patentcad

You've GOT to be kidding me. That is what all the Di2 fuss is about?

Rode a Di2 equipped Super Six on Saturday. Was it nifty? Yeah, OK. Is this the future of high end bike components? Well, yeah, maybe if the manufacturers figure it's cheaper to make the stuff this way.

Does it deliver any appreciable big advantage over mechanical shifting?

No, with the possible exception of ability easily locate shift buttons in different places.

Is this worth a $2K premium to a high end mechanical bike group?

Of course not. And that's why nobody is buying it. It's the question nobody asked. And after riding it I am not convinced anybody really cares. I don't.

You must be joking. If Shimano has a friggin brain in its (redacted) (they don't) they'll drop the price on this crap hard to counter SRAM who came out of nowhere 4-5 years ago and is gobbling market share from them like Pac Man. They really are idiots. I'm ready to go Sram. Shimano has lost its way.

dstrong 

But...but...but...Andy Schleck wouldn't have droped his chain if he'd been using Di2!

v70cat

Not only does it cost more but it also weighs more.

patentcad

It struck me stupider. Heavier, pricier, more needless complication? That's stupider. You know, all these bike weenies are telling me 'oh, once you ride this you'll never want to ride mechanical shifters again'. Uh-huh. Yawn. Friggin YAWN.

Ex Pres 

They just needed Apple to co-brand it. Then you'd be all over it, except that your shifting would disappear in 'dead cells', with towers in full view.

Hida Yanra

given what the interwebs leaks are saying, they price on this stuff will be dropping very significantly, and very quickly (if the sources are to be believed)
SRAM is at least 3 years behind in the electronic system game, and this is one area where Shimano can hit back at them.

The bike industry is based upon making tangential benefits seem both critical in necessity, and reasonable in price.
The best way for this seems to be "have something that is more expensive", and thus people will not think about how silly the 2nd tier product is, just the fact that they aren't buying at the top of the product line, and thus it is cheaper, and a good deal.

Consider: carbon wheels, carbon bars, aerodynamic frame shaping, power meters... 95% of the bike riding population will not have an improved experience after buying any of those items - but they sure fly off the shelves - eh?

Perceived Advantage/Benefit - that is the key issue here.

kimconyc

Welcome to 2009:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Di2?highlight=


I went SRAM (actually, I was probably the first guy in NYC with SRAM Red), acting as my LBS' guinea pig, originally because it was the cheapest of all 3 options. This is no longer the case.

I recently built up a bike with Campagnolo. Campagnolo > SRAM.

But from a bottom line perspective, I will argue that 6700 is the best groupset out there right now.

ADSR

"(redacted)"

Ummmm. What?

kimconyc

So which one is it? Who rode what? Who yawned?

UCIMBZ

As long as it is a bike, it is mechanical.

kayakdiver

I like everything about it but.... replacing shifter cables requires 3 hands and I only have two. It really is a pain in the ass compared to 6600.

Quel

It's a battery and a few pieces of circuit board. It probably doesn't cost more than $100 over regular 7900 in terms of actual manufacturing, they are just trying to recoup R&D costs over a very first run of groupsets. 5 years from now it will barely be more than 7900.

hodie21

I owned the Di2 group and sold it just for these reasons. The only cool thing about it is easy tuning. But other than that I didn't care that much. Maybe if it was much cheaper I would get it again.

Velo Vol 

wut

hodie21

I hate 6700. I like the snappy shifting of SRAM systems. Haven't owned any Campy but it seems good. Heard it's a little finicky with tuning it in.

noise boy

Can't speak to SRAM, but the Campy drivetrain I just put on my bike shifts like butter, much smoother than my wife's 105 does.

Shimagnolo

The annoying part of the Apple shifters: there is just one button to shift both front and rear.

coasting 

i like 6700. i say kill electronics for bikes. it is stupid. call me a luddite but that's the truth.

patentcad

You are correct.

Listen, I came to this stupid friggin sport from running. You know, the sport where you lace up your friggin Nikes and you go running. Now when I ride it's like going out for a friggin space walk, particularly in the winter. Cycling is far too complicated. Electronic shifting complicates it further. Fail. Utter, complete friggin fail.

And yet, it's inevitable. Good grief this sport blows.

GP

Racist comment or idiot's mistake?

I vote idiot.

patentcad

But it has me doesn't it? And it won't let go. Worse, it knows this.

patentcad

It's not a poll.

kimconyc

It's pretty much like SRAM, or Shimano for that matter. Read instructions, follow instructions.

All I know is that the 2011 Campagnolo stuff blows away the SRAM Red shifting on my other bikes in terms of actuation and also being able to shift more gears in one sweep--I didn't think the last point really mattered until I had both systems to compare with.

coasting 

last week i got dressed up with the layers and tights and booties etc. Got in the car and drove to the park only to find i forgot my cycling shoes. i got out and walked for 3 hour instead. luckily i had normal trousers in the car.

kimconyc

6600 is obsolete. But for the sake of argument, then I will say 7800 was the best groupset ever made, period.