700 and 7800. Its bike jewellery.
    Not sure about 7900, its a grower.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,722
    Dura Ace is very reliable, and works better for longer - it tends NOT to go out of adjustment as easily as the "cheaper" sets, because it is more precision-made, and sets up more accurately in the first place, although the difference for us amateurs is pretty small!!.

    The only thing that may not last as long is the cassette. DA cassettes (in 7800 and later at least) are crazy light which is good, but the 4 larger cogs do wear a bit quicker than the rest because they are made from titanium instead of steel. (Same applies to Campag Record - 3 cogs - and the new Super Record series have 6 cogs in titanium).

    In the cheaper ranges, like Ultegra and 105, all cogs are steel.
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Just start saving for when you need to replace the chainrings..
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • DaSy
    DaSy Posts: 599
    As Monty Dog said, the chain-rings on the 7900 chain-set are insane money, as they are hollow core. A chain-ring with an RRP of £189 for just the outer ring is crazy talk...
    Complicating matters since 1965
  • stokepa31
    stokepa31 Posts: 560
    £189 for a new ring is scary. Im not going to keep her for best though as its for riding at the end of the day.

    dropped the bike in this morning so should get it back by the weekend fully blinged up :)

    Will have a full 9 speed tiagra grouppo going on the classifieds early next week so keep em peeled. will also have 9 speed flat bar shifters and brake levers as well.

    got to recoup some dosh rapido
    Burning Fat Not Rubber

    Scott CR1
    Genesis IO ID
    Moda Canon

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