Electronic shifting DI2 or Disc Brakes?
05-08-16, 07:41 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 21
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Electronic shifting DI2 or Disc Brakes?
I am looking into getting a Specialized Roubaix Comp Ride Bike. For a comparable price I can either get it with hydraulic disc brakes (and Ultegra shifting) or I can get the Ultegra DI2 electronic shifting with rim brakes. Getting the bike with both raises the price quite a bit. Would appreciate any advice on whether its more worth it to get disc brakes and mechanical shifting or go for the electronic shifting with the rims. Thanks very much!
05-08-16, 07:44 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: N. Valley, AZ
Posts: 123
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 49 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
This is easy: Di2 and rim brakes!
To be honest the advantages of disc is little. Perhaps something to consider if you plan a lot of rain and or hills.
To be honest the advantages of disc is little. Perhaps something to consider if you plan a lot of rain and or hills.
05-08-16, 07:49 PM
#3
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
Disc brakes are the Devil's invention.
Rim brakes are fine, unless you ride in the rain.
Rim brakes are fine, unless you ride in the rain.
05-08-16, 07:56 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,716
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5786 Post(s)
Liked 2,579 Times
in
1,430 Posts
It's really about what importance you personally assign to both. I'm not a fan of disc for the road, so were it me, it would be Di2, or if possible, neither and keep the dough.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
05-08-16, 09:28 PM
#6
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,558
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 2,179 Times
in
1,469 Posts
Di2. I just got an endurance style road bike with mechnical and disc brakes. I really miss Di2 that I have on my other road bike. On the other side, disc brakes are nothing special.
05-08-16, 11:01 PM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: St. Charles, IL
Posts: 15
Bikes: KTM Revelator
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I went with the disc brakes on my new bike and must say they are very sweet, don't know if I could go back to rim brakes. DI2 would be nice but it's great to be able to stop quickly and with more control.
05-09-16, 04:20 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 135
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
You can upgrade to DI2 later. You won't be able to upgrade to disc later (the frame will probably lack the mounts for it). If you think you want disc brakes, get them now and save up for DI2 later (besides, you'll probably want the new DI2 coming out soon vs the old anyway). 
05-09-16, 09:07 AM
#10
Senior Member
DI2. I suspect a year from now we will start hearing the downside to DB maintenance. At least it is not forced on us like BB30.
05-09-16, 09:34 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Denver area (Ken Caryl Valley)
Posts: 1,803
Bikes: 2022 Moots RCS, 2014 BMC SLR01 DA Mech, 2020 Santa Cruz Stigmata, Ibis Ripmo, Trek Top Fuel, Specialized Levo SL, Norco Bigfoot VLT
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 464 Post(s)
Liked 182 Times
in
118 Posts
Having now owned two disc brake bikes and two di2 bikes, I'd prefer forgoing the di2 and stick with discs. However, while I like hydraulic discs (and have used them on MTB for over a decade) for the easier braking and modulation, I actually got them since I ride high up in pretty mountainous areas (8,000-12,000 feet) with fast descents and the sudden rain shower. If I lived where it was flat and I didn't have to also ride through the occasional slushy section in the late Fall and early Spring, I'd probably not have even tried discs. I don't mind mechanical DA, and I hear it is smoother than ever. So if you ride where it is wet a lot and you ride in really hilly or mountainous areas, I'd go with discs. If not, I'd go with di2.
05-09-16, 09:45 AM
#12
Banned
You pick, for you..
One thing: Mechanical shifting Occupies space in the body of the hand lever. Electronic shifting really does not need as Much.
Engineering wise you can put the Hydraulic master in the Brake lever where the Shift Mechanism Was.. (Now possible combining them)
Magura [HS 77]Did the hydraulic road Brake (rim) Many Years ago, but the Companies equipping Bikes did not go that way..
The Bike Importer-brand Businesses all shifted to Asian sources and so all the parts come from that region now predominantly..
One thing: Mechanical shifting Occupies space in the body of the hand lever. Electronic shifting really does not need as Much.
Engineering wise you can put the Hydraulic master in the Brake lever where the Shift Mechanism Was.. (Now possible combining them)
Magura [HS 77]Did the hydraulic road Brake (rim) Many Years ago, but the Companies equipping Bikes did not go that way..
The Bike Importer-brand Businesses all shifted to Asian sources and so all the parts come from that region now predominantly..
05-09-16, 10:27 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Lewisburg, TN
Posts: 1,356
Bikes: Mikkelsen custom steel, Santa Cruz Chameleon SS, old trek trainer bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
4 Posts
I would go disc, personally. I have the Shimano 685 shifters (probably the same as on that bike) and love them. Been a Shimano disc fan on my MTB's for years, and they carried over the performance and feel quite well.
That said, I haven't ridden Di2 much, but the new Ultegra shifts pretty dang well for mechanical, so I would rather spend the money on a disc frame personally.
That said, I haven't ridden Di2 much, but the new Ultegra shifts pretty dang well for mechanical, so I would rather spend the money on a disc frame personally.
05-09-16, 10:51 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 153
Bikes: Workswell WCB-R-066 Ultegra 6800, LOOK 675 Light Ultegra Di2
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Disc Brake or not depends on your riding conditions. I commute year round NJ to NYC and even in the worst weather, braking limitation is not the rim-brakes, but rather tire traction. Even with the best disc brakes, you will need to brake within the limits on your tires and the pavement.
05-09-16, 01:15 PM
#15
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,558
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 2,179 Times
in
1,469 Posts
You pick, for you..
One thing: Mechanical shifting Occupies space in the body of the hand lever. Electronic shifting really does not need as Much.
Engineering wise you can put the Hydraulic master in the Brake lever where the Shift Mechanism Was.. (Now possible combining them)
Magura [HS 77]Did the hydraulic road Brake (rim) Many Years ago, but the Companies equipping Bikes did not go that way..
The Bike Importer-brand Businesses all shifted to Asian sources and so all the parts come from that region now predominantly..
One thing: Mechanical shifting Occupies space in the body of the hand lever. Electronic shifting really does not need as Much.
Engineering wise you can put the Hydraulic master in the Brake lever where the Shift Mechanism Was.. (Now possible combining them)
Magura [HS 77]Did the hydraulic road Brake (rim) Many Years ago, but the Companies equipping Bikes did not go that way..
The Bike Importer-brand Businesses all shifted to Asian sources and so all the parts come from that region now predominantly..
05-09-16, 01:59 PM
#17
I'm doing it wrong.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,875
Bikes: Rivendell Appaloosa, Rivendell Frank Jones Sr., Trek Fuel EX9, Kona Jake the Snake CR, Niner Sir9
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9742 Post(s)
Liked 2,812 Times
in
1,664 Posts
Di2 because disc isn't an upgrade.
05-09-16, 02:20 PM
#18
Senior Member
105 and rim brakes. The functjonal differdnce is absolutely negligible between lectric shift and 105 and the same for rim vs dick brakes. Stop being a parts weenie and ride your bike. Jesus you guys really buy into the hype that Big Bicycle throws at you.
__________________
Il faut de l'audace, encore de l'audace, toujours de l'audace
1980 3Rensho-- 1975 Raleigh Sprite 3spd
1990s Raleigh M20 MTB--2007 Windsor Hour (track)
1988 Ducati 750 F1
Il faut de l'audace, encore de l'audace, toujours de l'audace
1980 3Rensho-- 1975 Raleigh Sprite 3spd
1990s Raleigh M20 MTB--2007 Windsor Hour (track)
1988 Ducati 750 F1
05-09-16, 05:06 PM
#20
Senior Member
Disc Brake or not depends on your riding conditions. I commute year round NJ to NYC and even in the worst weather, braking limitation is not the rim-brakes, but rather tire traction. Even with the best disc brakes, you will need to brake within the limits on your tires and the pavement.
05-15-16, 06:06 PM
#21
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My current bike has both. I love discs and Di2. If I had to chose just one, I would go with Di2.
Discs take virtually nothing to maintain BTW. Having used them since 2004 on my MTB's, they are pretty much set and forget. They don't need to be bled as much as some would lead you to believe and changing out pads could not be easier.
Discs take virtually nothing to maintain BTW. Having used them since 2004 on my MTB's, they are pretty much set and forget. They don't need to be bled as much as some would lead you to believe and changing out pads could not be easier.
05-15-16, 07:24 PM
#23
Woman make me faster
I would skip the disc brakes. 6800 calipers are enough to get the job done. The tire grip is the issue with road bikes and stopping. Buy some good tires for your Di2 rim brake bike and call it a day.
05-16-16, 09:05 AM
#24
Senior Member
TIRE GRIP IS NOT AN ISSUE!!!
05-16-16, 09:16 AM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: La La Land (We love it!)
Posts: 6,301
Bikes: Gilmour road, Curtlo road; both steel (of course)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 273 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
9 Posts
You pick, for you..
One thing: Mechanical shifting Occupies space in the body of the hand lever. Electronic shifting really does not need as Much.
Engineering wise you can put the Hydraulic master in the Brake lever where the Shift Mechanism Was.. (Now possible combining them)
Magura [HS 77]Did the hydraulic road Brake (rim) Many Years ago, but the Companies equipping Bikes did not go that way..
The Bike Importer-brand Businesses all shifted to Asian sources and so all the parts come from that region now predominantly..
One thing: Mechanical shifting Occupies space in the body of the hand lever. Electronic shifting really does not need as Much.
Engineering wise you can put the Hydraulic master in the Brake lever where the Shift Mechanism Was.. (Now possible combining them)
Magura [HS 77]Did the hydraulic road Brake (rim) Many Years ago, but the Companies equipping Bikes did not go that way..
The Bike Importer-brand Businesses all shifted to Asian sources and so all the parts come from that region now predominantly..
Another BF member referred to them as being like haikus, which I though was brilliant...
__________________
Today, I believe my jurisdiction ends here...
Today, I believe my jurisdiction ends here...