Big news today as Shimano just dropped its newest Ultegra and Dura-Ace Di2 road groups. Both have been completely overhauled as 12-speed drivetrains with wireless cockpits (derailleurs are still wired to the battery).
Both Ultegra and Dura-Ace groupsets are now 2×12 and teh Di2 electronic shifting system has been reworked to provider a wireless cockpit. As Shimano describes it, the new Di2 system was designed to be “wireless where it matters.” Shifting queues are sent from the shifter to the front and rear derailleur wirelessly. Power is still delivered to both derailleurs via a physical cable to the battery in the seatpost. Shimano claims this redesign makes for 58% faster rear shifting and 45% faster front shifting than the previous iteration.
Similar to SRAM AXS, Shimano’s app called E-TUBE allows you to connect to the shifters and customize shift speeds, change what buttons do what, set shift modes, fine-tune shifting, and connect with third party bike computers.
As the shifters are no longer wired and junctions have been eliminated, there’s a new battery charging port on the rear derailleur.
Both the Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra systems get new cranks, cassettes, brakes and wheelsets too. The largest cassette option is 11-34T and the smallest ring combo on the new cranksets is 50/34T, so 1:1 climbing ratios are now available in both groupsets. Pricing info and weights for the Ultegra groupset below:
- FC-R8100 (Ultegra Cranksets with Chainrings): $314.99 / 716g
- FC-R8100-P (Ultegra Power Meter Crankset with Chainrings): $1,159.99
- ST-R8150 (Ultegra Di2 Shift/Rim Brake Lever Set (Left and Right)): $424.99
- ST-R8170 (Ultegra Di2 Shift/Disc Brake Lever Set (Left and Right)): $809.98 / 382g
- CS-R8100 (Ultegra Cassette (11-30/34)): $111.99 / 297g
- FD-R8150 (Ultegra Di2 Front Derailleur): $259.99 / 110g
- RD-R8150 (Ultegra Di2 Rear Derailleur): $409.99 / 262g
- CN-M8100 (12-Speed Chain): 252g
- BT-DN300 (Di2 Battery): $184.99 / 53g
- EW-EC300 (Di2 Charger): $49.99
- SW-RS801-S (Shift Switch for Drops (pair)): $139.99
- SW-RS801-T (Shift Switch for Tops (pair)): $139.99
- BR-R8170 (Hydraulic Disc Brake Caliper Set): $170.98 / 282g
- RT-MT800 (Disc Brake Rotor (140mm and 160mm)): $55.99 / 212g
- J-Kit Brake Set (Ultegra Hydraulic Disc Brake Calipers and Levers): $536.99
More info and details at Shimano.com for Dura-Ace and Ultegra.
