Here's a hot take from a professional bike mechanic of over 13 years and counting. Over the following years mechanical shifting will go away and then come back like Swiss watches as a premium item. Electronic shifting will become like cheap digital watches and be cheap because the same switches, batteries and motors can be used in all trim levels of shifting and only the external part materials and their weight will determine the level of quality of shifting parts. The only reason why the electronic stuff costs so much right now is that it is marketed as premium when in reality the biggest cost cutting will be in the electronic shifting. Electronics will be shared in all price points leading to overall lower cost to manufacture as opposed to having to produce loads of tiny parts for shift lever mechanisms to different tolerances out of different materials. So my prediction is that in the future the premium level bikes will have really nicely made mechanical stuff most likely marketed as authentic feel or some shit like that and electronics will be the bog standard in every price level. It will take time to get there but it sure looks like the future right now when you consider the speed that people are willing to buy the electronic junk in shifting and e-bikes etc. The trend seems to be that adding a battery and electronic function is somehow sought after at the moment and mainstream consumers are lapping it up no questions asked. Of course there will always be some Far-East factory making parts for whatever is the most common old mechanical item on the market at the most lowest price possible out of garbage materials. But when it comes to new western world quality level consumer bikes the trend will be as I described above. The biggest joke this far that I have seen is this in the same bike: (Number is the amount of batteries) E-bike battery (1) Sram Flight attendant shock + fork + crank spindle sensor (3) Sram AXS Shifting 1-by (2) Sram AXS dropper post (2) Add into that the common stuff like: Bike computer (1) Battery operated front + rear light (2) Complete bike ready to ride with accessories has 11 batteries to keep track of by charging or swapping as needed. Must be fun preparing for a ride with that bike. I do not like where the bike industry is heading and will keep riding my mechanical drivetrains as long as I can, but it will get increasingly more difficult as time passes and planned incompatibility and dwindling spare parts supply creep forward.

Still very happy with my Ultegra 11 spd mechanical set. Every shift is bang on. Why bin the 105 mechanical option, Shimano? Past Ultegra would have made a superb new 105 and not force customers to a much more expensive purchase of an electronic groupset no one needs.

This has quickly become one of my favorite channels. Well reasoned opinions, rational and balanced (things like value for money taken into account, serviceability and fit for purpose depending on type or style of riding). Majority of the 'objective opinions' expressed by YT channels are actually largely unsubstantiated preferences (often by dyed in wool roadies or touring cyclists prone who blindly favor tradition over progression) or equally groanworthy , totally biased 'objective sponsored content'. Having preferences is fine, but shoving it down our throats as an absolute truth is grating. Kudos to you and others of your ilk (Peak Torque, Hambini etc).

Excellent Q’s and comments. Showing once again a thoughtful, knowledgeable and wide ranging community with a diverse range of experience and opinions. Great stuff. Definitely share concerns about accessibility for younger riders, and older riders, being able to maintain accessibility to our sport regardless of whether on slicks or knoblies.

100% agree on the gearing issues on bikes, and often wondered why they don't offer the 46/30 (x 12/13-36?) in 105- lets face it most bikes are massively over geared and they don't seem to consider that some of us live in places like the Scottish Highlands where descending at 70km/h is FAR less important than getting up a long steep hill, many of us are not that young, or are not the "perfect weight"... I've an old Carrera TDF that has only the original frame left on it now( Triggers Brush springs to mind...) which came with 2x7 Tourney and a lowest of 34/28 on a 12.5kg bike, that's now got (ebay) Tiagra 4600 on it so I could run a M-592 MTB mech on it and it has a low of 34/36 but I'm planning an 11-40 cassette as it will handle it easily.... and when the chainrings go eventually I'll probably put on FSA Tempo 46/30...It's my winter bike now, My better bike for summer has Sora R3000 ironically with the same derailleur, and I've split 2 and built a USABLE cassette 14-36...... (but got a 105 groupset from CRC for £299 for "future proofing", keep it in storage for now lol)

The best thing about 12 speed groupsets is that it means the suckers are unloading their perfectly awesome 11spd components. I don't think anyone not actually on the books of a race team is getting any quantifiable benefits of anything above Sora or Tiagra. Esp on road bikes. Roads are tame, no one needs all this bloated mess on their bikes. And more, none of us really benefit. "But my gear steps!!" Gear overlap says hi. But hey, I just snagged a pair of GRX 2x11 shifters, basically as new condition, for $200 and a pair of 105 calipers with about a month of use for $80. So everyone keep doing what you're doing. Meanwhile, I'm just going to flip the left shifter for $150 and find a decent used 810-LA and probably only be in the hole for about $100 once the dust settles.

I like these opinion vids, keep them up. It's interesting to hear the frustration from the mechanics point of view. I have similar rants. Especially about proprietary connectors 😂 I totally agree with your comments about mechanical 105 and Tiagra. I have both (with hydraulic discs) on my bikes and both have been faultless for years. I've never run out of gears (nor for that matter on my mountain bikes over the years)... (Except on my 3 speed Brompton, but that's a whole other problem 😂). However, I do covet lovely, shiny, expensive stuff tho, so maybe when I win the lottery I'll be able to get something with electronic Dura-Ace on it. I can dream... I would certainly like to try it out, see what the real difference is. Good luck in your hunt for diagnostic boxes and 1632 batteries 😂👍

thanks for you overview here I was thinking about the options for the Roubaix SL8 and I had decided on the 105 Sport as opposed to the 105 Di2 your overview confirmed I'm doing the right thing :)

After watching this very insightful view into the new electronic groupsets and disc brakes im so pleased i bought a couple of R7000 105 rim brake groupsets when they were £300 on Wiggle...thats me sorted until Tiagra comes out as 11 speed for replacement parts. No messing with batteries or recoding/downloading anything, just a new cable and good to go 👍🏻 Love the channel btw, nice to see someone down to earth talking about the bike industry...keep it up 🎉

Like this video format 👍 Repair prices quickly get expensive with these new Shimano groupsets. A customer of mine recently broke a 12sp ultegra rear mech and it cost just shy of £400 to get the bike back on the road. That did include a new hanger and some work on the rear wheel (spokes, truing, retentioning) but the significant cost was in the rear mech. Agree fully on the charge cable, should be USB C and the diagnostic box, stupid and impossible to purchase. Just build it into the PC or phone software.

The computer analogy is brilliant, loved it!

I'll stick to 9-speed mechanical, easy to maintain, mix and matchable, reliable and affordable.

Just discovered the channel breath of fresh air. Now subscribed.

Interesting that the new Di2 Groupsets are very competitively priced for OEM manufacturers. New bike prices seem to be less than I expected.

My main issue is they stopped making 11s mechanical rim brake one evolution cycle to early. They should also announce and commit to making 11s 105 and Ultegra mechanical rim brake parts for a guaranteed period minimum of 7-10 years.

I’ve mentioned this many times before here and elsewhere. A class action right to repair lawsuit needs to be brought against Shimano and the others, due to the extreme cost of these electronic parts. Mandate that they sell every part of a derailleur etc as well as tools to do the job. Also Shimano should be mandated to provide a regional repair center where these parts can be sent for repair, or exchanged for a refurbed model when damaged beyond repair.

I agree with you about gear ratios. I'm using 46/30 and 14/40 with 105 R7000 (front mech is Ultegra). I live in Taipei (lots of mountains) and constantly hit 10%+, 15%+ and more often than not 20%+. The original 50/34 and 11/34 wasn't nearly as low as I needed to explore the many small roads around here. Judging by the number of cyclists I met in the main roads (usually with more reasonable gradients) and the number of cyclists I met in the secondary and tertiary roads (usually with crazy gradients), more people would benefit from lower gears to be able to explore the quieter roads. My knees and my heart loved the change. My chain too, because I can have a better chainline for more time. I don't care at all about pedalling at 60km/h. Not wanting to win any race here.

Love the analogy of Windows, Mac and Linux. This is my opinion on Shimano v SRAM. I've never owned SRAM, but when I look at pure spec's, they are heavier and more expensive. Two things that are important to me. I also use the hood top buttons to switch screens on my Garmin, which I believe SRAM doesn't have. Charging isn't an issue to me as I am used to plugging a proprietary cable into my bar end to charge it, and another set of cables for the Giant PowerPro. The main issue is that as the batteries last ages, you need to remember to charge them. SRAM has had the 12 speed for a while now, and personally, I am looking forward to my next bike with an 11-34T cassette. My previous bikes were 11-25 10-speed (then upgraded to 11-28), 11-30 11-speed, and next will be 11-34 12 speed. Essentially the gearing will stay the same, except I get an extra cog with 34 to deal with all those hills that just seem to get steeper as I get older. The last 10 years has been Ultegra Di2, and with the latest upgrades, I understand that the only significant difference between Ultegra and Dura-Ace are the materials used and subsequent weight. I am not planning on any racing, so Ultegra it is. I'm not a mechanic, but in 10 years I have had zero problems with my Di2 group sets. I am sure that SRAM is fine, but in my case, there aren't any value propositions that would make me want to switch from Windows to Mac 😉

Really interesting , thanks very much for the insight into Electronic shifting. I still fail to see what is wrong with 11 speed mechanical 105 when it is set up correctly but it is nice to hear these different points of view !

I would like to see more crankset options, in terms of crank length and chain ring size choices, spec'd on new bikes. If you look at Rotor's modular design, the crank arms are customizable in 5mm increments (great for a proper bike fit) and their one-piece double chain rings are a work of art. I run small cranks and therefore have dropped down to a 46/30 chain rings but Rotor make picking your choices a breeze.

I think you've hit it all spot-on. Too many of current developments are moving towards less compatibility and more future obsolesence. Even simple things like 3rd party cranks & chainrings, let alone the difficulties of all the electronics. Once upon a time, Shimano were the epitome of cross-compatibility between groupsets and raod/MTB kit. And what ordinary cyclist needs an 11t or 10t small cog? I've run 50 or 48 x 12 on road bikes for years, and theat hasn't slowed me down on even big alpine descents (and I've only ever come across 1 amateur rider faster than me downhill). Personally, I'm a dedicated Campag fan for road bikes. I've found it bullet-proof reliable, easy to set up and needs no adjustment after intial bedding in. Never got on with the ergonomics & haptics of Shimano. I have just fitted Rival ETAP/Easgle mullet to my new gravel bike, though. I'm blown away with how easy to set up that is and like you say, has the easy interface through the app (which isn't even needed for basic set-up). With the wireless, I can set up the bike easily for both drop & flat bars making the bike even more versatile. The Rival shifters also have a great shape for using on flared bars. If only they'd ditch that stupid flat-top chain and the different cassette standards (XD/XDR) to make the system even more cross-compatibile.

I think I'll stick with 10 speed mechanical Dura Ace and Record thanks - too many electronic gimmicks in the world, I don't need more on my bikes.

Recently bought a new roadie and wanted to try electronic shifting. Previous roadie has 11sp 105 rim brake and I’ve been very happy with it. Ended up going with Ultegra Di2 and love it. I wanted the semi-wireless (or full wireless if I had chosen SRAM). I didn’t necessarily think I needed 12sp but I do actually like the extra gear. 50/34 with 11-34 is ideal for me and where I ride, same as what have on my 105 roadie but with the extra gear. Love having the climbing satellite switches.

First time viewer. Just subscribed, love your analysis. All this shifting stuff is getting too complicated and you were able to dumb it down nicely. Was contemplating a di2 for my Colnago C59….may hold off a bit as my 11speed Ultegra is perfectly fine!

Many valid points! I own the new Shimano DI2 Ultegra. I installed it myself this past August. It is a big improvement over the DI2 11 speed for the following reasons; much easier to install, no need to purchase a separate bluetooth "dongle" to communicate with the system via the E-Tube app, faster shifting on the front mech, much improved E-Tube app which aids in quick set up of both mechs and the wireless shifters work flawlessly. Here is the States we don't have a problem getting the 1632 batteries and I haven't needed to replace mine yet after 5 months of riding the bike a lot! Dislikes; cost, some chain noise on the cassette that I'v been unable to micro adjust away and I HATE the synchro shift which I promptly shut off. Other than that I love it and find it better overall than the previous generation. BTW I've ridden well over 100K miles in my career and never broken a rear mech. As usual I always enjoy your unfiltered opinions, its valuable work you're doing!!

It's great to hear opinions about Shimano from a real expert! Would be nice to hear your opinion about SRAM Rival's long-term use?

I bought 11spd 105 as soon as it came out, and it's brilliant. I was gonna go Tiagra, but I thought 'future proof' cos there's 3 rungs below 105. Even if 105 went to 14spd, that would mean Sora could still be bottom of the pile at 11spd. I'm hoping there's still gonna be 11spd parts for a long time, even if I have to tipex 105 on Tiagra or Claris parts!

I love my Campy Chorus 12 speed. No electric issues, all the range, looks fantastic, sounds great, and is more reliable than the Shimano on my MTB. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm now a Campy fanboy.

I'm with you on making 48/34 and 46/32 more common available chainrings for getting more people into cycling. Especially in hilly areas where those climbs offer beautiful views but can be hard to reach and discouraging on the commonly larger chain rings.

Ive got Ultegra mechanical on my older bike and 105 Di2 on my new bike. After one season of riding it, i absolutely love it.

I love this video, speak facts. Updated last week to 105 Di2 and i love it

What a great perspective. Thank you so much. I’m in the process of putting a new bike together. I think I’ll go ultegra 11 speed which I already have on other bikes with no complaints whatsoever. I just don’t like the right and left shifter sram way of shifting.

Made a final upgrade for my Supersix evo hi-mod 2017 rim brake : 11-speed Dura Ace and Hambini bb. Super happy with it.

To charge 12s Di2 at the RD, just use a power bank as the source of charge - no need to be near a mains plug.

You provide clear information, and you seriously respond to your listeners’ comments. Great public servant.

Been riding 105 Di2 thru winter 50/34-11/34 on a Diverge with 32c tyres. Have to say it has been excellent so far. Brakes can get a bit noisy if not cleaned after 2-3 rides, only takes a blast of brake cleaner and a wipe. Front shifting is the real winner for me which is so much better than all my mechanical groups and I have them all. Ultimately it’s all about choice and how lucky we all are to have so much of it. Riding R7000 one day, R8000 another and R9100 on a steel framed custom build Sunday ride, no better time to be alive.

I have 3 bikes with sram red e-tap.i have 1 with shimano dura ace di2...ultimately the di2 is just about the best but for ease on use and convenience sram e-tap is the best,its easy to swop components and also parts from bike to bike.The sram gear ratios are also very good,and once set up correctly its trouble free.Shimano does need tweaking occasionally. Your channel is getting better and better.

This was an excellent presentation and very comprehensive. I think that if you did the same for the Campagnolo current groupset lineup, and then maybe SRAM that would be unreal. A lot of times consumers have decided upon or are committed to one particular manufacturer, but are still considering where within the lineup to part with their hard earned cash. For Road I’m exclusively Campagnolo and have been for over 20 years, but there is a real lack of any info out there doing in depth direct comparison of Centaur v. Chorus v. Record v. Super Record other than price and I think if you did that you would be plugging a significant information gap.

Completely agree, I run a 1x12 sram on a gravel bike and love it for all rides!

Note that the 11-speed (and presumably 12-speed) 105/Ultegra cranks can accept a 33T chain ring (TA makes them). So that's 1/2 towards your 34->32T progression.

They do the lower gear option you mentioned in GRX. Obviously it's currently 11 speed but i'm sure a 12 speed version is in the works. I currently use the 48/31 on my gravel bike, which doubles up as a road bike with a different set of wheels.

I got mechanical 105 11 speed on my giant defy. Partly that was down to repair and replacement costs. I could afford the Ultegra Di2 up front cost but didn’t want to get an expensive repair cost down the line. I’m thinking of setting up a TT bike again but for that I’d probably go SRAM 1x12

Just gonna buy spares of 11 speed Shimano mech. Mix an match, looks good. Rented a bike with Di2, not really into it and not bothered about 12 speed either.

@mapdec just on the batteries, The 1632 battery can be bought in car parts stores, it’s common size for car alarm key fobs FYI same sone goes in the quarq tyrewiz sensors

12sp with 11-34 makes sense to me. I get similar range like 11-30 yet I don't need to compromise in terms of uphill. However, I do think shimano did not quite get 12sp right. The cassette is becoming too complicated to achieve finer and more gears. This, at least, causes some unexpected issues on my 105 di2, e.g., unexpected noise, etc.

Good point re 1x12sp. I started roadccling just at end of 9sp. 2x 11sp is sweet spot for me ,as good for my 34x32 smallest gear for the steep stuff. But for an average 2.5w/kg person even a 34x32 is too hard for many climbs over 8%, so I agree having smaller front ring options makes a lot of sense. Not much fun for a new cyclist struggling up a 10%+ hill at 40rpms!

Electronic rear mech replacement really hit home. I crashed in a crit last year and man did my derailleur look jacked. Thought I was in for a big bill. However, crash mode saved the day I can only assume. Bike shop replaced the hanger and now I have some 'patina'.

Watching this later down the line, it’s sounds like it’s a relief that Shimano finally released a mechanical version of 12spd 105. Personally I’m happy enough with my old Tiagra 4600. The rear derailleur needed replacing this year, trickier because of different pull ratio on the newer Tiagra, so it’s not a straight replacement, but thankfully the bike shop had a an old 10 Speed Ultegra one lying around which they fixed up and fitted. Shifts great! I don’t want a £400 rear derailleur 😬

Superb discussion, easy to understand , best yet!

That linux comparison, felt personal 😅 Even tho I dont use campag, was spot on

I ride 9 speed Sora! Works fine for me and the parts I wear out, chain, cassettes etc are very cheap to replace.

Just bought a bike with Ultegra di2 12spd, it’s lovely and shifts well but I agree with the comments about the charging cable, my other bike has SRAM red etap gen 1 and whilst shifts are noticeably slower I do feel that the extra ratio isn’t really needed. I think Shimano have done a lot of work aligning their top three group sets to reduce on production costs for the long term but if 105 di2 is as popular as I think it is going to be I do wonder if Ultegra will stand the test of time. I would love to see a video from you about bottom brackets from a Shimano vs SRAM aspect in terms of what you see as a mechanic, my etap bike had GXP and ate non drive side bearings until I swapped out for a Shimano BB and crank, it’s been perfect since AND shifts better too! Are SRAM bottom brackets any closer to Shimano now with the DUB system?

I completely agree, the Sram Rival AXS is a top choice, considering the price and what upgrade options it offers. Most people still don't know that Sram AXS offers many more gear ratio options than Shimano, so you can adjust the gear ratio to your needs, abilities and terrain. I've been a Shimano guy for years, but with the latest Shimano 105 Di2 I'm completely disappointed. Only two cassette options 11-34 and 11-36 and rear derailleur with min. low sprocket 34T. That means you can't even use an 11-30 cassette from Ultegra 8100 or Dura Ace Di2 9200. Totally limited selection. Big minus for Shimano. Sram AXS (Rival/Rival Wide/Force/Force Wide/Red) is a real contender.

95% Agree. Rival with the cranks, cassette and chain switched out. Great vid:D

I'm so happy with my 90s Shimano XT 8-speed 11-34 (CS HG41 for 15€) and 44-28 crank on my gravel bike. I've done epic rides with it!

I’m another 11 speed mechanical fan. No need for anything else in the amateur scene. Campy is my choice. All my rim brake aluminium wheels have a choice of campy or shimano freehubs. The best bit is the wide choice of gearing I can use, from 11-36 SRAM to 11-23 campy and everything inbetween….BBB or Miche, they all work with MKS chains. I am also my own mechanic for the past 39 years.

I loathe the very idea of electronic-shifting groupsets. The last version of mechanical 105 11-speed works extremely well, it's relatively light, it's very much less expensive than Di2, and you don't have to muck around with batteries. What Shimano offers now is a solution to a minor manufacturing problem, f* the end user. This is what happens when one or two companies dominate the market: if it's more convenient for them, that's what you're going to get, whether you want it or not. I'm going to go with mechanical 105 for as long as it's available; after that, I'll resort to Campagnolo mechanical, or even niche makers of friction shifters, but I will never, ever load up my bike with unnecessary, obscenely expensive electronics (that actually cost less to make than the mechanical groupset).

I've ridden all the major electronic groups, and settled on Shimano more for ergonomics and brake feel than shifting function. All of the major groups seem to move the chain well enough. The GRX Di2 levers are simply the most solid-feeling lever made, which makes them perfect for rough surfaces and cyclocross. I moved to the new 12-speed Ultegra on my road bike, and love the inward cant they give to my wrists. As for your comment on wiring up the levers on the new 12-speed Shimano - no. Wireless is the way to go. As a mechanic, I absolutely loathe the drive toward more integration(hiding cables), but given that is the direction the industry seems to be going, having fewer cables to force through a headset is a good thing. Sure, the battery may be a little harder to track down than a 2032, but I'll take that over feeding one more wire into a Tarmac.(FWIW, none of my bikes hides a cable in stem, headset, or handlebar)

Sensah all the way, I had previously had elite 50mm carbon wheels,bought a Delihea fore carbon frame that had Sensah empire 11 speed mechanical and combined the lot. I had SRAM on PX bikes previously and the shifting is smooth and crisp.In total weighs 7. 9kg.The only issue is the jockey's weight! greetings from Ireland.can you do a sensah review, plus another chinese manufacturer LTWOO is doing a full hydraulic groupset for 200gbp, check china cycling.It all comes from Asia anyway!

Nice summary of this tech, thanks. I don't think the charging is terribly inconvenient. Most people have wall outlets along the base of their walls, so I think you are expected to just lean the bike against the wall near one. I think that's a reasonable expectation. What I think would be cool would be a small lightweight clamp that you could clamp to the frame and have it charge wirelessly. I am still debating between 105di2 and SRAM rival. I am being patient, I don't need to finish this build until spring.

totally agree on the 105. Great content. as an audioengineer I'd say: get some mobile acoustical panels to reduce the room reflections to the microphone.

Nicely done mate! I’m a shop owner mechanic in the US with my own channel. I have railed on Shimano 105 Di2. One thing you said was interesting I absolutely hate synchro shifting as an experienced cyclist. I would also be annoyed if based on cadence the bike would shift on me. But I also understand that new cyclists have no clue how to shift properly and are usually crossed up so for the masses that might have worked. Cheers

I had a 46-30 grx crank and a grx 812 derailleur with a 11-42 cassette on my soloist, runs like a dream

I've not tried DI2, nor Sram AXS, but I use Archer D1X Trail, paddle remote. they have a left handed version too. The advantage of it is you can set it up to the speed I want, just make sure cassette and RD are compatible, you can use any mechanical RD. The app is easy to use, easy to set up and adjust each gear, change the setup. but you don't have to use the app to adjust each gear you can long press the button on the remote and and use the remote to adjust the position of each gear. So in my opinion this is far superior. Charging is easy, take off the remote connect it to a charger or you computer, for the shifter you undo the cap, and use a magnet to get the batteries out, but the new faster batteries increased shifting speed by 50%, but battery life is short, but they drop out of the shifter easier, so tilting bike forward helps, they come out. I have spare batteries with me in my backpack. I can adjust each gear, so when the RD gets sloppy and worn I can continue to use it longer. The remote is wireless. Ergonomics are great. there is also remotes for drop bars: MFR Drop Bar Remote which are universal, but also DBR Remote which integrates into the TRP road brakes/shifters.

Is digital gear shifting the end of vintage racing bikes? Until a few years ago, I always took part in the OPEL cycling tour in Ruesselsheim in southern Hesse (Germany). There was also a vintage tour with OPEL bikes, production of which stopped in 1936. Will it still be possible in decades to ride current aero racing bikes with digital gears, internal disc brake cables and a lot of proprietary parts?

I agree with you, there is just no point in getting 2x12 for the road, gravel, maybe, but road just no... You will get a system that is harder to setup , chains that last shorter, and all together more finicky crap.

I’m fortunate to own both the R8000 mechanical and the new Di2 12 speed. While I like the Di2 there are many items I don’t care for, many you listed. When people ask what is the best way to go, I recommend 105 mechanical. All you need and nothing you don’t. Buy better wheels and tires instead.

Whenever direct comparison is involved it's always going to divide opinions, that's natural. I do agree with most of it. I've been using Shimano since I can remember but the biggest disappointment came with Grx 2x11 where they wouldn't offer crank length below 170mm in 810 range. I somehow managed to solve my problem combining it with rotor but the alarm bells started ringing for me. I think they are beginning to lose their total domination; I think they are aware of it and I'm pretty sure there is not much they can do about it anymore (look 5-6 years back how many bikes came of the factory with SRAM vs how many You see nowadays). Would I choose Sram over Shimano? Maybe but I think AXS is a platform with much greater and faster improvement potential than Shimano even with current 12speed so I'm expecting things like automatic shifting based on cadence to be much likely to happen in AXS platform than Shimano. One thing that I totally disagree though is raising the argument of the system brain being stored in the rear derailleur and prone to expensive repair/replacement in the cause of crash. Yes it's true but it's true for BOTH Shimano and SRAM and for some strange reason it's being identified as a biggest CON against Shimano and not even part of the conversations in case of SRAM - strange... to me at least. Interesting analogy with the IT world and very correct as well. In the IT hardware world which is my daily playground the Good Better Best has been the strategy since day one but interestingly some time ago market has seen a switch to a two-step strategy rather than 3. We see the value for money customer and then we see the performance-oriented customer. The prosumer/enthusiast customers have slowly started to disappear to the point where it was no longer feasable to maintain. I honestly believe with 12 speed and electronic shifting it would be absolutely enough if they only kept 105 and dropped the pricing for Dura-ace slightly to please the rich customer. After all Dura-Ace is nothing but the cash cow for Shimano. Good material. Keep on with providing a great content. I'm a big fan.

Looking to upgrade to electronic group set next year. Really tempted with SRAM Rival but prefer the look of 105 and will match my bike more

Main reason I don’t like SRAM is because they use DOT brake fluid. There’s just no need for it, and it’s a nasty caustic water absorbing fluid. There are minor things to hate but that one is unforgivable.

Interested on your Tiagra comments. Most of my bikes are Campagnolo shod but both I and many of my riding colleagues found the 9x3 speed Tiagra groupsets a great introduction to road biking and the feedback I got from mechanics I trust was that the 10 speed Tiagra shifters were no where as durable. Have you had problems with the Tiagra 10 shifters or the Shimano Ultegra and Dura Ace bonded cranksets? As much as I have appreciated my limited experience with Di2, I love the experience of Campagnolo mechanical set ups better and see electronics and proprietary battery systems as an accelerated trip to bicycle obsolescence.

I’m so happy to own an Émonda with mechanical Durace which weighs 6.4 kg. It’s 6 year old, I paid €3500 for it (brand new) and don’t see any interesting alternative right now. Outrageous prices, heavy and too much electronics.

At last someone else who is in the avoid football camp - music to my ears, never watched a football game in my life. this is interesting stuff.... i have campag ekar on my bokeh but having undertaken a number of ultra events. I need to look at an electronic shifting setup to stop pains in right hand from changing gears. When the 1 x 13 works and the planets are aligned its awesome but sadly this is not evert day/ever ride. Warming towards SRAM at the moment.

Very good genuine discussion. Thank you.

I'll keep on using my Mechanical 6800/9000 mix Rim brake groupset, which works PERFECTLY. Ah yes it works perfectly because I too am a SHIMANO SERVICE CENTER technician/mechanic. A bike is a bike, not a spaceship! Yep the SMPCE02 ETUBE interface will be available in 105 days according to my B2B page.

Really useful, thank you, looking to upgrade at some point fairly soon and was looking at Ultegra Di2 but now I might need to think again... SRAM Rival eh?

I find it annoying that the new ultegra dt2 12speed does not offer an 11/36 cassette. When in the European mountains an extra bit of range makes a world of different during a alpine grand fondo. I've just bought a new specialised Aethos and going to see if it works with a 105 11/36 cassette. Also i totally agree that they should have created the charging port using a USBC.

Was recommended your vids by the UKposts algorithm and really enjoying them. It’s not just an egotistical rant, you really make a lot of sense and give out good info. Subscribed. 👍🏻

I've been running a Rotor 46/30 crankset with Ultegra di2 11 speed 11-32 cassette for 2 years. Love it 👍 I charge it at the bar end junction box using a USB power bank. Regarding 12 speed di2, can you mix and match components across 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace? 105 is good enough for me, but I would miss the extra buttons on top of the hoods.

I have been on Campagnolo 12 spd / rim since it came out. It’s been on 3 bikes over time. I love it!! All this electric stuff is useless nuisance

I would suggest that electronic shifting is accurate, and happily, for the manufacturer, cheaper to produce. Business is always reliant on profit and the accountants trump engineers. The SRAM adoption for me is complicated by the affinity of brake fluid for water. Mineral oil is less aggressive on paint and more suited to the cyclist's moist outdoor environment. My head says Shimano Ultegra , 105 or GRX mechanical are probably the pinnacle of shifting bang for buck. Add to that my GRX has just gone 6000KM on one rear shifter cable. I think that's pretty good. Forget the battery.

You are a legend mate. Keep going.

Still riding mechanic ultegra 3x11. Fantastic range, small steps. Reliable working. Not going to change.

I am an experienced bike mechanic and own my own small bike shop. I'm fortunate enough to be able to choose from anything on the market. I've just built myself a stunning new Cinelli Superstar road bike... What groupset have I used? 10 year old, used Sram Red 10 speed mechanical, rim brake. I think that says it all.

Never even used di2. Can't be faffing with batteries. Still rocking cable mechs.

I chose di2 Dura Ace 2x12 speed over SRAM Red AXS only because I need 160mm cranks and SRAM Red and FORCE only go down to 165mm 😮. The RIVAL crank is very heavy which ruled it out.

Awesome content, at last a voice of reason in the ocean of shimano users with the case of upgradecitis.

I'm pretty sure you know by now (I'm only 11 months late to this party!), but you don't *need* a new PCE02 for 12-speed Di2... just the EW-AD305 adapter or the (crazily expensive new SD300 type link cable). The 'new' PCE02 itself is identical to the one we've been using for years :). Great video either way!

Went for Tarmac SL7 with Rival AXS. Had grx, ultegra di2 before and it was nice, but really wanted to try out Sram's gear ratios, Quarq and fully wireless features. At this point shimano 105 di2 while a bit lighter, little bit better shifting(i guess) seems offer nothing new just "more budget" entry to di2.

But what do think in the perspective of races and performance. Moreover, do you think a Sram Rival is a better alternative than ultegra/105 di2. Or is SRAM a much more expensive option in the long run as the components are expensive Thanks

Great rant!

I'm really considering buying a couple of pairs of 105 11sp hydraulic shifters before they are all gone, I don't want to 'upgrade' to 12sp or to Di2, but I do want my bikes to be nice... Does this make me a retro grouch?

great vid, thanks, I personally always loved 105 10speed, still ride it now, but with less 105 parts, its light durable and well priced for top armature end, now its overpriced and out of reach, if you need that many gears you need to get out more as for being aimed at people getting into cycling, the biggest fear of new cyclists is coping with gears, and i still know loads of people who still do not use their gears to an advantage, they stick it in one and grind away at all speeds like they are driving a 5 speed car !! give them 11 or 12 speed they are overwhelmed, 3 £375 for rear mec !!!!!!!

The Linux/Apple/Microsoft analogy.. brilliant!

I don't have a problem with 12 speed. I don't want electronic. I have AXS on both of my MTBs. On my XC race bike, which I rarely ride, it's fine. Except I almost learned the hard way that the shifter battery doesn't last as long as I thought. But on my trail bike, I don't like it. I don't want to have to worry about a dead battery. I don't want to carry a spare on bigger rides (I killed one on a ride). I just want to be able to go ride it. And that's my issue with electronics. I commute daily, I don't want another battery to charge. Bad enough with my headlight, tail light, and Garmin, but technically I don't need any of those to ride (and I have charged while riding with a battery pack). I considered getting a dyno hub to make life easier, but I also love the feel of my race bike every day (SuperSix Evo is fully slammed). Oh well. Either a lower tier system, or Sram 😢

So basically it all boils down to the fact that electronic shifting is all hassle over hassle. Why is Shimano erasing the possibility of installing any type of groupset you like, just like Campagnolo does? I'm currently running a 1x system based on Campagnolo Chorus 12s and it's all brilliant!! Amazing and smooth shifting (mechanical, of course), and powerful braking (rim brakes). And it's way cheaper than Ultegra.

Great video. Charging port near to the ground, hard to reach, but at least gets all the grime from the road. How long will that flimsy cover hold up? Add in a non-standard plug and a battery that's hard to find in shops... Seems like it was designed to be a pain in the butt and a money pit. Don't buy until they sort out their quality-of-life design flaws maybe in a next iteration.

Thanks for mentioning the e-waste! I’m sick of it. Why can’t I use my old 11-spd Ultegra STIs? 😖

Yeet! I am thumbs up 1k wow wow. I’ve been loving your content!

I recently got two new 1x12 mountain bikes (SRAM GX & NX) it's working alright and it's pretty cheap. I wouldn't go for the 2023 electric GX yet, (I almost ordered it) that's expensive. For the road I cannot avoid Campagnolo. The mistress always win...