Thoughts on Di2

I’ve been using Ultegra Di2 on my new Felt Z3 for the past 6 weeks-or-so. In my cycling career, I’ve gone from downtube friction shifters, through indexed shifters, on to STI combined brake/gear shifters and finally to Di2. Here’s my initial thoughts:

Good

• Slick shifting – easily as slick as a newly setup mechanical system
• Easy to maintain – no cables to replace or lubricate
• Easy shifting – minimal movement in levers, good with cold, wet hands
• Having multiple shift positions (i.e. bar tops & tribars) is great! This is probably the best advantage of Di2 for me.

Bad

• Expensive – not so bad on a new bike, expensive to retro-fit
• Difficult to fix at road-side – hopefully I’ll never have to confirm this!
• The wires a bit fragile – easy to nip one when fitting wheel, etc.
• Battery – Although it lasts about 1000 km between charges, it’s just another thing to check before going out

If you’re tempted by Di2, visit Carlton Bale’s website (https://carltonbale.com/shimano-di2-everything-you-need-to-know/) for an in-depth look at the various options and compatibility issues.