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Review Dura Ace 9000 brakes

onm

Sep 2, 2009
5
0
Alright

br_9000.jpg


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 :)
 
Yahoo auction is flooded with 7900 brakes right now. A great time to get a good deal on them!
 
What is the best you have seen them at? I can only find them at around 22000yen, which aint a bargain.
 
I keep hearing this "because of saibot" excuse... I guess it was my fault your going all out DA9000 now? :p

On your review though, I can only agree. I went from FSA energy brakes to the 9000 and the biggest change is the modulation. I was on Ultegra 6700 back in Sweden and for what I can remember, they felt a bit better than the FSA, but not quite up there with 9000.

I use iLink cables now with are pretty smooth, but the iLinks main advantage is weight. So If you use the 9000 with the new 9000 specific cables they are suppose to be even smoother. Nothing I have tried myself so have to go on other peoples opinions, but they seem to be the real deal.
 
Admittedly I haven't seen the sale price just that there were pages and pages of them. That much supply should drive the price down. It's not my fault it's an imperfect system and demand is too high.
I am going to keep one beady eye on it for the time being.
 
So, how are they at real riding speeds? say 70-100kph + ? Anything less than that and a stick or shoe on the tire is good enough IMO.
 
Well, I have taken them to around 72kmph, and they effectively allowed me to reduce my speed to 0kmph, hence I was able to get on the train back home on that particular day. So, yes, they work over 70kmph too.
 
Haha, it was on the flat, through the streets of Shoreditch as I tried to escape being chased by those in the know, after I released yet another underground club anthem. There are only so many autographs I can sign in a day!
 
72km on the flat - Sky are looking to replace CAV (top speed on the flat at Champs Elysée with lead out was about 73km/h)

Or failing that you might want to take up Keirin racing!
 
Well, I am only able to do it when being chased by fans. Since last night though, I have none left. I released what I thought would be a massive underground rave tune, which the DJs would all be paying top dollar for, to drop at the end of the night at Dreamscape and Helter Skelter. It flopped though, and I am back to square one. Damn it.
 
Such is the fickle world of dance music.....
...now back to reality (pun intended), where did you get a pair of those brakes for 24k?
 
Well, I am only able to do it when being chased by fans. Since last night though, I have none left. I released what I thought would be a massive underground rave tune, which the DJs would all be paying top dollar for, to drop at the end of the night at Dreamscape and Helter Skelter. It flopped though, and I am back to square one. Damn it.


"Back to the drawing baord Pinky"
 
I got the rest of the Dura Ace 9000 'rig' today (well, apart from the cassette which I am still waiting on). Will install it, and review once I get it working.
 
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