Electronic & Hydraulic Shifting (Di2, Ui2, customisations)

I bought this plug from Ali express and opened it up to find those tiny wires from the plug to the board. Wouldn't buy things like that again

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tiny wires from the plug to the board

Fuses 🙂 If things go bad on the board, you want little wires to pop, not big ones. The plug body can probably contain the energy released by a dead short through a link that thin.

I've woken up in a hotel in the US with a cheap Chinese ebay USB charger smoking in the wall socket so I won't be making that mistake again. As an aside, fuck ebay with their "UK only" results that includes shit being sent direct from China.

Does anyone know what the screw head on a di2 derailleur is called? I’m trying to swop a functioning motor unit from a otherwise trashed derailleur to another one where the problem is the opposite. Don’t have the correct three-headed tool bit and can’t seem to google it. Anyone got an idea?

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Looks like this sort of thing...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Y-Type-Screwdriver-Tri-Point-Magnetic-Multifunctional/dp/B07ZJHX9K6/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=triwing+screwdriver+set&qid=1663448577&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&smid=A3BGJVXOADZ30C

Thank you! That’s great, and they are of course simply called y-type head

What's the view on the new 12 speed Di2?

What I've heard of it is not good as you can't charge when riding, which is something I do. But is there more to it that night even offset that drawback?

Am looking to build up a new ultra racing bike and debating whether to reuse old 11-sp ultegra Di2 bits, or just get the new system. Former bound to cost much less but latter more future proof. But it comes down to what works best so any views welcome.

can't charge when riding

That would be a "no" from me. Why would they even stop that?

I've got 12s mechanical on my MTB and that works fine. Not even seen 12s Di2 yet though.

Why would they even stop that?

...In pursuit of the false god of wireless shifting, a la SRAM. I think it now has batteries in the mechs that need separate charging. ie faff on a long ride.

That would be a "no" from me. Why would they even stop that?

There's no longer a physical connection between anything upfront and either mech. Charging is via the rear mech which would make it impractical at best.

Battery is still in the seatpost/tube, but it's only connected to the mechs.

Have a spare battery?

OK - so not quite as bad!

I reckon it would be even harder to change batteries while riding! ;)

No, bad solution as it's more to carry and faff to change batteries. And expensive!

Oh yeah, think I talked about this a while back and someone said that the button cell wireless shifter thing is an option - you can still run it fully cabled up for proper use.

Brakes are better
Hood shape is better (debatable if you have tiny hands)
FD shifts better
Big ass long derailleur if low gears are your thing, but probably less options in cassettes.
Less cables to damage in case of travel, easier to put together.

I'd have this if I was on the market for a road disc bike, but SRAM is a lot cheaper bought separately and there's a lot more options for gearing, and batteries can be charged and replaced on the fly. Or just keep 11 speed, it's still almost as good

Oh and shimano power meters if that's your thing... Still shit?

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/16159991/

batteries can be charged and replaced on the fly

How do you charge SRAM while moving?

I really like it, but for you ultra-lot that loss of function is massive.
It has been phenomenally reliable over the 8000km(ish) I've put into the bike this year, and the brakes are great.
Could you in theory wire a charger to the battery directly (in the seat-tube)?

My point of comparison (as I realise these mileages are small) is previous AXS where I had repeated failures, and just didn't trust the system in the end, and the stupid free-hub. Which is a shame because 11spd HRD was great.

Keep a charger in your bag, and a spare battery. Not ideal I guess but won't take a lot of room

That's not charging on the fly then.

I can plug a battery pack or my Igaro output straight into my flat Di2 and shifting immediately works again and it charges while I ride. That's on the fly charging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsk3zAZyLaQ

I can change a SRAM battery in less than 5 s. The other can then be charged as you ride along from a battery pack.

@frank9755 SRAM batteries and chargers are surprisingly cheap compared to their D12 equivalents.

I have no skin in his long distance game but I have seen plenty of people stuck in one gear with flat Di2 systems. I have a £40 charged spare SRAM battery in my race bag all the time.

If you forget to charge either system for a weekend race, you're an idiot.

On ultras I can let mine run flat because I carry my charger on long events and it charges on the move. I don't need spare batteries and I don't need to charge as often as SRAM setups.