Older groupsets still any good?

hardyp
hardyp Posts: 86
edited November 2013 in Road buying advice
Would a dura ace groupset from a brand new 2007 bike still be any good or would the latest lower range groupsets such as ultegra now have superseeded them?

Comments

  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    Dura ace from 2007 would be the 7800 range. Yes it has long been superseded by 7900 and the current 11 speed 9000 models however, the 7800 was pretty much bullet proof. I still have original 7800 ergos and front and rear derailleurs on my 2007 Roubaix Pro which I use in central London for my daily commute. I've heard it said that the 7800 was much better put together than the 7900. I can't say for sure however, I've not had a single problem with any of these components and am happy to recommend to others.

    Peter
  • gozzy
    gozzy Posts: 640
    It'll still be perfectly good, it'll just have visible gear cables which some people see as a hideous problem.
  • themekon
    themekon Posts: 197
    Gozzy wrote:
    It'll still be perfectly good, it'll just have visible gear cables which some people see as a hideous problem.
    I prefere the exposed gear cables,gives a Perfect run for the inner.I've got Dura Ace on my 2006 S Works roubaix,wouldn't swap it for 2013 ultegra.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    7800 are the best shifters I've ever used and they blow the latest generation of Shimano shifters out of the water, they have a light, smooth and precise shift.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    I would go further than 'still any good' and will actually pay a premium to ensure I keep with the older stuff.

    9 speed is where it is at. Much better product and far less disposable than the latest 11 speed, which is totally overkill.

    Sometimes newest is not best.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    7800 is 10 speed, is it not ?
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    antfly wrote:
    7800 is 10 speed, is it not ?

    Yes but with external cabling rather than bar routed.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I know, I use ultegra 6600 on two bikes and it's beautifully smooth on one bike but the other has stiffened up so much it wouldn't work and snapped a cable. I am not looking forward to replacing it with 6700.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    antfly wrote:
    I know, I use ultegra 6600 on two bikes and it's beautifully smooth on one bike but the other has stiffened up so much it wouldn't work and snapped a cable. I am not looking forward to replacing it with 6700.

    You get used to it and after a few weeks it feels no different, I found that swapping the Shimano cables for higher quality cable helps with the shifting.
  • gozzy
    gozzy Posts: 640
    antfly wrote:
    I know, I use ultegra 6600 on two bikes and it's beautifully smooth on one bike but the other has stiffened up so much it wouldn't work and snapped a cable. I am not looking forward to replacing it with 6700.

    Flush it through with gt85?
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    Yeah, done all that and put decent cables on. I got the rear working well again but it goes a bit stiff again if it's not used for a few days and the front has now gone stiffer too. I am a bit fed up with it now, it's just putting off the inevitable.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    I put DA 7800 on my Cannondale 18 months ago and it's lovely. Shift quality is better than Ultegra 6800, partly due to external cable routing, looks nicer too.
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
    Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I fins Dura Ace 7403/10 works very well, not light but silky smooth and classic looking. Newer 11 speed DA 9000 is just more expensive and it still changes gear so newer is all it is. Nothing wrong with DA7800 if you have it use it or give it to me.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    i had 7800 and i couldnt tell it any different from 5600 but both of those are way better than 5700 i have now.

    same sort of situ with my campag groupsets, my Centaur UT is equal in every way to today's Chorus UT but a million miles better than any of the more modern PT crap, in fact i'd say i prefer my Xenon ergo to my Centaur PT
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I have riden older U-T groups and modern Veloce P-T and Chorus U-T (new) all feel good. P-T groups are not crap they work very well indeed. Was what you tried even set up properly.

    If you could not tell 7800 from 5600 then I do not know what to say.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • hardyp
    hardyp Posts: 86
    edited November 2013
    Thanks for the advice guys, well I ended up buying it, felt f3 2007 model with dura ace shifters and rear derailer and they are silky smooth. Seem to be smoother than my 1 year old sram red groupset and ultegra on my other bikes. That might just be because the guy never used it in 6 years and they are like brand new and my others could probably do with a proper service/setup. Didn't actually need it but at that price thought I might as well have a winter/trainer bike to keep my main bike in top condition for summer. Not looking forward to explaining to the wife why there are now 3 bikes in the garage. Hopefully she wont notice for a while.

    Anyway, glad I went with the higher older spec now. Its not like it looks dated either.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    hardyp wrote:
    Would a dura ace groupset from a brand new 2007 bike still be any good or would the latest lower range groupsets such as ultegra now have superseeded them?

    Any good? What would be wrong with a new groupset? Sounds like you're looking for more bling / showoff gear than you are for perfectly usable components. And most likely at at good price to boot.
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    Sounds like you're looking for more bling / showoff gear than you are for perfectly usable components

    You almost make it sound like there's something wrong with that. :D
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
    Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    unixnerd wrote:
    Sounds like you're looking for more bling / showoff gear than you are for perfectly usable components

    You almost make it sound like there's something wrong with that. :D

    Not at all. That's just how it sounds to me. :?

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