Originally Posted by
SpeedyBlueBiker
I've never had a bike with electronic shifting so I don't have anything to compare it to. I can shift my mechanical gears with no issues so what am I missing?
My buddy has electronic shifting and raves about it.
My Di2 is 8.5 years old, and still shifts perfectly. I replaced the seatpost battery a few years ago when it started needing weekly recharging.
The biggest Di2 advantages, for me:
1. Easy front shifting. Riding from flatter roads, I'll shift the chainring even on a 25 foot high short, steep climb, instead of mashing a low gear in the big chainring. It's fast and reliable, and no finger leverage is needed for the front mechanical lever.
2. Instant rear shifts. Even with my ring finger while on the hoods. I'll shift for just a couple of pedal strokes, then shift again. I'll shift repeatedly, while standing, as the grade gets steeper.
3. I have the rear set to "shift 3 cogs with a long press" (which is about 1/2 second or longer, instead of the usual "mouse click"). So, at the base of a hill: hold down the bottom buttons on the front and on the rear. That's shift to the small chainring, and shift 3 cogs smaller in the back. Rolling over the top of the hill: hold down both top buttons -- big chainring and 3 cogs larger. Both shifts at the same time, no need to do the rear and then do the front.
4. Auto trim of the front. At front chainring shifts, it over shifts the front cage to help move the chain, then recenters it a couple of seconds later. And no front cage rubbing as I shift through the rear cogs, there's two front cage trim points across the rear shifting range.
All this easy shifting is fantastic on the rolling terrain around here. The grade is constantly changing, so I'm shifting a lot.