Rides4Beer

There is no difference in shifting performance, the only difference is weight, due to the materials used (at least from 105 to Ultegra to DA, can't speak for the levels under 105). If there was a 105 di2 option, I'd buy that. I have r7000 105 on my gravel bike and it shifts just as smoothly as r8000 Ultegra (I have no experience with DA, but GCN did a blind comparison test and they couldn't tell the difference between 105 and DA). One thing to think about with DA, is that there is no GS rear derailleur, so if you want to run a bigger cassette for climbing, you def want to stick to Ultegra.

noodle soup

It's going to be nearly impossible to find any article with factual data to back up any claim that one is smoother than the other than the other. How would smoothness be quantified?

grizzle54

Yep, exactly, which is why I asked what other people have experienced.

Thanks to all for your responses and sharing your thoughts.

Jazzguitar

It depends on the bike. I’ve run a 32 with my DA 9100 rear derailleur and could likely have even gone bigger as the b-screw wasn’t close to maxing out. Shimano is notoriously conservative in rating the max cassette size.

t595

Hey Grizzle don't be offended by that picture. Two reasons: first this kind of debate goes on here all the time and the search function is your friend. But second, if you hang around here long enough you will come to embrace the snark that much more. It is actually quite entertaining (in a totally time wasting sort of way) and almost always done without getting too impassioned or bitter. Stick around, and if you are not out there shifting that DI2 with one finger, tell us what you think.

69chevy

Di2 all day.
Syncro shift alone makes it worth it.

Kimmo

Yeah, syncro is pretty damn sweet, not to mention being able to make any button do whatever.

blakcloud

Grizzle, it really is a good question. If I couldn't afford the Di2 in Dura Ace I would choose mechanical Dura Ace over Ultegra Di2. It has nothing to do with performance but everything to do with having the top of the line. The fit and finish of Dura Ace is just nicer. I have mechanical Dura Ace on my custom and mechanical Ultegra on my Trek Domane. They both function great, one just looks better than the other. The consensus in this thread is favoring Ultegra Di2.

As for the mouthpieces on this forum, unfortunately they exist. When I see someone with over 7000 posts, it suggests to me that they feel a "need" to comment on every post regardless if it is helpful or not. Once in a while you get a nugget but most times it is just drivel. This is where the ignore function comes in handy. Go to the control panel and you will find this feature. In fact I just used it because this thread has proven to me once again that not everyone is helpful on this forum. Of course Seth AZ's first line in their post may be easier and it is excellent advice.

Good luck in what ever you choose and post your bike when you get it.

bpcyclist

"Pedantry proceeds from much reading and little understanding," Steele.

Racing Dan

What is unknown is if the lack of perceived difference will last. Im betting a DA group will retain near "as new" function much longer than 105.

Were it me, I would go for DI2 + Hydro disc. - To get rid of the mechanical cables and get max performing gear shifts and braking.

Kimmo

Ultegra is gonna have almost as good durability; most of the improvements Dura-Ace has over Ultegra are for weight. Exceptions include the chain, a ball bearing in the jockey wheel, thrust bearings in the brakes (not sure if Ultegra still misses out; the old asymmetrical dual pivots had one of DA's two, I think), and maybe a ball bearing in the shifter (7700 had em).

noodle soup

Sometimes those people with a large number of posts, have a lot to share because of their extensive cycling experience, The snark comes from people asking the same questions over and over again(and often ignoring the advice)

Please add me to your ignore list. I wouldn't want you to get you feathers ruffled.

Rides4Beer

That's what I did, no more cable issues for me! Plus, the shifters are great, perfect form factor, imo. It's crazy how much smaller they are without the mechanical pieces, always thought the big shifters were due more to the hydro brakes, apparently not. lol

guadzilla

To add to the chorus - once you go electronic, you dont go back.

Seattle Forrest

Exactly this.

NoWhammies

I'll add my $0.05 for what it's worth. Di2 anytime. I have it on my bike and have never looked back.

bpcyclist

But is that improved experience worth the roughly $1000 cost of upgrading from mech. Ultegra (or whatever), in your view? That is a fair amount of money for , say, wheels or a new power meter or I dunno... Part of a trip to Mallorca?

Rides4Beer

No doubt, now I need to upgrade the gravel bike. I rode it yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks, and I def missed the di2.

IMO, yes. I had the shop upgrade my Defy when I bought it, and with the trade-in on takeoffs the upgrade was $750, but even a grand would be worth it. The way I see it, wheels or a power meter can be upgraded later more easily than upgrading to di2. Guy I ride with has had his di2 for four years and has never had to adjust it once, just charge and ride. I went through four rear shift cables last year (three on one bike, one on another), not having to ever worry about cable issues is def worth it to me, not to mention the other benefits, ease of shifting out of the saddle, changing screens with the hood buttons, etc.

kingston 

This thread makes me wonder what I'm missing out on with my mechanical shifting...

Just not enough to spend any money to find out, which when I look around at other people's bikes, is the same as most people.

Seattle Forrest

​​​​​​For a gravel bike, it makes even more sense.

Seattle Forrest

​​​​​​You get to tell eBike people you get a thousand miles to a charge and something must be wrong with theirs.

guadzilla

It's not something you are gonna miss until you get used to riding electronic. Even though I have had DI2 on my TT bike since 2014, I've stuck to mechanical shifting on my road bikes all the way until a few months ago and never felt i was missing out. But once I did the switch... well, my one remaining mechanical/rim brake bike (a Lynskey Sportive) is getting sold at some point and replaced with a disc brake/Di2 gravel bike.

t595

Note that the original post said that DI2 and Mech were same price. DI2 all the way!

NoWhammies

Would I shell out the $1k to upgrade one of my older bikes to Di2? No. Would I shell out the extra $1k when buying a new bike? Definitely.

I agree with you $1k is a lot of money. And when I was buying my new now three year old bike, I figured the Di2 was a bit of an extravagance. Having ridden with the Di2 for three years now, it just make shifting that much nicer. Crisp. No hesitation. No skipping. You name it. I am starting to look around for a new bike for Mrs. NoWhammies and we're not even considering mechanical. To each their own though. Do whatever brings you happiness and what you can afford.

RiceAWay

If you look at Dura Ace Di2, there isn't a lot of difference. The Dura Ace levers are so light that they might float away. And there is a small difference in the weight of the crankset. But so small as not to be much. Otherwise the derailleurs are the same weight and you can get lighter cassettes than the Dura Ace. Since you're using Di2 there's not much problem with shifting on different cassettes.