Shimano Ultegra R8000 Medium Box Rear Derailleur

Product Information

Since I started testing the new groupset, many have also asked me whether it is as good as Dura-Ace 9000 and I’d have to say, yes, pretty much. Ultegra R8000 is best seen as an overall refresh of the venerable Ultegra 6800 groupset rather than a drastically new design — lots of small refinements make the groupset an absolute joy to use with braking and shifting that is largely indistinguishable in performance from Dura-Ace 9100. The hood shape is very similar to 6800, but the rubber cover has had a pattern added for extra grip, like Dura-Ace, not that I really noticed a difference. The materials which this derailleur is made from are lightweight and durable. Light metals are used which makes the derailleur very strong. These metals are optimally constructed and finished so that you don't take a gram to many up the mountain with you. The company unveiled the new RX derailleur with its 2019 line of products last month and we were the first to bring you official details on the derailleur as well as the new 105 groupset. We take a look at the new clutch-based derailleur, consider its future in cyclocross and offer our impressions after riding with it over 100 miles of Minnesota gravel. The New Clutch-Based Shimano RX Rear Derailleur

Shimano also had its pro team liaisons at the Almanzo event. They were somewhat mum on the Ultegra RX’s future in professional road and cyclocross racing. Word about the Ultegra RX first came out when the Trek-Segafredo team test rode the clutch-based derailleur before the Tour of Flanders spring classic. The team did not race with the Ultegra RX in Flanders, but they did at Paris-Roubaix. As one of the reps pointed out, the impact of the new derailleur did not show in the results. Several members of the team rode the new Shadow RX derailleur at the 2017 Almanzo 100, but rain and temperatures that hovered around 40 degrees forced many of the team to skip the race or withdraw early. All told, only about 100 starters finished the event. Not exactly the best test conditions. Overall, shifting on the new derailleur feels improved rather than drastically different — the feel at the lever is slightly lighter and overall more satisfying, with an absolutely delightful metallic ‘cla-chunk’ as the chain climbs the cassette. Working with your 11-speed groupset and composed using a lightweight aluminium pulley cage that goes a good way to reducing weight without sacrificing your shifting power or performance, this rear derailleur boasts an incredibly broad gear ratio. Ranging from 11-28T and going as far as 11-34T you can rest assured that you have the ability to take on the impending climb and pursue it to its conclusion. Price Matches may only be honored on identical items. The product must be the same make and model (i.e., the same size, color, year, etc.).Given the popularity of other clutch-based derailleurs for cyclocross, it was a little surprising to hear how much Shimano’s development of the new Ultegra RX clutch-based derailleur was driven by gravel. Given Shimano’s conservative approach to chasing the latest and greatest, it is likely fair to conclude the Ultegra RX derailleur and gravel-inspired gearing are a sign of where the company thinks the future of road riding is headed.

When I press the cage gently with my finger to bring it forward, the noise disappears and the chain no longer seems to "vibrate" above the top pulley (you can watch the difference on the video, looking the chain just above the top pulley). On my other bike, I have an "old" Ultegra 6800 groupset which is perfectly silent. I have never had a noise problem with it in 3 years and the bike is set up the same way as the other two. I appreciated the wide range of the 11-32t cassette the long-cage GS derailleur supports, especially in the last 20 miles of the race. Our Allied Alfa All-Road test bikes had a compact 50/34t Dura-Ace crankset paired with an 11-32t rear cassette, which provided a very spinny 34/32 climbing gear ratio compared to the 36/28 of my personal cyclogravel bike. There are multiple cassette ratios to choose from for different terrains. For example, the cassettes ending at 25T are used more on the flat and slightly sloping roads. The 28T is used for hilly roads and the 30T, 32T and 34T for real mountain rides. The 14/28 is mainly used for cyclists who want the smallest possible transitions, for the ideal cadence. All this, of course, taking into consideration whether you ride compact, semi-compact or double. Since the beginning of 2018 I've ridden the new Ultegra on loads of bikes in a range of setups including mechanical and electronic gear systems, and both rim and hydraulic disc brakes, so this has turned into a bit of a longterm test review as I've really been able to put it through its paces.Shimano has just released its new R7000 105 groupset, which is pretty much the only groupset any of us will ever need. I'd say that Ultegra is just a tiny little bit more refined throughout, but whether it is worth the extra expense is for you to decide. Conclusion

Shadow Geometry shifts the majority of the derailleur mechanism below the cassette and chainstay, keeping it out of harm’s way, leaving only the main pivot proud of the frame. Accurate, dialled and metered shifting from a mechanical rear derailleur, the Shimano Ultegra R8000 11-Speed Rear Derailleur, GS provides neat, crisp and clear-cut shifting prowess to the rider looking for pinpoint accuracy in their rear derailleur. Shadow: Shadow design features a super low profile design and optimised slant angle for super light shifting action.Ultegra is lighter, too, with our scales weighing it at 2,303g compared with the 2,413g of the Campag.