Show Me Your EXTERNAL Di2 Setup!
 

Gang,

I am considering drinking the kool-aid and upgrading my mechanical Ultegra 6700 to Di2. However, my Habanero is NOT set up for internal shifter cables/wires so everything will have to be external (battery/junction box/wires etc). The few external Di2 setups I have seen look fugly with zip-ties etc., but I am hopeful that it could be done without being too ugly.

Anyone have this done and have advice? Pics are appreciated.

And please don't tell me to get my frame drilled, I am not interested in that. And eTap is too pricey.

It will look fugly. Save up a few more dollars and get the Etap.

Paging RiddleOfSteel didn't you DI2 your Prologue?

External Di2? That's only acceptable if you dress like this:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...74c25b4595.png

It's an option. Also waiting for the "next generation" Di2 that MIGHT be wireless shifters (and wires just to FD/RD/Battery) is a consideration.

But I am not getting any younger and don't want to wait forever. I could likely afford the current Ultegra Di2 using my current crankset which would be much more affordable.

What is wrong with getting the frame drilled? (I am thinking of doing that with a Soma Saga, which is why I ask.)

Also, if you want to save some money, you can get the first gen Ultegra hydraulic Di2 levers for $199 from Universal Cycles. I have these (from 2014) and they are great.

I've never seen a DI2 setup with exposed wires but if I was going to do it, maybe add some colored shrink tubing to the wires.

colored shrink tube

I saw a post on FB where a guy installed Di2 on his Colnago Master and drilled the frame to run internal wires. I was shocked at what a great job he did. The attention to detail made it look factory.

Calfee will do this, fwiw.

These things will be your friend- https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/produ...2/SM-EWC2.html

If your frame doesn't have provisions for an external battery (which is a very specific vintage of bike at this point), you're stuck with something like the water bottle mount that's pretty unappealing aesthetically IMO.

It's frustrating that Force AXS eTap requires a new crankset and probably new rear hub, because the levers+derailleurs are (I think) about the same cost as Ultegra, and that's a much better solution.

I asked the frame builder about drilling and he recommends against it.

Upgrading to etap is going to cost 2k which is ridiculous IMO.

I will probably just keep what I have for now.

We seem to have arrived at this conclusion before.

I'm still curious why he recommends against drilling; it's not a rare thing.

Here is cut/paste of his comments on why drilling frame is not recommended:


I would hesitate to drill holes for the Di2 cables - your frame has the
svelte 32mm down tube, and that would make me a little nervous, as
it would tend to form a stress riser that could lead to a failure. There's
also the problem of how to poke a big enough hole in the bottom
bracket shell to allow placement of the junction box in the down tube
(it would be really, really fiddly).

My friend sold me his 1st gen. Di2 for $300. Here are pictures of my external set up using the Shimano adhesive back cable covers.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7c135a3110.jpg
Zip tied the upper junction box to the brake cable
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3601a85e68.jpg
Battery pack is mounted under the downtube bottle cage
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...387332d3af.jpg
The lower junction box
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...61fe21c663.jpg
The RD cable is secured on the inside of the rear stay with the Shimano cable cover
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...042d94218a.jpg
The rear RD cable comes out from the backside of the rear stay
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7e52819c03.jpg
The exposed cables weren't taped down. They don't move.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...69c11263eb.jpg
The downtube cable is hidden under the black Shimano cable cover

Two weeks back I was riding along the MUP and saw an older guy riding wearing a long sleeve jersey... and Assos Cento bibs over it. I really couldn't work out why he'd do that, other than Assos' silly graphics on the bib straps confusing him into thinking they should be proudly displayed.

I don't know what you have, but I don't have room for a 30mm spindle in my BSA bottom bracket with the Di2 wires in there.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a85b6e485.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...182fe2c01.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...12a145700.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6d1fb93f1.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c03035cb6.jpeg

That's a big ugly battery.
Oh.. wrong topic.

That actually looks pretty good. It’s a hybrid internal/external. Thanks for posting.

I found this searching through the "Retro Roadies" thread in C&V - the saddle battery mount looks really nice IMO, but no details about wire routing.

User hasn't logged on since February of this year, but maybe they would respond to a PM?

Always fun seeing a November, but that one is funny given their #anythingbutblack campaign.

r9150 on a Master Light

????×**********??COLNAGO MASTER X-LIGHT?Di2****************************************Y'sRoad PORTAL

Indeed. It may have been intentional......

That actually looks pretty good, all things considered. Thanks!

Yup, def ugly, SRAM batteries are a close second. :thumb: