Shimano Di2 MTB revisited
Member's Machinery Tucson's Fairwheel Bikes wheels out second incarnation of Shimano Di2-equipped mountain bike
Fairwheel Bikes's Shimano Di2-equipped mountain bike was one of our highlights of Interbike. Despite appearances, the Rue Sports/USE/Edge Composites/Fibrelyte/etc bike was intended as a rider, and Jason from Fairwheel (who trades as "madcow" on forums) was straight out on it after the show.
"After several rides on it I absolutely fell in love with it," says Jason, "so I decided to take it and do it again but with a bit more of a daily rider theme."
Starting point was a 90mm travel MSC Koncept Carbon full suspension frame, which comes in at a startling 1.6kg including a RockShox Monarch shock. Up front there's a Manitou MRD R7 fork. The rest of the spec comprises plenty of superlight niche stuff - lots of KCNC, Extralite and so on. The wheels include Soul Kozak hubs (that we don't mind admitting we've never heard of) laced to Edge Composites carbon rims with Sapim CX-Ray spokes.
Then of course there's that Shimano Di2 electronic transmission, which is part of the top-flight Dura-Ace road group but appears here in similar hacked-about form to the Interbike show bike. Apparently it's been working just fine, with the main change to the transmission setup here being a switch to Extralite Gara 28/42 chainrings to give slightly lower gears. The rear cassette is a custom-assembled 11-32 10spd.
The end result is an 18.8lb bike that's described as a "reliable daily rider". And if you think that sounds light, the original plan was for the bike to be only just over 17lb - this is the "robust" version, with some of the more outré component choices left on the shelf.
More lightweight craziness at www.fairwheelbikes.com.
Over to you
Got an interesting bike that you’d like to tell the world (or that subset of the world that reads BM) about? We’re not too bothered whether it’s singlespeed, geared, hardtail, rigid, FS or whatever – it just has to be something unique. We’re looking for bikes that have had a lot of time invested in them by their owners. Send us a pic and some words about what it is and why it’s like that and we’ll run the best ones here...
If you've an hour to kill I'm sure you could price up THIS spec.
Posted: 17/11/2009 09:02
My tyres are lighter by some 9 grams each, obviously he is not that much of a fanatic.  That's a pair  I'm guessing he's actually weighed his too...
Posted: 17/11/2009 09:32
I just hope Di2 is well sealed from the filth of off road riding, it'll be an expensive repair bill if it isn't. Some pros are using it for cyclocross, I reckon it can take it.
Posted: 17/11/2009 10:53
OOOOH now this looks pimpy...
Posted: 17/11/2009 13:35
I think this has got potential to work, it's being rolled out with far more support than Airlines, Mektronic etc. Half tempted to try it, but even I have limits 
Posted: 17/11/2009 13:58
having an electronic groupset on your bike means you have no chance of DIY Do you not have a soldering iron? All Di2 removes is the cables. And they're a pain in the arse. We've done away with them for brakes and most people seem to be in favour of that.
Posted: 17/11/2009 14:09
I know where my £1500 would be spent Red Parts are like, proper bling
Posted: 17/11/2009 14:48
The trouble with some mass manufactured parts is they're not made with future DIY or any repairs in mind but rather total replacement especially when the unit is very small as is the case here. It's not a new issue, though, is it? Not many people replace bent derailleur cages or worn-out STI innards. Just because something's mechanical doesn't mean it can be (economically or practicably) repaired. So Di2 electroniciness doesn't actually change anything in that regard
Posted: 17/11/2009 15:30
I did hear that smaller hammers are needed for repairs to sensitive electronics ... A full length cable outer combined with a helf decent 8 speed shifter and pretty much any derailleur will give flawless mud performance for years provided you replace the jockey wheels as they wear out... 9 speed is a little more tempermental in the mud, so I'd stick an Alfine on if I was building a bike specifically for mud...
Posted: 17/11/2009 15:43
Its one of those things thats been made because it can be, it hasnt got a market thats sustainable. As for electronics small motors and bouncing about in mud I wouldnt buy one even if They were a more realistic price.
Posted: 17/11/2009 16:09
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