ultegra vs dura ace

This user's post has been ignored.

Functional they are pretty much the same, the primary difference is weight and there may be a very slight drivetrain loss edge to the DA group. Replacing Dura Ace chain rings is also more spendy.

There is about a 150 - 200 gram difference between the crankset and rear derailleur, less than half a pound. All Shimano bar end shifters are Dura Ace.

So the big question is, how much is just under a half pound of weight savings worth to you on a bike where aero is more important?

You buy the Cervelo P2 with Dura-Ace, and I'll buy the P2 with Ultegra SL.  That way you get the pretty Red and Silver frame, and I get the pretty Blue and Silver frame.

 :-)

I bought the P3C and it has Dura Ace. I did a ton of research in this area and came up with the following (for what it's worth): Dura Ace is lighter and machined more precise. It will last longer. How much longer is TBD and I have not seen any tests done that can nail this down. In shifting, there is not a difference that 95% (maybe 95%+ of the biking community could notice. So to answer your question...you need to consult with the bike's "machine." I know that I could never blame a race on Dura v. Ultrga...ever. I have done pretty well in my last 3 races. There are so many factors that come into play. My opinion...Ace v. Ultegra is not one of them, unless the "machine" is incredibly conditioned and could actually blame poor race or training results on a component set.I bought the P3C and got an incredible deal. Buy the Ace if it considered "tip" money to you. Otherwise, go Ultegra and save a few dollars. Personally, I stress way more about my training, not my gear, etc. Whatever you do, know that the bike is incredible and is probably already better than most of us out of the box!

This issue is addressed here:
https://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/dura-ace-ultegra.shtml

Edited by jeffsab 2009-07-31 10:03 PM