Shimano Ultegra Fd-R8000

The trickle down of Dura-Ace 9100 technology to Ultegra R8000 11-speed drivetrains continues with the FD-R8000 front derailleur. Shimano redesigned it to have a lighter shift action, increased frame and tire clearance, and to work better with chain lines seen on road bikes with disc brakes and shorter chainstays. Everything we love about the Dura-Ace mechanical front derailleur has carried over to the new Ultegra version. The derailleurs longer arms, which house the cable anchor bolt and debuted on the Ultegra 6800 and Dura Ace 9000 front derailleurs, allow for a lighter shift as the anchor point gives the cable increased leverage. Word is this design was born when Shimano challenged its engineers to make a mechanical version of Ultegra and Dura-Ace that performed well enough and was still able to hold its own against its electronic siblings, particularly the front derailleurs. The design worked well, but the industry trend towards wider tires and disc brakes pushed the rear end spacin