I am pretty sure that you can hook your bike up to your computer and make it recognize the remote shifters. You don't have to go to a bike shop.

Were you using an Apple computer?

I wish this was the case for me. After I wired up the SW-R9105 satellite shifters to my 12 speed Ultegra bike my iphone etube app, and a laptop connected with etube software, would not recognize the satellite shifters. After I brought the bike to the shop for software/firmware updates I could then see the satellite shifters on the etube app.

You can definitely add di2 satellite shifters to 12 speed shimano. I added the SW-R9150 satellite shifter to my basebars. That gave me two button manual shifting on my basebars. To get the Di2 system to recognize the new satellite shifters, I had to bring the bike to a local bike shop. They needed to update something with my 12 speed Di2 to recognize the new satellite shifters. After the shop had my Di2 recognize the satellite shifters, I was able to program the buttons using the Shimano phone app. I set up the basebars for manual two button shifting for the front and rear derailleurs. Then the single buttons on the aerobars were configured to shift just the rear derailleur. This works great. I only shift the front derailleur when I am on the basebar anyways. Hope this helps.

That’s arwsome
This is exactly what I’m after , but I’m told the 12 speed won’t recognise the shifters
How old is your 12 speed and or firmware ?

Also where did u place the shifters ?
What sort of bike , a pic would be super
Thanks

12 speed Shimano will absolutely recognize supported satellite shifters. In fact, Shimano's current TT/Tri setup is using a "satellite" shifter for the aero extension buttons. These are the SW-R9160 shifters. You can add SW-R9150's to the system and mount them where you want.

The current Shimano mix of 11 and 12 speed Di2 components for TT/Tri setups is a PITA. I too despise the synchro shift only approach. Here is the official Shimano compatibility table for 12 speed Di2. https://bike.shimano.com/...CC%205.1.6-00-EN.pdf Under the Switch Units see the box for Dual Control Levers SD-50 for the components supported for the TT/Tri builds. The one caveat not spilled out here is that the system will only support six (6) total shifting devices. Without hacking components, this basically means that in addition to the base bar brake shifters and the aero extension shifters you can only add two more satellite shifters.

On my wife's Trek SC SLR, I added 2x SW-R9150 shifters and mounted them just below the ST-9180 brake lever shifter buttons using high strength mounting tape. The distance from the SC basebar Di2 access port was too far from the brake levers for the satellite shifter wires. So I cut these and extended them using extra lengths of e-tube wires/ports.

I don't remember running across issues recognizing the new satellite shifters. I always update my Di2 components to the latest firmware as a first step. I also have both versions of the Shimano Di2 USB programmers and can't remember what I had to use for the updates and programming. If you can't get it done yourself, I'm sure a LBS can get it done for you. These were setup to function the way the prior generation, two button Di2 basebar shifters worked - lower (satellite) button = higher gearing and upper (brake lever) button = lower gearing. Left side = FD and Right side = RD. Aero extension shifters control RD.

Hope this helps.

First, I sure do wish Shimano still made the 2 button brake levers! I hate the synchro shift and single button. I do not like finding by surprise when the FD is shifting (no chance to use the pressure on the pedals in sync) and the timing of the rear cog change for compensation is bad (comes too late).

Also, for the life of me do not understand why they can't support a manual mode with single button, via software by using a modifier: i.e. hold one button for 2-3 seconds to initiate front derailleur gear change.

Back on topic and just adding to the posts above...Firmware must be updated on the SW-R9150 satellite shifters first. Apparently not possible by just connecting on the 12 speed setup.. you need to connect on a 11-speed bike and perform the update via the charger connected to a PC, or bring to the bike shop (unless new units do come with latest firmware).

There's a video on youtube of a guy setting it all up.
https://www.youtube.com/...;ab_channel=Mamilian

More on the compatibility here:
https://bettershifting.com/...y/#r9150notttshifter

Finally, a ST user has described this addition on a TT bike too here:
https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...012%20speed#p7734035

He also put a couple of attached pictures...





I've been debating to add this on my pursuit bar but did not think it would fit well behind the long brake lever assembly. Post above about using industrial double sided tape and just stick on the underside of it might be a good option.

Just curious, do you happen to know what rev of the firmware you had on there initially? When did you purchase the group/how old was it?

I've heard it go both ways on this, and it would be nice to try and nail down a timeline/firmware rev where the compatibility was user serviceable...

I did it when I upgraded my relic.
The only issue was when I upgraded my firmware. I thought I was good but bricked it, went back and updated the switches, satellite switches and lever/shifters individually. Once I did a test run then mounted it all.

I do not like finding by surprise when the FD is shifting (no chance to use the pressure on the pedals in sync) and the timing of the rear cog change for compensation is bad (comes too late).

Are these new? https://bike.shimano.com/...9200/SW-RS801-T.html

Still single switch but the are with the new 12 speed 300 wire.

If someone is considering doing this trick, I posted a kit ready to go in the classifieds.

FS: kit / Hack for TT Shimano 12 speed > manual FD shifting (extra shifters)


Kit is ready to go:
- Assembled
- Firmware updated on the satellite shifters - they are now recognized by Shimano 12-speed groupsets (they did not out of the box)
- Satellite shifters cable length extended (they are VERY short) via splicing (soldering) longer wires; Now ~700+ mm long
- Just need to unplug one of the existing Di2 wires upfront and put in the open port of this kit (green arrow), then link the short cable provided (red arrow) to the port that was freed up. Then connect your Shimano App to assign/modify functions to the shifters.
Fitted and tested to work.


I just changed my mind once all the work was done (typical me).


Shifters have been slightly modified to reduce their footprint and fit better in tight spots.
Installation via double sided-tape. I provide alcohol swipe to prepare the surface and extra lengths of the special 3M tape. More details and pics in the classified post.






Could be installed in different spots, this is one of them; I just test fitted, I never routed the cable inside the base bar.