RickH wrote:bigjim wrote:You can only configure the gearing electronics on a main dealers computer as far as I'm aware, not on a domestic laptop.
Shimano seem to have readily available (& free) software (link) for PC & iPad. Does it need anything more?bigjim wrote:You're dads car may be reliable, but I think to check out a fault at the dealers is, what, about £100+, to just plug it in? If you have not got the money to throw at these things, does that mean that you should be priced out of the game?
Most small garages seem to have the technology to work on most cars & I believe you can get diagnostic software that will run on a laptop with a, relatively, inexpensive hardware link.
You can configure, program AND hack di2 at home with Shimano's readily available interface for under £100. The software is updated regularly and it'll work with any di2 kit from any generation. A Chinese company have reverse engineered this box and it's soon to be available for about £40, roughly the price of a good steel tool.
As for batteries, mine last about 1500-2000 miles between charges, so I get about 2.5 months out of them. I carry a spare on tour which I bought on eBay for a tenner. Since all Lithium batteries have a good recharge life of 500 cycles they should last me into my 70's!
This is where di2 gets interesting:
Synchronized Shifting: Starting with Dura-Ace 9150, automated Synchronized Shifting of the front derailleur is an option. Two SHIMANO Synchronized Shift modes will be available:
Full SHIMANO Synchronized Shift: the front derailleur reacts based on the rear derailleur’s shift action. This essentially means that, when activated, there is no need for two separate shifters to control front and rear derailleurs, the two buttons on one shifter will control both derailleurs.
Semi SHIMANO Synchronized Shift mode: the rear derailleur reacts based on the front derailleur’s shift action, shifting to the next most appropriate rear gear when the rider makes a front shift.
So, the ability to control your entire drive train with just one lever and two buttons.. When this hits 105 and below its curtains for mechanical.
Di2 is used almost exclusively in Cyclocross now. Contrary to what others say, the punishment it gets is ridiculous. Up past the bracket in water, hosed down after every race. I've seen rear derailleurs completely submerged, battery units under water, the drivetrain caked in hardening mud, and still 100% perfect shifts, under heavy load, and still auto trim of the front derailleur to match the position of the rear. Mechanical fails under most of that which is why di2 is the preferred method .
I'm going to take this 6870 kit through a typical British winter, I'm not expecting it to perform any less well than its done so far. I'll update how it goes.
Of course this will all change again next year when di2 goes wireless to compete with SRAM, who incidentally have TWO batteries, one in each mech which can be swapped out if one goes flat.
As for reliability, I don't know of any mechanical system which, when it gets a bash, automatically tucks itself out of the way. The di2 rear mech has an accelerometer which can sense a crash coming and protects itself.
Personally I would always wait till the third iteration of a piece of technology till I buy into it. I went in with 6870 because it's so simple to install. Wireless will be even easier. It's never going to be cheap. Get over it! But if 105 di2 comes in about £600, and an upgrade kit for 350, you'll start finding it on every entry level carbon bike and from there it'll spread to become a de facto piece of equipment.
The target market will be people who have bought into 11 speed shimano mechanical, all shimano have to do is price it cleverly, stop supporting 10 speed shimano and they're away. Modern cycling marketing is all about upselling existing customers. All the naysaying in the world won't change that. And Shimano excel at it.
