No, they’re still not the same. You can’t use a Super Record mech with Dura Ace shifters for example.

Your straw clutching at very obscure versions mate.

I’m done.. G’night.

Theres a good article on the Sheldon Brown website for anyone who want to get the full picture.

Here

No, I’m not, you’re being misleading, I suspect unintentionally. It’s a compatibility minefield. Campag cassettes are spaced differently and the mechs work to different pull ratios. There are a few bodges, as you’ve mentioned, but the two brands are not cross compatible.

I suspect you’ll find this out sooner or later if you start juggling components!

How does the first paragraph qualify you as an authority on the second?

Dura Ace is better, fact. You may not think the differences are worthwhile, but it is superior. The brakes are better, the shifting is better, it is lighter, and IME it also lasts longer than anything else.

@njee 20

my apologies for the delay in responding 😉

basically, our business at the concept store is building, servicing and custom building high end road bikes; we don’t see much under Shimano 105 or SRAM Apex in our store?

this includes talking to, and working with many customers doing 1000’s of miles on this kit

we have many customers flying in and out of London collecting production and custom built road bikes for their needs; as an example we have sold (globally) the highest number of Specialized S-Works McClaren Venge road bikes of any dealer

we have many amateur and semi-pro tri participants, roadies and sportive riders among our customers, giving lots of feedback to the store

as well as in the store, we all ride road bikes…lots of miles on different bikes with different kit, we get the chance to try out the different groupsets and see what really makes the difference

my statements were not unqualified by any means. Of course, DURA ACE is lovely kit with its weight savings, but ULTEGRA is the best value for money solution; unless you are racing than Dura Ace is somewhat overkill?

if you do your research carefully you will find a good number of PRO road teams using Ultegra cassettes rather than Dura Ace; because Ultegra is much more cost effective and the Ultegra cassette is actually harder wearing than the more expensive Dura Ace cassette with its 1/2 body titanium construction, same goes for chains

brakes? there really isn’t a noticeable difference apart from price. the rear brake on most road bikes just gets ruined by UK weather (and road salt) and I would be happier running Ultegra than Dura Ace for that reason

Right, that doesn’t make Ultegra better, you’re saying that based on your cost benefit analysis you think Ultegra is a more sensible option. Dura Ace is better performance wise, it’s just whether that’s worthwhile.

What the pros choose with regards the finer spec isn’t always massively relevant with the 6.8kg limit, things like cassettes it just make sense to use Ultegra. That doesn’t make Ultegra better (although yes, the steel is of course tougher than ti), it just makes it an obvious place to add weight on a race bike. It’s not really about cost savings, nor is it in deference to the improved ‘performance’ of Ultegra. I don’t know anyone Pro or otherwise (and if we’re name dropping I know several decent Pros including some TdF riders) who would say hand on heart that Ultegra performs better.

Dura Ace brakes are more powerful. That’s a fact. It may not be an appreciable difference to all, but they are better. 9000 series even more so as they’ve adjusted the pivot location.

You can sell as many McLaren Venges to amateur triathletes as you want, but it doesn’t make Ultegra better!

@njee20

thanks for your input

of course Dura Ace is BETTER! (I’d love Dura Ace if I had endless cash to spend!

just like I would rather buy an Nvidia GeForce Titan graphics card (£900)for my gaming PC; rather than the ASUS Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 OC card (£320) I recently bought!

to answer the OP ‘mtbtomo’ who said: “Would I notice a difference with 105, or do you need to go up to Ultegra or even Dura Ace gear shifters?”

he is not going to notice any real difference between Ultegra and Dura Ace gear shifters. that is what he asked about…

definite difference between 105 and Ultegra STI shifter (I own 105 and wish I had bought Ultegra)

difference between Ultegra and Dura Ace STI shifter? not worth considering all other thing being equal?

spend the money on the derailleurs and brakes, you will notice a difference in degradation over a UK winter between 105 brakes / mechs and ultegra brakes / mechs