S40 Di2

Mark B

Zen MBB Master
I am giving some thought to throwing caution to the wind and putting Di2 on my soon to be new build. I'm checking to see if anybody has done an install of Di2 on an S40, or other similar frames. I've seen it installed on Vendettas and I know a few have been done on other bikes. Interested in install details. Did you have to drill any holes, etc. Pictures a plus.

Thanks!

Mark
 

Bill K

Guru
I have DI2 installed on the V20 and the S40.
Overall I like it. Shifting is great.
My only complaint is that you cannot shift if the battery goes dead.
And I have had the battery go dead 4 times now overnight while not even using it (and not always on the same bike).
I’m pretty sure it was caused by the wireless (BLE / ANT+) transmitter not turning itself off.
It hasn’t happened since I took it off the bike (I was using the SC-MT800 which was nice because it displays the gear you are in).

On the S40:
Rear derailleur: RD-R8050. Spec says max 32-tooth cassette but I’m using an 11-42 cassette with the B-screw almost all the way in.
Shifting is kind of clunky but I think that is true for almost all derailleurs using a wide-range cassette.
Shimano has a new RD with a friction clutch to reduce chain slap. I haven’t seen one but it might be worth looking in to.

Front derailleur: FD-R8050 braze-on. It shifts well with round chainrings (52/36) but I haven’t been able to get it to shift well with q-rings.

Battery:
I installed the BT-DN110 seat post battery inside the slider (wrapped in bubble tape so it won’t rattle).

I use two of the Shimano SW-R600 remote shift switches instead of buying the rather expensive Shimano brifters.
The remote shift switches work well but I would much rather have something like the SRAM Blip switches (much smaller and can be installed under the bar tape).

Wiring:
I wanted all the wiring to be internal, so I drilled two small holes in the chainstay (just large enough for the wire to fit but much smaller than the connector). Then I cut the wire, fed it through the chainstay and soldered it back together.
You could easily install it without drilling holes and fishing the wire through the chainstay.
There is a drain hole at the bottom of the boom (just behind the bottom bracket shell). Wiring from the FD and RD can feed into the boom / slider here.

Wiring from the shifters and the A-Junction (control box) on the handlebar can be fed into the slider without drilling holes by feeding the wires between the handlebar clamps. Then all the connections are made in the slider: FD, RD and battery -> junction box, junction box -> A-junction and shifters on the handlebar.
 

Bill K

Guru
ETAP no wires, dual batteries In case one does ever die on you

Yep, Etap is the way to go

Actually, it's Four batteries: one in each derailleur and one in each brifter, but then who's counting:)
If I was buying today, Etap would be #1 on my list (now that they have a medium cage derailleur).
 

RojoRacing

Donut Powered Wise-guy
Actually, it's Four batteries: one in each derailleur and one in each brifter, but then who's counting:)
If I was buying today, Etap would be #1 on my list (now that they have a medium cage derailleur).

You just reminded me Ihave coil batteries in the hoods, I had totally forgotten those were in there. Now I need to remember if there was a way to check their battery life left or maybe just replace them since it's been over a year.
 

super slim

Zen MBB Master
You just reminded me Ihave coil batteries in the hoods, I had totally forgotten those were in there. Now I need to remember if there was a way to check their battery life left or maybe just replace them since it's been over a year.
Replace them!!
 

RojoRacing

Donut Powered Wise-guy
Shifters apparently have led lights on them so I can just make sure they aren't blinking red yet.


After each shift a green indicator light on each component turns on. Once battery charge is below 25%, the light turns red. Below 15% the light starts to flash red. Sensors in each part ensure that the components go into sleep mode automatically when you aren’t riding to limit battery trickle down.

The indicator lights for battery life:



Rear derailleurs:

Green LED: 15-60 hours of ride time remaining

Red LED: 5-15 hours of ride time remaining

Flashing red LED: Less than 5 hours of ride time remaining



Front derailleur:

Green LED: 22-90 hours of ride time remaining

Red LED: 9-22 hours of ride time remaining

Flashing red LED: Less than 9 hours of ride time remaining



Shifters:

Green LED: 6-24 months

Red LED: 1-6 months

Flashing red LED: Up to or less than one month
 

super slim

Zen MBB Master
Shifters apparently have led lights on them so I can just make sure they aren't blinking red yet.


After each shift a green indicator light on each component turns on. Once battery charge is below 25%, the light turns red. Below 15% the light starts to flash red. Sensors in each part ensure that the components go into sleep mode automatically when you aren’t riding to limit battery trickle down.

The indicator lights for battery life:



Rear derailleurs:

Green LED: 15-60 hours of ride time remaining

Red LED: 5-15 hours of ride time remaining

Flashing red LED: Less than 5 hours of ride time remaining



Front derailleur:

Green LED: 22-90 hours of ride time remaining

Red LED: 9-22 hours of ride time remaining

Flashing red LED: Less than 9 hours of ride time remaining



Shifters:

Green LED: 6-24 months

Red LED: 1-6 months

Flashing red LED: Up to or less than one month

SRAM have done a VERY GOOD job on their Wireless shifting system!
 

Mark B

Zen MBB Master
All this talk back and forth has me at least looking at Etap. Pros and cons to both systems. Wireless is definitely a pro. Di2 can accommodate up to a 34 tooth cog. Only one battery to charge on Di2. Etap can interface with your Garmin... OOH, I like that!

Mark
 

RojoRacing

Donut Powered Wise-guy
All this talk back and forth has me at least looking at Etap. Pros and cons to both systems. Wireless is definitely a pro. Di2 can accommodate up to a 34 tooth cog. Only one battery to charge on Di2. Etap can interface with your Garmin... OOH, I like that!

Mark

So I demoed a DI2 system on a demo bike during a century ride and actually hated the just about everything about how the button were positioned out to the feel of the button clicks, it just didn't feel like a well thought out system to me. In DI2 defense it shifted perfectly it was just so bad in every other way it convinced me to stay mechanical with my sram 22 system until I went to sea otter. Sea otter had the sram etap on display to play around with and even though it wasn't even mounted to a bike I knew instantly it was the system for me. The clicks and feel of the buttons were just perfect and as a long time sram user I trusted that once on the bike it would shift fine as well and I've not been disappointed this past year.

I insist you try both before buying ether.
 

Mark B

Zen MBB Master
So... It looks like the rear derailleur needs charged about 2 to 1 with the front derailleur. Is that about right?
 

RojoRacing

Donut Powered Wise-guy
So... It looks like the rear derailleur needs charged about 2 to 1 with the front derailleur. Is that about right?

Correct
I basically ride till the rear shoes red then

option 1 swap the front battery to the rear and charge the rear battery and install in the front.

Option 2 swap batteries front to rear and finish that days ride then charge both.

I have had the rear die on me during one ride and swapped the batteries to keep shifting in the rear only. It’s only happened once because I forgot I even had batteries on there after like 2 months of not charging.
 
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