Dura Ace (9 versus 10 speed)



ddallam

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Oct 4, 2003
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Other than an extra cog, what's the real difference (to the user) between the 9 vs. 10 speed grouppo technologies? I'm going to build up a Dura Ace bike and wonder if it's worth the money to go to 10. Can someone who's ridden both enough to know the subtleties please help me. Thanks.
 
ddallam said:
Other than an extra cog, what's the real difference (to the user) between the 9 vs. 10 speed grouppo technologies? I'm going to build up a Dura Ace bike and wonder if it's worth the money to go to 10. Can someone who's ridden both enough to know the subtleties please help me. Thanks.

Besides the bling factor and poseur points, its lighter in weight and more expensive.
 
ddallam said:
Other than an extra cog, what's the real difference (to the user) between the 9 vs. 10 speed grouppo technologies? I'm going to build up a Dura Ace bike and wonder if it's worth the money to go to 10. Can someone who's ridden both enough to know the subtleties please help me. Thanks.

The other noticible difference is the external BB bearings suppossedly to make the BB spindle stiffer. Ridden both, like them both but can't tell the difference. 10 speed shifters are a bit more upright.
 
ddallam said:
Other than an extra cog, what's the real difference (to the user) between the 9 vs. 10 speed grouppo technologies? I'm going to build up a Dura Ace bike and wonder if it's worth the money to go to 10. Can someone who's ridden both enough to know the subtleties please help me. Thanks.


you´ll also find it a bit more sensitive to " dial in " plus general wear and tear will bit a bit greater - though a lot of that depends on maitainance ( or lack of it ) and riding style , like cars some people clap them out and others don´t .
 
el Inglés said:
you´ll also find it a bit more sensitive to " dial in " plus general wear and tear will bit a bit greater - though a lot of that depends on maitainance ( or lack of it ) and riding style , like cars some people clap them out and others don´t .

DA9 bottom bracket is a little more likely to get sludge in there since it's not a sealed cart but you can use Ultegra - all 10speed groups have external bearings so it's not an issue. There were some reported problems with Octalink that are only worth mentioning if you descend with your right foot in front (goofy footed). New DA hubs are a little better but most folks don't count those as part of the gruppo and get some other kind of wheels instead.

10 speed shifts a little faster on the front, 9-speed is fast enough for me. 9-speed can use MTB cassettes and derailleurs if you ever do something like the Death Ride you might want a 32 in back. But 9-speed is pretty much going to be an orphan... you'll be able to get parts if something breaks but you may have to special order them and they'll never go on sale.

I'm very happy with DA9 but if I were building up a bike today I'd get 10speed Ultegra over DA9 if I couldn't afford DA10. You could always just get the DA crank - that's where all the bling is, everything else looks pretty much the same.
 
I ride Chorus 10, my riding partner has Ultegra 9. Aside from the difference in shifters, and the obvious superiority of the Campy shifter ;-), there isn't much difference.

I don't find the one extra gear to be of any real advantage. Even on my Chorus bike, I'm using a converted Ultegra cassette (so I can use Shimano splined wheels on a Campy bike) that is the very excellent 12-27 gear range.
 
ddallam said:
Other than an extra cog, what's the real difference (to the user) between the 9 vs. 10 speed grouppo technologies? I'm going to build up a Dura Ace bike and wonder if it's worth the money to go to 10. Can someone who's ridden both enough to know the subtleties please help me. Thanks.

I used to have DA9 and it was great. I now have DA10 and it's awesome! The shifting is so smooth that after it was mounted on my bike I spent half an hour just shifting gears! :D
Brakes are also amazing, but I can only compare to the 7410 (which where almost identical to the 7700, but maybe not exactly the same).

Something I would consider buying now, is that I'm not sure for how long shimano will support DA9. I saw in some shops that prices of 9 and 10 were the same. In that case I'll go for 10.
 
ddallam said:
Other than an extra cog, what's the real difference (to the user) between the 9 vs. 10 speed grouppo technologies? I'm going to build up a Dura Ace bike and wonder if it's worth the money to go to 10. Can someone who's ridden both enough to know the subtleties please help me. Thanks.
I'd go to Ultegra 10 speed over DA 9 speed any day. 10 speed shifts faster and smoother. I have a 12-23 combo and I enjoy very much my 18th cog (the 19-17 jump is big when on the 53 wheel).
 
Brakes are much better on the 7700. I don't know where the change is but the feel and performance are much better.
 

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