PEZ readers may remember my Colnago V3 project bike with Ultegra R8000: “The shifting is light, crisp, and sure. Dura Ace is supposed to be better, but I’m not sure how much better it can be (at least as far as mechanical shifting goes … I’ve yet to try Di2). And if Ultegra is this good, it makes me wonder how good 105 is.” And I had this to say about Ultegra Di2 on the dead sexy LOOK 795 Blade RS I reviewed: “I have to say that I love the new Shimano Di2 Ultegra 8100 12-speed group set. It’s my first time riding Di2 and now I know what the buzz about electronic shifting is all about. The shifting is fast and sure. Just requires a light tap of the shift button.” So when I was given the opportunity to “upgrade” my V3 to the new Shimano 105 Di2, how could I say “no”?
Both Dura Ace and Ultegra have had Di2 versions going back to 10-speed days and I know a lot of people have been waiting and wondering when 105 would go Di2. Well, wait and wonder no longer … that time is now.
PARTS IS PARTS
Shimano sent PEZ everything 105 to do a complete swap out of all the Ultegra parts on my Colnago V3 plus a few extra goodies. I’ll let pictures do as much of the talking as possible.
Shimano 105 Di2 Hydraulic Disc Brake Dual Control Levers (2×12-speed) – Left (front derailleur/brake) and Right (rear derailleur/brake)
Shifters. Brake levers. Brifters. Call them what you will. The things that go on your handlebars that control shifting and braking. If you’re coming from older 11-speed levers, the hood shape is different (to mimic Ultegra and Dura Ace): a slightly more raised hood peak with a longer and flatter hood body. Shimano claims improved ergonomics and comfort, which has been my experience riding the LOOK 795 Blade RS with 12-speed Ultegra Di2.
NOTE: My control levers came packaged with the corresponding brake calipers and hoses, which is standard practice for new bike builds. If you were replacing existing parts on a bike, you would be able to buy them separately.
For those readers who have or are familiar with older Shimano Di2, one thing that’s different with the newest generation is that the control levers are wireless, i.e., no more having to fish wires through the handlebars and frame to connect to the derailleurs. Power for the shifters is via two (2) CR1632 batteries (Shimano claims 3-1/2 to 4 year battery life).
Batteries for the the shifters
Although the 105 Di2 control levers are a lot like Dura Ace and Ultegra in terms of form and function, they don’t have all the same features as Ultegra and Dura Ace. There’s no option for satellite shifters. And the tops of the hoods don’t have push buttons that can be programmed to work with Shimano D-FLY Near Field Network technology that enables connectivity between Di2 systems and ANT+/Bluetooth compatible accessories like cycling GPS computers and lights. Neither of these features is important to me, but you’ll need to spend more money on Ultegra or Dura Ace if either or both of these are “must have.”
Shimano specs 423 grams for a pair of levers
Shimano 105 Hydraulic Disc Brake Caliper
As noted above, my control levers and brake calipers were packaged together. The front and rear calipers are the same, but the front one came with the spacer plate for a 160mm front brake rotor found on most road bikes (also the UCI standard for road race bikes).
Shimano specs an average weight of 123 grams for the calipers, but that doesn’t include the hose plus brake fluid
Shimano 105 Di2 Front Derailleur
Shimano spec is 142 grams
Shimano 105 Di2 Rear Derailleur
In the old days there were different length derailleur cages; nowadays it’s just one length … long
Shimano spec is 302 grams
Shimano 105 Hollowtech II Crankset
170mm crankarm length with 50/34 chainrings
Shimano spec weight is 765 grams (but they don’t specify for what length crankarm and which chainring combo)
Shimano Di2 Battery
Spot on Shimano spec of 52 grams
Shimano 105 12-speed Cassette
On my 11-speed Ultegra mechanical I was running an 11-30 11-speed cassette, but 11-30 isn’t an option with 12-speed 105 (it is with Ultegra and Dura Ace 12-speed). Instead, the 12-speed 11-34 cassette is the same as my 11-speed 11-30 cassette with the addition of a 12th 34T sprocket. Paired with a compact 50/34 crankset, that means my lowest gear is a 1:1 ratio. I’m not proud. Yes, I’m old.
Under Shimano spec of 361 grams
Shimano SLX 12-speed Chain
Interestingly, a “mountain bike” chain for 105 road
Shimano spec is 252 grams
THE NOT Di2 STUFF
In addition to all the above parts to go from mechanical to electronic, Shimano sent some other stuff that has nothing to do with electronic shifting. (Plus I got bar tape and tires that didn’t come from Shimano.)
PRO Vibe Stem
NOTE the uniquely shaped stem cap
Even though more and more bikes are going to integrated stem/handlebars, it’s not always possible to get the fit exactly right depending on an individual rider’s requirements for stem angle, stem length, and handlebar width (I’m one of those riders). There are only so many combinations manufacturers are willing to make (at least for us mere mortals — if you’re a big enough name pro you can probably get something custom). So you’ll still see riders in the pro peloton riding a conventional stem and handlebars. And a mainstay for stems is the PRO Vibe Stem.
I opted for an alloy stem because I could get the same -10 degree angle as the PRO PLT stem I was replacing (the PRO Vibe Carbon stem is -8 degrees). And I needed the longest stem PRO makes: 130 mm.
PRO specs 162 grams for a 130mm stem
PRO specs “from 330 grams”
In part, I got the alloy handlebar because I wanted to be matchy-matchy with the alloy stem (I would’ve done the same if I had gone with a carbon stem). But another reason is that the alloy version is flared (6 degrees) and I find this provides a more comfortable hand position for me in the hooks and drops.
One thing I didn’t do was follow the trend of going narrower. I decided to stick with what I know works for me … 40 cm wide bars (at the hoods). Especially since I spend the vast majority of my riding time on the hoods.
And I went with an aero handlebar less for the #aero benefits and more because (a) I just like the look and (b) the flat aero section is more comfortable for me when I’m riding on the tops.
Cycology See Me Handlebar Tape
Everyone who knows me knows that pink handlebar tape is my “trademark.” Pink because of the Giro … the most beautiful and my favorite of the Grand Tours. Plus #realmenwearpink. But instead of “plain” pink, I decided to go with Cycology’s See Me handlebar tape that’s a pink graffiti pattern. It’s fun and frivolous and draws a lot of compliments.
It’s a padded tape for comfort (I ride without gloves in warm enough weather so this is an important factor). The surface looks “slick” but is actually “grippy.”
PRO Stealth Curved Team Saddle
PEZ readers will know I’m a short-nose saddle convert. And that I need a saddle that has some dip/curve. The PRO Stealth Curved Team Saddle fit the bill. As with any new saddle, it’s always an experiment of sorts because you don’t really know if a saddle will suit your posterior until ride it.
Lots of black carbon fiber goodness
PRO camera mount attaches directly to the saddle
PRO specs 161 grams
Shimano C46 Front and Rear Tubeless Disc Brake Carbon Wheels
These are Shimano’s 105-level carbon wheels. So “entry level.” According to Shimano: “the new full carbon wheels offer balanced performance at a lower price.” How much lower? MSRP is $1,049.99. That’s $350 less than an Ultegra C36 or C50 wheelset and $1,050 less than a Dura Ace C36 or C50 wheelset.
Spec for the C46 front wheel is 719 grams
Of course, the 105 wheels are heavier. It’s not possible to do a a strict apples-to-apples comparison because the 105 wheels are either 32mm or 46mm deep vs 36mm or 60mm for Ultegra or Dura Ace. But the 105 C32 at 1,504 grams is 16 grams heavier than Ultegra C36 and 154 grams heavier than Dura Ace C36. The 105 C46 at 1,612 grams is 42 grams heavier than Ultegra C60 and 151 grams heavier than Dura Ace C60.
Spec for the C46 rear wheel is 893 grams
I opted for the 46mm deep version because I already have lighter weight “all-arounder” 38mm deep carbon wheels and wanted something a little more aero and was willing to pay the price in weight gain.
Close enough for government work … Shimano specs 28mm external width and 21mm internal width
Shimano GRX Center Lock Disc Brake Rotors
Even though there are 105 road disc brake rotors, Shimano elected to send their GRX gravel bike rotors. Maybe they’ve been listening to my compadre Ed Hood: “The pro mechanics replace the Dura Ace discs with the more rugged Ultegra or even MTB XTR discs but the latter aren’t up to long mountain descents, they’re prone to warping with the heat build-up.”
Speaking of Ed … If you didn’t already know, Ed suffered a stroke in February that has been very difficult for all of us at PEZ to come to grips with. Ed lost his ability to speak and lost movement on the right side of his body. To say that Ed’s future is uncertain is an understatement. So I/we hope that you can help. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Lots of smaller contributions add up. Here’s the GoFundMe for Ed. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Molte grazie.
Shimano doesn’t provide spec weights for the GRX rotors
Shimano Front and Rear Thru Axles
These are Shimano’s take on a “quick release” thru axle. They thread in just like a regular thru axle. But they have an adjustable cam mechanism (like a quick release lever) to lock the thru axle in place. It means you don’t need a hex wrench to remove/install the thru axle. #marginalgains
Shimano spec is 65 grams for the front (top) and 75 grams for the rear (bottom)
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Tubeless Tires
Goodyear is a brand more known in motorsports, but I’ve been a “car guy” since I was a kid (grade school) so decided to be a little bit different for tire choice. As the 4Seasons name implies, these are tires intended to optimize performance across a wide variety of road and weather conditions. So not the “fastest” of tires (if you want Goodyear’s fastest tire, check out the Eagle F1 SuperSport R) but I’m no longer as concerned about “fast” (or even all that fast) and willing to trade off some speed for puncture/flat protection. In that regard, the Vector 4Seasons has bead-to-bead sidewall protection as well as an anti-puncture belt under the tread.
As a road tubeless convert, I got the tubeless version of the Vector 4 Seasons tires. And I went 700×30 for #marginalgains comfort vs 700×28.
NOTE: Even though the Shimano C46 wheels came with tubeless rim tape already installed, I added a second layer because I’m paranoid. Like all tubeless tires, the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons can be a bit of a bear to install because of the ultra tight beads. Luckily, I have a Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack to help make that a little bit easier. If — even with spraying soapy water on the rim/tire — you’ve nearly dislocated your thumbs trying to get a tubeless tire onto a rim, you’ll want to get one.
Put (1) on the lip of the rim, hook (2) under the bead on the opposite side, and pull up to get the tire mounted
Even before riding them, what really impressed me about the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons tires was that after seating the beads they held air without any sealant. In fact, it took 3-4 days before they deflated. I subsequently added my favorite Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex sealant.
Pretty much spec 30mm wide
Whether it’s tubes or tubeless, get the logo lined up with the valve stem if you want to be totally “pro”
THE SWAP
I need to start with a shout to my good friend Pinkey aka Santiago Gonzalez who I’ve known since my racing days dating back to the early 90s. He’s a totally pro mechanic and agreed to give up his personal time on a weekend to help me with this project. Pinkey is a legend as a wrench and I couldn’t have done it without him. Also a shout out to my LBS Conte’s letting me use their Old Town Alexandria shop (during Pinkey’s off hours) to do the work.
Pinkey in his element
I had no illusions that swapping out all the parts would be easy, but … honestly … this is not a project for the faint of heart. And unless you have all the tools and space (I don’t), not really a DIY home mechanic project.
I won’t walk you step-by-step through all the excruciating details, but a few things worth noting (and apologies that I didn’t document this with a lot of pictures but Pinkey and I were more focused on getting the work done):
- Shimano making the shifters wireless eliminates the nightmare of having to fish wires from the shifters through the handlebars/frame.
- That makes the derailleurs a lot easier because your only have to run wires from the derailleurs to the battery.
- The rear derailleur wire was “easy” to run through the hole in the back of chainstay for the original rear derailleur cable housing and then up the seat tube.
- The front derailleur wire required reaming out the hole in the bottom bracket for the original front derailleur cable to be able to get it into the frame and then up the seat tube.
- The rear derailleur high and low limits and B-screw adjustment are just like with a mechanical rear derailleur. But actually adjusting the derailleur is done via the Shimano E-TUBE app.
- Similarly, the front derailleur high limit is adjusted manually via an adjustment screw, but the low limit is adjusted with the E-TUBE app.
Just some of the many uses of Gorilla tape … admittedly not the most elegant, but it does the job. Black on black makes it hard to see. And with the rear wheel in place, the tape to hold the front derailleur wire in place and to cover the holes for the former derailleur cables in the bottom bracket isn’t that noticeable.
If anything was “tricky” about the electronics it was figuring out how to mount the battery in the seat post. In the end, I resorted to “old school” and cut up some foam insulation used to pack bikes to be able to stuff the battery inside the seat post tightly enough so that it would take an act of God to fall out.
The battery isn’t going anywhere
Even though I already had hydraulic brakes, since I was going from mechanical to electronic that meant having to replace the dual-control levers. That meant having to cut the old brake lines and then fish the new brake lines through the frame and handlebars up to the levers. Luckily, Pinkey has this cool little “thingie” that allows you to connect the old brake line to the new brake line and then pull it through the frame. FWIW, routing hydraulic brake lines through the handlebars is a bit of a bear because they are lot stiffer and harder to maneuver than mechanical brake cable housing. Some of it required two pairs of hands.
If you’re trying to pull a new hydraulic brake line through a frame, you’ll want this
Pinkey and I are all smiles because we finally finished!
The one “issue” had nothing to do with the electronics or hydraulics and was only resolved after the fact. The PRO Vibe stem required cutting the fork steerer tube 3mm below the clamp height because the stem has a unique top cap that mounts flush and you can’t put spacers under it above the stem (like you can do with a more conventional round cap, which is what I had on my PRO PLT stem). That wasn’t such a big deal because we had to cut the brake lines and take the brake calipers off anyway. But … (there’s always a but) … the steerer tube was now cut short enough that the OEM Colnago expander/plug was too long. No problem because Pinkey had more than a few “extra” shorter length expander/plugs at the shop. Except the Colnago steerer tube inner diameter is smaller (you would think stuff like this would be standard, right?) I took the bike home and the extra FSA expander/plug I had was also too large a diameter. Colnago apparently doesn’t make a shorter length expander/plug (of course). And I wasn’t finding any expander/plugs via the usual bike parts resources that were the right diameter. In the end, I was able to find a generic expander/plug on eBay that was small enough diameter and the right height to fit. But even then, I had to combine parts because the top part of the eBay expander/plug was too tall to be able to get the PRO Vibe top cap flush with the top of the stem. Something this simple shouldn’t be this difficult, but … Whew!
I had to to swap out the top part of the eBay expander/plug (left) with the one from my FSA expander/plug (right) for it to be able to be low enough to fit
THE MAKEOVER
I’ll let pictures do most of the talking.
Before (Ultegra mechanical 11-speed)
After (105 Di2 12-speed)
I know the first question PEZ readers have is: How much extra weight is Di2 105? Fair question to which I don’t have an absolutely definitive answer. Certainly one would expect 105 to weigh more than Ultegra. But it’s not a strict apples-to-apples comparison since I went from Ultegra mechanical 11-speed to 105 Di2 12-speed. Plus there were other parts swaps. That said, my Colnago V3 PEZ project bike weighed in at 17.1 pounds with Ultegra mechanical. The 105 Di2 build weighs 18.7 pounds. But not all of that weight gain was because of 105 Di2. The heavier 105 C46 wheels and Wahoo POWRLINK pedals (vs Speedplay X2’s) account for ~375 grams or 0.8 pounds. Assuming the stem, bars, and saddle swaps are essentially a wash, the increased weight attributed to Di2 105 is probably more like 0.8 pounds.
All the Di2 bits
Dual-control levers
Front derailleur (NOTE that I installed a K-Edge chain catcher — with electronic shifting I shouldn’t really need it but I had it on my mechanical set-up so just kept it)
Rear derailleur (and cassette)
Crankset (and chain)
Front brake caliper (and rotor)
Rear brake caliper (and rotor)
The other bits
Long and low PRO Vibe stem — phi slamma jamma
Sleek PRO Vibe Aero handlebars
Even with exposed brake lines, it’s still a pretty tidy looking cockpit IMHO
Flashy Cycology handlebar tape
My Karoo 2 and front light
My butt was more than comfortable starting with my first ride on the PRO Stealth Curved Team saddle
My rear blinky light attached via the PRO camera mount
I’m not concerned about being able to do fast wheel changes, but the “quick release” thru-axles are a nice look IMHO
The C46 wheels came up to speed quickly, rolled smoothly, and were stable in ~10-12 mph wind
The Goodyear Vector 4Seasons tubeless tires were fast enough for me and smooth rolling. 700×30 (at 65 psi) is #marginalgains comfort — wider tires at lower pressure really take the edge off rougher sections of road.
UPGRADES
Wait a minute, Chuck … you just “upgraded” from mechanical to electronic shifting and you’re already talking about upgrades???
I’m not talking about moving “up” from 105 Di2. I’m no longer racing and at my level of riding, there really isn’t a reason/need for “more.” But what I can see in my future is swapping out the OEM round chainrings for Rotor oval chainrings because that’s my personal pedalling preference. And the OEM chain is a little “blah” for my tastes and I’d rather go a little more “bling” with a KMC gold chain.
The chainrings and chain will eventually have to go
105 Di2 VALUE PROPOSITION
I’ve ridden both Ultegra and 105 Di2 (but not Dura Ace) and, honestly, I’m hard pressed to say there’s a big difference. Technically, Ultegra is supposed to have faster/crisper shifting than 105 (and Dura Ace is supposed to be faster/crisper than Ultegra). So there are differences, but — at least for me — they’re not night and day differences. Rather, they are small differences bordering on minuscule. Ditto for any differences in the brakes. Just a light touch to modulate them and I could easily haul the bike down to a full stop very quickly in a short distance. In other words, 105 Di2 is the real deal when it comes to how it works/performs.
I mean … what’s not to love about Di2? I love that it just shifts at the press of a button — light, crisp, and fast. I love that I don’t have to worry about how much (or little) pressure I’m putting on the pedals and having to “finesse” a shift. Stand and shift is no problem whatsoever. I love that I can program it so that when I shift from the small to big ring (and vice-versa) that it automatically shifts up 2 cogs (or down 2) so that I’m in a similar gear ratio and not too over- or under-geared. The word that comes to mind is: spoiled.
As far as the heavier weight of 105 vs Ultegra vs Dura Ace is concerned … For the vast majority of my riding, the additional weight isn’t a big deal. Maybe if I was doing a lot of riding in the mountains it would be, but I’m not (I did all of two what you could call “epic” mountain rides last year that were both long and with a lot of elevation gain — Blue Mountain which was 68 miles and 5,500 feet of climbing and SkyMass which was 81 miles and 7,400 feet of climbing).
If you’re thinking about converting from mechanical to Di2 or buying a Di2 bike, should you go 105 or Ultegra or Dura Ace? There’s no definitive answer, but some food for thought:
- If money is no object and having the best of the best is what you want, then it’s Dura Ace (my race bike in the 90s was Dura Ace). Just be prepared to pay nearly $4,300 for Dura Ace electronic shifting (with hydraulic disc brakes).
- Ultegra has always been considered a “sweet spot” with a lower price tag (~$1,700 less for a Di2 group set compared to Dura Ace) but with a slight weight penalty.
- The new 105 Di2 is ~$700 less expensive than Ultegra but a little bit heavier.
Here’s one way to think about it. For argument’s sake, assume performance-wise that it doesn’t get any better than Dura Ace, Ultegra is 90 percent of Dura Ace, and that 105 is 90 percent of Ultegra (I don’t have a way to measure the differences and undoubtedly Dura Ace is better than Ultegra which is better than 105). Weight-wise, in round numbers a Dura Ace group set is about 2,400 grams, Ultegra is about 2,600 grams, and 105 is about 3,000 grams. Price-wise, a Dura Ace group set is $4,279 MSRP, Ultegra is about $2,565 MSRP, and 105 is about $1,854 MSRP.
You do the math and tradeoffs of performance vs. price vs. weight based on your priorities/criteria. But as they say for project management balancing/trading off between cost, schedule, and performance: pick two because you can’t have the best of all three. If you’re not making your living racing, the performance differences between the group sets is very small (because electronics control the shifting). The differences between the three group sets are largely in material choices that result in lower weight that comes at greater price. There’s no “right” answer and far be it from me to tell you what you should decide. Everyone’s needs and wants are different. But for me and my riding (no longer racing and just riding to ride), the new Shimano 105 Di2 is a value proposition.
Certainly, if you’re on a limited budget 105 Di2 makes a lot of sense in terms of bang for the buck (at the expense of a marginal weight gain) IMHO. Invest more $$$ on the frame and wheels and save $$$ on the group set without giving up much in terms of drivetrain performance.
MY BOTTOM LINE: I’m now officially spoiled by electronic shifting and Shimano 105 Di2 does everything I want/need it to do.
105 Di2 works for me!
• See the Shimano website here
• Shop Shimano 105 Components at Amazon
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