smd4

You're not talking about mechanical shifting?

Jrasero

No but that's more because that's where the industry is pushing everyone. I think Shimano is disc their mechanical high end group sets anyway. So electronic shifting is heavier and more expensive but it's simply stays true indefinitely, crisper shifts, and looks cooler. I still think there is a ton of value in mechanical shifting due to it's simplicity and price. My rear Rival ETAP AXS derailleur just went bad and if the retailer had not just swapped it out for me I would be out another $270. A equivalent mechanical Shimano 105 RD-R7000 is $60 or less.

Now if you want to debate Shimano Di2 vs SRAM ETAP AXS that's more complicated but I am team SRAM ETAP AXS for what it's worth

jaxgtr

could be, but I will stick with my electronic.

jaxgtr

I've had both, can't go wrong with either in the long run. However, having said that, if you do go SRAM, you will need to ensure your wheels will work with the XDR hub body and if you can get a XDR hub body for your wheels. Both my road bikes are running SRAM as I did not want to have to deal with two different ecosystems.

sean.hwy

Can you get electronic shifting with the paddle removed behind the brakes so you can bring the brake lever closer to the handle bar? My gf has small hands and she can't comfortably use the drops on a long decent.

A few people that I have asked if they would rather have carbon wheel set or electronic shifting they all said electronic shifting. I was really surprised.

DaveSSS 

I'd sell the group on ebay or the pace line forum. Wireless electronic is so much easier. I've got two R12 frames with Force. The price for the Yoeleo R12 has gone way up. What used to cost $1215 is now $1890. The base price is $1590, but unless you want flat black or hemidium color, add another $300. I got pearl white and Baltic red/black for $1215.

Yoeleobike.com
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jaxgtr

They shifters have adjustment bolt to bring the paddles closer to the bars. I had to bring mine in on the Domane as the bars on it have a larger reach than the bars I have on my Emonda.

https://totalwomenscycling.com/road-...rs-small-hands

DaveSSS 

SRAM shifters have lots of lever adjustment, but the shift paddle can hit the bars before full braking power occurs, if the lever adjustment is set too close. With hydraulic brakes, the pad contact adjuster should be turned CCW as far as possible so the pads are as close to the rotors as possible. Rival levers have no pad contact adjustment, so I avoided buying them. I have my levers set as close to the bars as possible. It may help to turn the brake hoods inward slightly, so the shift paddle has a little more clearance.

I'd like to see carbon bars shaped to produce more clearance.

Don't get carried away with the contact adjuster. I saw a shifter that was broken when someone turned the adjuster too hard in the CCW direction.

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Jrasero

IMO if weight and a months worth of battery if not the main concern then I would go SRAM ETAP AXS since it's truly wireless which makes it easier to install and service, the app is really good, costs less, availability for parts is better, and IMO is simply designed better IE little things like a cassette simply being one piece and simply threads on the hub. Shimano is great stuff but what's the point of going electronic if your Shimano RD still has a snagable wire attached to it?

ZHVelo

If you can afford it, it really is quite nice to have electronic. Saying that, nothing wrong with mechanical.

momoman

Good information! All my wheels have Shimano freehub bodies, and I have a new set of Winspace wheels with Shimano freehubs I got for my Yoeleo R12 frame. They do sell the SRAM freehub for the wheel so if i decide to go with SRAM I’ll need to buy that freehub, but then I’ll have wheels with 2 different ecosystems.

Calsun

It is a subjective decision. For me it adds another point of failure and I have had no problems using standard shifting with the integrated shifter and brake levers that became common 20 years ago. It is one more thing that may fail and I really don't want to start carrying a spare $100 Di2 battery with me on my bikes.

Shimano product managers need a new gimick to sell more stuff as other than bike chains most bike components do not wear out. It also lets bike companies sell a higher level package to price their bikes higher and make more profit. Pro racers will add a new component in part because they are paid to do so, much like basketball shoes on pro atheletes.

Steve B.

I dont know anybody carries a spare Di2 battery as its generally not needed.

GhostRider62

Here is why I like electronic shifting more than mechanical

1. Due to some neuropathy, shifting mechanically is difficult and can be uncomfortable on really long rides
2. Ease of setup, set and forget
3. No cable stretch issues
4. Better aerodynamics
5. Much prefer the hood ergonomics of the SRAM AXS HRD Red over etap 11 speed hoods or the mechanical 11 speed by far
6. Right shifter to harder gear, left shifter for easier gear and both to shift the chainrings is very intuitive to me
7. Regular cage SRAM AXS on my bike can shift 36T whereas the extended cage can shift 39T, but the earlier Generation, it is much smaller rear cog.
8. On a TT bike, is there any argument which is better?

What I don't like is the inefficient AXS chain.

jaxgtr

If the freehub bodies are simple to change out like mine are, very easy to move wheels back and forth if needed.

Steve B.

I have very weak thumbs from work related injuries, have a hard time with thumb shifters on mechanical mt. bike shifters. Electronic resolves that.

momoman

If you’re a techno freak or a data junkie, Shimano Di2 will display all sorts of data on your Garmin. You can see your Di2 battery life, gear combo, chain position.

Amt0571

I don't want electronics or anything that I can't fix on the go and service at home for cheap.

I only suffered a couple of broken cables in my life, and it's a 10 minute job to replace them providing you don't have internal routing, which is the reason why I don't like internal routing.

I don't get what's so good with electronics. Properly adjusted mechanical shifters just work and, in my experience, last a long time without having to readjust them. Plus they're way cheaper and don't require a charger and batteries.

PeteHski

On the other hand it removes the widely reported failure point with cables in Shimano brifters. Not that I ever considered that a major problem, but it was always in the back of my mind.

Nobody carries a spare Di2 battery, although I prefer SRAM individual mech batteries. I don’t carry a spare, but you could easily. If one battery fails I’ll just ride with the rear mech only. But not something I’ve had to do yet.

Steve B.

Why don't you go back and actually read some of what's been posted here. I know that somebody has commented that electronic mostly needs very little maintenance, other than charging batteries every few months. I am no longer changing mechanical cables that get gummed up, resulting is steadily deteriorating shifting. I like that.

DaveSSS 

With electronic, there's really nothing to fix other than the eventual replacement of the RD jockey pulleys, just like with mechanical. If a component quits working, there's little choice but to buy a new part, which is pretty much the case with mechanical. With SRAM, it's easy to carry a spare battery for the derailleurs. Some might also choose to carry extra coin batteries for the shift levers, but those usually last at least a year, so annual changing is good idea. It won't be too long before only the low level component groups are mechanical. Campy will be the last hold out since they were first with 12 speed, but still only have one level of electronic that costs more than most people want to spend.

Same goes for rim brakes. They're disappearing fast. I got rid of mine over 2 years ago.

GhostRider62

I do carry a spare SRAM battery but in 4-5 years have never had to use it.

If I start to get gear noise in certain gears, I know to check RD hanger alignment.

Everything has an expected failure rate. Mechanical shifters can fail, I have had Ultegra fail on me (the little plastic indexer inside). The RD spring on a mechanical derailleur failed. Thus far, no failures to the front or RD or shifter (one 11 speed and two 12 speeds). I have had TT blip switches wear out and get wonky, but they are easy and relatively cheap to replace.

I doubt I would use etap of axs electronic on a touring expedition in a remote area but on a 2-6 week tour? Why not. If something fails, just overnight the part if the LBS doesn't have it and they probably won't

smd4

If people are having to adjust and tinker with their mechanical derailleurs or cables with the frequency suggested here, they’re doing something wrong.

Once properly adjusted, mechanical derailleurs are also “set and forget.”

terrymorse 

Agreed. Other than tweaking the barrel adjuster soon after installing new housing (the "bed in" period), I have never had to adjust my derailleurs. The shifting is instant, also.

Electronic shifting is a spiffy technology, to be sure, but it's a "tech bro" technology. It is not solving any problems.

Amt0571

Buy good quality cables and outers and they won't gum up.

I ran XTR cables for 7 years straight without a single replacement on my older MTB. More than 25.000km with the same cables. Zero issues.

My current road bike has 4 y/o cables, and my current MTB has been running for 3 years with same cables.

On my gravel bike I just replaced the crappy stock cable with a good quality one. As the former was sticking.