DA9000 or Ultegra Di2?

964cup
964cup Posts: 1,362
edited August 2013 in Road buying advice
If you were going to spend a grand to upgrade a Cervelo R3, presently on Ultegra 6700, would you:

a. Buy DA9000 for the weight-saving, extra cog and (presumably) better shift quality
b. Buy (10-speed) Ultegra Di2 for the auto-trim and general whizziness (bearing in mind the R3 is all external cabling)
c. Spend it on recreational chemicals and ladies of negotiable affection, since neither DA9000 or Di2 will make any appreciable difference to the average rider...

Seriously, though - which one? I already have 11-speed compatible wheels (DA9000 C24s). No-one is forcing me to spend the money, of course, but I do have to build a bike for my other half, and it would be daft to buy another Ultegra groupset for her, surely, instead of gently trickling my current gruppo down to her while I sneakily upgrade?

DA9000 will, of course, mean no swapping wheels with other bikes in the fleet, and expensive future component replacement (£150 a cassette instead of £45). But Di2 adds weight and stuff to go wrong, and the R3 frame makes no concessions to it at all.

Comments

  • Force 22
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • doug5_10
    doug5_10 Posts: 465
    Campag Veloce :wink:
    Edinburgh Revolution Curve
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1920048
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    A. Always A.

    You can use the 6800 cassette instead of the 9000 one to save a boatload of cash.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Force 22

    + 1
  • BrandonA
    BrandonA Posts: 553
    I had the same dilemma as you when I bought my S-Works Venge. I opted for the Dura Ace 9000.

    From speaking to people in the shop where I bought the bike they suggested that there was a lot of interest in the Ultegra Di2 but I wanted the top tier components rather than electronics on the lower tier range.

    Next year I am thinking about upgrading to Dura Ace Di2 and selling my spare components. That way I'll have the best of both worlds.
  • adamfo
    adamfo Posts: 763
    964Cup wrote:
    If you were going to spend a grand to upgrade a Cervelo R3, presently on Ultegra 6700, would you:

    a. Buy DA9000 for the weight-saving, extra cog and (presumably) better shift quality
    b. Buy (10-speed) Ultegra Di2 for the auto-trim and general whizziness (bearing in mind the R3 is all external cabling)
    c. Spend it on recreational chemicals and ladies of negotiable affection, since neither DA9000 or Di2 will make any appreciable difference to the average rider...

    Why not 11 speed Di2 ?

    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/arti ... ook-37758/
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    adamfo wrote:

    Probably because that's another 1k. Personally I would only upgrade to get another cog, so option a for me. I wouldn't go di unless your frame can take the seat post battery (don't think the r3 can). With DA you'd get advantages of another cog so easier to stay at your preferred cadence as the jumps are closer plus the awesome brakes that came with 9000.

    Though there's not much wrong with your current Ultegra, I wouldn't think about changing the group until I was fully sated with shiny wheels, etc....
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    Thanks all for comments so far. Bike is otherwise fully blinged-up (carbon/titanium everything). I've not tried Sram at all; how does Force 22 compare to DA9000 for those who've tried both?
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    This is always going to be a personal decision, preferably based on trying out the electronic groupset to see if it's something that you feel you need (or feel you are willing to sacrifice weight and an extra cog for).

    Personally, with the efficiency of modern mechanical groupsets I feel no need whatsoever for electronic shifting, and I also have WW tendencies and really appreciate extra cogs, so I'd go for the DA9000 if I suddenly caught shimanoitis and had to give up my campagnolo habit. But some people really like electronic shifting, each to their own.

    The benefits of an extra cog are much under-appreciated IMO, I am always reading comments about it making no practical difference, but it does give you the choice of either an extra climbing gear, an extra top gear, or one less multiple-tooth jump in the middle of the cassette, which is a pretty big deal I think, especially if like me you are very sensitive to cadence.
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Nither groupset is going to make you faster. Just cos one is 11 speed, it doesn;t meant the top end is better, its just another gear thrown in the middle. Do you realistically use the whole 10 speeds on the cassette right now before you spend on an 11 speed? Ultegra Di2 , as you point out, is heavier. When you already run standard ultrgra, why change?

    For a grand, I would think buying better wheels would be more benefit you more. If you spend it on a groupset, you are spending money just for the sake of it in my eyes.
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    Nither groupset is going to make you faster.
    Well, obviously. I recently got my arse handed to me by a riding buddy who borrowed my bitsa commuter bike. I know it's not about the bike. But then, on the other hand, it's all about the bike...
    When you already run standard ultrgra, why change?
    Mostly, because I can.
    For a grand, I would think buying better wheels would be more benefit you more.
    See above. I already have DA9000 C24 wheels; the bike is otherwise thoroughly blinged up.
    If you spend it on a groupset, you are spending money just for the sake of it in my eyes.
    By Jove, I think he's got it!
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    If you got money to burn, spend it on hookers. I you want to have fun, may as well make it noticable
  • chanjy
    chanjy Posts: 200
    Well if you REALLY have money to burn why not just buy the 9070 groupset? Best of both worlds...
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Once you try 9000 you'll wonder why the hell people would spend more for Di2.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • earth
    earth Posts: 934
    neeb wrote:
    This is always going to be a personal decision, preferably based on trying out the electronic groupset to see if it's something that you feel you need (or feel you are willing to sacrifice weight and an extra cog for).

    Personally, with the efficiency of modern mechanical groupsets I feel no need whatsoever for electronic shifting, and I also have WW tendencies and really appreciate extra cogs, so I'd go for the DA9000 if I suddenly caught shimanoitis and had to give up my campagnolo habit. But some people really like electronic shifting, each to their own.

    The benefits of an extra cog are much under-appreciated IMO, I am always reading comments about it making no practical difference, but it does give you the choice of either an extra climbing gear, an extra top gear, or one less multiple-tooth jump in the middle of the cassette, which is a pretty big deal I think, especially if like me you are very sensitive to cadence.

    If you have the 12-25 cassette you have single tooth increments in the top 8 gears :D All the way from 19 to 12.

    Edit and the 11-23 is single increments in the top 9 gears! 19-11.
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    earth wrote:

    If you have the 12-25 cassette you have single tooth increments in the top 8 gears :D All the way from 19 to 12.

    Edit and the 11-23 is single increments in the top 9 gears! 19-11.
    Yup - it's a pity in a way that you can't get 11-21 cassettes these days, as with 11sp that would allow single tooth increments all the way...
  • cerv50
    cerv50 Posts: 272
    Grill wrote:
    Once you try 9000 you'll wonder why the hell people would spend more for Di2.

    Totally agree with you Grill, rode 60 miles yesterday with a chap who had the same bike as me but with Ultegra Di2, when listening to him changing gear compared to my DA9000 I'm sure mine was slightly quicker and certainly sounded smoother :D
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    neeb wrote:
    earth wrote:

    If you have the 12-25 cassette you have single tooth increments in the top 8 gears :D All the way from 19 to 12.

    Edit and the 11-23 is single increments in the top 9 gears! 19-11.
    Yup - it's a pity in a way that you can't get 11-21 cassettes these days, as with 11sp that would allow single tooth increments all the way...

    This is the one thing stopping me upgrading for now - I need an 11-21 cassette.
  • neeb wrote:
    Yup - it's a pity in a way that you can't get 11-21 cassettes these days, as with 11sp that would allow single tooth increments all the way...

    Unfortunately, the step change from 11 to 12 is much greater than from 20 to 21. Almost double, so it would be even better still if they could develop a cassette with 11 and a half teeth. ;-)
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    They'll both function brilliantly so DA for the sticker value / prettyness.

    I know there was originally a problem that the only 11 speed cassette was the DA one and horiffically expensive but with SRAM and Shimano branching out I think 11 speed has reached a point where you're not committing yourself to £300+ a year on cassettes (ouch).