onm
■
- Sep 2, 2009
- 5
- 0
Alright
I got the new Dura Ace 9000 brakes a few weeks back, after getting Jedi Mind Tricked into it by saibot. It seems this is a popular upgrade at the moment as unlike the drivetrain parts of the 9000 range, these don't require the full set to work; you can install these with DA7900, Ultegra and 105 brake levers and they will work the same as DA9000, due to the pull ratios being matched. I have seen a lot of people running these with 7900/Ultegra setups and all have said they work fine.
So, the review...
Price; Managed to pay around 24,000yen for the set, which is way cheaper than pretty much anywhere I have so far, on and offline. They usually come in at around 30,000yen for the pair, and are now sold individually, rather than as a set. I did wonder why they might be selling these individually, and lol'd to myself at the thought of someone putting a rear one on a BMX. The price I got them for seemed about right.
Looks; Well, they look nice; the overall tone is shinier, and with more contrast than the 7900's. I still really love the look of the 7900's, and while the new 9000's are different, they still kind of go with the 7900 stuff, which is cool. They are slightly less bulky looking than the 7900's which again is not an advantage, just a difference. They go better with the black and white of my Evo, so all good there.
Weight; They are actually a little bit heavier than the 7900's. Heresy, indeed, but they are not massively heavier, so whatever.
Fitting/Mechanics; Fitting them was easy, as with all Shimano parts. They are not entirely the same as other Shimano road brakes though, as the left/right adjuster has been moved to the vertical side strut, and is now angled almost vertical. This is harder to access, especially when the cable is installed, but not impossible to work. I found the left/right adjustment a lot stiffer to move than other brakes, and whereas before I could just shove an allen key in and turn the adjuster, I had to manually squeeze the callipers together with my hand to release the tension of the left/right screw before I was able to effectively adjust it. Again, not a total nightmare, but a bit more tricky if you are used to the previous system.
Usage/Performance; Yeah, they are good. Very light touch, with great modulation. Bags of power, and confidence inspiring. Not a complete night and day experience when coming from 7900, but they are better. I suppose like a lot of upgrades at this level, you only really notice it when you try the previous model again...
So, very good brakes. Probably the best out there at the moment. Look good, work flawlessly, are powerful, smooth, light, etc.
Recommended if you want the best and enjoy throwing silly money down on something which you most likely have a perfectly working version of already
I got the new Dura Ace 9000 brakes a few weeks back, after getting Jedi Mind Tricked into it by saibot. It seems this is a popular upgrade at the moment as unlike the drivetrain parts of the 9000 range, these don't require the full set to work; you can install these with DA7900, Ultegra and 105 brake levers and they will work the same as DA9000, due to the pull ratios being matched. I have seen a lot of people running these with 7900/Ultegra setups and all have said they work fine.
So, the review...
Price; Managed to pay around 24,000yen for the set, which is way cheaper than pretty much anywhere I have so far, on and offline. They usually come in at around 30,000yen for the pair, and are now sold individually, rather than as a set. I did wonder why they might be selling these individually, and lol'd to myself at the thought of someone putting a rear one on a BMX. The price I got them for seemed about right.
Looks; Well, they look nice; the overall tone is shinier, and with more contrast than the 7900's. I still really love the look of the 7900's, and while the new 9000's are different, they still kind of go with the 7900 stuff, which is cool. They are slightly less bulky looking than the 7900's which again is not an advantage, just a difference. They go better with the black and white of my Evo, so all good there.
Weight; They are actually a little bit heavier than the 7900's. Heresy, indeed, but they are not massively heavier, so whatever.
Fitting/Mechanics; Fitting them was easy, as with all Shimano parts. They are not entirely the same as other Shimano road brakes though, as the left/right adjuster has been moved to the vertical side strut, and is now angled almost vertical. This is harder to access, especially when the cable is installed, but not impossible to work. I found the left/right adjustment a lot stiffer to move than other brakes, and whereas before I could just shove an allen key in and turn the adjuster, I had to manually squeeze the callipers together with my hand to release the tension of the left/right screw before I was able to effectively adjust it. Again, not a total nightmare, but a bit more tricky if you are used to the previous system.
Usage/Performance; Yeah, they are good. Very light touch, with great modulation. Bags of power, and confidence inspiring. Not a complete night and day experience when coming from 7900, but they are better. I suppose like a lot of upgrades at this level, you only really notice it when you try the previous model again...
So, very good brakes. Probably the best out there at the moment. Look good, work flawlessly, are powerful, smooth, light, etc.
Recommended if you want the best and enjoy throwing silly money down on something which you most likely have a perfectly working version of already