C50 Wheelset Comparison: Dura-Ace R9270 vs Ultegra R8170

Having had the chance to have both the Dura-Ace C50 wheelset and the Ultegra C50 wheelset, it is now possible for me to do a comparison of these two wheelsets. From what I understand, there are many more similarities than differences between these wheelsets.

For areas that are not mentioned below, refer to the Dura-Ace C50 wheelset post for the details, as it means that it is the same for both Dura-Ace and Ultegra C50 wheelsets. For example, the carbon rims that are used are exactly the same, which is why they will have the same rim height and width.

Dura-Ace C50 wheelset, with 50 mm rim profile.

Giant TCR Advanced Disc 2: Ultegra Wheelset Upgrade

After introducing the Ultegra C50 wheelset in the earlier post, it will now be installed onto the Giant TCR Advanced Disc 2 road bike. This bike comes stock with an aluminium wheelset, so changing it to a carbon wheelset will be a big upgrade with lots of weight savings.

Other than changing the wheelset, new tires will also be used, since it will be very messy to transfer the tubeless stock tires (already with sealant) from the Giant wheelset to the Ultegra wheelset. The top tier Continental GP5000 tires are chosen, because they are one of the best. The normal tubed version is used instead of the tubeless version, since I still think it is easier to use inner tubes for road bikes rather than mess around with sealant. For off-road, sealant and tubeless tires are great, but not necessary for road bikes in my opinion.

Ultegra C50 wheelset with brand new Continental GP5000 tires!

Fresh wheelset and fresh tires!

Ultegra R8100 C50 Wheelset

When the Dura-Ace 12 speed groupset was launched, the Ultegra 12 speed groupset was also launched at the same time. This provided components at two different price points to suit different segments of the market. Dura-Ace for the pros and very serious enthusiasts, and Ultegra for the standard enthusiasts that don't want to spend so much for top performance.

Similarly for the new C50 wheelset, it is also available in Dura-Ace and Ultegra grades. I already have the Dura-Ace C50 wheelset and also the Dura-Ace C36 wheelset, installed on the Specialized Aethos and Focus Paralane respectively.

The Ultegra C50 is claimed to offer similar aerodynamic performance as the Dura-Ace C50, but with a lower price, at the expense of additional weight. This Ultegra C50 wheelset will be installed on the Giant TCR Advanced Disc 2 Pro Compact, as a good upgrade to the stock aluminium wheelset.

Ultegra C50 wheelset looks super plain, as the decals are grey in colour against the black rims.

I think the Ultegra logo is purposely made to be less obvious than the Dura-Ace, so as not to outshine it.

Focus Paralane: Ultegra 12 Speed Crankset R8100

The final piece of the Focus Paralane Ultegra drivetrain modification, the Ultegra crankset! I wanted to transfer the Dura-Ace components from the Focus Paralane over to the Specialized Aethos, which is why I needed to get new components.

I had already installed the Ultegra Di2 rear and front derailleurs for Shimano road 12 speed, and to complete the look, I also ordered the Ultegra 12 speed crankset, FC-R8100. This will replace the Dura-Ace FC-R9200 crankset that is currently on the Focus Paralane.

Ultegra 12 speed crankset, FC-R8100. I prefer the clean smooth design of this crankset over the edgy design of the Dura-Ace crankset.

Focus Paralane: Ultegra Di2 12 Speed Rear and Front Derailleurs

When I was building up the new Specialized Aethos lightweight road bike, I wanted to put Dura-Ace components onto the Aethos. However, it was too expensive to get another set of Dura-Ace components on the Aethos, when I already had one set on the Focus Paralane.

My solution is to move the Dura-Ace components from the Focus Paralane over to the new Specialized Aethos, then get a cheaper set of components for the Focus Paralane. Previously I splurged on Dura-Ace components for the Focus Paralane, because it was my only road bike which doubled up as an all-weather commuting bike. Also, Dura-Ace 12 speed was more readily available than Ultegra 12 speed at that time (early 2022).

Now that I have the Aethos as the pure road bike, I didn't feel the need to put the best components on the Focus Paralane. This was why I chose the 12 speed Ultegra Di2 components to replace the Dura-Ace Di2 components on the Focus Paralane.

I will be moving the Dura-Ace RD-R9250 rear derailleur and FD-R9250 front derailleur over, while I will not be transferring the Dura-Ace shifters and brakes as it is too troublesome to uninstall and reinstall them again on the Aethos. The hydraulic hose length might not be long enough which would require a hose change as well. I would rather do a fresh, hassle-free, Shimano J-Kit installation of new shifters and brake calipers on the Aethos.

Here are the new Ultegra Di2 rear derailleur and front derailleur!

Ultegra Di2 RD-R8150 12 speed rear derailleur

Shimano RX801 vs RX800 Gravel Shoes

If you didn't realize by now, I am a big big fan of the Shimano RX8 gravel shoes. Apart from the boring black colour, I probably have most of the other colours. They fit me so well, look so good and functions perfectly for my kind of rides.

RX8 in Silver Camo colour

RX8 in Cactus Berry colour

RX8 in Bronze colour

In 2022, a new generation of RX8 shoes was released. This new generation is numbered RX801, while the older first generation is RX800. In this new generation, there are some improvements made, while new colours have also been released.

One of the new colour scheme really caught my eye, and you can see it below!

New Shimano RX8 (or RX801) gravel shoes! The WIDE version seems to be the standard.

Shimano ET7 and EX7 Touring Shoes

Here is an introduction to some of the Shimano shoes that are less commonly seen or heard of. Most of the time, you hear of the latest top grade cycling shoes such as the RC9 road shoe or the RX8 gravel shoes. However, Shimano actually has a wide range of shoes that cater to nearly every cycling usage you can think of, from top level competition models to basic casual models.

For practicality and everyday usage, here are two models which I like. Check out the pictures and descriptions below to see what I think of them!

Here are two types of touring shoes, the EX7 and the ET7. Details below.