Not enough shifting to justify the need ;)

For most of the ITU races, I think they should run 1x with front 53t.

ITU athletes are pretty much independent contractors while pro bike teams pretty much get their equipment covered right?

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Doubt anyone had a 1x on the Edmonton course.... Emily Murphy hill is a bitch.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Reliability?

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

$$$$$ and ability to get new parts.

Most of the pros don’t have support crews with them and don’t have a trailer full of spare parts. If you’re in the middle of one of these smaller towns on a Saturday the odds of finding something mechanical that will
Work vs finding an electronic shifting piece is significantly higher.

I was doing a race someone in Illinois a few years ago. The derailed bolt holding the cable managed to somehow strip/loosen before the race. They had mechanical support on site they got me a cheap 9 spd deraileur and had it installed for me in like 5 mins. Not perfect but it worked. The odds of that happening with Di2 just isn’t there.

A pro gal from Brazil was with the top group up the first hill until her Di2 shift dropped her chain. Victoria I think her name was. Likewise, I experienced an R2C mechanical shifter failure in a race just weeks ago, riding the last 10 miles in a 53 x 11 gear up the hills with no back shifting at all (not willing to break a chain pushing the 39 x 11 either). Point being, I don't think it matter what you race (electronic vs mechanical), failures can happen & it will boil down to choice at pro & AG level.

Good point, the support crews won't be anywhere near the levels of a cycling team, so simple mechanical probably makes a lot of sense.

Cheers, Rich

I’m not sure exactly how funding works for everyone but I’m sure a lot of them are. Here is x dollars for the year, figure out what to use it on and if that means you get $1000 more for food vs electronic shifting most people aren’t going to take electronic shifting.

This...

Without the mechanical support that pro cyclists have, many athletes are doing their own building/breaking down bikes often for travel around the world over the course of the season. Mechanical groupsets are more resilient than electronic, and as mentioned, in a pinch, if something breaks, you're far more likely to be able to find a serviceable replacement piece depending on where the race is, than to replace an electronic component. And of course there is the cost component. While many may have bike deals, few have sponsorships from a frame and a component manufacturer, and other than the very few consistently at the top of the rankings, given how little most ITU pros are making, it's not surprising that many are favoring the less expensive mechanical option, because the cost of replacing parts is lower...

Pro triathletes travel *a lot*. Mechanical is easier to deal with, and no chargers / batteries / junction boxes. I don't think Di2 is necessarily super-difficult to travel with, but I have the ability to troubleshoot and fix stuff if it breaks.

That's true. Di2 has no cable bolts to strip or loosen.

I've traveled across the country many times racing with Di2 and I have literally never had a problem with it. That even includes the 10th Dirty Kanza (a/k/a the Muddy Kanza) where a lot of mechanical derailleurs weren't working anymore. Di2 never missed a shift and it never became difficult to shift as the mechanical derailleurs did. Di2 literally never goes out of adjustment. Never has a cable snap. And it shifts a lot easier than cable actuated shifters on a Tri bike.

And just about any bike shop in the U.S. has a Di2 rear derailleur in stock. Di2 isn't new anymore, folks. It's been in general circulation for 8 or 9 years now.

Starky is using mechanical and he's an engineer. Surprising to me, but have never heard his reasoning.

Looking at replacing my Trinity with an Urdu and I've been thinking long and hard about whether to go Di2 or not. Hmm.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Make the bikes 53x11 only

I went Di2 on the tri bike last year and have never been happier. Having shifters on the aerobar ends and encountering a high requiring shifting is a recipe for disaster. Now that I know that riding is much nicer, and faster.

And just about any bike shop in the U.S. has a Di2 rear derailleur in stock. Di2 isn't new anymore, folks. It's been in general circulation for 8 or 9 years now.

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Ha you said US bike shops in an ITU thread. The real relevance is more like does the local bike shop in Salanas Ecuador or Barbados have that part in stock. Now of course the OP was talking about Spivey and I think a GB athlete who are both on the WTS level of races, and the chances of them racing in "developing" countries is lower....they are racing at events that likely do have bike shops that carry normal stock equipment. Lower level ITU conti cups in Central and South America, yeah right...your borrowing a bike at that point more than likely.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I Imagine a lot has to do with their sponsors and what they are supplied with at this level. electronic is more expensive, better supported athletes ride it. If a sponsor says I will give you this and this$$ then unless they can find a better sponsor or convince the one they have they need/deserve more then that is what they ride, unless they have had a massive issue with electronic then they may request mechanical. Both the girls you mentioned have lower profile than others in their countries and probably take what they can get, sponsor wise.

In Whistler,

No experience with DI2 but was at Matterhorn and Alta lake road and two failures were DI and two were flat and bulge related.

In the span of 15 minutes.

Had tools and helped.

As an alectrician (intentional) it appears that the battery junction is not secure...and/or some people know what they are doing and others don’t.

Maurice

Well there's his answer.

https://twitter.com/.../1024601399517216768

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Thanks. He's obviously not an electrical engineer. ;-)