Are the new Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets a disappointment? Listen to the debate on episode 6 of the road.cc Podcast

As you might have already heard, this week Shimano has finally revealed its brand new 12-speed Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets to the world. While there's been plenty of positive reaction, we couldn't help but notice that a number of you were perhaps expecting something more radical... and it turns out some members of the road.cc team share that feeling. 

As our own Liam Cahill explains after trying out new Dura-Ace on the official product launch, the shifting appears to be flawless and if it's reliable quality you want, Shimano has delivered; however John Stevenson wasn't quite so impressed.

> 34 bikes equipped with new Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets

"My reason for being disappointed is that Shimano is that was a wildly innovative company for about three decades from the late 70s through to the early 2000s. There's nothing innovative here - 12 speed, Campagnolo and SRAM beat them to that. Semi-wireless, FSA beat them to that," John says. 

"There are lots and lots of little tweaks that I'm sure make it wonderful, don't get me wrong... but I just would have liked to have seen them do something a little bit more eye-opening than to stick another sprocket in the middle of the cassette." 

So do we love it, or have we been left feeling underwhelmed? Liam and John are joined by Mat Brett and Jack Sexty to discuss. 

Can a tailored hydration plan help you to avoid cramp on long rides? Is taking a ‘sweat test’ to work out exactly how much salt and fluid you need only worth it for the pros, or a useful investment for us Average Joes too?

In part 2, Jack talks to Andy Blow from Precision Hydration about how nailing your hydration strategy could be the key to riding your bike for longer, while avoiding leg cramps that can turn a pleasant ride into a painful nightmare. You can check out the Precision Hydration website and do a free online test here to work out your own hydration needs. 

Finally... why does John hate mini pumps? Our resident grumpy Yorkshireman explains why petit pumps perturb him, while Jack and Liam also chip in with some other cycling products that they don’t particularly get on with. What's your cycling pet peeve? 

> 7 of the best mini pumps

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