Each cog makes for smoother transitions between gears, which should help promote smoother and more efficient pedalling. Shimano focused on improving the aerodynamics of the wheels, using faster and more stable profiles used across the range. Finally, there's also another thread of efficiency when it comes to the available rear cassettes. Shimano says that it has worked on driving rigidityand claims that the Ultegra C36 is 9% stiffer than the existing Dura-Ace C40-TL wheel. But, to call it an Ultegra power meter is not exactly accurate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Semi synchro means when you change the front derailleur, the rear will move a couple of sprockets in the opposite direction to maintain a similar cadence. There are other areas of aesthetic differentiation but while the small changes in shape at the controls, and smaller front derailleur, are more about efficiency it's here in the crank that Shimano is staking out the visual tone of the new groupset. All material FarrellyAtkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA11JB. Shimano Ultegra R8100 covers everything a modern groupset should and it does it without needing a new freehub standard. Want some figures on that? The Ultegra derailleurs function in the same way as their Dura-Ace counterparts, its just that a different construction means theyre a little heavier The Dura-Ace R9200 front and rear derailleurs are a claimed 96g and 215g, while the Ultegra R8100 weights are 116g and 262g. Your needs might lead to a different result. Instead, there's an almost I-beam-like central arm. 2008present unless otherwise stated. That material required a change in the spline pattern, so only the new 12-speed cassettes will fit on the Dura-Ace freehub. The FC-R8100 crank is available in 50/24-tooth and 52/36-tooth configurations. He was easily in phlegm shot. Campagnolo is a lightning-fast shift experience that tends to be so fast and violent that it's upsetting to the whole frame. Like this site? Shimano has redesigned the shifters, derailleurs, cassettes, chainsets, brake callipers, and wheels. Here are the prices for Shimano Ultegra R8100 individual components: Shimano says that Ultegra R8100 components will be available in stores from October 2021. The result is that there is no longer any need to back off an acceleration or time an easy pedal stroke with your shifts, says Shimano. Shimano says the Ultegra R8100 group is about 8.2 g heavier than the R8000 series. The one downside is the button arrangement. The Ultegra C50 wheelset weighs 1,570g (698g front, 872g rear). There's also a brilliant feature for adjusting the derailleur position, With synchro shift enabled the front derailleur will control movement of the rear for consistent cadence when moving the front, R8100 brings a reduction in size to the front derailleur, The new buttons have seen improvements but there's room for further adjustments to the sizing. All rights reserved. One runs to the front derailleur and one runs to the rear derailleur. There's still a central battery, good for approximately 1,000km of riding per charge, but now this battery has only two wires. 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-24-27-30-34T. At 110 g, the FD-R8150 front derailleur is smaller and lighter than the previous generation (down from 132 g,) and has a nice black finish to the metal. The fact that Ultegra ST-R8170 shifters are powered by CR1632 batteries and operate wirelessly simplifies installation and means that theres no need for shift cable ports in the frame or handlebar. BA1 1UA. Audi Shimano claims a weight of 282g for a pair of Ultegra brake callipers compared with 229g for Dura-Ace. Cyclingnews is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Shimano says, "With the addition of ServoWavetechnology to brake levers, taken from Shimanosmountain bikeand gravelbraking systems, riders have a shorter free stroke and are able to get a more immediate connection between brake pads and rotors, allowing for more feathering or modulation of the brakes, resulting in more speed carry-through and more confidence in technical situations. The previous generation of Dura-Ace saw the debut of Shimanos crank-based power meter. As with most groupsets, the biggest canvas for design is the crank. Naturally, Shimanos updated E-Tube app is compatible with Ultegra R8100-series components and provides customisation options. Interfacing with modern electronic groupsets means there's an app experience. It also uses a semi-wireless design similar to that of the FSA K-Force WE. While older versions connected through junction boxes, the whole system now revolves around the rear derailleur. It takes a moment to connect and each time it will ask you if you want to change the default passcode. The slightly heavier Ultegra power-meter crankset, however, is at least $380 cheaper than the new Dura-Ace. The sprocket sizes are: The rear derailleur now has integrated D-Fly connectivity, Shimanos term for the near-field network it uses to connect to a bike computer or its phone application. Beyond everything else, the comfort of this position makes R8100 a joy to use. To switch between modes requires a double press of the control button on the rear derailleur or you can change modes via a Garmin computer. In the multishift setting, you can set how many gears it will move through when you hold the buttons as well as how fast it will move. Those settings are then saved as a mode. There's plenty of power for strong braking performance even without moving to the drops for the best leverage on the brake levers. It gives the flexibility to move from race-focused gearing to gearing that focuses on range without making any major component change. The Shimano E-Tube phone application used to program the switches was recently upgraded to allow greater customization. 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27-30T. Offset between Di2 buttons on the lever has also been improved, allowing for better differentiation between the up-shift and down-shift button, especially with gloves or wet fingers.. Wireless ANT+ and Bluetooth capabilities are now baked into the system as a default. With SRAMs eTap already wireless, itll be interesting to see if Campagnolo now feels more pressure to ditch the wires on its EPS components. If youve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as 1.99. https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/man-24-charged-drink-dri Nearly time to start! Compared to Dura-Ace you trade money for weight with Ultegra coming in at 278 grams heavier along with a hefty price reduction. Here are the essential features of Shimano Ultegra R8100 in a handy cut-out-and-keep bullet point format: Shimano has also revealed its new top-level Dura-Ace groupset today and says that Ultegra shares much of the same tech. You can change to Synchronized Shift (a function that automatically selects the most efficient gear on the front derailleur in synchronisation with rear derailleur gear shifting) or Semi-Synchro shifting (which automatically moves one, two or three gears at the rear to accompany a front shift), and alter the Multi-Shift settings (which control the number of gears you shift at a time), shifting speed and STI shift button mapping. I haven't experienced a single crash since then. Shimano brake rotors have always looked amazing but they also offer outstanding performance, A separate bleed port and valve screw simplifies the bleeding process and its now much easier to bleed the system without removing the caliper from the frame, Ultegra Power Meter Crankset with Chainrings, Ultegra Di2 Shift/Rim Brake Lever Set (Left and Right), Ultegra Di2 Shift/Disc Brake Lever Set (Left and Right), Ultegra Hydraulic Disc Brake Set (Calipers and Levers) - Front, Ultegra Hydraulic Disc Brake Set (Calipers and Levers) - Rear, 12-speed gearing without any freehub change, Wireless front controls make for a more aero setup, Almost all the performance of Dura-Ace at a fraction of the cost, Simplified wiring and built-in wireless connection, Mobile app for customisation and maintenance, Visual indication of derailleur micro-adjustment in the app. There are also options for setting up multishift and synchronisation. The hoods house a 16-mm wide CR1632 coin-cell battery that Shimano says should last around one-and-a-half to two years, as its only use is to transmit the Di2 buttons binary action. Advertising, commercial: sales [at] road.cc A 50/34 in the front paired with the right cassette keeps my chainline where its most efficient and eliminates the need for a new freehub standard or exceptionally tight clearances between the chain and chainstay. The increased height is in part to give riders a more secure grip on the hoods over varied terrain, but they also had to be grown slightly due to the added wireless transmission technology. The equivalent Dura-Ace WH-R9270-C50-TL wheelset has a claimed weight of 1,461g. The power multiplication factor then increases rapidly at the pad-to-rim contact so more of the lever stroke is used to apply greater braking power with improved control.. On the cassette side, Hyperglide "keeps the chain engaged with both cogs when shifting up from one gear to the next." Tech, reviews: tech [at] road.cc This setup allows riders to modulate their braking more easily and precisely. I have always struggled to do the same thing with mechanical systems and often end up starting from scratch after hopelessly losing the adjustment. If you dont want to subscribe, please turn your ad blocker off. Not surprisingly, the C60 (WH-R8170-C60-TL) is said to be the most aerodynamically efficient wheel in the lineup, although Shimano doesnt offer any figures on this. Rides: Orbea Orca Aero, Cannondale Topstone Lefty, Cannondale CAAD9, Trek Checkpoint, Priority Continuum Onyx. Brake maintenance also improves with the addition of a separate bleed port and valve screw added to the calliper. I started with Campagnolo electronic then moved to SRAM electronic shifting. Hyperglide+ technology provides smoother, faster, shifting both up and down the cassette even under load. Spending more time on the tops, even when descending, isn't the traditionally taught best practice for riding but Shimano has made it work for those of us who do it. The app shows you exactly how far you've moved the derailleur and there's even a guided system for the front derailleur. You should be able to see the new group on complete bikes later this month. Riders can now put the hammer down and shift even faster, with smoother cadence and better speed transition.. It's no surprise that Shimano Ultegra R8100 is well-thought-out and performs at the highest level. The app will detect the derailleur and the connection process will start. These new more compact satellite shifter options either attach to the drops via a 100mm cable (SW-RS801-S) or to the tops via a 260 mm Di2 cable (SW-RS801-T).. Shimano has updated its second-tier Ultegra groupset, making it 12-speed and available only with electronic shifting, and it includes a dual-sided power meter and full-carbon tubeless disc brake wheels for the first time. This groupset is only available in Di2, and does not have a mechanically actuated shifting counterpart. Check them out in this week's five cool things also featuring Specialized, Rapha, Altura and Tifosi, Transcontinental Race: Defending champion Fiona Kolbinger has purse and tracker stolen while sleeping, Near Miss of the Day 806: Shocking footage shows driver reversing at cyclist and running over dog, STI shifters (pair, for mechanical brakes), STI shifter with hydro disc brake calliper and hose (per unit), Second-tier groupset moves from 11-speed to 12-speed, Its available with Di2 (electronic shifting) only, Shifters communicate wirelessly with the rest of the system (disc brake version only), Shimano claims faster derailleurs than previously, Includes a power meter option for the first time, Features full-carbon tubeless disc brake wheels, Available for both disc brakes and rim brakes. Although the levers transmits sift signals wirelessly, the company says the new system manages to get a 58 per cent reduction in rear derailleur shifting time and a 45 per cent reduction in front derailleur shifting time, and thats compared with the pervious generation of Dura-Ace. For comparison, a Dura-Ace WH-R9270-C36-TL wheelset has a claimed weight of 1,350g. Shimano has switched Ultegra to its RT-MT800 rotors (initially designed for mountain biking) and says that clearance between the pads and rotors has been increased by 10% to reduce the chance of contact when youre not braking. In addition, a 10 per cent wider brake pad and rotor clearance and a switch towards Shimanos RT-MT900 rotors results in a quieter system. It can take 12-, 11- and even 10-speed cassettes. Shimano takes this advantage up another level. While both lineups get their own sets of wheels, the Dura-Ace freehub, however, is designed specifically for its new 12-speed cassettes. The CS-R8100 cassette keeps the 11-tooth smallest cog from previous generations while optimizing the sweet spot ( sixth, seventh and eighth cogs) gears in the middle of the cassette. Shimano has introduced a full-carbon tubeless disc brake wheel line-up at Ultegra level for the first time, saying that it has focused on drag reduction, rigidity and weight. Sending the message of precision and efficiency seems to be the idea and that's borne out in the rest of the design changes. The Ultegra cassette fits on current 11-speed-compatible freehubs. Using the buttons on the top of the hoods to switch screens on a bike computer feels like magic and there are no pressure points. I spent time with it using a Google Pixel 4a smartphone and the latest version of Android. The rear wheels have Shimanos 2:1 Optbal spoke lacing design, which reduces the number of spokes on the non-drive side by half. Thats just 40g heavier than the Dura-Ace WH-R9270-C60-TL wheelset. He will happily talk for hours about the minutia of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. Training with watts has become more and more common among riders, so Shimano wanted to make sure that its second-tier group also had a power meter. At the time it was mechanical only but it was the first. Help us to make it better. I would never have said I needed faster shifting but once you experience fast shifting that's smooth, it's an impressive experience. Shimanos new Di2 shifting is semi-wireless; the front and rear derailleurs are connected by wires to an internal battery but the shifters have their own batteries and communicate wirelessly with the rest of the system. Now it's time for Shimano to take its turn in the 2x12 spotlight with Dura-Ace R9200 and Ultegra R8100. Shimano reckons theyll last 1.5 to two years with typical use. The efficiency story is central to making all this work. Inspired by Shimanos GRX groupset, the new Ultegra cockpits hood height and position are designed to feel more natural than the previous Ultegra Di2 generation. As far as the gearing, the idea of limiting front chainring shifts is an admirable one. Banging from gear to gear means synchro shifting from the Italians is off the table for me. Riders can set different shift speeds, different button assignments, program automatic shifting modes like Synchro and Semi-Synchro shifts, fine-tune shifting and connect to third-party bike computers. A range of tubeless wheelsets (Ultegras first full-carbon wheels) are also being released along with the updated groupset. Outside of the micro-adjustment and firmware updating, there are also customisation options in the app. In this case, that means there's efficiency beyond performance. Shimano says the battery should last about 1,000 km per charge. In line with more modern road tires, the Ultegra wheels feature wider 21-mm internal rim widths. The rear derailleur is also the control point for changing Di2 operations and Synchronized Shifting (see below) modes, replacing the previous handlebar or in-frame Junction-A (SM-RS910) button. After registering the system, the start of connecting is a button press on the back of the rear derailleur. The sprocket sizes on the 11-34 cassette are: All three buttons are customisable. Its nearly perfect although the small gear change levers continue to be a challenge even after the update. Making the choice for Shimano Ultegra means more space between the frame and the chain. With an electronic system, you always know which way you are moving the derailleur and it's always a set amount. The Ultegra R8100 groupset uses the same 12-speed chain as Shimanos XT M8100 mountain bike series. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Spending time with Shimano Ultegra R8100 I've found it to be the Goldilocks of the two systems. There's 12 gears available but Hyperglide+ ensures smooth shifting, even under load, both up and down the cassette, The chain is now shared across the MTB side for easier manufacturing and sourcing, The app controls all the pieces of the groupset allowing for checking battery levels and customizing the buttons, There are settings for how multishift works and what happens with synchronised shifting. This is quite different from before with a series of single-tooth steps across the smaller sprockets. The shifter buttons are powered by coin-style CR1632 batteries. Overall, the two biggest things I've noticed during my time riding Shimano Ultegra R8100 are the brakes and the hoods. The pad-to-rotor clearance has been increased by 10 per cent to reduce noise when braking. The interface button, and charge port, sits on the rear derailleur and the front controls use their own coin cell batteries with a life expectancy of two years. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription, after your trial you will be billed 4.99 $7.99 5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Each control lever has three buttons, two that traditionally control the up- and down-shifts plus there's a third on top of the hood, beneath the rubber cover. Height: 5'9" Anything's a sex toy if you're pervy or brave enough, Editorial, general: info [at] road.cc It's more efficient and provides better movement when paired with small mountain bike levers. Once things were working smoothly, I was able to get to the reason I opened the app in the first place. Shimano says these wheels are also good for larger riders, who wouldnt be as affected by windy conditions paired with deep rims. You must TAKE THE SHOT! The technology in play here is Hyperglide+ and it's, again, pulled from the off-road section of the Shimano catalogue. The switches have been slightly redesigned to be longer, which makes them easier to reach while riding in the drops. While SRAM uses a separate battery on each component, Shimano claims that it wanted to stick with a larger battery capable of providing more consistent power. The C36 wheels are the shallowest and lightest, designed for climbing. Or sign up for one year for just 49 $79 59, Try your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. The Di2 EW-SD300 wiring and batteries are new too. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, While subtle, there are definite design differences in the crank, The rear derailleur can handle up to a 34 tooth cassette and is now the central control point for the system, This button on the rear derailleur serves to start the pairing or change the shifting modes, The charge port uses a proprietary USB cable and connects to the system via the rear derailleur. 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When you pull a Servo Wave brake lever, initial pad travel is fast, so little lever movement is needed to bring the pads into contact with the rotor. Aftermarket availability should start in October. Just like older generations, the new Ultegra Di2 has three switches: one on top of the hoods and two lever switches. When it comes to synchro shifting, full synchro means that you only have to worry about shifting up and down the rear cassette, and the system takes care of deciding when that means moving the front derailleur. Claimed shift response times are now 58 per cent faster at the rear and 45 per cent faster at the front. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions. At the end of last summer, the announcement was official that the next generation of shifting from Shimano would be 2x12 and electronic only. You decide if it's semi or full synchro shifting and how many gears the rear changes in response to the front. Given Shimano's place in the history of cycling, they were both almost a shoo-in for our roundup of the best road bike groupsets available. The Ultegra R8100 groupset is here, so lets look at the juicy details of the new components. When it's time to brake, it feels natural to wrap one or two fingers around the upper part of the brake lever while keeping my lower fingers wrapped around the bars. From there the whole experience changed. All three models use 1:1 standard spoke lacing on the front wheel. The steel Ultegra freehub, on the other hand, is more inclusive. Rim brakes remain as an option in the Ultegra R8100 range,butthe dual control levers for use with rim brakes don't communicate wirelessly for gear changes. The latest Ultegra is compatible with 11-speed freehub bodies, so riders wont have to buy new wheels to use this groupset. ST-R8170 shifters are compatible with new minimised remote shifter buttons, says Shimano. Over and over the app crashed before fully connecting. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. The two pieces are different but from afar you might not even notice until you compare the two.