Dura-Ace C50 R9270 vs Ascent Zenith Elite Wheelset

Here is a comparison between two carbon road wheelsets with similar specifications. Both are 700C road wheelsets, with 50 mm rim height. The wheelset weight is is also similar as you will see below.

In this comparison, it is mainly about the physical characteristics of each of the wheelset. Let's check out the new Dura-Ace C50 R9270 wheelset, versus the previous Ascent Zenith Elite wheelset. For the detailed analysis of each wheelset, check out the individual posts via the links.

Dura-Ace C50 R9270 vs Ascent Zenith Elite wheelset! Different spoke lacing pattern as seen here.

Dura-Ace Cassette: 11 Speed R9100 vs 12 Speed R9200

On the latest Shimano road 12 speed drivetrain, the 11-30T cassette is still the most common cassette used. With a good gear range and also enough closely spaced gears, it is suitable for all-round road use if you pair it with a front double crankset.

From 11 speed to 12 speed, the 11-30T cassette has gained a sprocket, although the range is still the same. This means a tighter gear step in the middle of the cassette, which I will elaborate on later.

Let's check out some of the physical differences between the 11 speed and 12 speed 11-30T cassettes.

11 speed R9100 cassette on the left, vs the new 12 speed R9200 cassette on the right.

Dura-Ace Di2 Rear Derailleur: R9150 vs R9250

Time for a comparison between the new 12 speed Dura-Ace Di2 rear derailleur and the previous 11 speed Dura-Ace Di2 rear derailleur. On first glance, they look pretty much similar, but there are definitely some differences that are not obvious at first sight.

Left side is the new 12 speed rear derailleur, beside the 11 speed version on the right.

Focus Paralane: Phase 1 Assembly Completed

Phase 1 of the Focus Paralane 12 speed upgrade is finally completed! To be accurate, the upgrade was actually completed more than 6 months ago, but I only found the time to write about it now.

This is considered Phase 1 as the upgrade is not completed, as the new 12 speed Dura-Ace crankset is not yet available, so I am still using the older 11 speed Dura-Ace R9100 crankset. Since the pros are also using this older crankset with the new 12 speed groupset, I guess it works well enough not to be an issue.

Here are the pictures of the completed bike, with new 12 speed Dura-Ace components!

Dura-Ace R9270 hydraulic Di2 road shifters.

Focus Paralane: Dura-Ace 12 Speed Assembly Begins

With most of the new 12 speed components in place, I am now ready to upgrade the Focus Paralane from 11 speed to 12 speed! Check out the Focus Paralane - 12 Speed page for all the juicy details of the 12 speed components.

2x11 speed Focus Paralane, before disassembling it for the upgrade. Mudguards and accessories have been removed. Weighs 7.6 kg in this bare configuration with pedals.

Ended up stripping nearly everything off the frame, except for the stem and handlebar.

Cervelo Aspero: Bike Servicing after Dusty Gravel Ride

This dusty gravel ride was actually done last year in 2021, just that I didn't get around to writing about it until now. For those who do not know, the trail around Pandan Reservoir is made of light gravel, with small stones that are doable for most bikes.

Using a gravel bike is nice, but it is actually not necessary. Road bikes with wider tires (> 28 mm) are fine as well as I have tested with my Focus Paralane. That said, it is a good place to test out gravel bikes with some fast riding, as it is an unbroken stretch of gravel that you can ride round and round.

Approximate distance for one round is about 6 km, which is easily done on a bike but takes some effort if you are jogging.

One quirk of this gravel trail is the dusty conditions. When the trail is dry, it actually generates quite a bit of dust as you ride over it. The result is a bike that is entirely coated in a fine layer of dust, as you will see below.

Cervelo Aspero gravel bike with Giant TCR Advanced Disc 2 road bike.

Tungsten All Weather Wax Lube and Chain Preparation

I have been reading a lot on bicycle chain lubrication, and it is quite fascinating to learn how the different chain lubes have such big effects on the chain efficiency and durability.

For my "dry" weather bikes, such as the Cervelo Aspero gravel bike and the other folding bikes, I have been using the Prolink chain lube since a long time ago. Not sure why I chose it, but it has worked well so far.

As for the wet weather bikes, such as the chain drive version of the Fabike C3 and the most recent Focus Paralane, I have been using the KMC EPT chain, which is extremely rust resistant. For that chain, I used Finish Line wet lube, which is water resistant and does not get washed away by rain. However, the wet lube does pick up quite a bit of dirt that makes the chain dirty easily.

From Zero Friction Cycling, I came across this new type of drip on wax lube, which is almost as efficient as the full molten wax dip, and yet is easier to apply as it is a drip on type.

Which is why I decided to get this Tungsten All Weather Wax Lube to test it out for myself and see if it is really as good as it says.

Here it is! Let's give it a try and see how it goes.

Focus Paralane: Dura-Ace Wheelset Sub-Assembly

Time to set up the wheelset! I will be transferring the Continental GP5000 tires and the XTR RT-MT900 brake rotors over from the existing Ascent Zenith Elite wheelset. This new wheelset will then be reinstalled onto the Focus Paralane for a 12 speed setup.

GP5000 tires installed! No issues faced during installation, looking good so far.

Focus Paralane: Dura-Ace C50 Wheelset R9270

For the upgrade to the Dura-Ace 12 speed system on the Focus Paralane, the next component to arrive is the C50 wheelset.

Technically I could use the new 12 speed cassette on the existing Ascent Zenith Elite wheelset that I have, because the new 12 speed cassette is also compatible to the conventional freehub body. However, I decided to wait for the new wheelset and change it all at one go, so that I don't have to reinstall the cassette and brake rotors again.

The latest Dura-Ace wheelsets are available in C36, C50 and C60 versions, with the numbers indicating the rim profile. The C50 is the middle ground for all-round usage, while the C36 is better for climbing and the C60 is better for high speed.

Let me show you the details of this brand new C50 wheelset!

Here is the new wheelset! Not sure why I took a picture with the edges cut off...

Set of front and rear C50 wheels. 24 spokes on the front and rear wheels.

Focus Paralane: 12 Speed Di2 Battery, Wires and Charger

Other than introducing the new 12 speed components for the Focus Paralane, there are other parts that are essential for the whole system to work. 

Being a semi-wireless electronic shifting system, there are still Di2 wires running inside the frame. The shifters themselves are wireless, but the rear derailleur and front derailleur are connected to and powered by the central battery inside the frame.

Basically, the battery will power the rear derailleur and front derailleur via two Di2 wires. The rear derailleur communicates wirelessly with the shifters. Front derailleur is activated indirectly, via the rear derailleur to battery to front derailleur. Di2 wiring layout is shown at the end of the post.

From left to right: Charging cable, Di2 battery, and two Di2 wires.