DuraAce or Ultegra rear derailleur?

Father Faff

Is there much advantage to a DuraAce rear derailleur? If so what are those advantages? I assume it is a bit lighter but that doesn't seem to me to make it worth paying £120 instead of £45.

Grill

The shift is definitely smoother and it has slightly less drag. Is that worth an extra 75 quid? That's up to you.

rolf_f

Grill wrote:

The shift is definitely smoother and it has slightly less drag. Is that worth an extra 75 quid? That's up to you.

Really? Surely shift smoothness is down to the levers. I can't see how Shimano could engineer less smooth shifting into an Ultegra mech......

But then I don't notice any difference in shift feel between Veloce and Record. I wouldn't expect to though........

The real difference surely is no more than a slight weight saving and the aesthetics.

Grill

There's more difference between Shimano gruppos than Campag, especially when you get to the top.*

*6800 to 9000 being the exception

ugo.santalucia

The design of a parallelogram rear derailleur was patented about 65 years ago and "improved" ever since. I think the improvements ended about 20 years ago, so spending big money for what in essence is an embellished version of what was good 60 years ago is a bit pointless.
Normally you get bearings instead of bushings... needless to say bearings on the jockey wheels cause more trouble then they are worth (which is the reason the original model had them and the "improved ones" didn't).

So, get the Ultegra

Bozman

Having used both for years I'd say that there's squat difference in the rear derailleur, the difference was in the shifters but with the latest gen I'd say that the difference between the two shifters is virtually non-existent.

rolf_f

ugo.santalucia wrote:

The design of a parallelogram rear derailleur was patented about 65 years ago and "improved" ever since. I think the improvements ended about 20 years ago, so spending big money for what in essence is an embellished version of what was good 60 years ago is a bit pointless.

Not sure that there has been that much improvement since the Suntour Cyclone which must be at least 35 years old now. About the same weight as current Ultegra irrc and you can take the chain off without splitting it! Progress eh?!