Which Groupset?

How much difference do shifters actually make? I mean is the mech more important than the shifter?

No. The shifter is a contact point so more important.

Shifter, with springs and rachets in good order

Limited experience of this, but I've used a Force front mech with both an Apex and a Force shifter, and the shift was significantly better with the Force shifter.

The magic is all in the shifters. A DA shifter with a tiagra mech, will be miles better than a DA mech with Tiagra shifters.

I'm interested to see how Ultegra matches up to Dura Ace when my new bike is built- the Ultegra has multi-shift, which you can program to do a max of three, five, or the entire block if you keep you finger on the button.

Is there any discernible difference between pre and post SRAM red 2012 shifters other than aesthestics? £278 seems to be a pretty decent price.

What I assume to be pre-2012
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/sram/red-shift-levers-ec028804

2012
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/sram/red-2012-doubletap-ergodynamic-shifters-ec035119

Are you sure?

Check again, it's £400, not £278.

ah, misread, left/right lever only. Darn!

2013 changes are mainly focussed on the front shift- no longer has a trim function and is designed to work with the "Yaw" front mech, which points it's tail at the block rather than moving right-left in parallel with the chainrings.

If you don't have the yaw front mech then you'll probably want the ability to trim the front, so 2012 would be sensible.

The other thing to bear in mind is that SRAM insist on the whole group being used as a system, so shifters/mech/crankset with specific rings.

You can of course use some but not all of these parts, but it would seem sensible to pair the 2013 shifter with the 2013 mech.

Not sure if April fool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6QJkKQXCx4

There's some guys on WW already using home brew Sram 11 speed as it appears relatively easy to modify the shifter to get an extra 'click' .. but my gut says April Fool ..

Are the first and second sprockets swapped?

@Smallfurry ..

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=110303&start=60

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=109794&start=225

Just thought the second sprocket looked bigger than the first on the vid above.

Clever stuff though.

Now you mention it .. yes it does look like that .. I wasn't looking that close!

They way my stumpy sausages cope with double tap. A reversed cassette might not be a bad thing.

Lots of pics of the new Ultegra on teh webs today. Very Dura-Acey.

http://m.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/shimano-ultegra-6800-mechanical-groupset-first-look-36392/#next

http://road.cc/content/news/82237-shimano-unveil-ultegra-6800-groupset-11-speeds-and-lots-dura-ace-trickle-down

5600 off the commuter to Ebay, 6700 onto commuter, 6800 onto Sunday bike. Simples.

I have a question. I want to replace the Sora shifters on my road bike with (probably) 105. It's 2 x 8. Most of the ones I'm looking at on eBay seem to be 2 x 9. Will it matter?

New chain and cassette, then you're sorted.

Cool, thanks for that. Do I need a new rear mech? It's a bog standard Tiagra that came with the bike.

Nah, Tiagra are 9 speed as well.

Has anyone seen whether current Ultegra Di2 will be software upgradeable to 11 speed, or will a new rear mech be required?

read this > http://www.roadbikeaction.com/Most-Popular-Stories/content/67/6510/First-Ride-Shimano-Dura-Ace-Di2-9070.html < suggests 'some' compatibility, but among several incompatibilities a new crankset required..? $$$

also, great to see they got a picture of scoble leading the pack