Ultegra di2 vs dura ace mechanical

Andymaxy

Hi all
Facing a tough decision here.
Ultegra 8050 di2 or dura ace 9100 if their cost are exactly the same. Same frame, same wheel, same everything except for the groupo.
This bike will be a race bike, so not one that I would take on a 15mph group ride.
I've read previous posts about this, but some arguments against di2 is the look of the 6850. But now of course after shimano updated their ultegra, they basically look the same.
So purely from a performance standpoint, which is better?
The weight difference is only 100grams by the way, so you can basically igonore it.

Maintenance also isn't an issuer for me. I'm a fairly skilled mechanic and have been working on mechanical groups for years.

shirley_basso

I guess it's what you 'like' - techie or love the tactile feel of cables . I have recently purchased a bike with di2 and I bloody love it. I had ridden it before and it was great and when I went back to my mechanical bike it was fine. If my new bike had DA mechanical instead, I still would have bought it.

The two groupsets are reputed to be amazing and I really like the look of the new chsinset shape and colour for DA.

I'd say for me it would be a question of aesthetics and my preference for non essential (but nice to have) gadgets or the poser factor of a top of the line groupsets. Neither will let you down! (Ok di2 is more likely to, but cables also break sometimes too!)

sloppyschleckonds

Andymaxy wrote:

This bike will be a race bike, so not one that I would take on a 15mph group ride.

Sora

trivial_poursuivant

If your racing I’d take the cost of repair/replacement if anything breaks. I’d also look at what is most reliable. Di2 is pretty much rock solid these days but it can still freeze or you forget to charge it. DA is superb but I’d be p!ssed if I had a crash and even just smashed a shifter on the deck.

Matthewfalle

For racing, Ultegra in the sales. Bland but works forever and if you smash it up you really won't care as its only Ultegra.

Dirt cheap at the moment as well.

Andymaxy

Matthewfalle wrote:

For racing, Ultegra in the sales. Bland but works forever and if you smash it up you really won't care as its only Ultegra.

Dirt cheap at the moment as well.

That's absolutely true

trivial_poursuivant

Matthewfalle wrote:

For racing, Ultegra in the sales. Bland but works forever and if you smash it up you really won't care as its only Ultegra.

Dirt cheap at the moment as well.

What’s the cheapest you have seen Ultegra Di2 on sale? Possible build coming up and I’d probably stick that on it.

Andymaxy

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

For racing, Ultegra in the sales. Bland but works forever and if you smash it up you really won't care as its only Ultegra.

Dirt cheap at the moment as well.

What’s the cheapest you have seen Ultegra Di2 on sale? Possible build coming up and I’d probably stick that on it.

From what I know, with complete bikes, even with same frame same wheels same everything, mechanical dura ace is always more expensive than uptegra di2.
HOWEVER, if you are buying just the groupset, then they cost roughly the same.

trivial_poursuivant

Andymaxy wrote:

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

For racing, Ultegra in the sales. Bland but works forever and if you smash it up you really won't care as its only Ultegra.

Dirt cheap at the moment as well.

What’s the cheapest you have seen Ultegra Di2 on sale? Possible build coming up and I’d probably stick that on it.

From what I know, with complete bikes, even with same frame same wheels same everything, mechanical dura ace is always more expensive than uptegra di2.
HOWEVER, if you are buying just the groupset, then they cost roughly the same.

That wasn’t the question and doesn’t even cover it.

StillGoing

Andymaxy wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

For racing, Ultegra in the sales. Bland but works forever and if you smash it up you really won't care as its only Ultegra.

Dirt cheap at the moment as well.

That's absolutely true

R8050 is hardly cheap when an upgrade kit is roughly the same as a SRAM eTap upgrade kit. No cranks, cassette or brake callipers.

I went down the R8050 upgrade route recently going from SRAM Force 22, preferring it over eTap for the additional features it has over eTap at the moment. Its heavy compared to mechanical SRAM, but the ability to dispense with the left shifter via synchro shifting is a benefit to me. (Medical issue.) Battery wise, with the bar end junction and Bluetooth link, I get a read out of the battery status on the Elemnt, so I know if it needs a charge before venturing out. R8050 operates to the same level as R9150 and is just heavier, Ultegra being just over 300g heavier than Dura Ace.

stueys

R8000 is expensive as it has just been released, in a month or two the froth will be off again. Re the ops question I’d probably go electronic ultegra, there’s nothing radically different between electronic or mechanical but electronic does everything just that bit better. It’s hard to go back.

Andymaxy

Stueys wrote:

R8000 is expensive as it has just been released, in a month or two the froth will be off again. Re the ops question I’d probably go electronic ultegra, there’s nothing radically different between electronic or mechanical but electronic does everything just that bit better. It’s hard to go back.

Not at all mechanical 8000 is 700 dollars on chain reaction cycles, the 6800 is only 100 dollars cheaper at 600 dollars. The 8050 is more expensive but 6850 isn't cheap either.

Grill

For racing I'd go with 6800. For TTs Di2, for everything else mechanical Dura Ace.

pilot_pete

Its got to be mechanical for racing, surely? Just from the repair and replace point of view if you crash. Di2 shifters are expensive and the levers are the most likely part to get bashed. Having said that it’s usually only cosmetic damage when you drop it unless you are unlucky, they are pretty robust.

I love Di2, but would only consider it for my TT bike (if I ever get back TTing again!) for racing. Got two road bikes with DA 9070 and now 9170, absolutely love it over mechanical and wouldn’t go back, but I don’t race those bikes...

PP

neilr4

When I purchased my current racer in 2016 I too was caught between DA9000 mech or 6800 di2 but ended up going with the DA because of the ease of repair etc. and I found 6800 just plain dull and boring, plus the shifter buttons were a little on the small side. Now however?

Since the new DA9100 has hit the market I believe that DA9000 will be my last DA group as my next bike will have 8050 di2 as I find the aesthetics of the new ultegra actually better that the Dura ace group and with looks out of the way the functionality of ultegra is on par with Dura ace....

My 2c