Electric transmission - how much and is it worth it?

andyh01

Hi all,
Just wondering how much roughly would it cost to upgrade a 105 groupset bike (Trek 1.2) to electric transmission and would it be worth it? I don't do any competitive racing (yet) only used for commuting a short 5 mile trip each way but used all the time in all weather. Am I right in thinking it's still relitively expensive as new? I'm just sick of rubbish shifting get it adjusted works for about a week than more adjusting ect. Doesn't help bike is back in shop as front derailer has seized and shifter broke..
Thanks
Andy

CiB

You can price up the individual components to include front & rear mechs, ditto for shifters then add on the battery pack + mount and all cables and you might get it for a good price. There's another thread going that mentions about £700 for it.

It's only worth it to you if the cost is something you're happy to swallow for something that is a great toy but doesn't offer a step-change in performance, certainly not from a 105 g/s. It has tremendous benefits, like smooth change under load, dead easy indexing that doesn't need adjustments every few few weeks (but does need the occasionally tweak), and the dinky self-trim function.

If you've got the dosh and fancy it, go for it, you'll love it. If your view of it is along the lines of WTF? then don't bother as you'll always have the view that the benefit didn't warrant the cost. Which brings it back to asking 'is it worth it?'. Only you can answer that - is it worth spending a few hundred for it? For me, yeah no brainer. For others - who knows?

t4tomo

here's the view of a profesional:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhdVr2Cn1OY


A bit of overkill on a Trek 1.2 for a 10 mile commute I would say. better to spend some time indexing your gears properly - that is more likely to be your problem

hatch87

I don't think its worth upgrading a Trek 1 series to. I would wait until you can afford a frame worthy of having it on. Thats coming from someone with a Trek 1.1 so not a dig in anyway

schlepcycling

Ribble have the Ultegra Di2 upgrade kit for £720 http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/gsd/road-track-bike/shimano-di2-ultegra-6700-10-spd-grey-double-gearset?part=GSGSHIMULTDI210D&sub=conf_GSG_SHE&bike=1

rolf_f

If your kit doesn't last a week without needing adjustment, then your problem isn't a lack of electronic shifting.

CiB

Rolf F wrote:

If your kit doesn't last a week without needing adjustment, then your problem isn't a lack of electronic shifting.

Not so sure. I was finding the same with my Ultegra, that the indexing wasn't robust for long. It didn't help that the l/h [front] shifter wasn't working properly and front down-changes went with a bang rather than a smooth click, and from memory the barrel adjusters kept unwinding over time so even when it was right it wasn't right for long. Obviously new barrel adjusters are cheaper than Di2, but as much fun? Errr... no.

Thing is you fancy a shiny toy, go out and get one. There's no need to justify it, or most of us would be riding steel hybrids to work & back.

markhewitt1978

Not for a Trek 1.2. The problem is your Sora groupset, you'd get much better value in upgrading that to something better e.g. 105 or Ultegra, which will work much better than Sora and cost a fraction of a Di2 setup.

rolf_f

CiB wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

If your kit doesn't last a week without needing adjustment, then your problem isn't a lack of electronic shifting.

Not so sure. I was finding the same with my Ultegra, that the indexing wasn't robust for long. It didn't help that the l/h [front] shifter wasn't working properly and front down-changes went with a bang rather than a smooth click, and from memory the barrel adjusters kept unwinding over time so even when it was right it wasn't right for long. Obviously new barrel adjusters are cheaper than Di2, but as much fun? Errr... no.

Thing is you fancy a shiny toy, go out and get one. There's no need to justify it, or most of us would be riding steel hybrids to work & back.

Same argument applies. Given that my Campag Centaur just goes on for month after month in all sorts of weather then the logical conclusion from what you say is that Shimano is crap. On that basis, the last thing I would do to resolve a problem with a crap product would be to buy a much more expensive solution from the same manufacturer.

But I'm assuming that Shimano is infact not crap and that your problem was the same as the OPs ie your particular setup wasn't healthy for whatever reasons. And, back to the OP - front mechs seizing is indicative of the sort of problem that electronics can't solve.

thegreatdivide

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Not for a Trek 1.2. The problem is your Sora groupset, you'd get much better value in upgrading that to something better e.g. 105 or Ultegra, which will work much better than Sora and cost a fraction of a Di2 setup.

Didn't read the OP's post poperly did you ;-)

cougie

Will you ever be racing if your only cycling is 5 miles commuting each way ? I'd not say it was looking imminent ?

Electric shifting is expensive. I don't understand why your gears are screwing up so often or why the mech is seizing ? Are you looking after the bike ? I've never had a mech seize. And I've had lots of bikes.

A 105 groupset should be fine for your needs. If you wanted you could go to ultegra that would still be cheaper than electric but I think it must be something you're doing. Or someone is messing with the gears when you're not there.

crankycrank

t4tomo wrote:

here's the view of a profesional:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhdVr2Cn1OY
A bit of overkill on a Trek 1.2 for a 10 mile commute I would say. better to spend some time indexing your gears properly - that is more likely to be your problem

Common sense advise here^^. Sounds more like something is wrong with your setup than inferior kit. Learn to do it yourself and skip having to rely on a possible bad shop mechanic or take it to another shop. And as already asked are you doing any cleaning and lubing of your bike on a regular basis?

markhewitt1978

thegreatdivide wrote:

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Not for a Trek 1.2. The problem is your Sora groupset, you'd get much better value in upgrading that to something better e.g. 105 or Ultegra, which will work much better than Sora and cost a fraction of a Di2 setup.

Didn't read the OP's post poperly did you ;-)

Current 1.2 has Sora, it seems odd that an older would have 105 as that's two steps up. Or does he mean a Trek 2.1 which does have 105?

CiB

Why assume that the highest priority here is not to spend money - it's not worth it, 105 is cheaper etc? Buy the Di2 and enjoy it - it's only money and unless he's down to his last £700 on earth it's not really a big issue is it, a few hundred for 105 or maybe another few hundred on top for electric. Heck it's so much fun you'll probably go riding a lot more and get more use out of it anyway. The country's in a mess. It's our duty to spend money on stuff, and bike stuff is as good as any.

Rolf - I wasn't claiming that my manual Ultegra was crap, but it was a fact that the barrels unwound themselves over a a few rides and needed re-adjusting. It wasn't any effort, just something to do on the move, but it was a bit of a frustration that it kept happening. The l/h shifter failing is a well-known Shimano issue, and was part of what pushed me over to these things as it needed replacing anyway so why not go the whole hog? I was going to anyway at some point - this just brought it forward a bit.

markhewitt1978

CiB wrote:

Why assume that the highest priority here is not to spend money - it's not worth it, 105 is cheaper etc?

Because for the vast majority of people money is an issue. Given that the 1.2 is a budget bike you would assume money is an issue with the OP too. Of course nothing to stop him buying a groupset which is worth more than the bike it's put on...

andyh01

Thanks fot the info.

For clarity I have a Trek 2.1 that has the 105 groupset got a good price on last years model.

Apology, it was a poorly phased question when said is it worth it? yes the cost to me is prohibitly expensive for my use (although not as bad as what I was expecting, did a little reserch and got a price around $3000 for an upgrade kit) suppose I meant more in is it worth it and as good as I'd expect, I can imagine a lot of fun but as someone said, still not going to prevent a seized front mech. I just wondered what all the fuse was about really. Does look good and like most if money/cost not the object I'd have a nicer bike but it is all relitive, I mainly cycle as quicker and cheaper than driving/bus, I have a young family and dog so don't get as much time on the bike as I'd like.

I probabley over extravagated, when I implied the shifting needs adjusting every other week or slow in responding (its more like every month! ) I do adjust myself and clean/lube bike as and when needed. Only took back to shop as under warrenty and couldn't get the shifter to work myself and to be told shifter is faulty and needs replacing I also suppect same for front mech rather it happen whilst under warrenty as free, same with the light really Lenzyne rear packed in won't charge front temprementail getting these replaced whilst at it!