Di2 - Thoughts?

[oli collett]

I love Di2 on my main bike (Ultegra 6770) - I've had a couple of minor issues but in general maintenance is much easier and shifting incredibly easy. I wouldn't hesitate to get it on my next bike!

 

[londonbairn]

I had Di2 (Dura Ace 7970). Very early adopter of it when it was actually not badly priced. Was amazing, especially under load. However, was annoying as it was all external and looked untidy. Was stupidly easy to setup.

Have just ordered a summer commuter bike with Ultegra 6870 Di2 with internal battery (R872 Ribble). There's a guy I see on the commute who rides 6770 Di2 all weathers and loves it.

Electronic brakes are also interesting.

 

[Asprilla]

Electronic brakes are also interesting.

Wait, what?

Better make sure those batteries are charged.......

 

[londonbairn]

Actually just double checked that, a mate mentioned them but think I misinterpreted him! He was talking about the disk brakes with Di2 (which arent electronic!) (R785)

 

[Jonny ///M]

I like Di2 but have had the first proper failure of a part yesterday.

Rear mech stopped working for Steven Lawley on the tour of the reservoir. Messed about and checked the junction box but it was the rear mech after a lot of messing about.

It does get used in all weathers so fair play to it!

 

[touch]

I disagree, and really hope not.

It's like discs, they offer an alternative to those you need/want it, but road bikes will not become disc only in the future (or at least in the near future).

There's nothing wrong with mechanical shifting, so why 'electrify' it. To me, it always seems like a 'because we can' feature.

I expect most new bikes will be disc brake only in 3-4 years.
There's so many advantages to disc brakes that there will be a mass uptake as soon as they are legal for racing (2016).

 

[touch]

Your TT bike scenario is the only one I can see where Di2 really adds anything - having the shifters in two positions really matters there and Di2 is the only way to do that.

That's not limited to TT bikes. You can add as many shift buttons as you have hand positions to any bike.

Why not have some shift buttons which are easier to access when you're on the drops:

Spoiler

May as well add some more buttons for the tops too:

Spoiler

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

I think I may add some sprint shifters to mine in the not too distant future.

 

[Kimi]

For me it comes down to money.

Ive got Di2 Ultegra on my Canyon and Di2 Ultegra mechanical on my carbon bike. If i had the money i would have Di2 on all my bikes. Di2 really is a fantastic bit of kit. The best bit about it for me is the ease of use. To set it up and index your gears takes literally 5 seconds. After that every gear change is perfect. The speed of change is also really impressive.

 

[londonbairn]

It's certainly becoming affordable, you can get the R872 from Ribble with internal Ultegra 6870 Di2 for £1499 (mech version is £1,250 or so).

Have you reprogrammed your presets at all? Dura Ace 7970 (first gen Di2) didn't have that. Most impressive is when you are cycling away and you can shift from top to bottom effortlessly. It is akin to a dual clutch gearbox! (e.g. Stronic)

 

[booyaka]

It's certainly becoming affordable, you can get the R872 from Ribble with internal Ultegra 6870 Di2 for £1499 (mech version is £1,250 or so).

you got a link to that - can't see it anywhere.

 

[platypus]

Anyone with Di2 got thoughts on Satellite (Climbing) and Sprinting shifters?

 

[SoliD]

Anyone with Di2 got thoughts on Satellite (Climbing) and Sprinting shifters?

Don't forget you'll need to increase your junction boxes to 5 port with these, can't really see the use of them unless racing tbh. Number of times I'd use climbing would be minimal and the sprints are just a luxury and barely require any movement to shift when you're on the drops with normal levers anyway.

 

[platypus]

Aye I'm not sure about the sprint shifters, the satellites though I definitely want.

3 port is simply batter + front/rear derailleurs, right?

 

[SoliD]

Aye I'm not sure about the sprint shifters, the satellites though I definitely want.

3 port is simply batter + front/rear derailleurs, right?

Yes that is correct. I assume they must piggy back when doing their Paris Roubaix style stuff, as I've only ever seen 5 port.

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

If you want internal battery you have to go for a 5-port anyway so not an upgrade for a lot of people.

I'll be looking at sprint shifters shortly I think. Useful for changes in the drops, which sometimes needs to be done if out of the saddle sprinting up a climb or some such. Depending on hand position can be bit of a stretch to get to the normal upshift button.

 

[platypus]

If you want internal battery you have to go for a 5-port anyway so not an upgrade for a lot of people.

I'll be looking at sprint shifters shortly I think. Useful for changes in the drops, which sometimes needs to be done if out of the saddle sprinting up a climb or some such. Depending on hand position can be bit of a stretch to get to the normal upshift button.

Well the battery on the Canyon is internal by all accounts so would be a 5 port? Incidentally why does internal require 5 port?

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

Well the battery on the Canyon is internal by all accounts so would be a 5 port? Incidentally why does internal require 5 port?

Yeh should be. Requires a 5-port because thats how you charge the internal battery. USB lead from PC to a small box, that then plugs into the 5-port junction box.

 

[Jonny ///M]

You don't need a 5 port EW90 for an internal battery.

If you upgrade from external battery to internal then you need the 3 port EW90 box as that is were the charging port is located, it's seperate from the 3 ports for the actual components.

6870/9070 shifters have 3 ports on them, one for the wire connecting it to the EW90 box, bottom hole for the sprint shifter and the middle one for the climbing switch.

So the add on switches connect to the shifter and then there is a wire from the shifter to the junction box.

So the 3 port box is left shifter(+addition switches), right shifter(+addition switches) and the 3rd port is the wire that enters the frame and heads down to the internal 4 port junction box. This wire, battery, rear mech and front mech fills the 4 ports.

The only reason to get the 5 port EW90 is for the time train extensions as they add another wire each to the front of the bike which can't go into the shifter. It makes it easy for clip on aero bars with DI2 satelite as you just clip the bars on, plug them in and you're good to go. You may need to check all the firmware is all up to date the first time round but after that should be plug and play.

 

[SoliD]

You don't need a 5 port EW90 for an internal battery.

If you upgrade from external battery to internal then you need the 3 port EW90 box as that is were the charging port is located, it's seperate from the 3 ports for the actual components.

6870/9070 shifters have 3 ports on them, one for the wire connecting it to the EW90 box, bottom hole for the sprint shifter and the middle one for the climbing switch.

So the add on switches connect to the shifter and then there is a wire from the shifter to the junction box.

So the 3 port box is left shifter(+addition switches), right shifter(+addition switches) and the 3rd port is the wire that enters the frame and heads down to the internal 4 port junction box. This wire, battery, rear mech and front mech fills the 4 ports.

The only reason to get the 5 port EW90 is for the time train extensions as they add another wire each to the front of the bike which can't go into the shifter. It makes it easy for clip on aero bars with DI2 satelite as you just clip the bars on, plug them in and you're good to go. You may need to check all the firmware is all up to date the first time round but after that should be plug and play.

Thanks for the clarification Jonny!