Shimano

Ultegra 6800 Cassette

Shimano knew that the Ultegra 6800 cassette would reside as the heart of the new 11-speed system, which is why it devoted considerable time on a feature known as 'rider-tuning.' What this means is that you receive an updated range of useable gearing options with the advent of the 11-speed design.

It also means that, even if you're running Dura-Ace, you can pop on an Ultegra cassette and no one will ever know. Except you. But once all the blood has abandoned your head for your legs, you won't care—and the fact that it's all steel instead of partially titanium means it'll last longer, too. There is the issue of weight gain compared to Dura-Ace, but since the cassette inhabits the center of the wheel, it plays no role in the inertial mass at the wheel's diameter, so it won't hamper spin-up.

Cassette options with Ultegra 6800 now range from 11-23t to its climber-friendly 11-32t. The additional cog in the back means the new cassette runs straight through for a bit longer, which generally means the addition of an 18T cog over the 10-speed. This smoother run of gearing is most noticeable while spinning in the top end of the block, allowing more consistency and control over your cadence compared to 10-speed cassettes.

Shimano Ultegra CS-6800 Cassette is slightly lighter than its 6700 brother, and it does a nice job of closing the gap on Dura-Ace 9000. The tallest cogs are riveted onto an aluminum carrier for weight savings, and they're gentler on aluminum cassette bodies. Shimano improved its manufacturing quality too; now they can make the ramps stronger because they can build to tighter tolerances. And the ramps themselves have been revised for faster shifting.