Get ready to waste some serious time today. Shimano now has an official Ultegra Di2 website up, and we’ve got stock photos with weights, specs and a little more info on the 2nd full electronic road gruppo to add to our original post.
The group color is a glossy gray like the current gen mechanical Ultegra group, so components like brakes, cranksets, etc., that don’t need battery powered parts will remain unchanged. And that’s fine, because they work marvelously well.
You’ll likely start seeing these parts show up on 2012 model bikes late this summer as many manufacturers have had specs on it in hands for some time now in order to get bikes ready.
Starting with the 6770 STI levers, weight drops to 313g from 445g for the mechanical 6700. Compare that to Dura-Ace Di2’s 225g weight. MSRP is $449.99/pair.
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The rear derailleur weighs in at 250g (claimged) and has a 11-28 cassette range capability. Like DA Di2, it has a crash-saver function that automatically moves the cage all the way inward in the event of an impact, hopefully saving it from destruction. Price is $339.99.
The front derailleur trims automatically in coordination with the rear derailleur’s position, making chainrub virtually non-existent. Claimed weight is 160g. MSRP $309.99.
The battery, shown here with the water bottle cage mount, weighs in at just 71g and has a claimed run time of 1,250 miles (2,000km) and can be fully recharged in just 90 minutes. Battery status is visible on the trim controller box, too, so you shouldn’t ever be totally surprised. Shimano’s website claims the Dura-Ace Di2 battery is good for just 1,000 miles, which puts to rest any rumors of reduced battery performance, and the weight is exactly the same. In fact, visually, the batteries are identical, which suggests they’ve simply packed more power into the unit and will be upgrading the DA version soon, likely with the improved wiring harnesses, too. MSRP is $94.99 and presumably includes the charger.
Other things you’re gonna need:
- MSRP Cable Junction Box: $34.99
- MSRP Front Wiring Harness: $114.99
- MSRP Wires (ea): $29.99 (4 total required)
- MSRP Battery Mount: $134.99
All parts will be available aftermarker in October 2011.
All in all, the new Ultegra Di2 looks like it offers all of the performance and tech of the Dura-Ace version at a fraction of the cost. It may be a bit heavier in parts, but more than anything, it ushers in a new era for road bike drivetrains and, just perhaps, suggests a mountain bike future for electronic shifting. Why? Because the increased cassette capacity and 10-speed double-crankset only operation combined with the claimed all-weather performance means there’s really no reason why this technology can’t be ported over to the dirt. Time will tell.
