di2

tgotb

Was TT-ing on Sunday morning, and found myself starting just behind a guy on a very nice, expensive-looking carbon TT bike (Giant Trinity) complete with full di2 groupset; catching him after 5 miles was rather satisfying, especially on my old steel bike with cobbled-together Shimpagnolo groupset. To put this into context I'm not actually very good myself; I probably finished mid-field in this event, and was beaten by several people on standard road bikes.

Riding home last night, I was passed at red lights by a guy on a rather rattly bike. Caught up with him, glanced over to see what was making all the noise and saw another set of di2. WTF? Don't think the di2 was responsible for the rattling, but this guy must have been topping out at 15mph.

What other examples of completely unnecessary electronic groupsets have members of the forum seen?

rolf_f

TGOTB wrote:

Was TT-ing on Sunday morning, and found myself starting just behind a guy on a very nice, expensive-looking carbon TT bike (Giant Trinity) complete with full di2 groupset; catching him after 5 miles was rather satisfying,

Were you satisfied because you overtook someone who spends more on their kit than you or were you sastisfied because you overtook someone who wasn't as fast a cyclist as you?!

tgotb

Rolf F wrote:

Were you satisfied because you overtook someone who spends more on their kit than you or were you sastisfied because you overtook someone who wasn't as fast a cyclist as you?!

The former. It's obviously nice to catch your minute man in a TT, but was far more satisfying to pass someone whose shifters were worth several times as much as my entire bike...

edhornby

i've never seen di2 in the flesh... is there a FCN amendment for di2? surely that must be a 'go straight to FCN1'

bigmat

How did you get on - were you in the TT category? I was down on last year, but not as far down as I feared when I saw the finish board (they had got my start time a minute out!) - stupidly arrived late (again) and didn't have time to set my stopwatch so actually had no idea how I'd done until I saw the official time at the end.

notsoblue

http://fireflybicycles.com/1587

This.

Sketchley

edhornby wrote:

i've never seen di2 in the flesh... is there a FCN amendment for di2? surely that must be a 'go straight to FCN1'

Don't limit it to di2, a simple -1 for an electronic groupset would suffice in the FCN.

The only thing I don't like about di2 is the fact the cable runs look a bit naff unless your frame is designed for it.....

EKE_38BPM

It seems like a solution to a problem that hardly exists.
Maybe a pro can get an advantage from using it, but for us lot, a waste of money.

tgotb

BigMat wrote:

How did you get on - were you in the TT category? I was down on last year, but not as far down as I feared when I saw the finish board (they had got my start time a minute out!) - stupidly arrived late (again) and didn't have time to set my stopwatch so actually had no idea how I'd done until I saw the official time at the end.

Managed 27:10 (on a TT bike), which is a minute and a half better than I did last year on a road bike, not sure how much of that is down to better riding and how much is the bike. For some reason I'm always disappointed with my times on this course, especially when I think I've ridden a good race; I suspect that my flat-course pacing strategy doesn't work so well on the "hills"...

notsoblue

EKE_38BPM wrote:

It seems like a solution to a problem that hardly exists.
Maybe a pro can get an advantage from using it, but for us lot, a waste of money.

Total waste of money. Fun though. I'd get it if I had an obscene amount of disposable income...

asprilla

The best thing about it is the self trimming. I'd love having the whole range of cassette to chose from on both rings.

tgotb

EKE_38BPM wrote:

It seems like a solution to a problem that hardly exists.
Maybe a pro can get an advantage from using it, but for us lot, a waste of money.

There's a definite advantage for a TT bike on a tight course, because you can shift from the base bars (ie while braking) aswell as from the extensions. That said, the vast majority of TTs in the UK are on dual carriageways, and never require you to go anywhere near the brakes.

Not much use for the guy on Sunday, I passed him on the way out of the (very tight) turn...

mroli

Ah - if people want to spend their cash on lovely bikes/bits am more than happy for them to do so - after RP, I rode into the Surrey Hill with a mate who has Di2 - he got a special deal on an ex team set.

Asprilla - although the "self trimming" gives you the ability to use the whole of the cassette, would the position not still be the same about avoiding "cross-chaining"?

EKE_38BPM

notsoblue wrote:

http://fireflybicycles.com/1587

This.

mmm. Lovely.

The more I think about it, the less I want a carbon bike. Titanium is where its at for me now. Still no desire for electronic shifting though.

CiB

Miseries. I fancy a Di2 set, and probably will get one in a year or so. And I'll just use the thing for commuting & weekend rides, just to rub it in.

Did none of you read the review on here recently? Electronic self-trimming gears transform the experience, or some such slobber. I lapped it up - it's more than a toy, it's another step forward from the Penny Farthing, another reason to go out and ride 108 miles for no real reason other the fact that you've got a nice bike to do it on and you can do it, and your mates / work colleagues / boss can't. Read the review and then denounce it.

I can't wait. I wish my current bike was censored so that I had a decent excuse to go out tomorrow and buy the necessaries - frame, decent set of wheels, Di2 g/s etc. It could be up & running by Sunday...

jimmypippa

Asprilla wrote:

The best thing about it is the self trimming. I'd love having the whole range of cassette to chose from on both rings.

Don't downtube shifters allow that?

rolf_f

It looks terrible. I rest my case

jimmypippa wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

The best thing about it is the self trimming. I'd love having the whole range of cassette to chose from on both rings.

Don't downtube shifters allow that?

As it happens, I'm waiting for a downtube version Di2.

Of course, downtube shifters do allow that (though I have access to my whole cassette from both rings on my Campagnolo 10 speed as well) - and probably at least as fast though they can be a censored if you get caught in the wrong gear on a steep incline. Weigh much less too!

schlepcycling

Asprilla wrote:

The best thing about it is the self trimming. I'd love having the whole range of cassette to chose from on both rings.

+1