UnfilteredDregs

lol...I have compressionless housing as well. The combination with Shimano's latest cable is awesome. After the initial stretch I have adjust derailleurs and cable tension once- 4600 miles, rear is a little sticky this week and I have my Spring tune-up tomorrow. There's more immediacy in the shifts as well, I'm not going electronic until it's on par in that sense, as well as being able to program some simple macros into the system, like speed/cadence profiles, grade/gear...etc.. That's where electronic will shine.

Leinster

An article got posted on SRAM wireless the other day, apparently the shifters work on a standard watch battery (replace once a year-ish) and each derailleur has an interchangeable removeable battery pack. So if rear dies, you can swap with the front, and if you like wearing a belt and suspenders you can bring a spare in your jersey pocket.

My next complete bike is (barring disaster befalling my current ride) years away yet, so by the time I get around to it electronic may well be the standard for everything above $1000. But I'm not going to go actively looking for it, and my most likely next purchase on that level will be an Athena Silver mech group to replace my 5700.

rideBjj

Agree completely with this. My current mechanical grouppo works so well, that even if I could straight up trade it in for Di2 or EPS, I am not sure I would. My frame, which I love and want to keep forever, has no provision for wiring.

If and when wireless becomes reality, AND comes down to a reasonable price, then I might consider it.

It really seems like SRAM (or whoever) should be able to market just the derailleurs, the CPU brains and user installable shift buttons that can be put anywhere, and there really should be no need to also replace shifter / brake bodies. Just remove the shift cables (and maybe in the case of sram and campy, also remove the inner lever blade leaving just the brake lever), mount everything and there you are.

Button arrays could be wired to the brain which mounts under the stem. Power for derailleurs is supplied by onboard camera batteries in each. Brain could have that or USB charging.

If SRAM does in fact market a full working wireless kit of some kind, I can fully see the home tinkerer buy just the two derailleurs and the CPU and figure out a solution on their own. I'd give that a try myself.

valygrl

me too. i had to ride my sister's bike with mech shifting last week, and that just reinforced for me how much nicer DI2 is.

rpenmanparker 

I didn't see an mention of whether the non-rechargeable disk batteries in the shifters would have indicators on them to show their charge state. Considering that changing them means throwing them away, not just a charging cycle, the indicator would be a nice thing to have. Carrying a small extra rechargeable for the derailleurs in full charge state shouldn't be too much of a burden. For that matter I guess carrying an extra disk battery for the shifters wouldn't be a problem either. Small enough.

Leinster

So your frame will work with wireless, but will it work with disc brakes, 135 rear spacing and thru-axles? Which may all also be the norm when wireless comes down to your price range?

sced

I have a number of bikes that have different ages and characters and enjoy grabbing whichever one suits my mood on a given day. Logistically and aesthetically, electronic shifting won't work with me.

Alias530

Ultegra Di2 costs in the same realm as mechanical Dura Ace... will be a hard choice but I might go electronic. Probably don't want to spend what Di2 DA costs. Current bike has mechanical Dura Ace 9000 so I'll be on that for a while.

rideBjj

Not sure what your point is.

Munk69

I just bought a new bike this winter with 6800 on it. My long term plans for the frame is Di2.

That said, the 6800 is very nice.

BillyD

Just plain no.

eriku16

Dave Cutter

At first I was very anti-electric shifting. After all... even though I ride modern bikes I am also very much a classic-vintage bicycle guy. But I've had a change of heart as far as bicycle technology progress. I want electric shifters and disc brakes!

RJM

My next bike will probably not have electronic shifting but I'm not opposed to it.

The wireless stuff looks cool if it works well.

RALPHFELT

I just bought a bike with Ultegra. Do I need to replace the whole groupset to go DI2 or are there some pieces that stay?

RJM

You can keep your crank, chain and cassette.

RALPHFELT

I can't decide then lol

dvdslw

I love my Ultegra 6770 Di2 which came on my bike when I bought it November of 2013. I have only charged the battery 3 times in 15 months. You can tell when it's time to charge because the rear shifting will begin to feel slightly delayed but usually even after you notice it, you can squeak out another week or two. It doesn't just go dead in the middle of nowhere. Charging takes about 30 minutes and unless you ride all day every day I can't see how that's an issue? You can also mix and match the components like using the less expensive Ultegra 6770 10 speed shifters with current Dura Ace or Ultegra 11 speed derailleurs or vice versa by simply updating the software. (The 1st generation Dura Ace 7970 Di2 is not compatible with any other system). What really sets it apart from mechanical is the amount of lever throw, with Di2 its just like a mouse click, no effort at all. Plus, the hoods are much more compact which to me just feels and looks better.

Ray9

I could've gotten it with my Super Six Hi-Mod but the shifting on it is a dream with the conventional set-up. My first question would be what happens when it gets wet or sticky with mud and road grit? I'm older than dirt but I like new ideas that move things to a better state. I have learned to let things get tested completely. I held on to my toe clips for a couple of years after clipless pedals arrived and kept shifting on the down tube for a while after STI shifting came on the scene.

06SpiceRed

Myself along with countless others havent had any issues with road grime and mud. If fact youll notice how many cross riders are using di2. Ive run mine in all sorts of crap. Snow, Ice, Mud, and even submerged a good amount of mine in what seemed like a creek crossing during some crazy floods. Kept going and I cleaned everything up with a powerwash at the end.

tekhna

When electronic shifting hits 500 bucks for the groupset, sure. 'til then 105/Rival works too well to bother.

Leinster

Just that you say you want to keep your frame forever, but I think if/when you upgrade to wireless, it might not be the shifting that makes your frame obsolete, but tech changes in other parts of the bike.

For what it's worth, I love my own frame too, and will happily ride it til it can be rode no more, and will gladly keep sourcing parts from the 2010s on eBay til 2050 if I can. I think the bikes whatever kids I may have in the future will ride will have very different tech to what I have.

Leinster

Lots of Di2 at the cobbled classics. There's the added benefit of sprinter/climber buttons to allow riders to shift in the tops, drops or anywhere else.

bt

amen

kbarch

My sentiments, too!
I actually LIKE the feel of mechanical, and wish more things were. I dislike touchscreens/touchpads, and think it's funny how designers often have to go to a lot of trouble to make electronic switches feel like they're working. What I REALLY hate is when the sensory feedback stops working when the switch still works, e.g., when things that used to "click" stop making the click noise.