Shimano Dura Ace Di2 is not the first group of bicycle components to utilize electrically powered shifting, many systems came before. It is not the first electronic group aimed at road racing, Di2 was preceded by a few notable, if underdeveloped attempts. The first Shimano press releases were met with reactions ranging from mild reservation to complete dismissal. Yet there was still hope that Shimano, with their hard earned reputation for reliability, could deliver a fully realized system that would be a true advancement in the bicycle drivetrain.

Approximately two years have past since Shimano released their Dura Ace Di2 component group to the world. Many reviews have been published, and it seems that Shimano may have succeeded in creating a system that changes the way we think about bicycle shifting. Most reviews however, are for a limited period of time and conditions, and a large portion of the cycling community still has not had a chance to give Di2 a serious try.

Here at Signature Cycles, once we had a chance to try out Shimano’s new group, we realized that this was something truly different. We were excited to share our new discovery with our customers, and through that enthusiasm we became the #1 ‘brick & mortar’ dealer of Dura Ace Di2 worldwide. Two years in we thought that we would create a survey for our Di2 owners and see what they really thought about living with electronic shifting. If these results are anything to go by, and our customers are not prone to withholding criticism, we may be looking at the beginning of a revolution.

The Results

Twenty-four Di2 owners participated in the survey. 66% of them have had their Di2 group for one year or more. Their mileage varies from a few hundred to multiple thousand, with some riders putting their component through more than 6000 miles each.

“Rapid and precise shifting” was how one owner put it. When we asked them about the advantages of Shimano’s Di2 system, 17 respondents mentioned the shifting. “Smooth”, “fast”, “effortless” were common adjectives, and the phrase “ease of shifting” appeared in five comments. Other advantages listed included reliability, the ability to shift under greater load, and the utility of having a second set of shifters on time trial handlebars.

Battery life was a common concern when the group was first launched. However, the issue was noted as a disadvantage on only one of the responses, the owner stating simply that battery life was a “concern”. A commenter also described an inability to monitor battery life, which is possible with the Di2 system, illustrating the importance of working with a knowledgeable dealer. Price was the most frequently mentioned disadvantage. The weight of the system was listed twice. Additionally, many riders expressed a desire for hidden batteries and cleaner wiring in the future, as the industry adapts to electronic shifting. Seven respondents replied to the disadvantages of Shimano Di2 by saying that there were “none”. One added, “I don’t think I could go back”.

We asked responding Di2 owners to rate certain aspects of the Dura Ace electronic system on a scale of 1 to 5. A rating of 1 was considered “terrible” and 5 was labeled as “excellent”. Shifting performance, reliability, and ease of use all received an average rating of 4.8. Surprisingly, battery life was the premier attribute with a near-perfect 4.9 average. The visual appearance of the group was given an average of 4.2.

Now that the early adopters of Shimano’s electronic shifting have spent some serious time and miles with the Di2 system, many of the functional reservations have been alleviated. This has left riders with more aesthetic and financial concerns, which will undoubtedly be addressed with each new generation of components.

At the end of our survey we asked Di2 owners a final question: “Would you recommend Shimano Di2 to a friend?” Out of twenty-four respondents, 100% of them answered, “yes”.