Story by Kurt Gensheimer
Photo by Kevin Fickling
Ignorance is bliss…
This certainly was the case for me over the last 30 years of bicycle ownership, all of which have been equipped with mechanical shifting. Although simple and mostly reliable, mechanical shifting has always had its annoyances, primarily cable stretch, frayed cables, deteriorated shift performance due to mud and gunk, component wear over time that led to mis-shifts and the classic “two for one” shift that requires two downshifts for the derailleur to move one gear.
The future is electronic…
Although I consider myself an analog man in a digital world and a late adopter on virtually everything, I recently came around to building a new Mosaic GT-2 AR with Shimano’s 105 Di2 electronic shifting system. It’s the very first bike I’ve ever owned with electronic shifting, and after only a couple weeks, I don’t think it will be possible to ever go back.
Precise and effortless performance…
The first time my fingers pressed the shift buttons I was sold. Not having the drag of the mechanical shifter or a slightly stretched cable leading to imperfect shifts makes changing gears with electronic control a pleasure. And not having the long throw of the mechanical shifter to jump into the big ring or dump into the rear granny gears is brilliant. Now, the simple push of a button completes a task that used to take considerable effort, especially with numb hands in winter. It’s almost like playing a video game while you ride, effortlessly filing through gears, while still feeling a positive click from the electronic levers similar to the comforting feel of a traditional shifter. The auto trimming of the front derailleur based on the rear derailleur position eliminates chain rub and feels amazing. So too does the ability to shift through multiple gears at once after cresting a climb into a steep downhill by simply holding down the button. No more individual clicks until you find a big or small enough gear.
Eliminating cable clutter…
Another innovation of the new 105 Di2 system is not only the elimination of derailleur cables and housing from a mechanical system, but also the complete elimination of most cables and wires all together. The new 105 system features wireless communication between the shifters and the derailleurs. No more junction boxes and fishing wires through the down tube. The only wires that exist in the new Di2 system are between the two derailleurs and the battery located in the seat post. And unlike other systems that require removing the battery to recharge, the brains of the Di2 system reside in the rear derailleur. Recharging the battery is as simple as popping a cover off and plugging in a Shimano charging cable.
Customizable, personalized performance....
Shimano’s E-TUBE PROJECT takes fine tuning the shift experience to a whole new level. The smartphone app communicates with the Di2 system allowing for micro adjustments to derailleur settings and functions as well as different shifting styles. Because I built the bike in my garage, I had to download the E-TUBE PROJECT app in order to get the shifters to communicate with the derailleurs before the system would work. Although I would have preferred not to have to download an app before the bike would actually shift, the process was incredibly easy–your phone’s camera scans a QR code stamped on each lever, and just like that, the bike begins shifting. Even an analog man has to admit the E-TUBE PROJECT app is pretty slick.
Simply unplugging…
An easily overlooked benefit of the Di2 system comes while shipping or traveling with the bike. It’s almost a guarantee that shipping a bike without removing the rear derailleur will somehow bend or otherwise wreak havoc on the component. With the Di2 system, removing the rear derailleur is as simple as unplugging a wire, popping the master link on the chain and unbolting it for safe packaging. Even more convenient, when reassembling, there are no cables to replace or adjust to get the shifting right. Just plug the derailleur in and the shifting is as perfectly indexed as it was before disassembly.
What about the drawbacks…
I haven’t found anything that would stop me from going electronic. Making sure the battery stays charged so gears can change is a potential drawback, but to remedy that requires a minor shift in behavior. You can check battery levels quickly by tapping the multi-function button on the rear derailleur for the system’s main battery. Depressing both shift buttons on a given shifter and an LED on the hood indicates coin cell battery levels. Be sure to occasionally charge the main battery and everything will be fine. After all, I charge my smartphone every day, so is charging my bike once every few weeks that much of a drawback considering the performance boost? Thanks to the lightweight cylindrical Di2 battery in the seat post, it lasts far longer on a single charge than other wireless systems.
This analog man is sold on electronic shifting. The ease of use, elimination of cables, superior customized performance and simplicity of operation make it undeniably –the future is electronic.
