First thoughts - DA9000 vs DA9070

bernithebiker

Having just transferred my DA9000 groupset to my old Tarmac, and installed DA9070 Di2 to my new one here's my thoughts which might prove helpful to anyone thinking of doing the same.

1. Price: 9070 about twice the price of 9000, but there are some good deals out there if you hunt around; mine came from Finland!

2. Weight; almost identical, what you gain in mechs and battery (internal) you lose in shifters and cables.

3. Performance; I thought 9000 was excellent - it is, but 9070 is better, especially the rear. Cassette shifts are utterly seamless and effortless, fast and smooth. 9000 stands out for it's excellent front shifting, but 9070 is perfect too. Perfect -er even!

With 9070, the lack of cables at the bar, means the front end has no restriction to turning at all - kind of weird when you move the bike around and the front flops around everywhere.

You can change gear with noone noticing - cool if you're about to attack!

Battery charging is quick and easy via the A Junction.

Seatpost battery is very much DIY. SHimano's kit is just for the Pro post, so you have to make something - I used pipe insulation which I had to trim down, but the fit is secure.

Passing the cables through the frame is extra tricky as you have to go OVER the BB shell, and you have a gap of 3 x 1cm to look through (on the Sworks) - I used old brake cable and made a hooking device. You need a good torch.

Using a computer (not a Mac!) you can change the sense of the buttons (were the wrong way round for me) and the speed of shifting (I chose very fast).

Downside - my front mech was dodgy from the word go (see Workshop). Wouldn't shift correctly and dropped the chain when you least expected it. Confirmed faulty by a rep and taken away - I am using his 2nd hand one while I wait for a new one. Not confidence inspiring. This is the big IF for me. This stuff has to be reliable - you cannot tighten a cable if it goes pair shaped on the Etape du Tour - most likely you are out. So the jury's out on this one - will have to wait and see how it handles the winter.

All in all, worth the change if you can get a blinding deal and are sure of warranty backup.

Bar Shaker

People will call you a heretic for that Berni!

Shame about your FD problem, but anything can be made wrong, electronic or mechanical. Fortunately problems with both are very rare.

I'm not sure if you have programmed a 'press and hold' function. I have mine set to shift 2 cogs. When shifting between chainrings with an 11-26 cassette, if I also press and hold the RD shifter (at the same time as the FD shift) this results in almost identical ratios after swapping a chainring. That you can do this during a climb, without backing off, is probably the single best thing about electronic shifting for me.

Hope you have many happy miles with yours.

bernithebiker

Bar Shaker wrote:

I'm not sure if you have programmed a 'press and hold' function. I have mine set to shift 2 cogs. When shifting between chainrings with an 11-26 cassette, if I also press and hold the RD shifter (at the same time as the FD shift) this results in almost identical ratios after swapping a chainring. That you can do this during a climb, without backing off, is probably the single best thing about electronic shifting for me.

Hope you have many happy miles with yours.

Good tips. Will try those out when (if) it stops raining......

matt-h

Bar Shaker wrote:

I'm not sure if you have programmed a 'press and hold' function. I have mine set to shift 2 cogs. When shifting between chainrings with an 11-26 cassette, if I also press and hold the RD shifter (at the same time as the FD shift) this results in almost identical ratios after swapping a chainring.
.

i need to sort this on mine. Is there a guide?

Matt

Bar Shaker

It's very simple to programme the system, especially if you have an internal battery.

If you do have an internal battery, the charger is also a programming unit. Plug it into a Windows laptop and you can assign functions for 'press and hold' as shift 2 cogs, shift 3 cogs and shift progressively across the cassette. eTube does not work with Macs and OSX although it may work in Parallels/Bootcamp. Someone else can advise.

You can also completely change the operation of the switches, as Berni did. I have mine set up in paddle shift mode. The two front switches on each side do my chainrings and the rear paddle switches do the cassette. It took a few rides to get used to but now I much prefer this set up. It feels very natural. We only use the old layout as that was all that cables could offer. Now you can programme it any way you want it.

With shift speed, I find 'fast' to be optimal. If you are a very fast spinner, you may prefer V fast, equally, if you are a grinder then normal or slow may be better for you.


** If you don't have an internal battery, you need to buy the Shimano programming unit. The process is then basically the same but you also have the option of interrogating individual components and this can give better diagnostics if a component develops a fault. I have a programming unit for the external battery set up. If you live in SW Essex and I can help, drop a PM.

keith57

Works fine with Parallels on a Mac

DKay

Bar Shaker wrote:

I have mine set up in paddle shift mode. The two front switches on each side do my chainrings and the rear paddle switches do the cassette. It took a few rides to get used to but now I much prefer this set up. It feels very natural.

This is how I have mine set-up too and it does feel more intuitive after a couple of rides, especially if you're running the optional spring shifters. However, during the first ride you'll find yourself changing up onto the big ring instead of swapping to an easier cassette ratio, whcih leads to some interesting moments on climbs.