2009 Dura-Ace

[cyclenut]

I'm sure this is not news to some of you .... but for the rest, enjoy.

 

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-1-8-16868-1,00.html?cm_mmc=BicyclingNL-_-2008_02_28-_-gear-_-shimano

 

When Gerolsteiner rider Fabian Wegmann rolled his Specialized Tarmac SL2 to the start of stage one at the 2008 Tour of California in Sausalito it was the only bike in the Tour to have a very production-looking Shimano Electronic Dura Ace drivetrain.

This near-final version has two significant changes from what we saw last year: First, the shifters and derailleurs are more similar in size and design to current Dura-Ace and second, both are now connected via a wire that carries the electronic signal. The original prototypes that Wegmann tested were wireless.

The front derailleur has automatic trim that adjusts to compensate for chainline in relation to the rear cogs. In the case of a fall on the driveside, the rear derailleur pops sideways towards the spokes out of harms way and remains there until you tap the rear shifter.

A claimed major benefit from E Dura-Ace is the fact that it senses a shift with very little pressure on the lever pad. One case where riders especially liked this was on near freezing days when their fingers were too cold to easily work standard shifters.

Watch this exclusive video with Shimano Europe's Florian Holczer to get a full rundown on the features and performance of the new E Dura Ace.

Watch video of other component groups like Shimano XT and SRAM Red in our Video Center.