Is Ultegra disc group worth £200 more than 105. Anybody ridden both in anger?

Looking to purchase a groupset for commute/Gravel/Gnar/Touring/CX/messing about bike)

and would like to know if anybody has ridden both and do you think it’s worth the £200, I know it’s about 1/2 lighter, but how is the shifting etc.

Opinions please from the all knowing STW Massive.

Ta

Chucky

It’s worth it just so that you don’t get ugly shifters. In terms of performance they’re both very good.

Depends what you’re looking for and if you’re talking 6800 vs 5800 or whatever else.

Personally I find 5800 on my cross lovely, a massive step forward from my old 5700 bike – I almost can’t believe how much better it is – but 5700 is notorious for being stupidly sensitive to routing so it’s quite possible I just seriously botched the build on the old bike.

I did swap in a CX70 crank on the old bike though (which was 6700 Ultegra in disguise) and it was a revelation in itself. So much stiffer, instantly felt faster and more responsive.

From what I gather, shifting and braking is pretty much at parity between these two groups now and the value is in the crank, looks and lightness…

Depends what you’re looking for and if you’re talking 6800 vs 5800 or whatever else

I’m talking 6800 vs 5800 disc groupset.

Be worth clapping hands on em to check out the feel and reach as think the levers vary a bit!

I have both, current 105 with hydros on my CDF and the Ultegra version on my Defy. The only difference I feel is the hoods being a bit smaller on the Ultegra setup. Performance is identical.

Shifting on my ultra rare is identical to my Dura Ace. Just excellent.

I run 5800 with 785 STIs on my commuting/training bike (Tripster). Shifting is as good, if not better than the 7900 on my race bike.

It’s about £1 per gram of weight saving.

I’ve got 5800 and 6800 on different bikes and the shifting is pretty much identical, more dependant on good set up and cable routing than any perceptible difference in shifting due to the Ultegra having higher quality materials. That was for the mechanical shifters, the shifting on the Ultegra hydraulics I had was identical to both mechanical sets.

I asked the same question on here a couple of weeks ago when speccing a new road bike and was advised that it wasn’t worth it functionally.

Ultegra is 200g lighter so passes the £1 per gramme test, but I ended up getting 105 and spending the £200 saving 200g on a wheel upgrade where it is likely to be more noticeable.

I run 5800 with 785 STIs on my commuting/training bike (Tripster).

Funnily enough this is for a Tripster as well.

Still undecided, seeing as the Ultegra has smaller hoods and my current bike is Campag, which I love, then I may plumb for the Ultegra.

decisions, decisions 🙄

I’m doing exactly the same thing at the moment too! My Tripster is going to get a new groupset over the winter – it’s currently on an Ultegra 6700 / XT / Juin Tech mix and I want to go full hydraulic. I’ve got experience of 5800 with the RS505 levers which whilst not excactly the prettiest things out there, work very well. The brakes are superb and the shifting very light. I’m just struggling to find anywhere with stock…

Evans have a groupset in, is the groupset or just the brakes you want?

I’m looking at that now, vortexracing; thanks. Ideally I’d like the whole groupset but the Evans ones spec a 52/36 whereas I’d be happier with 50/34. Well, I’ll need that actually! Thanks for the heads up though – the 785 callipers in that make it appealing – maybe I’ll just swap out the chainset…

Scratch that…

Well Ultegra ordered. 😯

Wait for Campag to release their disc brakes (if it ever happens!)

If you love Campag, then Shimano will feel shitty in comparison.

Wait

I have made my mind up and so I have to have it now !!!!! 😉

Frame next 😆

I have made my mind up and so I have to have it now !!!!!

I doubt you’ll regret it, but I think you’ll agree that ergonomically they’re just not as good.

I personally wouldn’t bother with a Tripster either. £1500 for an off the shelf cheapo Ti frame. Get a Shand or something

I personally wouldn’t bother with a Tripster either. £1500 for an off the shelf cheapo Ti frame. Get a Shand or something

Those are the two I have been trying to decide between. I can get the Tripster for £1050, and the Stoater for a bit more. So it’s a tough call. 🙄 ❓

£1 per gramme is a rip off

Those are the two I have been trying to decide between. I can get the Tripster for £1050, and the Stoater for a bit more. So it’s a tough call.

Purchases of this sort rarely come down to whats best VFM or performance. Guess it’s more of a heart decision. I’d pick steel over ti for that sort of bike though (there’s been some pics of broken tripsters on here recently)

A mate has a Tripster. Loves it, but I was underwhelmed somehow when I saw it in the flesh.

Met Mr Shand and his shiny offspring at the Cycle Show, and fell in love with the Stoater. And the Stooshie. Really nice guy as well. When I decide to get a new gravel bike it will be one of those two.

(there’s been some pics of broken tripsters on here recently)

True, there has been, they do get good reviews though (as do the Shands)

True, there has been, they do get good reviews though

Never trust a review of a £1500 Ti frame; who’s gonna say it’s a badun when it’s gonna be the bike they’ll ride for the rest of their lives? 😉

I’m sure they’re great though

Cheers for that, that’s made my decision making much easier 🙄

😀 Follow your heart……

Wasn’t there some Lynsky Helix frames on CRC recently for about a grand, I’d have one of them over the other 2

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/lynskey-helix-titanium-road-frame-2015/rp-prod131492

Edited, to add, £2,500 with 40% off PLUS An extra 10% off clearance items making this £1,350. That’s 50% in math percentage terms but I’ve just realised it’s just over a grand off, stunning barley twist frame though.

Never trust a review of a £1500 Ti frame; who’s gonna say it’s a badun

I would. I would say honestly if I thought there was anything I disliked about my Tripster. There isn’t.
I could change it if I didn’t like it and I’m not going to.

I do trust Dez’s opinion though.

Careful now. 😆

😀

Wait for Campag to release their disc brakes (if it ever happens!)

yeah, if you want to pay over the odds for your road/gravel bike to sport Altus-level calipers. Saw their display bike at the NEC and the calipers are an abomination for a premium, designed-from-scratch product, like the ghetto Shimano on my 400 quid Halfords special fat bike.

Never trust a review of a £1500 Ti frame; who’s gonna say it’s a badun when it’s gonna be the bike they’ll ride for the rest of their lives?

Horses for courses. It’s all about context.

For *me*, I ride the bike almost every day. Commuting, training, on road, off road, sun, rain, loaded, etc. My last steel frame rusted through on both chainstays. So *for my use cases* the bike is great. I can put in big tyres if I need, I can put on a rack and guards, it wont rust, and it’s a nice ride. Maybe the thing will have a weld failure. Who knows.

Would I have liked a quality custom Ti frame with a few minor differences? Sure. For £1k? (what I payed) – unlikely.

Funny enough my summer road bike is a £1500 titanium one, made in China or somewhere like that from Enigma That is absolutely spot on. So I’m unsure where your scepticism comes from, but it wouldn’t do for us all to be the same.

Then it really would be a boring world 😯