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I'm not convinced I could currently be persuaded to go electronic due purely to price (and minor faff with having to remember to charge the battery) however I've had minor niggles (dodgy shifting from a damaged cable or a cable outer that's frayed at the end for instance) and near total failure (cable ended up on two strands, not really shifting very well, before I noticed the damage) on mechanical, along with the commuter cables needing done about once a year. So I wouldn't discount electronic shifting on the basis of reliability. And it does sound like once it's set up, it just works, and offers more flexibility with additional shift buttons etc.
I guess if I was building a dream road race or TT bike, it'd have it on.
I could go for a cheaper-dish Dura Ace mechanical bike, feel an excellent upgrade at the hoods and save some cash.
Yeah, I'd be wondering what else I could spend that extra money on, extra posh saddle? Power meter at cranks?
I do actually think I'd quite like the extra shift buttons, and as an obsessive front mech trimmer it would be quite nice to have auto trim, but on the flip side I have all the tools and know-how to work on mechanical shifting, I wouldn't want to have to learn anything new!*
*see also: tubeless, discs... 😀
Are the D12ers just putting in massive miles? My two mechanical bikes share 10,000km between them on original cables and outers. Again, I don’t care what folks spend their money on, just surprised my experiences seem so out of step, makes me worry I’m not riding enough!
Yes I think so. The experiences I am listing is based off young racers (who love to crash), who do massive miles (~15,000km per year, per rider), some of which has been bought secondhand. If you limit di2 experience to just what I have experienced - I have had no issues.
Even things like crash protection (eg Sagan playing around with his mech - where it had probably gone into crash protection mode) is irrelevant to 98% of us. It is also easy to rectify (unplug/reboot). But I have seen it happen "just" going into the first corner of a crit where unnatural forces at put into the drivertrain.
Somebody else I know who does 2 x 30 miles x 4 days a week x 48 weeks a year swears by (campag) electronic shifting.
I'm starting to realise that my gravel bike would be better replaced with a proper road bike - for all the gravel riding I do, my HT would be better, and my Strava times will be better on something a bit more aero - so I'm also starting to look around. The Canyon Kryton mentioned, or possibly something like this Cannondale: https://www.cannondale.com/en/bikes/road/race/supersix-evo/supersix-evo-carbon-disc-ultegra-di2?sku=c11551m1044. So I'm having the same thoughts...
On this:
3) Effortless shifting – how much effort was your mechanical shifting?
...having just got back from a quick morning ride, it's really annoying how round about the 4/5/6th sprockets on my 105, it'll shift up the cassette instantly, but shifting down (ie to faster gears) they always hang a bit, and I have to overshoot by one then shift it back if that makes sense. There's nothing else wrong with the cables or derailleur, just I need to adjust the cable tension minutely I guess. *That's* the kind of irritation I'd love to do without
Di2 isn’t essential, but it’s definitely a nice to have. Even several months in I notice how nice the gears are - and when you try manual shifting in comparison there’s just something not quite as nice. As I mentioned above it’s the ease with which you go from small chainring to big chainring that’s still surprising me, plus no fiddling needed for the gears to just work perfectly all the time.
Actually I’ve realised I’m on a fairly low rent Sram chain with a 105 cassette, Ultegra mechs and a Cannondale Spidering crankset. I’ve got a new uktegra chain waiting to go on - I doubt it’ll make much difference but it might just make shifting that bit sweeter too. When this Ultegra chain ends it’s life and the cassette is at the same stage I’ll prob pickup an Ultegra cassette and chain to replace them.
…having just got back from a quick morning ride, it’s really annoying how round about the 4/5/6th sprockets on my 105, it’ll shift up the cassette instantly, but shifting down (ie to faster gears) they always hang a bit, and I have to overshoot by one then shift it back if that makes sense. There’s nothing else wrong with the cables or derailleur, just I need to adjust the cable tension minutely I guess.
Off topic, but if the cables are clean and nothing has play in it, check the B tension as well as the cable tension setup. It can make a big difference and a lot of people don't bother with it.
Off topic, but if the cables are clean and nothing has play in it, check the B tension as well as the cable tension setup. It can make a big difference and a lot of people don’t bother with it.
Thank you, will do! Would screwing it in or out help?
Loosen it (cable)
B screw depends on where it’s at now. Have a look at the online guides, generally its a case of putting it in the biggest sprocket and setting the separation to top jockey wheel to about 6mm.
Any comments on the 48/35 default ETAP crankset? Why have SRAM made that move, and does it matter...?
Cassette comes with 10 sprocket so big ring doesn't need to be so big.
I only have Di2, prefer over mechanical.
Mate prefers Di2 over Etap
Other mate loves Etap, never had Di2, but prefers mech Red on a perfectly set up bike.
Big thing for me on Di2 hydro is no cables, especially on an all year bike. On a summer fair weather lightweight bike then Red is awesome.
Etap very useful on non Di2 frames.
I guess if I was building a dream road race or TT bike, it’d have it on.
I would not go back to manual shifting on a TT bike. A few reasons: cables are often subject to some serious sharp curves out of the aerobars, front end tinkering with position is very common for TT, as is swapping extensions, when you are knackered a button push is simple! But there is no difference in shifting between the two brand (have both).
ETAP has the downside that the blip box is harder to hide out of the wind. Di2 has cables. Both of my bi/trikes have steel frames so the cables are external. Doesn’t really show to be honest.
I haven't tried ETAP, I was put off by the shape of the levers on the HRD versions.
I ran mech ultegra with RS685 shifters (none series, but kind of Ultegra level) and then switched to Hydro/Mech Dura-ace (9120), caved after around 6 months and installed 9170 dura ace levers with 9070 mechs (I was running 9000 crankset and wanted them to match). The DI2 shifters are so much nicer in the hand than the mechanical version, this is what drove me to switch, the ease of shifting was just a bonus. You can see the difference in size on this photo
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32673807927_a3c5b04686_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32673807927_a3c5b04686_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/RMgNKZ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/le_grande_momo/ ]Matt Cotterill[/url], on Flickr
I'm now on a 1X setup having sold my genesis zero frame to build a 3T Exploro. I have an XT DI2 rear mech paired to a wide range cassette (Hope 10-44) for gravel use and an Ultegra RX805 rear mech for road riding paired with an e13 9-34 cassette (dedicated chains for each setup). Without the plug and play capability of DI2 there's no way I'd be able to switch so easily.
I do keep thinking about a wholesale switch to SRAM so that I could run an Eagle AXS rear mech for ultimate range on the gravel and still be able to use the Force 10-36 for the road, but I do think the Shimano DI2 lever shape takes some beating.
Does anyone have a rough guide of what length wires are required for fitting Di2 on a CX bike running the bar end junction box Ew Rs910 and throwing a wireless EW Wu111 in there too.
Cheers