Di2 upgrade

MarcoTommo

I have recently bought a Giant defy after taking some advice from this forum,
My current bike, which is a Giant Propel has an Etap set up, which I absolutely love! The Defy will come with a 105 set up and I was thinking of putting Di2 on it, would I be able to simply change both front and rear mechs and the shifters? Or would there be any reason the crankset and cassette would also need upgrading?

pilot_pete

MarcoTommo wrote:

I have recently bought a Giant defy after taking some advice from this forum,
My current bike, which is a Giant Propel has an Etap set up, which I absolutely love! The Defy will come with a 105 set up and I was thinking of putting Di2 on it, would I be able to simply change both front and rear mechs and the shifters? Or would there be any reason the crankset and cassette would also need upgrading?

There are a lot more parts required for di2 than those listed above. You will need junction boxes (A&B), a battery, and cables to connect it all up. Crankset and cassette would not need changing however. It will also depend on whether your frame is di2 ready or not (can you route the cables internally or not?) If you can’t it will make for a ‘messy’ setup.

PP

alanparsons

You will need this

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-ul ... 12246.html

or this

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-du ... 01034.html

Assuming you are on rim brakes.

Also there is nothing stopping you putting eTap on it, SRAM/Shimano mix is OK.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/sram-red-etap- ... -groupset/

Alejandrosdog

is it worth spending so much money for a very very minor if any performance upgrade?

rafletcher

You could fit Etap to it more easily if you're happy with SRAM. Again, no need to change chainset or casette. You would need to replace the brake calipers with an SRAM version due to difference in cable pulls I think.

cougie

Swap the groupsets over ? Easiest option surely ?

pilot_pete

rafletcher wrote:

You could fit Etap to it more easily if you're happy with SRAM. Again, no need to change chainset or casette. You would need to replace the brake calipers with an SRAM version due to difference in cable pulls I think.

Indeed, I was riding with a friend today who has eTap shifters and derailleurs with Shimano crank and cassette.

PP

MarcoTommo

Alejandrosdog wrote:

is it worth spending so much money for a very very minor if any performance upgrade?

You make a very good point, but one of my biggest problems is I can’t help myself!
I love new toys for my bikes, like I said I have etap on another bike and for no better reason other that iv never tried Di2 to compare to the Etap, I want it.
If my wife seen inside the garage I believe she would leave me lol

Matthewfalle

its not as good as etap.

go eTap or Red mechanical.

alanparsons

rafletcher wrote:

You could fit Etap to it more easily if you're happy with SRAM. Again, no need to change chainset or casette. You would need to replace the brake calipers with an SRAM version due to difference in cable pulls I think.

You think wrong, Katusha ran all last season with eTap and Dura-ace callipers, SRAM didn't make direct mount calipers until this year. I also know two people with Trek Madone's, one eTap one Ultegra, both use Bontrager brakes.

Matthewfalle

yup - you can run sram brifters and shimano brakes fine.

sram/campag are a faff thats not worth bothering with.

alanparsons

MarcoTommo wrote:

If my wife seen inside the garage I believe she would leave me lol

Your Wife might be thinking the same thing if you looked in the wardrobe and saw her shoe/handbag collection.

Matthewfalle

its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission

domdom1980

I am pretty interested in the SRAM etap system, and have had a look online at the installation, and it looks pretty straightforward, however I'm a complete newbie to this sort of thing, so is it really as easy as it looks, even with Shimano 105 existing groupset?

surfercyclist

Matthewfalle wrote:

its not as good as etap.

go eTap or Red mechanical.

Yes that's why SKY use it....

StillGoing

Matthewfalle wrote:

its not as good as etap.

go eTap or Red mechanical.

Subjective opinion. eTap doesn't have many of the features of Di2, whereas Di2 can do what eTap does minus wifi operation and interchangeable batteries.

MarcoTommo

Domdom1980 wrote:

I am pretty interested in the SRAM etap system, and have had a look online at the installation, and it looks pretty straightforward, however I'm a complete newbie to this sort of thing, so is it really as easy as it looks, even with Shimano 105 existing groupset?

I bought Etap with next to no cycling mechanical knowledge, watched a few sram installation videos and fitted it, it’s incredibly easy to fit and it can be micro adjusted whilst riding which is great as iv many times adjusted a mechanical derailleur only to find it still makes unwanted noises once I’m on the bike, might have something to do with my rather chunky physique lol

cougie

philthy3 wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

its not as good as etap.

go eTap or Red mechanical.

Subjective opinion. eTap doesn't have many of the features of Di2, whereas Di2 can do what eTap does minus wifi operation and interchangeable batteries.

Etap doesn't need cables which would simplify things here ?

In the real world etap and Di2 are as good as each other.

alanparsons

cougie wrote:

In the real world etap and Di2 are as good as each other.

Don't bring the "real world" into this, we all know the Bike Radar parallel universe is fed on BS and lies.
What he needs to do it stick with the 105 and stop trying to better himself, anything else will look like elitism.

StillGoing

cougie wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

its not as good as etap.

go eTap or Red mechanical.

Subjective opinion. eTap doesn't have many of the features of Di2, whereas Di2 can do what eTap does minus wifi operation and interchangeable batteries.

Etap doesn't need cables which would simplify things here ?

In the real world etap and Di2 are as good as each other.

You obviously negated to read the bit in bold.

The difference between the two is a purely subjective opinion. They're both good and do the job well. SRAM has no cables and two batteries. Simple to install and the only thing to be removed bar the old derailleurs and shifters is the bar tape to install the new shifters, but batteries are easily removed if someone has the desire.

Routing Di2 eTubes isn't a hassle if using a gear cable with a ferrule connected the wrong way to capture the eTube plug and pull the wire through the frame. The battery is nice and secure in the seat tube but fitting the system does often require removing the bars and stem to drop the forks out and gain access to the downtube and removing the seat post and crankset.

SRAM shifting is intuitive, but Di2 can be set up to operate the same way. Semi and synchronised shifting is useful, as are the hidden buttons to operate head units etc.

jpj84

Matthewfalle wrote:

yup - you can run sram brifters and shimano brakes fine.

sram/campag are a faff thats not worth bothering with.

Say what? We've got three bikes in the household running Ergos with SRAM calipers.