msu2001la

The conundrum I have with this exercise is that any bike I love enough to upgrade to electronic shifting is also a bike I wouldn't want to drill holes in to run di2 wiring.
SRAM's wireless system seems to be a major advantage here, even if it requires some additional parts.

Steve B.

Agree.

I would not be drilling holes and I would not run external wiring. I'd go SRAM in you shoes. I've pretty much never read any complaints except it's expensive and the style of shifting is different that Shimano. .

bruce19

I've checked with my LBS and they tell me the price of SRAM is similar to DI 2. And, installation is a lot easier. I might have them do it.

UmneyDurak

I have been running electronic shifting for the last three years. My current on is SRAM AXS. Recently I picked up a used bike to put on a trainer/backup bike. It has old fashioned mechanical shifters. What an annoyance that is. Fiddling with barrel adjusters, and getting tension just right. When I had mechanical I had to tweak barrel adjusters every few months. Specially after riding in we conditions. With electronic I pretty much never touch it. If I have to adjust, the AXS app has current trim position, and I can adjust it in small increments with push of a button. No longer do I need to guess which way and how much to turn that barrel adjuster. Also shifting it self feels less precise. With electronic, click and it shifted. Sure some here will say, "Oh it's minor difference.", but after riding with electronic shifting going back it is very noticeable.

blakcloud

I converted from Ultegra mechanical to Ultegra Di2 and it did take time. Running the wires is a one time proposition so once it is done, it's done. Removing the crank, purchasing the Park Tool Internal Routing kit, making sure you have the right length of wires, making sure the wires don't rattle in the frame this all adds up. I can certainly understand why SRAM is an easier upgrade for most people.

To the OP I think it is a wise choice to upgrade to electronic and SRAM wireless makes it even easier. Keep us updated on your progress.

bruce19

My LBS, a Cannondale dealer, agrees with you. If this works for my GF, as I hope it will, maybe a SRAM wireless is in my CAAD 12's future.

arizkohli

I've got a 2020 scott addict 20 rim brake with a full 105 groupset. I was looking to upgrade to electronic but it seems too much off a pain running those cables and junction boxes. SRAM does seem like a much easier option. The problem is finding a 11 speed rim brake upgrade kit; preferably used is really hard.

For going SRAM I'm assuming I just need the 11 speed rim brake version of 2 shifters, FD and RD, plus the batteries and chargers. I can continue to use my 50-34 105 crankset, my 105 calipers and 11-34 105 cassette. Is that correct?

My question is, can I mix and match SRAM etap components? Like force shifters and RED derailleurs; Or all 4 different ones bought from different places (2 shifters 2 derailleurs). Or is there some code/lock which necessitates all the upgrade components belonging to a single unit/box?

Can anyone give me part numbers for the neccessary components I need for the upgrade, the cheapest option. I'll first be looking at the used parts market.

Bald Paul

If your frame will accept internal wiring, it's not really that bad of a job. You can get a Di2 "upgrade" kit: Shimano Ultegra R8050 Di2 11 Speed Gear Kit | Merlin Cycles

veganbikes

I didn't upgrade I got it with the original bike but yeah Di2 has been fantastic I have had it now 5 years probably ish and no real issues.

scottydonald

Bike bought with mechanical Ultegra, right now am getting DuraAce 12 speed put on the frame - can't wait!

arizkohli

Anyone?

Troul 

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/rd-red-e-a2
Now forwards compatible with 12-speed RED and Force eTap AXS controllers and eTap AXS Blipbox

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/eb-frc-d1
https://www.sram.com/en/sram/mode (read "TECHNOLOGY")

eduskator

Yes. Go wireless if you want less hassle. Shimano parts are rare AF anyways nowadays due to the pandemic.

DaveSSS 

Whatever you do, stay away from any etap 11 speed parts. The FD in particular is nearly impossible to find. If you're on a budget, just go with rival 12. A shimano grx crank is cheap and works well with the chainline corrected by 1.5 to 2mm.

arizkohli

To go rival 12 speed I will have to change my hub, cassette, chain etc ... and there aren't any used rival etap components available in abundance as they're so new.

At this point upgrading to Di2 sounds so much simpler, at least I can understand what exactly I need. On the face of it sram etap is supposed to be easy, all wireless, but I can't understand what components I can mix, what rear mech I need for a larger shimano cassette .... I mean what the hell is wiflii!!!

phrantic09

You can probably just change the driver instead of the whole hub which is probably like 90 bucks.

Bald Paul

Think of it this way - you run the wiring and connect your components ONCE. I did the upgrade kit route from Merlin. Used some thin music wire from a hobby shop to snake the wiring through the frame. It was much easier than I thought. The hardest part was removing and reinstalling my press in BB (I had the LBS help, and he was kind enough to allow me to connect the junction box and tuck it into the frame with some foam.) Once set up, Di2 has been flawless.

DaveSSS 

All SRAM axs 12 speed 2x parts are cross compatible. Do not buy any etap 11 speed parts. Most rear wheels except genuine shimano brand can be converted to an XDR freehub body so axs 12 cassettes can be used. I use Shimano grx cranks with axs to get more range. No chain drops and perfect shifting. I did reduce the grx chainline by 2mm with spacing washers.

Supply shortages still make it difficult to find some parts. You may have to buy parts from several suppliers to get the FD, RD shifters,, cassette and chain. I just bought a spare pair of force axs mechanical brake shifters from bikeinn for only $360. I use them on disc frames with Juin-Tech GT calipers instead of rim brake calipers.

Most likely, a shimano ultegra 12 cassette will work with axs and a shimano wheel, but finding the cassette may be difficult too.

JohnJ80

No, you just need to replace the free hub body on most hubs.

yep.

Wiring is easy until it's not. And it still take a lot longer and is quite a bit more complicated than with wireless eTap or AXS. Never having done it before and being mechanically inclined, it took me an hour to deinstall the Di2 system I had and install eTap. Very easy. Part that took the longest was installing new brake cables. Not that that was hard, it was that the rest was so easy.

If you're worried about cost of an electronic upgrade, the cassette, chain etc.. are pretty much incidentals. Your chain on your current bike is likely closer to being replaced than not so this is kind of a wash. If you have a lot of miles on the bike, same is true of the cassette. So replacing these parts is not an apples to apples cost comparison when you had used components in your drivetrain already. That makes the marginal cost of that part of the upgrade closer to incidental than not especially in comparison to the overall system upgrade cost.

^this. I don't think the chain is compatible if you're using the straight top chain, but I could be wrong. All eTap 12 speed are compatible. For that matter, all AXS parts across family and across drivetrain type (road, gravel or mtb) are compatible. My wife has AXS on a 1x set up that has an MTB RD and a Force road shifters. That's one of the big strengths of the system - you can tailor make a system to your application. The chain might be different from 12 spd mtb to road, but I don't recall and I'm too lazy to go look.

I had Di2 and stripped it from the bike and replaced it with eTap after converting a mech bike to eTap. The SRAM shifters are worlds better if you ride when it's cold and have to wear insulated full finger gloves.

arizkohli

On the face of it, this seems the easiest and most elegant solution as the kit is easily available as a whole unit and I know everything will work; also very cost effective as SRAM is expensive. But now I'm again being tempted by the wirelessness of SRAM.

So stay away from the older 11 speed electronic SRAM parts?

This makes total sense. I have to change the chain anyway now, possibly cassette in a couple of months. If I go 12 speed SRAM AXS the only extra things I will need changing is the cranks and the freehub body. Am I right in understanding this? I can keep my 105 rim calipers?

arizkohli

I'm getting some good deals on ebay uk for USED SRAM 11 speed RD and FD. My last question remains, I know the new axs 12 speed shifters are now backward compatible with older 11 speed RD and FD via a sw update.... but the FD and RD, do they all pair easily or there is some lock or passcode or some restrictions which prevents pairing. Basically, can I mix and match the 11 speed FD and RD with each other or do they need to be from the same box/batch?

Troul 

I'm going to apply logic to this...

What if you bought a bicycle that came with a ready to go group set? Then happen to have an unfortunate event that damaged one (lets go with the RD) & could buy a replacement RD? If logics is applied, that means the replacement RD should integrate with the existing group set. IIRC, what is required to marry the replacement part are a sequence of steps that can be found online for SRAM system installation procedures.

GhostRider62

To pair older FD and RD to AXS, I had to do it using an APP from SRAM

Realize that if the 11S FD breaks and you can't get a replacement, your alternative is 1X or buying a new AXS FD and RD. You cannot mix and match 11s and 12s derailleurs.

Bald Paul

You have rim brakes, correct? If so, Rival is not an option for you.

Can I upgrade my rim brake bike to Rival eTap AXS?

No, Rival eTap AXS is only offered in a flat mount disc brake option only. Both SRAM RED and Force eTap AXS offer a mechanical rim brake option.

DaveSSS 

For the record, the axs flat top chain is compatible with many other cranks and cassettes. I began using axs chains on my Campy 12 drivetrains long before switching to Force AXS shifters and derailleurs. I now use Shimano grx cranks to get more range the grx-610 46/30 only costs $145. The grx-810 is an ultegra level product and costs about $250. You could get by with a 50/34 11 speed crank, but a 50/10 top gear is like a 55/11.

Really bad idea to buy into etap 11 when there are Rival or Force axs parts to be had.

If an ultegra 12 cassette is used, a shimano 12 chain can also be used. I tried one with my grx crank and Force axs cassette, but it had poor shifting in the 13-14-15 range. Now I've got a 55 inch shimano xt chain with 100 miles on it.