I currently have a 105 (triple, the shame!) and TRP HyRd set up. The HyRds seem to be increasingly flakey and the whole thing is needing a bit of money spent on it.

Alternatively, I’ve been looking at a new groupset with the RS685 STIs. I have a few questions:

1. Have the baggy hoods and rattly levers been addressed in the more recent production runs?
2. Is lever pull free stroke an issue? The HyRds can be bad for this.
3. I’m aware that RS685 is non series, and that 105 and Dura Ace both have in-series disc brakes. Does this mean a far superior in-series Ultegra system is going to be announced 10 seconds after I hit the buy button on the current kit?

Thanks for your expertise!

Not directly answering your point, but I’ve just got a bike with a full 105 hydro groupset and it’s been fantastic. Opinion on here suggested that current Ultegra wasn’t worth the extra £200 over the latest 105, and even the bike shop fitter agreed.

No idea if/when a new Ultegra groupset will be coming though, which is a fair point.

I have the di2 hydro disc ultegra groupset on my road bike. As far as I know the RS685 was designed to be ultegra level without the name. Not had a problem with the hoods and if you can stretch to di2 then it makes for a flawless groupset. All I’ve had to do is clean it, I’ve not had one single miss shift as the di2 is so good.
The hydro brakes are great, got to the stage where I wondered if they were that much better then had a go on a well set up ultegra bike with rim brakes, night and day.

105 hydro here – I had the ‘ultegra’ for a few months but I treat the bike like shit so the 105 is plenty. Only reason I can see to go for the Ultegra is the hoods are much nicer to hold. 105s are fatter, a bit Fisher Price if you will.

9100 was released this year, so fair to assume that there will be new Ultegra next year.

No idea about compatibility but 9100 has a significantly smaller front mech to help clear big tyres, everything else looks a bit more evolutionary rather than a step change.

Di2 – I’d love it, but my frame is a Tripster which doesn’t have the drilled routing. If I wanted to go electronic and hydro it would have to be SRAM Red eTap HRD. It’s stated as £1,700 RRP to be released early 2017. That price is well out of my reach, but if it was to follow the typical Merlin 45% off then I’d be all over it. However, what with weak sterling and likely high demand I can’t see this happening.

105 – nothing against 105 (which is what I’m currently running) but as highlighted the new shape is pretty radical. Looks-wise it wouldn’t be for me.

I have the ultegra disc brake group set on my tripster and cannot fault it. Rattle free and perfect shifting. The brakes are superb. The only downfall is the squealing when damp.

The free stroke is not an issue

Last weekend my HyRds were shrieking fit to wake the dead.I’ve had a bit of squeal before but this was highly alarming.

It sounds like rs685/ultegra is the way forward, now I just need to find them at soft brexit price, I’m sure they’re £100 more than they were a couple months ago. Sales only c.3 weeks away.

I got mine from Evans using a mixture of zeek and TCB

I’ve had RS685/Ultegra on my Whyte Saxon for nearly two years now, no baggy hoods or rattling here, but it wasn’t a cheap upgrade as I had to change from 10 speed to 11 speed which meant a new back wheel.