[Closed] Di2 upgrade

I've just done the very same thing, picked up from the lbs today. I went one hit, I priced up individually and there was nothing in it really. I got the shop to install which was a good move as there were a fair few niggles as to be expected really. Mine is a Focus Paralane 2017, gone for full Ultegra Di2 Hydro with a set of wheels from RyanBuildsWheels in Bristol. Spent today getting Bluetooth connected and shift patterns sorted. First ride out tomorrow in the gales.

Forgot to say, Shimano seem to do a bundle deal for dealers so see if that makes a difference. I went for the handlebar end junction unit and Bluetooth unit as that was in the bundle, it makes firmware updates much easier.

Cheers Neil, thanks for the info, I was going to buy and fit myself.Will give some of the local shops a call. Good luck with the weather tomorrow!

Apologies for pointing out the (as yet not stated) obvious, but you can't upgrade to Di2 "bit by bit"... You HAVE to do everything at the same time, as Di2 and mechanical components (cranks, brakes, cassette and chain aside) aren't in any way shape or form, compatible...

I think he meant buying individual bits rather than an upgrade kit.

I slowly gathered all the pieces from eBay/wiggle/etc and upgraded all my bikes (3) to Di2 during the lockdown. Prices for mechanical kit were nuts on eBay, but Di2 was quite cheap.

In the end, the only things I had to/chose to buy new from Wiggle were GRX rear derailleurs and batteries. My 1* setup was about £650 and my 2* setups were £760 and £800 respectively.

The bar end plug is a beat but expensive way of doing it as you also need a wireless unit and extra cables. So ~£200. A cheaper way of doing it is to use an SC-MT800 shifter display unit, which has the junction, charging port and Bluetooth built in for ~£60. It also makes it easier to adjust on the fly.

Be careful doing Bluetooth firmware updates. I’ve had two successes and one complete fail which almost bricked the system. I’m doing all my firmware updates via the cable from now on. I’ll fiddle with settings via the App, but firmware will be done via the laptop.

Was looking at AXS upgrade but it's working out a bit too rich for me so now looking into DI2 and buying complete groupset seems to be no more pricy that way. You can get some deals on part group sets so maybe some savings there if you can find them. Though not sure I'm saving that much over AXS in the end. Maybe the additional cost of AXS might be worth it especially if I pay the bike shop to instal and do't get all the issues with firmware upgrades.

I did't think you could upgrade the firmware on the wireless module vial cable can you? well according to the research I've done so far seems to be the case? You can for all other components, but the wireless module must be done wirelessly...unless things have changed. It seems any upgrade via wireless is highly likely to brick the entire system and only disconnection from the battery can reset the system which seems like a major flaw in the system and a ball ache.

Cheers Daffy, great info thanks, that's significantly cheaper than I've seen so far. Good point about the bluetooth upgrades, I'd seen a bit of noise on various forums about it being a bit crap.

@mboy Thanks for pointing out the obvious!

I did this last month and spent a bit of time hunting around for best prices. This is what i found at the time

I was doing an external Di2 install - I got a XT display from ebay in the end - was about £55, so quite a lot cheaper than the bar end version - but it is quite obtrusive on the bars  - not a problem for me as its on a gravel bike but something to consider if its more racey.

The expensive thing ended up being the cables - I got those from rose bikes too in the end - but struggled to find them for less than £15 each.

Decathlon is worth a look - they had batteries and chargers for a good price when I looke last
<table width="908">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;" width="134">junction box a</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;" width="707"> https://www.bike24.com/p2172970.html </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;" width="67">64.91</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">shifters</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-st-r785-di2-hydraulic-disc-brake-stis-br-r785-disc-brakes-post-mount-103562.html </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">229</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">front mech</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano-ultegra-di2-fd-r8050-front-derailleur-braze-on-2659016 </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">102</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">rear mech</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.evanscycles.com/shimano-ultegra-r8050-di2-11-speed-rear-derailleur-EV310889 </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">170</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">battery</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano-bt-dn110-battery-internal-882044 </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">90.67</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">junction box b</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"></td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">18.06</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">cables</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">need about 6</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">105.43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">cable sheaths</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano-di2-cable-cover-sheath-882578?product_shape=black&article_size=Standard </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">9.38</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">plug tool</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano-di2-plug-tool-tl-ew02-773241?product_shape=standard&article_size=Standard </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">2.63</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">di2 front mech clamp</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano-sm-ad91-di2-clamp-for-front-derailleur-885639?product_shape=black </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">battery charger</td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;"> https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/shimano-sm-bcr2-di2-charger-797590?product_shape=standard&article_size=Standard </td>
<td style="font-weight: 400;">64.99</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

I bought all my cables and junctions via eBay, saving between £5 and £10 per cable and 30-40% on the junctions.

Cables, junctions and batteries quickly add up to £300-£400. But on a 1* system using the MT800, you can actually get away with 2 long cables, a short cable and the display only which is £100 plus the battery. Using the RS910 and EW110 along with a 2* setup means 6-7cables (one of them a y-cable, but you can get around this) 2 junctions and the wireless module. Which is around £140-£180 for cables, £80 for the wireless module, £100 for the bar end, and £25 for the B-junction. So ~£380 + the battery. Not having a b-junctions also stops the problem of the bloody thing rattling around at the bottom of the frame.

Whilst I like the idea of AXS, I hate SRAM shifting and longevity and multiple batteries is just a pain.

I’ve recently upgraded from 105 to di2. I think it cost about £700 ish with me fitting it myself. I bought bit by bit - got some really cheap r785 shifters from CRC and then just bought bits as I saw them. Think I’ve got the newest Ultegra rear mech but the generation before front mech, the 3 port underbar junction a and I bought the Bluetooth unit. I haven’t tried the Bluetooth yet as when I plugged it all in it just worked perfectly.

Make sure you overestimate the length of wire you need for the rear mech as I had to buy a second longer cable as it was just a bit too short! In the end it was nearly as long as the one that goes from box a to box b.