GP

People that spend their life savings on a bicycle have bigger problems than potential equipment failure.

StanSeven

Better just stick to riding that flying dog house in your avatar. Your efforts at humor isn't cutting it

AK404

"Shimano isn't technologically inclined."

Try harder at your trolling.

If the damned thing doesn't shift right, then like any good mechanic, you start isolating the issue. First, make sure that the derailleur is sound, then check the shifter. Next, you check out the wires, make sure they're seated properly then retest. If that doesn't change anything, then you replace the problem wire - usually the one related to the derailleur or shifter in question - with a 'control wire,' a brand-new wire to make sure that the problem isn't the wire itself, then retest. After that, you move onto the junction box that holds the two derailleur wires and battery wires in place, then retest. There's no need to break open the boxes, you just replace the part. If that doesn't change anything, then start all over again.

The problem right now, and it's common to all relatively new technologies, is that there ain't enough supplies to go around to support a testing process like this in all LBS, nor is Di2 repair common knowledge. However, as it becomes more and more common, more and more bike mechanics will know how to deal with the particular issues it presents. Thing is, it ain't computer science: there's no programming to do, just hardware work.

Also, "don't race it if you can't replace it." Nobody's gonna spend their life savings on a damned bike, that's just stupid talk.

Campag4life

getaklug is pretty much right. I am not here to diss Di2, it is great technology. But the average guy...even a EE...or bike shop tech won't have a clue how to fix one if they break is the point. Right now, that means part exchange. If your bike shop doesn't have a big spare parts bin of Di2 parts available, you are pretty much hosed...with big down time with your bike if you don't have a back up bike. Maybe most guys who can afford Di2 will have a nice back up road bike with cable shifting. Di2 slightly smacks of body control modules...aka computers... in automobiles. When one goes bad, unless you have a computer interface to determine its functionality, you don't have a chance other than scatter gun approach to swapping out parts...expensive. Such is the way with digitial, multiplexed circuits. No better way to control things, but if they break, you are hosed and will be an expensive repair bill out of warranty with a fair amount of down time and hair pulling. So really this is cost and time versus functionality thing really. There are and will continue to be many schools. Some believe fixies are the answer...the essence of a bicycle should be simplicity. Others with go for the F1 approach and tech. One of my most humbling days on my bike this year was meeting up with a guy riding a 15 year old Al De Rosa with patchwork 105 and makeshift wheelset and tires. One of the fastest guys I have ridden with this year and I was on a much better bike 'without Di2'. I am not sure when I will make the switch to Di2 but it isn't in the near future because the benefits which clearly exist don't balance with the afore mentioned in my opinion.

StanSeven

That's no different than any bicycle part going out. Your derailleur goes. Unless the dealer has a replacement, they order one which comes in a couple days. But everyone I've seen that sells Di2 has parts in stock.

The other thing is how many people spend the money on Di2 and doesn't have at least one more bike around to ride?

patentcad

The Stupid is particularly strong in this thread.

saratoga

Title caught my attention... 4 pages should have sent up the red flag.

DaveWC

I asked my LBS about that specific issue. The guy laughed & said that if they didn't have the required parts they'd order them & have them in a day, two tops. He said that Campy owners often deal with a lot longer delays, at least in my city.

Campag4life

Much different. Not only is Di2 still very scarce at most lbs, but diagnosis of root cause of shifting issues if they occur is completely different.
Apparently you don't get it at all. When a std derailleur fails, it is generally obvious. When a Di2 rear derailleur doesn't shift, you don't know if its the:
a. controller
b. battery (easy to discern)
c. broken wire aka breach in the system
d. servo that shifts the rear derailleur.

The level of complexity of the new Di2 will elude most that attempt to work on it short of replacing parts that are as rare as hen's teeth. This btw will be a windfall for not only Shimano but also for lbs that will end up replacing parts at owner expense that aren't even required.
There is a thread on the web someplace about a frustrated Di2 owner whose bike was down for weeks with little support from Shimano and an equally clueless/helpless bike shop.

Does Di2 shift better than most cable bikes? Yes. Is it harder to fix if it fails? It could be very difficult to fix. I am saying that and I can fix anything...design and build my own computers...built race cas and motorcycles.

AdelaaR

I have never used it, so I can't comment on the first statement ... but it's obvious from simply looking at how it works that it's going to be much more difficult to repare than any mechanical system since it's inner workings are much more complex.
It'll definately be much harder for an averag joe to do any diagnosis without having the specific diagnosis tools, whereas any average joe with a bit of basic mechanical understanding can quite easily do all types of diagnosis, maintenance and repair on mechanical systems.
The same has happened with cars and motorbikes in years past.

pallen

I like how a humorous post about forgetting to charge a battery that lasted a really long time turned into a discussion of how Di2 sucks.

Campag4life

Absolutely...common sense...which sadly isn't very common. The argument can take on many analogies. One maybe fuel injection, ECU and engine sensors versus a carb'ed engine. Many may prefer the precision of FI...but they will pay for it.
Perhaps better analogy of cars to bikes is throttle by wire. Ask Toyota...lol. Are cable-less throttles generally more acomodative and work best as an electronic interface with other EFI sensors talking to the ECU? Yes. If a throttle potentiometer fails it will cost a lot more to fix however . So technology is a slippery slope.
Bottom line is there is diminishing return. Ask anybody who has ever owned a high end BMW with I-drive out of warranty...lol...why they have such cheap resale...nobody can afford them out of warranty.

DaveWC

There should be many such threads if the risk is material. It does sound to me like the risk of increased down time due to issues increases with Di2, but the risk of having an issue to begin with is low. Otherwise this forum and most forums would be littered with unhappy customers waiting for their bikes to be fixed.

Brian Ratliff

I've had two Ultegra shift cables break on me because I forgot to inspect the cables. Two consecutive seasons (I am a bit maniacal about it now). The first was during a climbing race and it didn't break all the way through; the second was right before a crit, which I then had to race in the 39/12. If you forget stuff, stuff's gonna break. Doesn't matter if it's electronic or mechanical. Best is to get out of the habit of forgetting stuff.

AK404

Wait, there really is a difference between the Ultegra & DA-branded cables and just regular ol' cables?

Drew Eckhardt 

Just like STI shifters and Campagnolo Escape/Powershift/Ultrashift.

Fedex will have you back in business by 10am tomorrow, although it won't be as inexpensive as a warranty replacement.

roadwarrior

Sram...no batteries required.

roadwarrior

Di2 only sucks if you can't afford it. Like expensive bikes suck if you cannot afford one. "you don't need...".

pallen

Di2 cant be that complicated. You have shifters, derailleurs, a wire between them and a brain. If a part malfunctions, you swap it for a new part, just like you do with mechanical.

Snydermann

AdelaaR

Bob Ross

^^^This. I just don't understand how folks justify the I Don't Like Electronic Shifting argument by citing the "What if I forget to recharge it?" defense. Um, really? Do you remember to recharge your cellphone? Why should this be any different?

Maybe I'm being unfair, because I tend to be a bit anal about routines. My commuter bike has a headlight with a rechargeable battery; every time I get home from a ride, I put that bike away in the exact same place, a spot reserved for that bike...that happens to be directly adjacent to the always-plugged-in battery recharger. So every time I put that bike away I plug in the recharger. Every time.

If I had Di2 I'd do the exact same thing. Problem solved.

slowandsteady

Does anyone care that this is a thread from last year? I think the OP has his battery charged by now.

pallen

yeah, but we can still talk about how Di2 sucks because of that one time that guy...

AlexZ

Another zombie thread.......