105 Di2 groupset at 50% discount

[Katana]

Hi folks,

Came across advert from Fawkes cycles offering 105 Di2 groupset in different combos for £800ish which seems like a pretty good deal. Any views on it?

Cheers

 

[wafter]

Personally I'd rather save another £300 with the mech version and not have to worry about the batteries running out or any of the other potential complaints about electronic groupsets.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Are you requesting views on the price or views on the groupset?

I have no idea what the current Di2 pricing is like or what your budget is. That's up to you.

As for Di2 as a technology, it is good stuff. The old "whataboutthebattery" argument is moot. Only people who lived with Di2 comes up with that problem. It is a non-issue - I get about 1500 km on a single charge. 1100 if I'm in very hilly terrain that requires more shifting. Now, if you can't manage your life in such a way to charge your battery every once in a blue moon, you will probably also run out of petrol in your car, out of toilet paper in your bathroom and out of beer come Friday night. Your display has a little bar thinghy that tells you all the time how much battery you have left. Even with just one bar left, you have 150km to go. I don't take a charger on tour or holiday.

Secondly, The set-up is easy and tool-free. And, you do it once only, Yes, once. After that, it remains stable.

Cable routing could be in-elegant on a non-Di2 frame but we can live with that or, get the right frame.

I cannot think of a single reason why I would not buy Di2 again.

 

[Katana]

Are you requesting views on the price or views on the groupset?

I have no idea what the current Di2 pricing is like or what your budget is. That's up to you.

As for Di2 as a technology, it is good stuff. The old "whataboutthebattery" argument is moot. Only people who lived with Di2 comes up with that problem. It is a non-issue - I get about 1500 km on a single charge. 1100 if I'm in very hilly terrain that requires more shifting. Now, if you can't manage your life in such a way to charge your battery every once in a blue moon, you will probably also run out of petrol in your car, out of toilet paper in your bathroom and out of beer come Friday night. Your display has a little bar thinghy that tells you all the time how much batter you have left. Even with just one bar left, you have 150km to go. I don't take a charger on tour or holiday.

Secondly, The set-up is easy and tool-free. And, you do it once only, Yes, once. After that, it remains stable.

Cable routing could be in-elegant on a non-Di2 frame but we can live with that or, get the right frame.

I cannot think of a single reason why I would not buy Di2 again.

Many thanks for your input. Actually I wanted views on both i.e. price as well as Di2 tech. All my bikes are equipped with mechanical group sets ranging from Sora, GRX to Ultegra and they all perform reasonable well.
I haven’t ridden a bike with Di2 so don’t know how good it is but have came across few folks who are full of praise.
I just don’t want to go for one just because it’s more trendy…instead more on the merits of having one whether it be the clean cockpit or slick shifting.

 

[13 rider]

I converted my good bike to 105 Di2 about 3 months ago , Not one single regret I doubt I would now ever go back to mechanical , I think it's one of those things if you've never tried you cannot appreciate how good it feels ,it is all about the feel a properly set up mechanical works equally as well as Di2 but there something satisfying about the shift with Di2 which is just a feeling
For that type of money if you want it go for it

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I wonder how people who complain about having to charge the battery on an electronic gearshift system every few months get on with their mobile phones and tablets, etc?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I wonder how people who complain about having to charge the battery on an electronic gearshift system every few months get on with their mobile phones and tablets, etc?

I wonder how well a mobile phone would sell that didn't need a battery...

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon,

Di2 is terrible value for money and an absolutely brilliant product.

Sadly it is also meant to be used as a groupset, I can't get the front mech to work well with a 6207 chainset. 6207 is Ultegra before it was named as such, back when beer was £0.80 per pint and as a schooboy I could afford Wolber Junior tubulars.

Bye

Ian

 

[Dogtrousers]

Hi folks,

Came across advert from Fawkes cycles offering 105 Di2 groupset in different combos for £800ish which seems like a pretty good deal. Any views on it?

Cheers

In terms of price I'd say it's pretty good. Merlin are normally my go-to for a good price on expensive bits. They have R7170 DI2 at £949. Fawkes have it at £840.

Halfords are: £1,037

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-r7170-di2-disc-groupset-12-speed-271682.html

https://fawkes-cycles.co.uk/shimano-105-di2-12-speed-disc-brake-groupset-p39132

 

[bobdaspider]

My new bike came with 105 Di2 - so have begun to get used to it. Whilst mechanical shifting does have many good points - including cost and maintenance, one wizzy Di2 function I've used is to assign the shifters with different functionality - for example, the left hand shifter still changes between big and small ring but to make the learning curve easier for me using Shimano shifters, have re-assigned the inside shifter on the right hand side to move down the cassette (easier gears) and the shifter further away to move up the cassette (more difficult gears) - so both shifters now effectively mirror each other. As a result - no more bad gear shifts!

 

[Milzy]

Hi folks,

Came across advert from Fawkes cycles offering 105 Di2 groupset in different combos for £800ish which seems like a pretty good deal. Any views on it?

Cheers

In rim brake version too?

 

[All uphill]

My new bike came with 105 Di2 - so have begun to get used to it. Whilst mechanical shifting does have many good points - including cost and maintenance, one wizzy Di2 function I've used is to assign the shifters with different functionality - for example, the left hand shifter still changes between big and small ring but to make the learning curve easier for me using Shimano shifters, have re-assigned the inside shifter on the right hand side to move down the cassette (easier gears) and the shifter further away to move up the cassette (more difficult gears) - so both shifters now effectively mirror each other. As a result - no more bad gear shifts!

Interesting you have done that. It always has niggled me that left and right shifters operate in the opposite direction.

My solution is to use old Shimano Rapid rise rear derailleur, which achieves what you have described, albeit in a clunky, mechanical way

 

[PaulSB]

My new bike came with 105 Di2 - so have begun to get used to it. Whilst mechanical shifting does have many good points - including cost and maintenance, one wizzy Di2 function I've used is to assign the shifters with different functionality - for example, the left hand shifter still changes between big and small ring but to make the learning curve easier for me using Shimano shifters, have re-assigned the inside shifter on the right hand side to move down the cassette (easier gears) and the shifter further away to move up the cassette (more difficult gears) - so both shifters now effectively mirror each other. As a result - no more bad gear shifts!

That's an interesting approach. Mine is small shifter = small ring/sprocket and big shifter = big ring/sprocket.

Always has been, always will be........I'm not sure I could change.....

 

[super_davo]

My new bike came with 105 Di2 - so have begun to get used to it. Whilst mechanical shifting does have many good points - including cost and maintenance, one wizzy Di2 function I've used is to assign the shifters with different functionality - for example, the left hand shifter still changes between big and small ring but to make the learning curve easier for me using Shimano shifters, have re-assigned the inside shifter on the right hand side to move down the cassette (easier gears) and the shifter further away to move up the cassette (more difficult gears) - so both shifters now effectively mirror each other. As a result - no more bad gear shifts!

Front shift next on 105 Di2 is a game changer. Frees up a shifter button for Garmin control. Single tap page forward, double tap page back, long press straight to map. 'Mirroring' is a nice idea but 'press to change' is a fairly simple thing for your brain to grasp too.