Di2

my review of ultegra Di2, by haitch, aged 5

aesthetically the RD in particular is bulky. (this is due to the UDi2 motors being off-the-peg items; DA uses bespoke shimano ones, hence the price.) but the finish is good, nice dark grey with glossy sections here and there.

hood shape is slimmer than current regular ultegra, like older shimano shape without the tall extension above the lever. very comfortable (i have large hands). shift paddles have short throw and obvious audible click when engaged - no real tactile feedback though which some (campa-philes esp) will hate. personally i like the light action and it eliminates my least-liked quirk of ultegra 6700, the long lever throws when shifting.

the shifting absolutely lives up to the hype. small to BIG ring, full power, omg. self-trimming too, never any chain rub, just amazing.

i find the 'bzzt' of the FD motor when shifting (or when it self-trims) pretty hilaire - hasn't got old yet.

weight weenies probably won't touch it as it's the heaviest group at the force-ultegra-chorus level. still though, my bike's 16.5 pounds so it's hardly a massive imposition. i guess it is if you're racing at a high level.

it all came pre-installed on the new bike but the simplified wiring system seems quite good, less complexity, no need to shrink-wrap the connections for water-proofing etc.

i had to adjust it a bit after i took the pie plate off, was dead easy. five minures on the work stand with an allen key and micro-adhusting in 'trim mode' and all was running smooth again.

i find it very confidence-inspiring how dead-on the shifts are all the time, the mechanical ultegra wasn't shabby either bur it really is a big leap ahead. it just works, you know? and i can see that if you do hilly races, being able to shift at full gas could be a game-changer. can i recommend it, that's another question. some will have ideological problems with motorisation, batteries, 'no soul' etc - they probably will never want a bar of it. anyone wanting a tangible performance boost is prob better off with a set of carbon tubulars. i myself didn't set out to buy it but i am very happy with it... but i got a great deal on it, too. i'd definitely suggest a test ride to see if it's up your alley, at any rate.