Where do you guys get the di2 kit for 1k. Contemplating new bike but the colour that comes with di2 is not my fav 
I did a Di2 upgrade to my 2018 Cervelo R3 Ultegra a couple of weeks ago. I love it!!!
It cost about £1k and a day of tinkering in the garage but was easy enough. It’s great. I would never go back.
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Nw go through the same thought process with brakes.
These new things called rim brakes… no warped or noisy rotors, no bleeding or fluid to worry about, smaller hoods, lighter, easier to change wheels…
My Ultegra Di2 hydraulic disc brake hoods are the same size as the rim brake hoods.
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Awesome - I was thinking of upgrading my CAAD12 to Di2 as well - let me know how it goes.
I love my DI2 and been using it for the last 5 years or so, having said that I was traveling once in Europe for a race by train and my derailleur cable broke pretty badly and it wasn’t easy to find a cable replacement.
I’ve been on Di2 for 6 years and just got a new bike with same.Ive tried Etap and didn’t liked compared with the precision of the D12.
Never had a dead battery, able to put an average of 2000 miles on it before charging.
Never let it go below 20% and my garmin edge kept me informed.
Will never go back to mechanic.
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Have one bike mech and one bike di2 and personally much prefer the di2 shifts over mech. Just can’t justify the cost of upgrading (or crashing) older race bike.
Did you have to install the extra wireless transmitter or can Di2 communicate with a Garmin as it comes stock?
Yes,you have to install the Shimano Ew-Wu111 Wireless Unit.Got for $50
You can connect inside your seat post or by the Di2 junction or put around the frame.
My first di2 bike was around my frame but on my new bike it’s attached to the junction under the cockpit.
It will connect immediately and super easy to use.
I had XTR Di2 for a while. (2x11) it was lovely when clean but suffered from shifting issues when very dirty same as mechanical shifting.
Also, I never got on with the feeling of being disconnected from the bike, you don’t get a feel for the shifting forces required. That’s probably a strange reason for not liking electronic shifting but I like to ‘feel’ what’s going on with the bike
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Seems like a good collection of di2 users here. I’m thinking about building up the parts to upgrade, some eBay hunting and some new (like batteries).
6800 series rim brake shifters and mechs are often on the bay, how much of an improvement is the newer bits?
Or if you were upgrading, which bits would you be happy with last series or 2nd hand and what would you want brand new and up to date.
I do want sprint shifters and eventually move to a disc bike.
Well, I add my two cents:
The heart really wanted Di2, to have the latest top spec on my bike, but the brain just couldn’t justify it. I post my deciding reasons against it:
- I run 1x GRX. Not much need for the Di2 brain when it comes to optimizing the chain line when there is no front derailleur. Plus Di2 weights more than mech on 1x (I think).
- Living in Singapore I intend to do quite some bike packing into rural areas of Malaysia and Indonesia. Getting Di2 spare parts on the go might be an issue. Mech is easier to bodge.
- Due to the hot and humid climate I’m living in electronics die quicker. (Well and mechanics rust, but I can deal with that)
- one less thing to charge / charger to pack
- airlines get more and more pain in the a** regarding batteries. I just fear Di2 might give me headaches when flying.
- I use my gravel bike on local MTB single tracks. Replacing the rear derailleur of the Di2 is almost three times the price of mech.
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That a good point and something I’ve never considered!
I recently moved internationally - it is pain with batteries. DHL (air) shipping is next to impossible, I had quite a few batteries (cameras, powered screwdriver, power banks etc.) in my hand luggage because that is one of the only places you are still legally allowed - depending on the airline and capacity of the batteries.
With my recent bike purchase from Europe, they told me I can buy the Di2 version, but they would ship it without the battery - which I would have to source locally. That was a surprising statement, I thought if it is built-in and the capacity of the current Di2s it should be fine if shipped commercially. I didn’t follow up on that, but just something to keep at the back of your head.
Yes as other posted said. It is inline so you can install anywhere. I initially did seat post but getting drop outs so I moved it to the junction box in my right handlebar. This and the satellite (old school) climbing shifter are awesome. Gplama has one that he installed I bought.
My current project build has Etap, and my previous bike had Di2, and both are lovely. That said, I have been thinking if either justifies the cost and extra weight. I’m starting to think that a really well-adjusted and maintained top end mechanical system (Dura Ace, Record) works pretty much as well and is a little cheaper and lighter, as well as being potentially easier to fix.
Am I just getting old and retro, or does anyone else feel the same?
And yes, I also have a growing nostalgic fondness for rim brakes 
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I had the same feeling after upgrading one of my bikes to modern Ultegra.
The benefit of the auto adjusting FD is for me definitely not worth the 1k price difference.
But you need to be willing to readjust the cables every now and then.
Pretty sure Di2 is slightly lighter than mechanical. According to Bike Radar
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2 things:
- I NEVER thought I’d be plugging my bike into a wall. Was against it. Mechanical shifting works fine…
- I have electronic shifting now and I will NEVER go back to mechanical shifting. It is amazing.
- Consider sram.
- I was anti sram for decades. But it’s completely wireless. Just watch a bike build w di2. The hassle of running wires. The battery in the seatpost… it’s a nightmare.
- if your rear derailleur battery dies you can swap it with the front derailleur. You can keep an extra battery in your pocket.
- you can index the gears in the fly.
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