When Shimano announced its new Dura-Ace and Ultegra Di2 bands last summer and effectively published the obituary for its high-end mechanical bands, speculation about the upcoming launch of the 105 Di2 quickly picked up speed.
Shimano today put an end to all speculation by officially introducing the new 105 R7100 Di2 group kit, which reduces the 12-step switching and semi-wireless setup of its top-tier groups to a lower price. In other words, almost everything that CyclingTips global technical editor James Huang predicts comes in a new 105 Di2 set nearly a year ago.
In addition to the new group kit, Shimano also introduced new non-standard C32 and C46 carbon wheels, again borrowing much of the same technology from its premium Dura-Ace and Ultegra wheels and building it into more affordable wheels.
Looks familiar
105 Di2 you say? It looks strangely familiar, in a good way.
The R7100 105 is Shimano’s new entry-level set for those looking for electronic switching, and its launch coincides with the 40th birthday of the 105th. -Ace and Ultegra, most immediately obvious with the new group set is how much they look like their older siblings. The new group set features the same lever shapes and hood ergonomics as those introduced with the top-level groups last year. Besides, the crank and the derailleurs are obviously close.
However, these similarities seem to extend beyond mere appearance, as Shimano says the new group kit offers the same fast, precise and reliable shifting of Shimano’s Di2 groups for riders who have traditionally used mechanical shifting. Probably to be more specific, the new group kit brings electronic switching just above what the mechanical price from the middle to the high class was before and introduces a serious penalty for weight when charging, but more on that later.
In exchange for a little extra and heavier materials, riders on the R7100 will enjoy Shimano’s latest Di2 system, offering 12-speed semi-wireless switching.
Just like the Dura-Ace and Ultegra, the 105 Di2 has a wireless cockpit at the front, paired with cable-connected derailleurs and a battery at the rear. According to Shimano, this hybrid wireless setup “provides a wireless connection where it matters”, with a secure cable connection at the back of the frame, where cable routing is less of a problem.
At the front, the new dual control levers 105 feature the same ergonomics and improvements made to the Dura-Ace and Ultegra last year after feedback from professionals. The raised hood tip and new lever shape are said to improve comfort and control at any riding position, while access to the Di2 buttons has also been improved for easier switching.
The battery level of the switch is indicated by a small LED on the front of the switch. The 105 Di2 group kit can also be adjusted in the E-Tube project application. The new levers offer a familiar look, feel and feel to their more expensive counterparts.
The new hoods are packed with all wireless technology, with the new levers using Shimano’s own wireless integrated circuit for secure, fast processing speeds and low-power connectivity to the rear end of the engine.
In addition, Shimano has confirmed that the new 105 levers have the option to run a fully wired setup if needed, and the group kit will offer a similar configuration for time-testing to its higher-class siblings.
Moving backwards and just as with the current Di2 offerings, the front and rear derailleurs are connected directly to the same internal battery used in the leading road groups. In addition, just as with the top-level offerings, Shimano also integrates the battery charger and D-Fly wireless network into the rear derailleur 105, offering ANT + and Bluetooth connectivity to, as Shimano says, “most third-party cycling computers, including Garmin and Wahoo. ”
The R7100 can also be customized via the Shimano E-Tube project application, offering riders the option to adjust the drive to their personal preferences with adjustable shifting speed, button shifting and synchronized / semi-synchronized shifting functionality.
All of these electronic calculations combine to offer riders a shift to a new 12-speed cassette, which Shimano says offers the “high and low gears riders want, along with the intelligent progression of steps between gears.” In particular, this means cartridge options 11-34 and 11-36 together with sprocket combinations 50:34 and 52:36. There are also many crank length options, with Shimano offering the new 105 cranks with lengths of 160, 165, 170, 172.5 and 175 mm.
Shimano could have released the current 105 brake calipers, but instead accepted some of the updates introduced with Dura-Ace and Ultegra. The clearance of the pads is increased by 10% for quieter braking with less friction.
The brake calipers have also been revamped and are said to provide a quieter, more powerful and controlled braking than the current R7000 105 brakes with a fast starting point of contact and a 10% wider clearance between the pads and the rotor. Shimano further enhances the 105 braking with a lighter and smoother lever action, improved modulation thanks to the extended braking control zone and freewheel control, all of which flow from the Dura-Ace and Ultegra levers to the new R7100 stoppers.
Good news for home mechanics, Shimano says the new 105 devices offer a more user-friendly venting process that can be done without removing the caliper from the frame.
Same but different
So far so good. Although we haven’t had a chance to try out the new group set yet, it looks like a Di2-level group with many features. What then makes this 105 and what sets it apart from Shimano’s leading Dura-Ace groupset and second-level Ultegra Di2?
First, and probably no surprise to anyone, the 105 Di2 group is heavier than its siblings. According to Shimano, a complete set of scales tilts the scales with a touch of more than 3 kg, including wires and battery. This is an additional ~ 560 g compared to the Dura-Ace groupset and ~ 360 g compared to the Di2 offering at the Ultegra level.
However, both sets are significantly more expensive. As such, it may be more appropriate to compare the new group kit with the 11-speed mechanical kit Ultegra R8000, which weighs almost 350 g less. Meanwhile, the direct competitor of the new 105 in the zipper segment, the SRAM Rival Etap AXS group kit, is approximately 120 g heavier than the new R7100 Di2.
Adhering to the expected differences, the new 105 Di2 is cheaper than its counterparts, but perhaps not as much as we would hope. At $ 1,886.87 (international prices follow), the 105 Di2 group kit is about $ 500 cheaper than its Ultegra R8100 Di2 counterparts. While $ 500 is certainly a significant savings, again, it may be more appropriate to compare the R7100 to the current 11-speed manual Ultegra, which seems poised to replace effectively. Seen through this lens, the new R7100 certainly shows its less promising side, costing approximately $ 300 more.
While $ 300 doesn’t seem like blackmail to upgrade from mechanical to electronic, while getting an extra gear in the process, given that Shimano has already offered to gradually eliminate the mechanical Ultegra and the 105 Di2, which effectively takes its place, this is likely to lead to another significant blow to the continuing upward trajectory of bicycle prices in general. Only the price of the new set of groups now approaches the price of all-carbon road bikes with Ultegra mechanical kits only half a decade ago.
There is no space in the inn for satellite ports or secret buttons.
Of course, we all expected the 105 Di2 to be heavier and cheaper than the Ultegra Di2, but as you might expect, there are some less obvious differences between the 105 and its older siblings. Starting with the levers, the R7100 switches now have two coin-operated batteries in each lever, compared to that in each lever in existing Di2 groups. While the extra battery extends battery life, Shimano explains that the extra property eaten up by the second battery means there’s no room in the new satellite switch levers or the top “secret” button on the lid.
The new 105 levers also miss the Shimano Servo Wave rotating mechanism, which changes the ratio of the lever throughout the stroke of the brake lever, so that the modulation will not coincide with that of the newest levers of the two best groups.
The chain rings are not that big, while the front derailleur is not that small.
In particular, the 105 circuit and cartridge miss out on the latest Shimano Hyperglide + switching technology, which probably suggests that switching the 105 won’t be as fast as the incredibly fast switching offered by the new R9200 and 8100 groups. tried to point out that the electronic switching at level 105 will make a drastic improvement in the quality and ease of switching compared to the existing mechanical 105.
Speaking of switching, there is a noticeable difference in the design of the front derailleur, as 105 offers a return to a larger front derailleur compared to the aero proposal introduced last year. Athletes and athletes with flatter ground may also want at least one more cassette and / or chain link option.
Shimano did not mention any rim brake option and when asked the official answer was, as always, that Shimano did not comment on future product developments.
All that said, there are still reasons to be happy if something I just mentioned has left you disappointed. The new 105 Di2 is compatible with R9200 and R8100 Di2 components with only a few limitations. Namely, the new cartridge 105 11:36 is beyond the maximum compatibility of the gear with 34 teeth of the rear derailleurs Dura-Ace and Ultegra, while the front derailleurs 105 and Ultegra are limited to 52 teeth …
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