Bit the bullet and got ultegra di2 12 speed. 52/36 and 11-34. Total was £1424. Was £1374 yesterday but I dithered.
Was spending far too much time umming and ahhhing about it and I am sick of messing with gears. Will probably have in all installed in a few weeks as I don't think I have a few things I need to replace/re-install my bb and I might need an adaptor for the battery in the seatpost. Outside of that it should be quite an easy install.
You'll still be messing with gears on di2 if building yourself, it's not magic and does it for you (maybe we'll get AI that does soon!) - worth noting it is a different way of indexing & setting limits. The fact you can get your mechanical working well you'll be fine with it.
On mechanical you set the limits first then the indexing, it's the reverse on di2 - put it into the 5th (from bottom) of the cassette and adjust on that gear, then move to extremities and move limits to stop it shifting too far - needs to be slacker than mechanical as di2 'over-shifts' then trims back. This can be awkward to do as the newer groupsets will stop you cross chaining from the big ring. Any problems following the Shimano guides (I found it hard to get my head around) then Bettershifting and even the Park Tools website (although it's old) have good guides, along with videos which really help. I found them better than the GCN one (maybe it was just Dan's hair which distracted me), but the newer GCN for 12 speed is a far better guide so would say start there.
Adjusting and indexing your gears is an important part of bike maintenance to help make shifting as smooth as possible. If you're using Shimano’s latest Dura...
www.youtube.com
Indexing, trimming, or fine-tuning Di2 rear derailleurs is done through micro-adjustment. Read how to set up your Di2 rear derailleur perfectly and ride without those grinding noises.
bettershifting.com
This page shows you how to install a 12-speed Di2 road rear derailleur and how to the B-screw, limits, and fine-tune the shifting using micro-adjust.
bettershifting.com
This article discusses installation and adjustment of the Di2 Shimano Electronic Intelligent System®.
www.parktool.com
In fact, does the training gains curve start coming down as you start wearing your body out? I know a 62 year old guy that's crazy fast. He's only been cycling for about 7 years. Is he benefitting having not been training hard for 40 years? What will happen to the likes of Evenapol, Van Art, Pogacer as they get into their mid 30's? By all accounts they train very differently to even Geraint T used to... Is it sustainable?
Yes, I always thought it was the fast twitch muscles which as you got older got more 'sluggish' and less fast along with the body needing longer to recover from deep efforts, also the lowering of max HR just means less 'fast' blood into the muscles when you're towards peak meaning they have slightly less energy. Always generally thought that's why many riders transition from less explosive power and more towards the long 'diesel engine' type efforts. Their muscles being efficient from all of the history of riding, but not able to go as deep to sprint or to peak as high at max effort. But I could be wrong
G has always been fairly traditional in the way he trains. He came right through the BC development programs from a young age and all that structure around development for track riding is ingrained in him. So his training is all volume based. Really not the periodised many of the newer and younger riders tend to use - as they're more science and data driven.
Yes - Shimano have changed their packaging to pure cardboard and generally more beige. Doesn't sound quite like what you got. Mine was in a plastic bag with a cable tie through the middle of the cassette... it did still have the plastic retainer that all the sprockets sit on too. Perhaps Shimano are supplying them OEM like this? Still, I wish websites would make it clear that's what I'm ordering.
Yeah I half think as mine was 'non-series' HG700 it might have been different anyway. But was happy with the price I got it for (£57) than what I could see the R7000 for. Guess that's what I 'pay' for wanting a non-normal 34t cassette! Keep telling myself it'll be all worth while... Just now no excuse for not getting up anything!
Yes... and my point was 'what if you're already taking it as seriously as you can'. As I said, if things remain the same, currently it's still gains, when does age take over and overall performance begins to degrade.
If I recall correctly you're a bit older than me (I'm 43 in 9 days time!). Although you've not been riding as long as me you're highly likely at the same point where you've noticed peaks and troughs in your form/performance/power/fitness alongside the seasons and usually illness/other commitments also impacting. Those could even be considered a separate 'thing' to the fairly pure and easily measured 'current FTP'. I highly expect my riding/performance to diminish more the closer I get to 50, but at this point I'm putting out (slightly) better numbers than my peaks in 2016/2017, but I'm also being so much more consistent with things (even with my fairly unorganised and non scientific or structured way of riding).
More than likely, they'll probably have a similar length career at the top but as they started earlier at that level they'll finish earlier, but part of that will be desire as they'll have achieved much more much sooner.
Good point, many of them so young now achieving so much. We'll see who still has the drive to win and still compete 10 years on. Riders like Froome coming quite late into riding, still feel like he has some of that drive left which gives him an edge. Even a rider like Sagan has that edge still - Cavendish being an absolute prime example. A character who feels almost like they have a chip on their shoulder, so defeats just drive and focus them harder to achieve. Roglic could be another prime example of that. Not sure many of the young guys quite have or show that - but equally isn't it an 'old' guy thing anyway!
ffs too tired to figure out how to link it but my strava is martin riggs, picture involves a madone having a pint in a pub garden
Incredible ride mate, well done! Found it for you - hope you've had a good sleep and the recovery is well underway!
(ooops meant to post this reply yesterday and ran out of time!)
