Product Description
Shimano’s Ultegra is often thought of as a budget racer’s group or one that was worthy to put on a top tier frame helping to bring the total price down. This latest version performs so flawlessly that unless you are just dead-set on Dura-Ace, you should seriously consider the Ultegra 8000 group. Because it’s a serious drivetrain for serious cyclists. The Ultegra ST-R8000 STI Shifters have enough DNA from the new 9100 shifters–themselves perhaps the pinnacle of mechanical shifting–that you will have a hard time separating them as twins. An all new look, larger gear range, and smoother, more precise shifting are the hallmarks of the redesigned Ultegra group. We’ve always felt like the control levers on a road bike are akin to the central nervous system and must perform complex and precise tasks such as firing off shifts with proper indexing to provide just enough cable tension or slack to initiate a clean shift or pulling the right ratio of cable for controlled braking and rider feedback. This group is damn good at both. A group is only as good as the sum of its parts; however we’ve put enough miles on this new Ultegra group to realize that it is the best version we’ve ridden,. The improved ergonomics and super-light-shift and brake action make these Ultegra ST-R8000 STI shifters a perfect perch for Tuesday night worlds or a weekend double century. Shimano’s mastery of shift indexing allows it to create shifting action that is more positive yet feels lighter and requires less effort. The new 8000 group is backward-compatible with Ultegra 6800, but to reap the most benefits of the new control levers, we recommend pairing them with the new series derailleurs and brake calipers. Most of the 8000 control levers share material makeup with the 9100 group. A slight increase in weight and a few bearings substituted for bushings are the most notable exceptions. We would place some heavy bets that most riders wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the two in back-to-back …
Product Features
- Material: [hoods] dual-compound rubber, [lever body] CFRP
- Type: STI
- Crankset Compatibility: double
- Compatible Components: Shimano 11-speed road
- Claimed Weight: 440g
