Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Anyone Using Di2

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Anyone Using Di2

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-16-10 | 09:42 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Group Rides are Fun
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: NY

Bikes: 2007 Trek 3900

Anyone Using Di2

Is anyone using the Shimano's Di2 yet or at least ridden it?
MrMojoJoJo is offline  
Reply
Old 03-16-10 | 09:51 PM
  #2  
cab horn
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 28,353
Likes: 30
From: Toronto

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Originally Posted by MrMojoJoJo
Is anyone using the Shimano's Di2 yet or at least ridden it?
Yes to both. Di2 has been around for a while already.
operator is offline  
Reply
Old 03-16-10 | 10:03 PM
  #3  
Braden1550's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 550
Likes: 0
From: Australia

Bikes: I hate bikes.

www.google.com

type "DI2 reviews site:www.bikeforums.net" without quotes
Braden1550 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-16-10 | 10:22 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 2

Bikes: Cervelo RS, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro, Schwinn Typhoon, Nashbar touring, custom steel MTB

I spent a couple of hours test-riding a Specialized S-works Tarmac SL3 that was equipped with Di2. Wasn't terribly impressed, especially given the price...
sstorkel is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 06:45 AM
  #5  
hodie21's Avatar
Sucking Wheel at the back
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 779
Likes: 1
From: Bristol, VA

Bikes: Lynskey Helix Sport, Lynskey M290, Cervelo S3

I have owned the DI2 on my Orbea Opal and rode it for around 6 months.

Here is what I think.

You really have 0 feedback as far as the shifts go. You hit the button the derailleur moves and you don't really feel it.
You can only shift in one gear increments both up and down the cassette.

Is it smooth? Hell yeah.
Is it worth the money? Hell NO.
Is SRAM RED a better more positive shifting experience? YES
DI2 is great for the cool factor.
The one thing that I will definitly give a big thumbs up for is the front derailleur.
Talk about shifting without thought. Hit the button and it doesn't matter what you are doing and it will shift up without skipping a beat.
For me I am sticking with cables for the time being. Having owned it and sold it I can say that I wasn't overly impressed with it. It's just neat.
After riding RED for several months now I don't think I will change to anything else.
Here is the obligatory picture to prove I had it.
hodie21 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 06:46 AM
  #6  
hodie21's Avatar
Sucking Wheel at the back
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 779
Likes: 1
From: Bristol, VA

Bikes: Lynskey Helix Sport, Lynskey M290, Cervelo S3

It's also EXTREMELY simple to tune.
hodie21 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 11:08 AM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
i wonder if anyone has tried running a Di2 FD only (and a standard, manual, cable rear)??? it seems to me that that would be the ultimate setup especially after reading hodie's review. it would be even better if you could run a smaller battery too.
transamman1999 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 11:43 AM
  #8  
FlashBazbo's Avatar
Chases Dogs for Sport
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 147
Yeah, it seems to me that the biggest value is with the auto-trim on the front . . . and the biggest detriment is with the one-gear-at-a-time on the rear. A hybrid system would seem to make a lot of sense.
FlashBazbo is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 11:52 AM
  #9  
hodie21's Avatar
Sucking Wheel at the back
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 779
Likes: 1
From: Bristol, VA

Bikes: Lynskey Helix Sport, Lynskey M290, Cervelo S3

The problem with a hybrid would be figuring out how to let the front derailleur know where the rear was. They talk through the brain on the bike. It's the little rectangle thing up near the bars.

I think that a hybrid is awesome.
hodie21 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 11:54 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 2

Bikes: Cervelo RS, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro, Schwinn Typhoon, Nashbar touring, custom steel MTB

Originally Posted by transamman1999
i wonder if anyone has tried running a Di2 FD only (and a standard, manual, cable rear)??? it seems to me that that would be the ultimate setup especially after reading hodie's review. it would be even better if you could run a smaller battery too.
Shimano only makes one battery and they only sell Di2 brifters in pairs. You can buy an entire Red gruppo for less than Di2 front shifting would cost...
sstorkel is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 11:58 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by sstorkel
Shimano only makes one battery and they only sell Di2 brifters in pairs. You can buy an entire Red gruppo for less than Di2 front shifting would cost...
i was just talkin hypathetically dude. just saying i think a hybrid setup would be sweet.

didn't know the 2 derailleurs talked to each other. i guess if you engineered this kind of hybrid system you could easily make a sensor that communicated the RD's position to the system .
transamman1999 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 12:03 PM
  #12  
jmechy's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 666
Likes: 0
From: UCSB

Bikes: 2006 Felt F3C

Originally Posted by FlashBazbo
Yeah, it seems to me that the biggest value is with the auto-trim on the front . . . and the biggest detriment is with the one-gear-at-a-time on the rear. A hybrid system would seem to make a lot of sense.
Both Shimano and SRAM only allow one gear at a time rear up-shifting. The only real reason you need multiple shifts per throw is because the throws are so long to get to a bigger cog. Eliminate the super long throw for down shifting and I bet that suddenly you don't miss that feature.
It seems that the buttons on Di2 can be clicked so fast that multiple throwing on DA-7900 would be slower than just double (or triple, which apparently 7900 can't do) clicking the Di2 levers.
jmechy is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 01:18 PM
  #13  
FlashBazbo's Avatar
Chases Dogs for Sport
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 147
Originally Posted by sstorkel
Shimano only makes one battery and they only sell Di2 brifters in pairs. You can buy an entire Red gruppo for less than Di2 front shifting would cost...
Yeah, or I could buy 6,000 pounds of dirty baby diapers. Why would anyone want to buy a Red gruppo?
FlashBazbo is offline  
Reply
Old 03-17-10 | 09:55 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 2

Bikes: Cervelo RS, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro, Schwinn Typhoon, Nashbar touring, custom steel MTB

Originally Posted by jmechy
It seems that the buttons on Di2 can be clicked so fast that multiple throwing on DA-7900 would be slower than just double (or triple, which apparently 7900 can't do) clicking the Di2 levers.
Di2 rear shifting isn't exactly fast... at least not on the Specialized Tarmac I test-rode. Probably about the same speed as 7900, if not slower. Certainly no match for Red...
sstorkel is offline  
Reply
Old 03-18-10 | 04:01 AM
  #15  
roadwarrior's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,664
Likes: 7
From: Someplace trying to figure it out

Bikes: Cannondale EVO, CAAD9, Giant cross bike.

Originally Posted by hodie21
I have owned the DI2 on my Orbea Opal and rode it for around 6 months.

Here is what I think.

You really have 0 feedback as far as the shifts go. You hit the button the derailleur moves and you don't really feel it.
You can only shift in one gear increments both up and down the cassette.

Is it smooth? Hell yeah.
Is it worth the money? Hell NO.
Is SRAM RED a better more positive shifting experience? YES
DI2 is great for the cool factor.
The one thing that I will definitly give a big thumbs up for is the front derailleur.
Talk about shifting without thought. Hit the button and it doesn't matter what you are doing and it will shift up without skipping a beat.
For me I am sticking with cables for the time being. Having owned it and sold it I can say that I wasn't overly impressed with it. It's just neat.
After riding RED for several months now I don't think I will change to anything else.
Here is the obligatory picture to prove I had it.
Same with me, 100% although I did not own it, just rode it for a while.
roadwarrior is offline  
Reply
Old 03-18-10 | 04:02 AM
  #16  
roadwarrior's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,664
Likes: 7
From: Someplace trying to figure it out

Bikes: Cannondale EVO, CAAD9, Giant cross bike.

Originally Posted by FlashBazbo
Yeah, or I could buy 6,000 pounds of dirty baby diapers. Why would anyone want to buy a Red gruppo?
What is this "buy"?
roadwarrior is offline  
Reply
Old 03-18-10 | 07:18 AM
  #17  
hodie21's Avatar
Sucking Wheel at the back
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 779
Likes: 1
From: Bristol, VA

Bikes: Lynskey Helix Sport, Lynskey M290, Cervelo S3

Originally Posted by FlashBazbo
Yeah, or I could buy 6,000 pounds of dirty baby diapers. Why would anyone want to buy a Red gruppo?
Because I have ridden every top end shifting group there is and RED is simply better.

7900 DA has huge throws. Half of the movement is slop.
Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed. Don't like how you have to change hand position to downshift although shifting is extremely smooth due to the 11th cog.
hodie21 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-18-10 | 08:37 AM
  #18  
FlashBazbo's Avatar
Chases Dogs for Sport
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 147
Originally Posted by hodie21
Because I have ridden every top end shifting group there is and RED is simply better.

7900 DA has huge throws. Half of the movement is slop.
Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed. Don't like how you have to change hand position to downshift although shifting is extremely smooth due to the 11th cog.
That's why they make more than one kind, I guess. I find Red kind of crude, clunky and noisy, although less clunky than Campy. But I'm spoiled by the slick shifting of Shimano. I can't imagine going back to SRAM.
FlashBazbo is offline  
Reply
Old 03-18-10 | 09:10 AM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 7,075
Likes: 6
i love the sound of a hybrid system. i would take mine with electric front and my loud ratchety Campagnolo rear that can dump 10 cogs one way and climb 4 the other way. a guy can dream...
thirdgenbird is offline  
Reply
Old 03-18-10 | 10:10 AM
  #20  
ColorChange's Avatar
3 seconds
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,935
Likes: 0
From: Chicago, NW burbs
I'm installing Di2 on my Cervelo tomorrow (replacing RED). I'll have a full review soon and will be posting install pics shortly.
ColorChange is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
horatio
Road Cycling
5
07-23-19 04:30 AM
benl
Road Cycling
3
06-01-17 09:47 PM
part_robot
Road Cycling
5
02-15-15 11:58 AM
terrain
Road Cycling
10
05-21-11 03:31 PM
merlinextraligh
Road Cycling
61
03-17-10 04:55 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.