Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 group

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Shimano say their latest

Shimano’s head-to-toe overhaul of its premier Dura-Ace road group has

Ergonomics – flatter and

Shimano have moved the shifter internals back into the base of the lever to

The new lever feels more substantial, with a significant increase in

The concealed cables may yield a cleaner look but some riders will

The shape changes will undoubtedly polarise opinion but a few details

The adjustable reach feature is nice to have but doing so

Shifting performance – good

We had grand expectations for 7900 after countless hours on Shimano’s

Instead, 7900 can only downshift two gears per sweep instead of

In contrast, Dura-Ace 7800 requires a 20-degree throw for both upshifts

Despite the concealed housing’s additional bend, cable friction is only

However, front shifts are flat-out amazing and without doubt the best

Interestingly, Shimano have done the same thing that many riders criticised

Cable friction remains more of an issue for rear shifting over the long

Replacing derailleur cables is just as easy as before – though the

Braking performance – best

7900’s braking performance is definitely superior to 7800 with a

The pad contact point is positive, the power comes on in a highly

These new stoppers perform at their best when run fast and hard. We quickly found ourselves braking later and

Also worth mentioning are the slick low-profile barrel adjusters. They’re bigger and easier to use while on the

Drivetrain – whisper quiet,

Though the crank arms are dramatically different from a finish

The cassette also hasn’t changed much, gaining an extra titanium cog in

The new asymmetric chain is superb, though, running whisper-quiet –

As promised, shift performance has degraded little over our six-month

Compatibility

Shimano say the revised cable pull ratios on 7900 essentially make

Mixing brake components yields either a too-firm lever with reduced

The situation with the front derailleur is an entirely different beast,

Worthy of an upgrade?

Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 offers a variety of notable improvements over

However, Dura-Ace 7900 also carries with it a hefty price hike (about

If you’re considering a new bike that comes equipped with Dura-Ace

Prices and weights: