55tele

I have a DI2 equipped bike with a compact crank (50-36) and a 36-11 cassette. On a non DI2 bike, I would shift to the small ring up front and the 11 in the rear, but DI2 will not allow this. When in the 36 up front, it only allows the rear to shift to the 13 (3rd cog up).

Should I keep the front in the 50t in the front and 11 in the rear to remove / install rear wheels OR be in the 36 up front and the 13t in the rear?

The DI2 rear derailleur moves back, but does not have quite the travel back that a conventional rear derailleur has, so it’s a bit of a struggle when I remove and re install. So far, I’ve been keeping the front ring in the 36 and 13 in the rear....

what is the best procedure??

Litespud

When I’m removing/replacing a wheel with my (non-Di2) setup, I shift to the smallest sprocket just so I don’t need remember what gear I was in for when I reinstall the wheel. There’s nothing inherently special about the smallest sprocket. Just remember to drop the chain onto the third sprocket when you reinstall the wheel

Cyclist0108

The important thing is that you pull the chain off and put it on the same cog.

Having said that, I have my Di2 set up such that I can cross-chain with impunity.


You might want to try it with the large ring in the front and the smallest in the back. Do whatever is easiest for you and your rear derailleur.

Badger6

The OP is correct, the most current Di2 RDs (RD-R8050, RD-R9150, RX815) will not permit the system to cross-chain small/small...big/big is possible. When in the small chainring, the RD will not permit shifting below the 3rd cog, it's hard wired in the brain on the battery.

OP, I shift to the big ring, and the smallest (1st) cog and manually articulate the cage forward (NOT LEFT toward the frame) as I drop the wheel. The chain will have enough length to permit this. It might require you to push/pull the wheel to get the cassette past the upper jockey wheel on the cage, but if you're gentle and give even pressure while doing it, it will get past without any ill effect. If you have a clutch, disengage it.

Iride01 

If I think about it before I remove the wheel, I shift to the big front and the small rear. Both on my Di2 and other bikes. For ease of putting the wheel back in, it makes no sense to do it any other way to me.

Being in the big ring and small cog leave the chain with no bend or angle for you to overcome. You can put it in one handed if you are good. I'm not. I can't do that reliably, but I bet others can.

However probably more often than not, I just take the wheel off with the bike in whatever gear it was in previously. Sure it makes it a little more difficult to put in, but not much. You'll get both hands dirty usually. And if it's trouble, then you can still shift to the proper position with no wheel in.

55tele

Thanks much,

When putting the wheel back on, do you push the cage forward as well? I’ve managed this several times all with making sure the disk is aligned into the caliper, but always seems a struggle....

August West

If you don't use Synchro Shift or Semi-Synchro Shift you can go into the E-Tube app and tell it you are running larger chainrings and disable Gear Position Control which will then allow you to shift to the smallest two cogs. But Gear Position Control was implemented to prevent excess chain slack. Personally I keep it enabled just shift into the 3rd smallest gear and when I reinstall a chain just put it the same cog. I swap chains every couple of weeks and don't have a problem doing this.

Badger6

Key point here, I do this with the bike on a repair stand, so it is suspended and I am dropping the wheel out, and lifting it up into the dropout.

To be more specific, for removal I rotate the cage forward by pushing the bottom of the cage with my thumb, while reaching up toward the top jockey wheel and grabbing onto the RD body and rotating that as far back as I can.

For reinstallation of the wheel, I get the cassette engaged with the chain (the 1st cog), and raise the wheel as high as it will go; sometimes it will just slide past as the cassette rotates around the chain. If not, I gently do the same maneuver with the RD I used to removal to get the top jockey wheel out the way, and it just goes into place.

55tele

Thanks Badger 6....Yes, I’m doing this on a stand and had been pulling the derailleur body back, but not pushing the cage forward...I will try your method....

Thanks

Badger6

Good luck!