Shifters look nice. Cranks don’t…
Curious on the actual new tech eg wireless.
Just on time for a build up to a TdF launch date.

Wow, yeah those cranks are horrible looking. Something you'd see on a department store bike. Shimano's worst looking since 7900..

hey, I liked the look of 7900 ;-)

I have to assume that isn't the production finish.

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I think the informed take on the cranks is that they put aftermarket rings to help disguise them, or production rings weren't ready in their preferred configuration. I think it's very likely the production cranks will look a lot better.

Hoping we'll be able to run 12 speed cassettes with last gen di2...

Yeah a firmware update the 9150/8050 enabling 12 speed would be nice. I hope Shimano goes the Campagnolo route with the cassette and freehub so older wheels won’t be an issue.

Hate to say it but I think you're dreaming. No financial incentive for them to do it even if the engineering of the previous gen actually is adequate, which may not be the case.

I just want to run last-gen Di2 semi-wirelessly (say, via special receivers and transmitters)

Sources I have said that indeed will be the case, backward compatibility, and so is the semi-wireless with controller at junction or FD or even the battery.

That would be very cool. It would also be the last thing I would expect from Shimano.

Not really... with the exception of DA 7970 which uses a different technology altogether, the Di2 system has been backward compatible for some time now. But would something like the 6770 work with 12 speed? That would be nice, but I am not sure it will go back that far.

The rings with the bolt covers there look almost how Rotor rings with Shimano 4-100 bolt covers look on a Shimano crank. Yeah, that's a fugly crank.

Shimano has been really good with backwards compatibility for di2, I dont see why the shifters and older system couldn't be programmed for another cog. Only thing I think we may have to change is the freehub/wheel, doubt they will go the campy route. Im sure they will have enough new features to convince people to do a full group swap regardless.

I am pretty sure they will go with the 12sp micro spline freehub so they can fit a 10t cog.

I am looking forward to a mullet build based on the 12sp Di2.

Is there really any advantage to a 10t cog for road riding in a 2x system? Most pros riding sram still prefer the traditional ratios for their cranksets so it becomes pointless, would rather have an extra cog in shimanos usual cassette ratios like campy does.

Word!

I think for the most casual users including amateur racers, 1x is slowly become practical... I just converted one of my climbing bikes with 44t chainring front, and 10-42t 11sp cassette at the back (SRAM/XDR) using Di2 Dura Ace/GRX mix. So far, I have not found wanting for any gears. Yes, the gaps are little bigger, but the simplicity (and weight saving) is worth it. For entertainment, you should check out the Ride of Japan Youtube/IG posts, he's a weight weenie climber that rides a lot, and had built a sub 6300g (IIRC) 1x climbing Trek Emonda.

I appreciate the backwards compatibility of DI2; it's nice to used e-tubes, batteries, junction boxes, and shifters interchangeably. Aside from a well timed firmware update from Shimano, there is nothing to stop 6770 shifters from working with 12s derailleurs.

The efficiency losses on a 10t or 11t versus being in a 12 or 13 with a larger ring just makes me shudder. Those tiny cogs are not super efficient. Sure, couple watts, but remind me why I'd want to buy something NEW and supposedly better just to throw power in the trash can?

For a while most 10spd Shimano Di2 parts were cross compatible with 11spd. Shimano then decided to pull the pin and sent out a firmware update to kill compatibility. I wouldn’t bet against them doing the same trick again.

They will have already put a feature into the new system which prevents cross compatibility but isn’t activated at this stage. 12 months or so after the launch they will activate this new ‘feature’ and pull support from all products that don’t have the feature. This will allow them to stop support like they did for 10pd Di2 without pissing off customers at the point of launch.

If you didn't "upgrade" the firmware, you would be ok. All the more reason not to automatically update firmware without knowing what's in it.

Still Wired . . . . or not?

I found the comments in the Cycling News article that when SRAM did go truly wireless they put out kits that had wires on them to throw people off with the "spy" shots. Is Shimano doing the same here. The big talk when news first broke about the new Dura Ace was this the time that Shimano would go wireless?

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Well smaller rings and smaller cassette (for approximately the same range/ratios). So you might gain that couple of Watts back in aero. And weight, if you care. And while you'd only use the 10t in relatively rare conditions, the smaller frontal area and lower weight would be persistent across all conditions.

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