Originally Posted by
akexpress
The biggest problem I see for this team is the extreme front chainring difference which is well outside of Shimano specs (max 16 tooth). With di2 it is very easy to shift both front and rear to get the cadence close. He previous had 3x8 so a 2x11 has not decreased his choices every much.
I agree that the unusual chainring difference is the culprit. The vast majority of road bikes use 50-34 or 53-39 chainrings for good reasons: good gear range and reliable shifting. A 19T gap is problematic for Di2 but shifting will be much worse if the team goes back to a mechanical drivetrain. I use both drivetrains and Di2 is clearly superior when installed properly.
The easiest solution is to replace the 53T ring with a 50T. He may miss the occasional "ego boost" on downhills but the overall ride will be much more fun.