Unsurprising opinions here. For all of you that don't want it and aren't interested, no one's coming after your pearl(-finished silver component)s and forcing you to install them on your bike. It's ok!
@
genejockey it is possible to run electronic shifting on a vintage bike. I have done so on several frames. It helps to have a black or white bike (and matching electrical tape) as those are the colors of the adhesive wire guides/channels that you can run on your frame (downtube primarily). SRAM eTap is actually the most vintage-friendly in that it's fully wireless. It's a bit space-age looking for most all vintage frames, and it's stupid expensive, which limits its appeal. Shimano had two generations of Di2 in 10-speed form, which means you can use "normal" 8-10 speed era wheels (like 7403 or 6403 rear hubs). Campagnolo debuted their EPS with 11-speed, which uses the same 9-11-speed hubs they'd already been using for some time.
Keeping this C&V, or at least
future C&V relevant, the STIs going wireless is a BIG deal for me and any future heretical vintage/semi-vintage builds. Why? Because running a loooong wire from one awkwardly-placed junction box zip-tied to the stem, to another junction box hanging on the outside of the base of the downtube, is a hassle and hard to disguise if not a black or white frame. FD, RD, and battery are wired (or connect via wire to each other), use an 11-speed freehub (these 11-speed era wheels will continue to become cheaper, just like 8-10 speed before them, and 5/6/7-speed before them). Cable braking is still available.
I think there is a cleanliness to these new designs, particularly with R8100 Ultegra. R8000 and R9100 were super sci-fi, which I never really liked (especially when considering it for a vintage frame). I get very subtle vintage-component design vibes in R8100's various components. Crank arms are too thick, IMO.
Yes the new wire connections are smaller in diameter, so the 2nd gen of e-tubes (6700 Ultegra to R9100 Dura-Ace) will not be compatible, BUT how easy is it now to unscrew the plastic under-the-BB-shell shift cable guides and just run the Di2 wire up into the BB shell (via that screw/bolt hole, which are often of decent diameter) and on up the seat tube to the seat post?!? Or just drill a hole in the BB shell, not unlike what companies have done for generator/dynamo wiring in the past (and even now). The ability for a
much stealthier e-shifting install on a vintage or non-e-shift-ready frame is greatly increased.
Like @
andy k said, the lower tier Shimano groupsets are really, really good, and more than enough for any of us. They even look pretty darn good! Swap brake pads and holders for better ones on anything below 105 ($40 max) and you get much improved braking performance and feel. Everything else is simply proven mechanicals with fewer rear gears. If you care at all about component weight, then you're gonna have to run up the ladder. I do wish a polished/anodized silver existed with the modern groupsets as I think they can still look good when done right. The painted silver stuff we've gotten looks pretty bad and matches/complements no bike, modern or vintage.
For all of us with Treks from ~1985-1988 with the RD cable routing through the chainstay, I bet just a touch of drill work would make our frames new-era Di2 "compatible" and no one would know/see where the wires go! [laughs in 1985 Trek 620, but then stops because it already has Dura-Ace 9000 and that stuff is
gorgeous and works wonderfully]