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Finally, Shimano 105 Di2 affordable road groupset shifts electronic at 56% less than Dura-Ace!

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Shimano 105 goes electronic with a Di2 overhaul that brings the same lightning-fast semi-wireless shifting, 12-speed drivetrain, and upgraded disc brakes as Dura-Ace Di2, but now at a price level less than half of the top-tier R9200 group. It’s even almost 1/3 cheaper than Ultegra Di2, with a scant few hundred extra grams penalty to show for the savings to your wallet…

Shimano 105 Di2 makes electronic shifting more affordable

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, purple

On the 40th anniversary of 105’s original debut, Shimano gives their popular affordable performance road groupset a massive trickle-down electronic upgrade in this new R7100 105 Di2 series. The same concept of wireless electronic shifters, fast and reliable electronic front & rear derailleurs wired to a single smart seatpost battery, and an upgrade to 12-speed out back… just like Dura-Ace/Ultegra Di2.

Is it really affordable?

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, complete bike

The hallmark of 105 has always been its cost:performance ratio, making it the solid entry-level choice of performance road bikes for much of those 40 years. So, is 105 Di2 really affordable?

It’s not exactly cheap at $1887 for the complete suite of individual components. That’s a full 78% increase vs. the previous $1061 mechanical 11sp 105 R7000 generation, although that pricing is based on when it was introduced 4 years ago when everything was cheaper.

But compare 105 Di2’s $1887 build pricing to last summer’s Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 at $4312 or Ultegra Di2 R8100 at $2643, and you are looking at cost savings of 56% & 29%, respectively.

On the other hand, SRAM Red AXS is listed at $3648, Force AXS at $2678 & Rival AXS $1420 for a similar 2x disc setup. Or $4636 for Campagnolo Super Record EPS.

So by comparison of electronic groups, 105 Di2 is much more affordable than other Di2 or EPS. And it’s in between SRAM’s two lower AXS offerings.

(Comparisons include: front & rear derailleurs, cassette, chain, crankset, BB, shifter sets with brake calipers, rotors, batteries & wires.)

Tech details

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, black group

Now that you have a good idea of how affordable or not upgrading 105 to Di2 is, let’s look at the details..

Digital Integrated Intelligence (Di2) has been delivering fast, electronic-actuated shifts since 2009. It’s since evolved to a wireless cockpit that’s easier to set up, and a wired derailleur pairing that stays charged longer, running smoothly & precisely for years. The wireless communication also means it’s easy to tweak your setup, simply from your smartphone and the E-Tube Project app.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, E-Tube app control

105 Di2 still gives you tuning & customization options like shift speed, multi-shift function, or even semi-automated Syncro shifting. It also pairs with 3rd-party GPS devices like Garmin & Wahoo to monitor shifts & remaining battery (but no longer Hammerhead).

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, shifter

Brifter hood & body ergonomics look almost identical to Ultegra, including the same 16.4mm of lever reach adjust. Interestingly, each of the shifters feature two CR1632 batteries vs. the single one in the other new Di2 groups. Shimano already describes their semi-wireless solution as offering “faster shift speeds and longer battery life” but perhaps now 105 Di2 will require less frequent shifter battery replacement.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, brifter details

There’s also the small LED indicator to let you know how much life is remaining.

Unlike Dura-Ace & Ultegra, 105 Di2 does not get extra control buttons on the top of its hoods.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, 12-speed cassette

The shift to 12-speed gives 105 the wide overall gearing spread, but smoother more natural steps in between. Chainring combos are offered in mid-compact 52/36 & compact 50/34 combined with 11-34T or soon 11-36T cassettes, for the options of lower than 1:1 ratios.

Like the previous Di2 12sp, cassettes are backwards compatible with standard HG 11sp freehub bodies on existing wheels.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, RD-R7150 rear derailleur

The new Shimano 105 Di2 RD-R7150 rear derailleur features a low-profile Shadow layout, coming in just one long cage length to max out at a 36T cassette cog.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, derailleur details

It also gets the easy-to-access charging port for the internal battery, and its own D-Fly wireless connectivity.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, new brakes

Brakes get better too, just like Dura-Ace & Ultegra. The new brakes are said to be “quieter, easier to maintain, more controlled,  and more powerful”. The real upgrade which we saw firsthand in our Dura-Ace review is the better braking experience. Shimano sped up the initial contact point of pads-to-rotor while increasing the clearance when the brakes are retracted by 10%.

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, 10% more brake clearance

It’s a relatively small change considering how tight this area is. But 105 Di2 getting the same upgrade means this groupset should be getting the best road disc brake experience on the market, and at less than 1/2 cost of Dura-Ace.

Pro & Amateur mechanics alike will also appreciate easier brake bleeding than the previous generation, too.

Shimano 105 Di2 12sp vs. 105  11sp – Availability

Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 affordable electronic shift road bike groupset, riding

Here comes the tough questions… when can you get a new electronic 105 groupset and what about mechanical 105? Well, we don’t really know. Shimano hasn’t given us any concrete timeline of when the new 105 Di2 groupsets will actually be available to consumers, but we do expect it to start showing up as OEM on complete bikes later this summer, at least in limited numbers.

Update: Some bike companies say they already have select 105 Di2 bikes in stock, like Ribble for example.

105 has always been a huge seller as original equipment on complete bikes, and manufacturers have been begging for more affordable electronic groupsets to build up their latest bikes… especially all of those new aero bikes with fully internal cable routing that works best (or only) with electronic shifting.

As for mechanical 105…it doesn’t get a 12-speed upgrade. For now R7000 isn’t gone yet. But it likely will be soon, perhaps getting trickled down to the next Tiagra 11-speed upgrade.

bike.Shimano.com

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31 Comments
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luddite
luddite
1 year ago

How are we still designing new products with throw-away batteries in 2022?

Technophile
Technophile
1 year ago
Reply to  luddite

How are we not recycling our batteries in 2022?

Klaster_1
Klaster_1
1 year ago
Reply to  luddite

Actually, battery cells in Di2 battery assembly can be replaced, but this voids the warranty To do that, you slice the case open, re-solder the cells and tape the case back together.

Agree that Shimano could have easily made these replaceable, like in a flash light.

Xc_racer
Xc_racer
1 year ago
Reply to  luddite

Are you referring to the coin cell batteries in the shifters?
Why would they design and manufacture a rechargeable battery for something that might see 5 charge cycles in its lifetime? (Estimated 2 year lifespan).

ron
ron
1 year ago
Reply to  Xc_racer

2- year lifespan? None of my shifters is less than 7 years old…

ron
ron
1 year ago
Reply to  ron

Whoops – forgot about the fat bike – those shifters are only 3 years old

Stretch
Stretch
1 year ago
Reply to  ron

Lol, no dude. The batteries last two years and then you have to replace them.

Chris
Chris
1 year ago

Please Shimano, give us 12 speed road MECHANICAL group!

Richie Bikelane
Richie Bikelane
1 year ago
Reply to  Chris

Why? Do you see cars and motorcycles going back to cable throttles?

Velo Kitty
Velo Kitty
1 year ago

Plenty of motorcycles have cable throttles. Which motorcycles have electronic shifting?

Bryin
Bryin
1 year ago

Cars and motorcycles suck.

Alex
Alex
1 year ago

Because it works 95% as well as Di2 and costs half as much. If you want to compare cars and motorcycles to bikes, look at the mess the car market is in now, lack of chips means you can’t get many cars when you want them unless you pay ridiculous markups. Those higher prices do not translate to higher wages for the workers, it goes straight into giant corps pockets.

Larry Falk
Larry Falk
1 year ago
Reply to  Chris

Campy has 6! 12-speed mechanical groupsets.

DRC
DRC
1 year ago

I’m guessing there is no rim brake 105 Di2 groupset?? Would love to put this on my Allez Sprint.

TypeVertigo
1 year ago
Reply to  DRC

R7100 offers no rim brake options.

Alex
Alex
1 year ago
Reply to  TypeVertigo

Of course not, Shimano doesn’t want you to use your old stuff to do an upgrade. They want you to toss your perfectly good stuff away and buy their new stuff.

Adam
Adam
1 year ago

Two thousand freedoms is hardly ‘affordable’. Cassette options are meh. Crankset options are meh. So – OEM friendly groupset.

whatever
whatever
1 year ago

~$1900 total? $185 for the battery? affordable? I think not! I guess it doesn’t matter anyway, as I’m sure it’s jsut as available as the rest of their components! (That’s sarcasm for some of you). I will stay with what I have.

Alex
Alex
1 year ago
Reply to  whatever

Exactly. Shimano screwed over their customers to make a buck. They could have easily used a standard rechargeable batter that would cost under $10. Instead they want you to spend $175 on a proprietary battery.

Dink
Dink
1 year ago

I have been waiting on this since twenty ten when I saw my first dei2 bike. that was on either a madone or a dogma., I rode it and oh my how it shifted, and now to bring this price down to the everyman is just a wonderful thing. way to go. get a madone with 105 di2 not dura. good stuff

Alex
Alex
1 year ago
Reply to  Dink

You should try the latest mechanical shifters. They shift just was well can cost dramatically less.

Richie Bikelane
Richie Bikelane
1 year ago

So. Cable shifting and rim brakes will be completely obsolete by 2025

Dave
Dave
1 year ago

Very Sad!

threeringcircus
threeringcircus
1 year ago

It’s amazing how quickly the price of groupsets has escalated. $1900 for 105? I get that it’s electric shifting, but I’d still have a hard time shelling out that much for any groupset, let alone a third-tier offering.

Alex
Alex
1 year ago

I hate to say it, but SRAM can be had for less and is truly wireless.

fitness
fitness
1 year ago

Another electronic group that will probably lose connectivity soon with various head units. Shimano pulled the plug on Hammerhead, is Garmin and others they see as competitors next? Watch where you spend your money … if you can even find this in stock anyway

on_ur_left
on_ur_left
1 year ago

There is this dichotomy I’ve noticed when it comes to the current sentiment from the cycling industry around weight doesn’t matter. We should not be concerned with total bike weight. It doesn’t matter much. But if you are concerned, you can pay 130% more (or over 2K) for a weight savings of a little over a pound to ride dura-ace. A very premium price for weight savings which doesn’t matter much; except it must because they have these separate tiers. On the flip side one could choose not pay that premium, save 78% (by buying the older 105 mechanical), and achieve the same pound in weight savings by going with rim brakes. Rim brakes aren’t perfect but then how much is perfect worth when you are opening up your wallet?

Alex
Alex
1 year ago
Reply to  on_ur_left

Higher end groups get you lighter weight and better materials that can last longer. So you get two benefits. Rim brakes can be just as good as disc brakes. A good rim brake is better than a poor disc brake. So you are not giving anything up sticking with rim brakes. Also, Shimano is forcing you to buy another set of wheels if they force you to use disc brakes, so more money out of your pocket into theirs.

Bryin
Bryin
1 year ago

$1900 for a 3000g groupset? No mechanical or rim brake options? No more Shimano for me… and I have owned a ton of Shimano since 1987 when I got my first road bike that came with 105. You can get a DA9100 group for the same price and it is 2.5lbs lighter… 2.5lbs.

Alex
Alex
1 year ago

Almost twice the price of the prior group. Hard to use the word affordable in that context. Not to mention it is much more expensive than Rival eTap. The SRAM is also easier to install and maintain as there are no wires. Not sure what Shimano was thinking.

Scott
Scott
1 year ago

I’d love to get this upgrade, but I still have rim brakes…and I love them.

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