The release of Shimano's new XTR Di2 is the sensation of the year. Almost no other groupset on the market is as polarising as the Japanese company's eleven-speed electric groupset. We were able to test Shimano's new supergroup for the first time at the UCI World Cup in Albstadt. The XTR Di2 was mounted on a BMC Teamelite 29er with a double crankset.
Riding test of the XTR Di2
Beep, beep! As soon as I set off on the test lap, I eagerly press the gear lever to find the right gear for the steep gravel ramp. The chain moves over the sprockets at lightning speed with a quiet whirring sound until a "beep, beep" throws me off my rhythm. Have I done something wrong? The chain winds diagonally from the large chainring to the second largest sprocket. I keep pushing uphill, pedalling in the saddle, until the gear becomes too heavy and I shift up a gear. Half a turn of the crank later, the chain runs over the small sprocket of the double crankset. Without even pressing the left shift lever! A glance at the sprocket reveals that the XTR Di2 has also shifted at the rear: down two gears. On its own! It was so quick and smooth that I almost didn't notice. The Japanese call this function "Syncro Shift", which allows you to concentrate solely on the right-hand shift lever. The front derailleur is controlled by the shifting centre, which is located in the display on the handlebars. When I reach the highest point, I switch to pedalling and accelerate. Now quickly a big gear! I hold down the longer of the two shifters, which are similar to Shimano's current XTR, for about 1.5 seconds. The chain rattles over the sprockets, accompanied by the whirring of the servomotor. I crank the gears over the gravel straight. A black "17" lights up in the display under the handlebars, with a fully charged battery underneath to show me that I don't need to worry about the battery. With two clicks on the underside of the display, I switch to a second version of the Syncro-Shift mode. Now the powerful front derailleur shifts to the small cassette much earlier. As soon as I reach the fourth largest sprocket at the rear, the XTR Di2 takes care of everything all by itself: downshifting at the front, equalising two sprockets at the rear. This should be a revelation, especially with a triple crankset. You don't really notice the eleven instead of ten sprockets. However, the gradation is much finer with the 11-40 cassette than with the XX1 from Sram, for example.
My conclusion on the Shimano XTR Di2
"Shimano takes gear shifting to a new level with the XTR Di2. Shifting gears on a mountain bike has never been as easy, fast and precise as with the Japanese company's electric drivetrain. The Syncro Shift mode in particular allows one-handed shifting with double and triple cranks and banishes extremely slanted chains. The implementation and workmanship is flawless and certainly unique in the bike industry - as you would expect from Shimano. I have no doubts about the longevity or reliability of the XTR Di2. After all, the electronic versions on road bikes and cross-country bikes have been defying the toughest conditions for years. The clean look with cables routed in the frame and integrated battery round off the innovation that the XTR Di2 undoubtedly represents. But why shift electronically when it works perfectly mechanically? I want to do it myself and not have to run to a specialist dealer at the slightest snag. I'd rather change the shift cable myself or increase the cable tension instead of connecting the display to the laptop. That's why I would screw a mechanical XTR version onto my bike despite the flawless function."
Julien Absalon (FRA) on the XTR Di2:
"I rode the first prototypes two years ago and have been closely involved in development ever since. For me, the precision, reliability and shifting speed are the biggest advantages. On modern World Cup courses, I'm constantly shifting gears - even under load. Fast gear changes are essential. For me, electronics on the bike is the future. Once you've ridden the XTR Di2, you'll never want to shift mechanically again."
Daniel McConnell (AUS) from the Trek Racing Team:
"In addition to the XTR Di2, I also ride the electronic lockout from Fox. I can see the advantages, especially in mud, because you no longer have cables and sleeves that can get muddy and shift with difficulty."
