What's the rage over Di2?

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Comments

  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    philthy3 wrote:
    I wouldn't go back to mechanical other than on a TT bike, but if I was in the market for another road bike, it'd make convincing the wife a whole lot harder. :D

    But electric shifting is even better on a TT bike. Having shift buttons on the extensions as well as the base bars is a big plus for hillier or more technical courses.
  • rdt
    rdt Posts: 869
    philthy3 wrote:
    ben@31 wrote:
    With the right Di2 part, some Gamins will display what gears you're in. I surprisingly find this very handy especially in the dark, so I dont have to look down at the cassette to try work it out.

    Wahoo devices will show the Di2 gearing too. Personally, I see no use for it, but I appreciate that others might. Wahoo will also show battery life as a percentage to save using the e-Tube app on the phone.

    The new Ultegra also has the hidden buttons on the hoods which I programmed to switch screens on the Wahoo ELEMNT

    I'm still running an old Shimano Flight Deck: the rear gear display function has begun to play up, and I miss it massively! That, and the virtual cadence function that relies on it.

    Using those two functions, I was always - effortlessly - in the right gear when stopping at a junction, or in the right gear when beginning to pedal on a fast descent. Now, I spend more time looking back at the cassette than at the road in front of me :lol: Feels like I've entered the dark ages.

    I've recently bought an Elemnt Bolt - just need to pony up for Di2 now - either that or find a fix for my beloved Flight Deck!
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    philthy3 wrote:
    I wouldn't go back to mechanical other than on a TT bike, but if I was in the market for another road bike, it'd make convincing the wife a whole lot harder. :D

    But electric shifting is even better on a TT bike. Having shift buttons on the extensions as well as the base bars is a big plus for hillier or more technical courses.

    Yes no doubt it is, but for the limited use it'd get, isn't financially worth it for me. IF I was money no object, then yes, without a doubt I'd have it on everything. Twice. :lol:
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • ben@31
    ben@31 Posts: 2,327
    philthy3 wrote:
    ben@31 wrote:
    I think Di2 is brilliant

    - If you hold down the gear change button, it will keep on changing gears one after another from one end of the cassette to the other
    - On modern versions of Di2 when you get to the end of the cassette it will now automatically shift the front derailleur then shift the rear derailleur to the other end of the cassette. Basically you can forget all about the front derailleur and just shift up and down.
    - With the right Di2 part, some Gamins will display what gears you're in. I surprisingly find this very handy especially in the dark, so I dont have to look down at the cassette to try work it out.


    SUMMARY
    I love how Di2 changes gears, every time. I'd certainly have it on my next bike (I kept the groupset and just bought a frame)

    Not quite true. The latest version will auto shift the front onto the big ring when you get to the smallest 4 gears and down to the inner ring when you try to shift into the biggest gear on the back. All designed to try and keep your chain in as straight a line as possible, minimise zapping watts, preserve the life of the rear derailleur and use the optimum gear ratio.

    With the Shimano E-tube software, you can customise all the shifting. You can even change the before and after gear ratios for the auto-shift.
    Before I used that software I never knew some of of the gear ratios (or gear inches) when in small chainring overlap some of the gear ratios when in the big chainring. I think this is why the factory settings for the auto-shift moves the front derailleur before you've got to either end of the cassette.
    For example, the 4th smallest gear on the back (14t) whilst on the the small chairing (34t) will sit somewhere between the 19t and 22t whilst on the big chainring (50t)

    compacts.jpg
    "The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    You didn't know that the ratios overlap; seriously? But, no matter what the table says, Shimano Di2 synchro shifting won't do big/big and small with the smallest 4 sprockets. It can damage the rear derailleur, wastes watts with the chain line angled so badly, have the chain rub against the big ring if using oval chain rings and there's a better gear combination with a straighter chain line.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.