Unveiled in August 2008 electronic Dura Ace - known Digital Integrated Intelligence, or simply Di2 - has been a 5 year project by componentry guru's Shimano. Due to hit the shelves shortly the complete groupset is available to order now.
Order it now
New electronic Dura Ace will shortly be available to pre-order UK stock of the range is extremely limited. For anyone serious about the latest cycling technology pre-ordering Di2 is the only way to secure stock.
Di2 - Digital Integrated Intelligence
The Dura-Ace Di2 7970 package includes wired STI Dual Control levers, front and rear derailleurs and a battery pack; the rest will be filled in with standard 7900 componentry.
The new shift by wireless system is claimed to be faster than traditional cable systems, requires less effort, and far less finger movement. And the gradual performance degradation caused by cable housing wear or contamination is completely eliminated.
Smoother, Better and Faster...
The clever system can't be foxed according to reviews in cycling press. No matter how many times you work the rear mech up and down the cassette it still remains jaw-droppingly smooth.
While the high end mechanical drivetrains is just as capable of knocking off similarly smooth shifts under ideal conditions, Di2 makes every shift so dead-on perfect that it’s almost eerie.
It’s literally the time taken to press and de-press one of the shift lever mounted buttons. Conventional gear shift levers operate via either pulling or releasing a section of cable to direct the derailleurs to the appropriate gear – there is none of this with Di2 hence the system is much quicker and effortless with zero lag. Imagine changing gears with the click of a mouse button!
Instead of forcing the chain on to larger cogs or rings at less-than-ideal times as riders often do with mechanical shifting, Di2 basically only shifts at the designated gate. For example, when in the inner chainring and largest rear cog and then shifting to the outer ring, Di2 first adopts an intermediate position that allows the chain to cleanly grab the ring without overshifting and then finishes the rest of the movement just afterward so as to eliminate cage rub.
Compared to the standard mechanical 7900 Dura-Ace groupset the weight penalty for choosing the electronic Di2 option is 60g. A small price to pay for the performsnce benefits. A full charge of the 7.V Li-ion battery powering the setup is rated by Shimano for 1,000 – 2,000km but this is obviously dependent on the number of shifts as opposed to distance travelled and the battery charge takes 1½ - 2hrs via a mains charger.
Di2 proves it isn't just pretty to look at and it can hold its own under the pressure of elite racing. Jérémy Roy of Francaise Des Jeux rode his Lapierre and new Di2 groupset to victory on stage 5 of Paris-Nice. He attacked out of an escape group with 6.7km to go to take the win. The win goes someway to enforce the durability and precision performance of Shimano’s new Di2 ‘electronic’ Dura-Ace components which will be available to pre order from Evans Cycles this May.
