(intense intro music)
- Which is heavier, a mechanical or electronic group set?
- Yep, if you are in the market for a new group set,
which are you gonna choose, electronic or mechanical?
If you are looking then weight
is probably gonna be a consideration.
And so in this video,
we are gonna weigh all the component parts
of Shimano, Sram, Campagnolo group sets
in both the mechanical and electronic version,
to see what the differences are
and where those differences lie.
- The purpose of this video is well,
simply to serve as information to you
so that you can help best decide which you'd prefer
to have on your bike.
Now, group set weights are often found
and quite easily found online,
but they very rarely include all the little bits
like cables and batteries and outers,
and all the little gubbins that you actually need
to make the group set work.
I'm really interested to see
once all this stuff's included,
what the actual weights are.
- Yeah me too.
It is commonly accepted that the lightest
group set option out there is this;
Ceram Red Mechanical, and so, how much heavier
then is the wireless e-tap version,
and where are those differences?
And then likewise, what about Shimano
or indeed Campagnolo?
As you can see,
we have all the group set options in front of us
and we have had to beg, borrow and steal frankly,
in order to get a hold of them.
- Yeah, we managed to get hold of some brand new
Shimano Ultegra.
And the reason why we're including Ultegra
is because well it's more common than Dura-Ace,
and sales in greater numbers.
Also, the differences between mechanical and electronic,
are roughly the same.
- Yeah the stolen one you replaced here is just actually
off my bike;
it's the Sram Etap version,
which is very well used now.
It's two years old and looking slightly grubby.
Speaking of which, Jon has managed to get his
grubby little hands on two Campagnolo groupsets.
I believe Olly that he is now one kidney lighter,
as a result.
- That may be the case,
it's very expensive but
the interesting thing about the Campagnolo groupsets
is that the time of making this video,
the mechanical super record is now 12 speed,
but the EPS electronic version is still 11 speed
so it'd be really interesting to see
what the actual weight differences are between
the 12 and 11 speed sets.
- Yeah, I can't wait mate,
let's crank up
the scales of truth.
(upbeat music)
- We're gonna begin with Shimano Ultegra,
and some of the components on the Di2
are mechanical versions,
are well the same.
We're gonna combine those first
and all the weights are individually listed
in the description below,
so you can peruse those at your own leisure.
These are our weights that we've recorded
and not off the Shimano website.
- Yeah, now those components that are the same
are the chains et, the cassette, the brakes,
the brake cables and housing,
and also the chain;
the total weight of all of that is 1,706 grams.
Also, the bits that are different then,
beginning with the derailleurs.
The Shimano mechanical front and rear derailleurs combined,
weigh 297 grams;
whereas the Di2 ones are slightly heavier
coming in at 368 grams,
so that's 71 grams difference.
This can be attributed to
the electronics, the little servers inside
and the extra additional casing
to facilitate the electronic workings.
- However, interestingly the shifters,
the opposite is true
so the mechanical shifters weigh 415 grams for the pair.
Whereas the Di2 versions
are just 301 grams.
Oh yes, so and quite incredible weight saving
of 114 grams.
Effectively because there are fewer moving parts
in your Di2 shifters.
- This gives us a running total of
2418 grams for mechanical,
and 2375 grams for Di2.
So Di2 slightly lighter,
but we still have to add on
in the case of mechanical
or the gear shifting cables, outers,
and little ferrules and end stops
and bits like that.
In the case of Di2,
we need to add on the battery,
the Di2 wires, the junction box,
and all the other little bits as well.
- In the case of mechanical,
wait for it,
those little bits weigh 84 grams.
In the case of Di2 it's 128 grams
meaning that the total weight,
quick mass for mechanical is 2502 grams,
and for Di2 2503 grams,
one gram in it.
Can you believe it?
- I'm amazed at how close that is to be honest.
- I am too.
- I'm also equally amazed at your quick mental maths.
- Thanks man, people did call me mental from time to time.
I'm really interested to see there's
not much difference in it,
but one caveat we should point out,
is that we did use uncut cables
as they come in the box,
because it's gonna be different for each of you,
depending on your bike,
how much you cut the cables.
There is gonna be slightly different...
differences there for the weight
depending on how much you get the cable through,
it's not gonna be much.
- Also, those cables are not greased presumably
so you can maybe add on another gram of grease.
Was the battery charged?
'Cause that effect it as well, won't it?
(chill music)
Onto Sram then, as with Shimano,
many of the components are shared,
like your chain set and your cassette.
The combined weights of which are just 1475 grams,
before you start comparing it to Shimano,
let's bare in mind that we're comparing
apples and oranges here.
'Casue Sram Red is the absolute top of the range,
whereas Ultegra is one down,
but as before if you want to see the breakdown
of those group set weights,
check out the description.
If we take the derailleur and the Sram Red mechanical ones
are feather weight.
- They weigh just 221 grams a pair
and the eTap derailleurs are actually
quite a little bit heavier when they're combined,
182 grams heavier coming in at 403 grams a pair.
This extra weight, well you have to factor in that
unlike Shimano, has to include the batteries
which are included within the derailleurs body as well.
There you go - Yep
As with Shimano though, the shifters are similar
so the eTap versions are lighter,
261 grams as opposed to 302 grams
for the mechanical version.
We have to add on the weight of the gear cable
and the ferules and all the other bits as well.
We've weighed this to be 78 grams for Sram Red,
but we don't have to add anything on for eTap
because it's wireless.
- Yeah, which means Olly,
that the totals are,
for the mechanical version 2076 grams,
and for eTap 2139 grams,
just 63 grams heavier for the eTap version,
which is mighty impressive, isn't it?
- Only a very slight penalty
and once again, your mental math is
amazing. - Thanks mate
You don't know if I was gonna be
checking it in the comment section.
Well actually Thomas made a significant error
with his mental math.
Why didn't he just use a calculator
and take a bit more time over it?
Could have written my workings down Olly.
(chill music)
- Let's have a look at Campagnolo now,
and as mentioned we have the incredibly bling
super record group set,
the top of the tree.
We have 11 speed EPS and 12 speed mechanical.
Now Jon Cannings has spotted
a 12 speed EPS version,
out on his travels in the wild,
but at the time of making the video,
this isn't commercially available yet
so that's why we got the 11 speed EPS.
- That's right, now rather frustratingly,
that extra sprocket on the cassette,
means that all the components on these two group sets
are different, with the exception of the brakes
and the brake cables.
Although actually, the brake cuffs are probably
different as well if we look at them closely.
Anyway, never less, as we've done with Sram and Shimano,
and we've weighed all the components together that are not
the derailleurs and the shifters.
In this case when you add them all up,
the mechanical version is 1593 grams.
However, the electronic version is 1543 grams
so in this case,
for the first of all of our group sets,
it's actually a difference.
- Yeah but it's quite hard to compare them seeing as
one's got an extra sprocket.
- Yeah it's apples and oranges
but you know, still. - Expensive apples
- Yeah, premium apples.
Anyway, as is consistent with Shimano and Sram,
the shifters are lighter in the electronic version,
with fewer moving parts in the mechanical version.
279 grams a pair for the EPS shifters
versus 342 a pair for the mechanical shifters.
- Yeah and we're seeing a similar pattern
with the derailleurs aren't we?
So the mechanical versions are 268 grams for front and rear.
Whereas the electronic derailleurs are 328 grams,
and when we add it all up we get a total group set weight
for 12 speed mechanical of 2201 grams.
For 11 speed EPS electronic we get 2150 grams,
so in this case it is lighter but
we need your gubbins Olly.
Where are your gubbins?
- Right, well with all the gubbins
added on, 12 speed steals it.
- Does it? - Slightly
- Mechanical si still lighter?
- Yeah, 2299 grams versus for the EPS 11 speed 2307 grams.
Eyes closed isn't it?
Very little in it. - It is close, yeah.
- But interestingly, something worth pointing out,
is included in the weight of the gubbins,
for the electronic version
is the battery.
The cigar shaped battery for Campagnolo EPS
is about almost twice the size of the Shimano one.
- It's a big cigar in keeping with its premium price tag.
I think it's best to say of it.
Yeah, if you're lucky to smoke one of those.
Now, as before all the individual weights of the components
are gonna be in the description beneath this video.
I've gotta say, I'm surprised at how small the differences
are between these group sets, in terms of weight.
(chill music)
- In conclusion, I guess the results show
there isn't really a weight penalty
for electronic group sets.
Once all the bits are weighed up which,
well it's reassuring
and well a little bit surprising for me.
- It is, I'm gonna throw in a curve ball.
- Go on then.
- So all of these group sets that we've weighed
have been for the rim brake version;
when you look consciously at the disc brake version,
obviously all of the components are the same in those cases,
except for the brake lever shifter combo.
In case of Shimano Ultegra Di2 hydraulic
lever shifter combo is 360 grams.
Whereas the mechanical version is 554 grams,
meaning that there is a quite significant weight
segments we have for running Di2 with hydraulic disc brakes,
196 grams in fact.
Which is not to be sniffed at. - No
- No, it just costs a little bit more.
- I mean that is the big difference,
electronic group sets are still significantly more expensive
across the board than their mechanical counter parts.
So I guess what it shows is that,
what you're really paying for with an electronic group set
isn't so much the weight,
it's the improved shifting performance.
- Yeah, and in the case of electronic with hydraulic
disc brakes, you're paying for a reduction in weight too,
and vastly improved lever ergonomics as well.
Which is a price worth paying if you can afford it,
I guess that comes down to it.
Everyone is gonna have their own individual circumstances
as to what you're gonna be able to afford.
- Yeah, whether or not you think it's worth it,
well it's not for us to say,
it's down to you.
If you want to see a blind test of Shimano Dura Ace
versus 105, well we did one and you can click down here.
- Yeah, great results for the project Conscience Rider.
Now before we leave, let's just have a quick caveat
to say that we are in many cases here comparing
different group sets.
So Ultegra is not directly comparable with Sram Red
as we've mentioned and in case of Campagnolo
we're having to compare two different generations
of what is effectively the same group set,
one being 12 speed and one being 11 speed.
- We hope you found it useful
and if you have,
you know Jon,
give it a thumbs up, subscribe,
all the rest.
We'll see you later.