Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 Di2 Groupos Reviews

Price Paid:  $2600.00 at Big Bang Bikes

Favorite Ride:
Any Time Trial

Bike Setup:
2011 Cervelo P3 - Zipp 303/808/Discs - Rotor Time Trial Crank Set 53/42

Summary:
Had the Di2 installed on 2011 Cervelo P3 time trial bike. This is the sweetest setup I have every used. Unlike regular aero bar shifters you can shift from the bull horns. This is very useful during training. Works extremely well during racing.

Strengths:
Quick - Smooth - Long Battery Life - Shifts from Two locations

Weaknesses:
None

Price Paid:  $2700.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Anything with hills

Bike Setup:
Lynskey Helix

Summary:
Recommended by head mechanic and fellow rider. Similiar comments regarding shifting, accuracy, and reliability kept coming up. Have used Di2 for almost 4 months and am very pleased, especially when standing up on a sprint and gearing up or down and never having to worry about a gear change. Not sure if its as fast as mechanical, yet it is more quiet. I would say shifting up from inside chain ring is easier. I also clean my bike every week, yet wanted to see how the shifts executed if I did not clean the chain & derailleurs for one month (it was tough looking at a dirty drive train), yet the shifting was as precise on a gritty drive train then as the day I bought the system.

The price paid was for shifters, both derailleurs, housing, wires, battery. No crank or brakes....and of course, install/labor.

Strengths:
Precision, dependability, battery life

Weaknesses:
Wiring harness (would like to see a wireless version) and slight weight increase

Similar Products Used:
Only mechanical with SRAM Red & Shimano DA

Comments

zakyma (04/05/2011)

How do you campare it with SRAM Red. I have Sram Red but want to change to this group. I have absolutly no problems with SRAM red, once it is adjusted, it is perfect forever.

qtrracer (04/19/2011)

With a wireless system then 2 more battery packs would be needed incurring even more of a weight issue.

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Price Paid:  $2900.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
Fast, Faster, Fastest, Hilly, and Vicious :D

Bike Setup:
Custom Serotta HSG GS Frame
Shimano 7970 Groupset
Zipp 404 Carbon Clincher Wheelset
Chris King Headset
Ritchey WCS Carbon Matrix Stem 3K
Ritchey Super Logic Evolution Bar
Ritchey WCS Carbon Seatpost
Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow
Maxxis Cormet Tires
Deda Bar Tape
Shimano 7810 SPD-SL pedals
2x Arundel Mandible Carbon Fiber Cage

Summary:
I was highly skeptical of the Shimano 7970 Di2 Gruppo. How could it be so much better that it would command that much of a premium over the mechanical 7900?

$3500 retail for the upgrade kit? $4800 retail for the default? Really? But I was curious after seeing some reviews. That said, I desperately needed to demo the Di2 for myself before even thinking of plunking down that kind of change.

I finally found a store that had the Di2 on the high end 2010 Specialized Tarmac Di2 and took it for a test spin.

After only a few blocks of shifting, I was 100% sold. Electronic shifting is, simply put, the present and the future.

It's far ahead of the brake/shift lever system as the brake/shift lever system was ahead of index shifting.

There is simply no comparison, but unfortunately there is no way for you to truly get a sense of what this gruppo can do until you actually try it out for yourself.

Thankfully I was able to find a storefront on eBay and buy the full 7970 gruppo for $2900 for a savings of $1800 compared to retail.

Considering you can purchase the mechanical 7900 system for $1600, the premium for the full 7970 gruppo is more than worth it.

If you have the money, buy it. Hands down.

Strengths:
Instantaneous Shifts
Queued Shifts
Cross-chained Shifts
Small-to-Big Ring Shifts while sprinting
Only 1hr charge-time required
1000+ miles on a single charge
Works in Rain, Heat, Clouds, Fog, etc

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore
Shimano Ultegra SL 6600-G 10-Speed Double

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at Pro Bike Kit

Favorite Ride:
Endurance Road Ride

Bike Setup:
Specialized S-Works SL-2 Roubaix

Summary:
Di2 is amazing. You've heard about the superior shifting -- under all conditions, under conditions where cable-actuated shifters have a hard time -- and they're all true. Trouble-free. Easy to adjust. Reliable. Thousands of miles on a battery charge. I haven't found any area in which Di2 isn't as good as a cable-actuated setup -- and it is clearly superior in many respects. You can shift Di2 without using any leverage at all which means shifting from a huge variety of hand positions. If you can touch the button, you can shift -- even with your little finger. I purchased the "shift kit" which includes everything but the brakes, bottom bracket, and crankset. If you shop well, Di2 can be price competitive with the higher-end Campy groups.

Strengths:
Slick, reliable shifting under all conditions.
Easy adjustments.
Shifting from a variety of hand positions.

Weaknesses:
Cost -- unless you shop well.

Similar Products Used:
Shimano 6700, 7800; SRAM Rival, Force

Price Paid:  $2800.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
40-80 miles

Bike Setup:
Roubaix SL2
Di2
WH-7800

Summary:
I didn't think I'd like the Di2 group as much as I did. Let me be concise: Do you know that point where you're within say 10 miles of home after a long day of suffering in the saddle, the sweat is dripping, the heart is a little tired, your head hurts from slight dehydration? I was there on my first test ride of the Di2 system. I realized when I lightly touched the button to shift into the big chainring that I would have been less than enthusiastic about the maneuver with my 7800 system. Here is where you will extract deep value for your Di2 system.

Comments

mikael17128 (05/16/2010)

Just rode my backup bike after cruising the Di2 for a few weeks. I *really* didn't care for the shifting on my 7800 series for a first 10 or so miles. I was just so difficult to change gears :-). The last 20 went as one would expect. Just goes to show you how much better Di2 is than the old systems.

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