Originally Posted by
SouthFLpix
Shimano has Dura Ace Di2 and now the more affordable Ultegra Di2 gruppos out. Campagnolo has been experimenting with their electronic shift group on pro race teams for years and is supposedly very close to release, and now there are rumors of SRAM also working on an electronic shifting system.
The reviews I've read and watched on Di2 say it's pretty much a 'game changer'. Here is an example of a Di2 review:
http://vimeo.com/6744095
And another:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJXKCoxMLnU
So my question is, does anyone have any real world hands on experience with an electronic shift system? I'm not jumping on the bandwagon just yet, but I'm very interested in electronic shifting once the price falls below $1k, and would love to hear your opinions.
The guy in the Vimeo review says, at 2:40, that he does not know how to adjust deraileurs. "We frequently find ourselves at the feet of our local mechanical guru, asking for a quick derailleur adjustment." He then says, "if you can program an address into a cellphone, you can adjust the Di2."
1. What a load of bull. Anybody who has been around bikes for a while, especially someone who works in the industry, knows how to adjust derailleurs.
2. The review is targeted at midlife crisis purchasers who know nothing about bikes but have money to spend.
To answer the OP: no I'm not interested in electronic shifting. It improves shifting negligibly for $3000. At $40 an hour that's over 9 days of full time work. At $100 an hour that's almost 4 days of work. At $8 it's three months of work. You'd be out of your mind to spend that kind of labour for that pointless piece of bling. Buy a car instead.