Originally Posted by
mtb_addict
Electronic is also generally very expensive to fix when it breaks.
It sounds like a cool idea...but I'll let the guinney pigs be the test subject. Wait about 10 years...then I'll be ready...and price will have dropped where Walmart carries them on Huffys.
Besides, it unnecessary. It's just too deckadent and luxury.
One thing that bugs me about it: is having to worry about battery charging.
I hated charging battery on my headlight...so much so, that I bought a dynamo hub.
I imagine in the middle of nowhere and the battery of Di2 dies, and you are screwed because there's still alot of hills to climb.
You know this how??? I haven't had any issues with my Di2 that cost anything to fix. Shimano did replace a front derailleur for me free of charge because it was under warranty but aside from that no expensive fixes and so far none I have seen come through the shop.
As far as Di2 battery dying that is going to be a tough thing. It is not a headlight battery and doesn't use that much power that you need to charge it often. I charge mine every few months just to charge it, my boss hasn't charged his in about a year. There have been people who have ridden across the US on one charge. Brian Chapman of Chapman Cycles has built himself two Di2 bikes that are hooked into the dynamo in case you are worried about dead batteries. Also the batteries are quite lightweight so if you were going on a long trek you could easily take a second one and probably about 20 minutes of charging will get you enough to ride for the rest of the day.
One could say all gears and even brakes are unnecessary, in fact all innovation is unnecessary. However that is a dumb statement and should be stricken from the record. Technology can be a great thing and Di2 is certainly a part of that. Getting rid of cables and having a system you can basically set and forget is quite nice. Also having the ability to allow your shifters to do some shifting for you is excellent and the micro adjustments that Di2 makes are unnoticeable but if they weren't there you would notice. Also allowing people with different abilities shift from different positions is excellent. Say you only have one arm, now you have a system to shift without having to go 1x or say you are a regular TT or Triathlete now you can shift from your brake levers as well or you can shift from the tops of your drop bar. It is pretty nice.
Maybe next time avoid the bad knowledge about Di2 until you actually get a bike with Di2 and ride it and learn more about the system. The Wally Mart bike is going to stay perfect for you and your MTB addiction which like all addictions means you avoid it completely and never pursue it at all. I will stick to riding a ton of bikes in a ton of different places and enjoying my bike with Di2 which is so excellent and shifts like a dream because I suck at it.