As such, the cassette always obliged with every touch of the shifter under load or not.But what about the E-Tube mobile app? I’ve stuck with 160mm rotors front and rear on all my road bikes, which is what the industry recommends. He took his time, but spent several hours to make it just right. With Sprint Shifters, you can get the best of both worlds and shift with ease in the drops.So, Ultegra’s latest Di2 really is the sweet-spot of performance and price. If I have a frame that’s built for Di2, everything is even better.After almost a year of use, Shimano's latest Ultegra R8070 Di2 continues to deliver quality shifting and overall performance. To help during winter months, the buttons on top of the hoods should be programmed to shift the rear derailleur.Hmmm… I haven’t noticed any difference in noise between the two, but if you like larger hoods, it sounds like eTap AXS or eTap HRD is for you.The configurable levers offer excellent feel for shifting and braking.In that regard, I’ve experienced excellent brake feel and modulation with the R8070 disc brakes. Shimano Di2 hydraulic brakes provide reliable disc-brake stopping duties.
We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.The shape of the shift buttons are improved over the previous-generation, but they are still not as good as eTap when wearing full-finger gloves. Again, Shimano asserts that the buttons are optimized for racing and performance, which rarely happens in weather requiring full-finger gloves. Granted, you should never ride in that gearing and Di2 just ensures it.Smooth shifting — always with Ultegra R8070 Di2 Disc.For 2018, Shimano has upped the ante with their latest Ultegra R8070 groupset by making it identical to Dura-Ace in form, function and design. The most recent revision introduces a new ‘smart’ battery, wireless Bluetooth communication and iOS compatibility, making the program much more convenient for users.Again, the system is overwhelmingly capable, and if going with the R8000-series is too much, the smart battery and wireless adapters can be added to previous generation 6870 groupset (but not quite as simple as the new setup, so do your homework on backward compatibility specific to your setup).I found genuine user benefits that I still haven’t seen the full extent of, and of course the shifting and braking are noticeably improved.At £1,400 it’s not cheap, but looks fair when compared to the £2,000 that is asked for a comparable Dura-Ace groupset.In trade, once introduced, the latest iteration is the definition of refined. You can comfortably wrap your hands around the hoods to sprint or just motor along. The Focus Izalco Race boasts a fully A lightweight, comfortable and durable set of carbon clinchers from DT Swiss completes the package. In all, it’s a daunting box of jumbled parts that can only be assembled by someone with solid skills.
At the end fo the day, you’ll have to decide if Ultegra or Dura-Ace is your jam, but I’m here to say that my vote and my money would be for the latest Shimano Ultegra R8070 Di2.Again, all ramp angles and shifting on Ultegra R8070 is identical to those of Dura-Ace R9070. I love that Shimano uses mineral oil in their brake systems and Di2 is a proven platform (though routing all those wires is a challenge). However, professionals and cyclocross riders are making do with 140mm rotors. I was able to connect to the system on my iPhone and it immediately began a firmware update (sans approval) and, within a few seconds, failed. Your other review was very complementary of the latter.To protect cross chain, Di2 prevents you from using the two smallest gears with your small chainring — effectively turning it into a 20-speed drivetrain. If you live in a Windows world, you'll relish the adjustability, but Mac users will be left wanting. Sadly, after that experience, I’ve been hesitant to use the mobile app and haven’t retried. You see, there’s no full bike kit available as Shimano relies on you (or your mechanic) to know all the proper pieces you’ll need.