^ Good point. When I was looking at Di2, I was wondering why Shimano didn't incorporate that in Di2, given that it's just a couple of switches, it would seem easy to do.

I wonder if there is a patent issue?

Well, I"m one of not too many in the world who have gone from RED to Di2 on my SLC-SL. I've had it on for a few weeks and here is my early review.

The performance of the Di2 is devastating. You simply tap and get a gear, fast, any time, under any conditions. That means full load, front or rear derailleur - or at the same time, cross chained or not, 700 watts or more, or less ... do you get the point? Touch and it's done. That's it. You can't screw it up, even when trying. The closest thing I have had to a mis-shift is taking 1/3 crank to catch the next set of pins and ramps to make the jump on the fd. Operator error still occurs every now and then as I am still getting used to tapping the buttons and am trying to perfect my "left side big ring, right side up two gears" upshift or "left side small ring, right side down two gears" downshift. I do these changes at the same time, one tap left side, two taps right side. Super cool! Since shifting is so easy and reliable, I shift constantly, tweaking my ideal desired cadence.

RD shifting is quieter than RED (almost silent unless the FD auto-trims or your pumping major wattage).

I am now running the RED powerdome 11-26 cassette with good results so far. Shimano claimed 11-25 was the largest rear cog that was compatible. It was so cool to throw the new cassette on the bike, start riding it, hit the trim adjustment button, and within 1 minute of putting on a new cassette, I was dialed in and riding. No tools, no twisting cable stops in the bike stand. Too cool!

It does weigh more but this difference can be reduced by using RED components in some areas. I have heard the RED crank will work as well but haven't tried it.

Is it "worth" the extra money? Not anymore than RED is worth the extra money compared to Force. I'm a techy guy and LOVE it. Seriously, it's that much fun. Other people may not care so much.

Completely factoring out price, Di2. If cost came into the equation at all I'd probably have to say Red.

Regular 7900.

I went from 7800 to SRAM....not really one of my brightest moments.....Lighter thou

fair and honest review, thanks for that.

Love my SRAM Red. I think one of the big deciding factors might be the ergonomics of the hoods and the shifting mechanism. I tried the new Ultegra 6700, and hated the huge hoods and the long throw of the shifting. I understand Di2 shouldn't have the throw issues, but it's shaped similarly.

The SRAM hoods are much more minimalist and I like that. I love the way you can pull back the shift lever on SRAM and downshift with a finger twitch while sprinting in the drops.

I recently made that decision but after watching the testrider.com review of shifters I realized the sets are in two totally different classes. DI2, which Ben loves, is the only one in its class. Take away the electronics, and the big price increase, and Red wins the manual set comparison. So if you're going electronic, there's only one choice. If you're going manual, then Red wins.

+1 I thought I'd like it but my favorite hand position doesn't like the rear bulge at the top of the shifters. It's one of the big reasons, and there are many, I went with Red.

$1548 for a Red group doesn't seem overpriced to me. It's the lightest in the bunch and has the best manual shifters right now. Now if you want to talk price lets discuss framesets, ouch. Wanna buy a nice frameset? Cough up a couple mortgage payments.

I cannot share that experience. One guy in our team who rides a Fuji SST with Di2 is definitely noticeable when he shifts. The RD servo whizzing indicates his intent right away.

You have to keep in mind this has a lot to do with the wide proliferation of Red, while Di2 is still moving very small volume. We won't see the gripes about Di2 to the same extent until it is more widely adopted.

sums it up for me, but I must say that the shifting on Di2 is really nice especially since I thought it wouldn't be consistently accurate for some reason.

For bling and being awesome I would choose Di2.

Though, if that means having to go through recharging the battery once in a while, and if it means having to pay significantlymore than going for Red, I would choose Red. I guess I'm just lazy and cheap.

You're not alone in this.

Only on BF can SRAM Red be considered cheap...

Obviously, it wasn't meant like that ;)

I own Red and 7800 on my 2 bikes and would choose Di2 over Red any day of the week if I could afford it. If it weren't for the cables hanging out I'd choose 7800 over Red any day of the week. Red is nice and light but 7800 shifts much better and having demoed Di2 for a day....nothing else is even in the ballpark.

I now have force/red on three bikes...Not even close to the 7800 that used to be on'em
Nothing shifts like Shimano......just the name of the story.

Campag clan tries to bring feelings into the game....Feelings doesn't improve shifting...sorry

As for SRAM......Light and looks

Ergonomics has made me SRAM fan. I loved everything about DA except the levers.

Nice to hear from people with actual real life experience on the topic. Not just shills saying what they have is best, and bad mouthing the competition.

I was all set to get Rival or Force until I had a chance to hold the hoods. The Shimano hoods just fit my hands a lot better.

My vote would be Di2 just because it can never get out of alignment and you'd never miss a shift.

If I want to be competitive on the bike and/or I am insistent at having excellent shift quality, I have to go with Di2 (or 7900). Nothing shifts with the slick smoothness of a Shimano gear train.

I've owned SRAM. Probably never again -- but only because of the clunky shift quality. Some call it "sure" shifting. Some call it "positive" shifting. I just call it clunky. I don't understand the "princess and the pea" ergo arguments. I've never met a hood I didn't like. For those who are more finicky, perhaps SRAM is the only hood they can stand.

But SOMEDAY, I will go with Campy. No good reason at all. Just because I must own a Campy gruppo someday.

Shifting in the drops? Yeah. No difference from Red there, other than the lack of lever throw.

Climbing mountains? No, but I did gain about 2000ft over a couple of hills. Maybe the test bike I rode just needed to be adjusted, but I got more than a few really clunky shifts while standing on the pedals and shifting. Same thing when shifting during full-power sprints. Di2 was better than Red, but the bike I rode wasn't that much better. Certainly not enough better to justify the cost...

I love the way the Di2 shifts. It's the best shifting I've ever imagined. No more missed shifts under dificult conditions is really nice.

Di2 is the future, just wasting your money if you stick around with the Stonehenge manual shifting design.

Interesting note!


The first electronic components were developed by Mavic and ridden in the 1992 Tour de France by the ONCE and RMO teams. Called the Zap Mavic System (ZMS), it launched publicly the following year allowing riders to adjust the rear derailleur using two small buttons mounted to a specially designed handlebar that also housed the battery system.

The following year Campagnolo started testing a similar system - the difference being that instead of relying on electromagnets to maneuver the derailleur, Campagnolo used a small actuator motor. This design was patented in Italy in 1994 and worldwide in 1996.

Both companies continued to refine their designs until 1999 when Mavic released their Mektronic system - the first 'wireless' system which integrated the computer, shifters and rear derailleur in a wire-free electronic system.

Campagnolo went one better later that year, releasing details of their first ever fully electronic groupset with both derailleurs being cable free and capable of both up and down shifts. The design was patented in early 1999 and first sighted in the pro peloton in late 2001 / early 2002.

I guess I could see Di2 for front shifting. Rear, meh. Honestly the ultegraSL I have now is great. I put Rival on my bike for awhile and took it off. Didn't like the effort for the double tap, and the "moving lever" thingy is better on the showroom floor imho.

I need to adjust my front ring shifting, and have needed to for weeks. Doesn't really affect my riding @35 hrs/month. ymmv.

Merlin, I'd buy 7800 since I've only got one nice road bike. If I was buying a 2nd bike with all of the money I made (saved?) self-insuring myself, it'd have Di2.