Anyone Upgraded their Vitus to Di2?

[Trailing Edge]

Has anyone out there upgraded the shifter and rear mech to Di2?

Is it worth doing?

Is it easy to do? What parts (apart from shifter and mech) are needed?

Many Thanks!

 

[Gary]

Yes it's easy to do.
It's also very expensive
It's also NOT really an upgrade.

Mechanical shifting actually gives you more control over shift timing and smoothness.

 

[RocketMagnet]

As I understand it in the firmware Vitus may set it to mechanical but this can be changed.
You would need the shifter and cable to your display.
You would also obviously need the derailleur and cable to the spare connector on the motor (there is a spare). You already have a connection from the display to the motor.
So
[Shifter] <-------->[Display]<--------->[Motor]<------------>[Derailleur]


I don't think DI2 offer any benefits on an Ebike, it does reduce power as it shifts but you should be doing that anyway yourself. Only time it will help is if you really mess up a shift and it can mitigate it somewhat. Still it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

So yeah it's pretty much pointless other than the auto trim feature.

Before I rode my Vitus I thought DI2 may be a good idea as people were reporting wrecking cassettes but that was just rider error or poorly set up gears.

So if you can shift a normal bike ok then DI2 adds little to nothing really.

 

[duk916]

I put it on all my bikes. I like it, many do not. I ve had it on 5 bikes now including a mountain bike tandem, only ever had one problem in the last 6 years a pinched cable. The biggest issue I have with it is hiding the wires. The e bike is great for for this. I agree its not really an upgrade but I do it anyway because I can.
Hoping that the shift lever will be a bit smaller in the future.

 

[Ginsterdrz]

I have Di2 on a standard bike. I fully intended swapping it onto the VR but as Gary says, there's more 'control' with a manual shifter so you can slow the move to coordinate it with easing off the pedals. The shifting on my bike has been excellent from the start. I can see no advantages to Di2 on the VR.

 

[HORSPWR]

Yes it's easy to do.
It's also very expensive
It's also NOT really an upgrade.

Mechanical shifting actually gives you more control over shift timing and smoothness.

Is that so or is this your opinion, maybe you can provide technical data to back this up. You’re obviously not a proponent of Di2. I have both and Di2 shits all over mechanical for speed, timing and it’s no better or worse for shift smoothness.

Try roping in 11 gears on mechanical, you’ll need at lest 4 throws of the lever to accomplish that, just hold the lever on Di2 and it’ll do the whole 11 in a flash.

 

[Gary]

Is that so or is this your opinion

No it's a simple fact. when upshifting to a larger sprocket(s) mechanical shifting gives you the ability to finely control exactly how far a mech moves by easing or overthrowing your thumb push.

maybe you can provide technical data to back this up.

Technical data? *sigh*

You’re obviously not a proponent of Di2

I didn'tsay that at all.
I fitted Ultegra Di2 to a high end gravel bike today. have used, fitted and serviced lots of Di2 drivetrains and like it on roadbikes.
it shifts lovely... (when everything is perfectly aligned, no pivots are worn, drivetrain isn't worn and it's not covered in debris/mud etc.
TBH the main reason I'd go for it is it's intuitive FRONT mech control, auto trim feature not the rear shifting.

I have both and Di2 shits all over mechanical for speed, timing

It really doesn't. It actually takes some timing and fine control of the rear mech AWAY from the rider.

Try roping in 11 gears on mechanical, you’ll need at lest 4 throws of the lever to accomplish that, just hold the lever on Di2 and it’ll do the whole 11 in a flash.

That's some seriously poor planning ahead if you're genuinely finding you need to shift from the 11t sprocket all the way to your 46/50T in ONE go. but granted it does that fairly smoothly.
Even if I did find myself in that situation off road i'd still prefer to shift using my own thumb calibration and pressure on the pedals to pressing and holding a button down and blindly pedalling with LESS feedback. It's just my pref though. I genuinely like MORE control of all aspects of a bike.

People pay a lot of money for Di2 and almost everyone who owns and uses it absolutely loves it. until it goes wrong. Something that can happen far easier off road than on.
I don't have any reference at all to what sort of riding, terrain or conditions you ride and have no idea whether you're new to using it or if you're a long term user who's actually been through a few drivetrains with it already and know some of the downsides to it. or you're still in the honeymoon period.

 

[R120]

DI2 Can be integrated into the Steps bike system, use the battery etc, however I believe the Steps system has to be programmed out of the factory for it to work with DI2. There is a thread on the forum about it, where a member is also installing it on a Vitus.

Upgrade to Di2 shifting - EMTB Forums

 

[HORSPWR]

No it's a simple fact. when upshifting to a larger sprocket(s) mechanical shifting gives you the ability to finely control exactly how far a mech moves by easing or overthrowing your thumb push.

Good to know you're the one with all the facts and the rest of us just have opinions!
Easing or Overthrowing? Mate it's a push until it clicks, simple as that! Unless you want to fuck around for 2 or 3 seconds easing, by that time the window to shift has passed your looking for the next gear.

[/QUOTE]That's some seriously poor planning ahead if you're genuinely finding you need to shift from the 11t sprocket all the way to your 46/50T in ONE go. [/QUOTE]

Nope, no poor planning. Where I ride I can be in 1st cresting the top of a long arduous goat track and the next second be looking for the tallest gear on a long downhill straight.

 

[thebarber]

I considered this as my mate has it on his orange e-bike but after trashing a normal rear mech thought better of it.
I am really interested in the Rolhoff tho....
Kenevo wpenized — and fully matted out - EMTB Forums

 

[Gary]

Easing or Overthrowing? Mate it's a push until it clicks, simple as that! Unless you want to fuck around for 2 or 3 seconds easing, by that time the window to shift has passed your looking for the next gear.

sorry mate.
you're wrong.

there's no point arguing with you.

The "i" in "Di2" has obviously made you go all apple product owner about your expensive purchase

Nope, no poor planning. Where I ride I can be in 1st cresting the top of a long arduous goat track and the next second be looking for the tallest gear on a long downhill straight.

Which is the exact opposite shifting the situation you described earlier and shifting to higher gears (smaller sprockets) in one go makes even less sense. Not that it's even vaguely difficult to achieve with a mechanical shifter either. it just involves multiple clicks

 

[HORSPWR]

sorry mate.
you're wrong.

there's no point arguing with you.

The "i" in "Di2" has obviously made you go all apple product owner about your expensive purchase


Which is the exact opposite shifting the situation you described earlier and shifting to higher gears (smaller sprockets) in one go makes even less sense. Not that it's even vaguely difficult to achieve with a mechanical shifter either. it just involves multiple clicks

Taller equals higher gears not bigger sprockets, it’s a term used from car/drag racing. Shorter gears equal higher ratio eg: 4.11:1, taller gears equal low ratio eg: 2.78:1 but to make it so you can understand, big sprocket on the back to little sprocket on the back.

My Di2 was included in the price of my bike, along with the Fox Kashima coated suspension components, Saint brakes all at a bargain price.

 

[Gary]

This (as far as I know) isn't a drag racing forum.

I'm fine with YOU being happy with your DI2 and Kashima

Neither would personally sway me towards a full build. We're aw different. And that's a good thing.

Enjoy ?