10sp ultegra di2 help

[ishaw]

So I've had a Cannondale black Inc for a long time now and never really used it. I'm motivated to do some road miles now and while I have this awesome bike, I'm throwing together a more mechanical geared bike as quite frankly, the di2 stuff is alien to me and why I've not used the bike since acquiring it a good few years ago now.

Before I throw in the towel and sell it, I'd like to give it a chance and try to understand it more and hopefully get to grips with it.

So, I'm looking for education on di2. How does it work? Should I be doing things like updating firmware? How do I do that? Can I do it as it sits now or do I need anything to do that?

I understand that the 10sp rear mech is hard to come by now, and commands a heavy price tag. While everything on the bike is mint and working fine, should I think about 11sp to make it less hard and expensive to find spares should they be needed? I read that I'd need an 11sp front and rear mech to do this (cassette too obvs), but only if firmware has been updated last a certain version. Is it worth doing?

Keen to learn about this stuff so I can make a decision on whether to invest in using the bike, potentially upgrading it if worthwhile, and simply getting to grips with modern bike tech as the world moves onwards and I'd like to keep up if it's worth it.

Please educate me.

 

[bikeworkshop]

10sp Di2 is becoming present and future junk - if spares are already unobtainable, and some have been for years already.
I'd suggest stripping it off and selling it, it might enable someone else to keep their bike working.
I don't see why the manufacturers attitude will be different with 11 speed. 2 year spares support once the new group is incompatible with the old.

Fit a groupset you actually want

 

[benjabbi]

If it's working fine, just use it and enjoy it, worry about it if something goes wrong.
It's technically obsolete but if it works why worry?

 

[The History Man]

Serves you right. Witchcraft.

 

[ishaw]

I guess use it until it needs fixing or replacing is the sensible thing to do. I'm also looking at what I should be doing to maintain it. Leave it as it stands now is an option, as it working fine, but updates are often improvements, aside from when they introduce compatibility issues like they did with 10sp to 11sp, making you need to buy more than one component to make the change.

I'd also like to understand what's needed to get into di2 and look after it/take advantage of it better.

 

[benjabbi]

The problem with updates is, you can't go back. If it's working fine leave it.
The most common thing I see with Di2 is the battery shitting itself, the batteries are still available although currently out of stock.
Maintenance is basically the same as a mechanical drivetrain, obviously minus the cable bit, keep it clean, change chain/cassette/rings/pulleys as needed and enjoy nice shifting.

 

[ishaw]

When I bought the bike I also bought a couple of extra batteries and a rear mech (no idea if it works though as never needed to try it, I'm worried to try it in case it messes anything up). I also have an 11sp rear too, but never tried for the same reason.

Is it as simple as plugging it in and trying it/them?

 

[bikeworkshop]

You should be able to plug in the 11 speed and see what happens.
I dont think there's any risk of irreversible change -
but of course the problem with di2 is that if it's not working, you need a technician
And deep pockets.

 

[ishaw]

Thanks. Another reason I've been loathed to do anything with it is there's no local bike shop that can deal with it.

 

[bikeworkshop]

We usually send di2 customers away to the labcoat-wearing specialist shops, but they don't like drop-ins much, and often quote 2 weeks min for turnaround the downside of this level of technology.