Ultegra 6800 or Di2 10 speed

rando
rando Posts: 285
edited August 2013 in Road buying advice
Which one would you choose on a new bike now ? Electric and 10 speed or the new 6800 11 speed ?
I would need to pay slightly more for the bike I like with Di2 but keep thinking go with the new 11 speed now as the Di2 is being replaced but not available on bikes until early next year but no good waiting for the bike I like now to come out in 6870 as it will be beyond my means.
The bikes on my list are:
Trek Domane with Di2
Giant Defy Advanced with 6800

I know both bikes are not to everyone's taste but with my extremely long inseam compared to my overall height and reach i need to get a bike with a higher HT which i why I have discounted lots of other bikes that probably give better value for money like Canyon & Rose etc.

So electronic or 11 speed mechanical ??

Comments

  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    6800 with the 9000 front mech.

    Di2 is fine, but you'll be going 11 speed sooner or later whether you like it or not.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    So for £80 for the front mech i would get the performance of the Di2 ?
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/shi ... tch__plid_

    Would I need to replace any cables on a 6800 bike for the dura ace 9000 FD ?
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    You can use the same cables, although the 9000 cables are much nicer. The front shift will be close to that of the 9000 for a fraction of the price. Di2 doesn't actually have any measurable performance benefits, so I'm not really sure what you mean...
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • rando
    rando Posts: 285
    I thought one of the big reasons for the Di2 was the FD and the autotrim function. Now I presume that the 9000 FD doesn't do this as such but does it have such a good shift action that autotrim sort of redundant.
    Clearly I am NOT mechanical minded !! Hence another reason for Di2 - fit and forget ?
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Both 6800 and 9000 have trim on both rings, but they don't autotrim like Di2. The front shifting is superb on 9000, but you'll still need to trim (not a big deal).
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Markjaspi
    Markjaspi Posts: 729
    I've recently upgraded to 6800 and its much better than 6700, from the gear changing to the modulation of the brakes, highly recommended.

    At the time I was going down the route of Di2 and nearly had all the components but decided to stick with mechanical to get 11 speed and it was certainly the right decission.
    Cipollini Bond
    Pinarello GAN
  • Avit5
    Avit5 Posts: 114
    Suspect there is not much (if any) difference between 6800 and Di2 apart from the autotrim.
    Anyone actually tried both ?
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    There's loads of differences between mech and elec it just depends how much they mean to you. I went back from di2 and it lasted all of two weeks.

    In buying 6770 you aren't buying a completely obsolete group.

    everything is compatible with 11 speed bar the rear mech, cassette and chain
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Avit5 wrote:
    Suspect there is not much (if any) difference between 6800 and Di2 apart from the autotrim.
    Anyone actually tried both ?

    Which Di2? 6770, 6870, 7970, 9070?
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Avit5
    Avit5 Posts: 114
    Grill wrote:
    Avit5 wrote:
    Suspect there is not much (if any) difference between 6800 and Di2 apart from the autotrim.
    Anyone actually tried both ?

    Which Di2? 6770, 6870, 7970, 9070?
    6770 is the one I meant.
    For not much difference I mean between the smoothness of the gear change or speed of the change.
    So can the 6770 di2 be upgraded to 11 speed with just a change to the cassette chain/rear mech. Can the shifters be updated via the pc software then to recognise 11 speed. If so then it would not be like buying into a end of life system.
    Also I think I could easily live without 11 speed for a little longer as I only have 9 speed any way.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    You can do it on everything but 7970. You'll need a new rear mech, chain, and cassette and you'll need to update the firmware, but in short yes.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg