2,485 Comments

1. great write up many thanks

   1. Author

      Thanks, I’m glad you found it useful.

   2. Carlton, great write up. I had the UDi2 installed in my Look 695. Simply awesome. It is so smooth I have to look down at my cassette to make sure it has shifted!! I have an annoying rattle that I think is the battery holder mount. Since it mounts under the water bottle cage I think the road vibration is causing the noise when the battery moves against the frame and vibrates. Any thoughts on a correction for this? Thank you.

      1. Author

         I’m not sure what to do for a long term fix other than tape to build up the pressure fit. To isolate the source of the noise, try using wrapping with rubber bands.

         1. Thank you Carlton. Funny you mention that. I was playing with the idea yesterday attempting to make sure that was where the rattle was coming from. According to the Shimano website there are spacers that were to be part of the battery holder. It does not look like they were used. That may be one more option. Thanks again and ride often and ride safe!!

2. Just trying to build a 9070 di2 bike with a 10 speed 6770 rd ( needs to be 10 speed for various reasons) and although it should work according to yourselves and the chaps at calfee, we can’t get the shifters to work the front or rear much. Any ideas?

   1. Author

      If neither shifter is controlling either of the derailleurs, I don’t think the problem is related to Ultegra/Dura-Ace compatibility. First of all, what troubleshooting have you tried? Here’s what I would suggest:
      1) Make sure you have power; the battery can be difficult to get the connector seated properly. Check that the LED on the Front A Junction comes on when you press / press-and-hold the button.
      2) Connect it to a the PC interface (Shimano e-tube software). Do all of the components show up? Do you have the latest firmware in all components?
      3) Disconnect the front derailleur. Can you now shift the rear derailleur?
      4) Disconnect the rear derailleur. Can you now shift the front derailleur?
      5) Are you sure your front A junction is working properly? Are you using a SM-EW90 front junction?

      Let me know what you find.

3. Can the “SM-EW90-B Dura-Ace 5-Port Junction:’ replace the “SM-EW67-A-E Ultegra 3-Cable Junction” (1st pic above) I’m looking to make the use of the ‘SW-R671 Dura-Ace 2-Button Time Trial/Triathlon Bar End Shifters” easier if I need to remove the TT bars than unwrapping the bar tape and disconnecting from the 2nd port in the “ST-6770 Ultegra Road Dual Control Brake Levers/Shifters”.

   Thanks

   1. Author

      Mike, yes, the “SM-EW90-B Dura-Ace 5-Port Junction” can replace the “SM-EW67-A-E Ultegra 3-Cable Junction”. (Don’t you love Shimano product names!) I’m pretty sure that you will have to get two additional cables to connect the “ST-6770 Ultegra Road Dual Control Brake Levers/Shifters” to the 5-port junction. The time trial shifters come with cables permanently attached and will plug directly into the 5 port junction.

      1. Thanks for the quick reply, I’ll give it a try and post my results.

      2. I assume the ST-6770 (10speed) only comes in the Road Bike-looking lever/brake rather than the look of the ST-6871 (more the TT lever/brake look)? Thanks!

4. Hi, just want to clarify a compatability point. If I use DA 9070 shifters with an otherwise Ultegra 6770 Di2 setup, will I be able to hook up the SW-R610 Dura-Ace Sprint Shifter. Cheers Wal

   1. Author

      Wal, yes that setup should work fine, though I have not personally tested. The wiring connector is what is unique about the sprint shifter; the shift signal it sends is the same as all the other shifters.

5. Will the new ultegra 6870 Di2 11 speed derailleurs be compatible with ultegra 6770 STI levers.

   1. Author

      Jos, although I haven’t tested it, I’m positive that the 11-speed Ultegra rear derailleur is compatible with all of the existing Ultegra and Dura-Ace shifters. They all send identical upshift/downshift commands.

      1. Thanks Carlton, I think I am gonna give it a try.

6. Dear Carlton,
   I want to try and rebuild an ultegra di2 10 speed for mountainbike use.
   Can I use the sw 600 shifters and plug themdirectly into the junction sm 67a ?
   Or do I need to have an additional junction, like the sm jc 41?

   Thanks for the reply and the usefull info…

   Dries.

   1. Author

      Dires, you are correct that the sw-r600 shifters have the male cables ends, as does the SM-EW67-A-E Front “A” Junction. You will need to use a SM-JC41 Internal “B” Junction to connect the 2 together. Or use a SM-EW90 Front “A” junction instead.

      For mountain bike use, I’ve read of people doing modifications to install long cages on the standard road rear derailleurs (for better mountain bike gear ration compatibility.)

      I hope this helps!

      1. Thanks very much for the very fast reply!

         Many greetings from Belgium and keep up your great posts…

7. Hi

   Can I plug the R671 TT aero shifters (to put on the end of clip-on aero bars) into the port on the 6770 road bike STI levers?

   Thanks
   Daniel

   1. Author

      Yes, you should be able to. All shifters use the same cable connector except for the sprint shifters.

8. Fantastic write up. I have a 6770 that is internally wired but with an external battery mounted to the seat post. I would like to convert that into an internal battery. From your write up it looks like I need the SM-BCR2, SM-BTR2 and SM-EW90A. I currently only see the SM-EW67A which I assume is replaced by the SM-EW90A. Lastly every where I have looked says that you need to install new firmware updates to use the new internal battery. I cringe when updating firmware on anything, how safe is all this? I would hate to screw up a perfectly working system just to get the battery off my seat post. Thanks, Tom

   1. Author

      Tom, you are correct on the replacement parts required to convert to an internal battery mount. I’ve installed several firmware updates and never had any issues. It seems to be a robust process.

9. Fantastic write-up!! This def is very useful… One question for you Carlton. I am installing the internal battery into my BMC TM01 (so not doing the external battery in the designated space in the frame). This was based on advice from BMC…. one question though… any thoughts on how to secure the internal battery in the seat post? I have another BMC and they installed it by wrapping insulation around the battery which works fine. Any thoughts on alternatives?
   Thanks again for the write-up!!! Yoeri

   1. Author

      Yoeri, I did exactly what you described: cut some pipe insulation, taped it around the internal battery, and installed it down in the seatpost tube in the frame. The snaprings that come with the battery require special mounting hardware that is more of a pain to fabricate than it’s worth. So unless you have a seatpost specifically designed for the Di2 battery and snapring, look for other options.

      I originally had my battery installed in the seatpost itself, but that was a pain whenever I disassembled it (for travel, etc.) and had to disconnect the battery. So I moved it to the seatpost tube in the frame and found it to be much more convenient. I taped a string to the battery/insulation bundle to make it easy to pull-out if necessary.

      1. Thanks a ton Carlton… interesting to learn you positioned the battery in the seat post tube IN the frame, not in the seat post itself… great approach and will most def copy this! Thanks for replying. I am already looking forward to the upcoming tri and bike season (as I am drinking my glass of vino…). Cheers, Yoeri

10. Carlton — fantastic writeup. Thanks a lot. This was all very useful background for confirming my shopping list prior to converting my Cervelo SLC-SL to Ultegra Di2 with an internal battery in the seat tube. Everything works great.

    Now I’d like to do the same to my Cervelo P3C TT bike. The only question mark is what to do about shifter controls on the pursuit (base) bars. The ST-9071 brifters look great, but they’re hard to find, expensive, and I like my existing aero brake levers just fine.

    It seems *theoretically* possible to plug *two* SW-R600s (positioned near my existing brake levers on the pursuit bars) and a set of SW-R671s (on the end of the aerobar extensions) into the SM-EW90-B (5-port) Junction A.

    Will the system actually allow this, and will the E-Tube software recognize the two different SW-R600s independently and allow me to assign one to the FD and one to the RD? Or will the system insist on recognizing only one SW-R600 and allowing RD control only?

    1. Author

       Michael, I debated the same and eventually ordered the ST-9071 brifters from http://www.alexscycle.com/ in Japan for a total cost of ¥37,933 ($390 USD). They were shipped via air mail and arrived in about 4 days with no additional import fees.

       To answer your question, it’s my understanding that multiple shifters of the same kind can be installed and configured. You just plug them in one at a time to connect/configure with the PC software. (Disconnect PC software between swaps.) Once everything is configured separately, plug everything in and you’re good to go.

       1. Great… thanks again… the new E-Tube system *should* allow this, so I’m off to try it.

          I’ll report back with hard evidence one way or the other.

          If there’s a gotcha, I can salvage one to use as a climbing shifter on my SLC-SL and sell the other one to finance the ST-9071s.

    2. Hi Michael, I too have an SLC-SL and want to fit DA 9070 di2 with internal battery. Can you give me some info on how you went about this – any drilling of frame, any splicing of cables, how you routed cables etc. Would really appreciate any advice.
       Regards
       Graham

       1. Hey Graham,

          Here’s my recipe for the SLC-SL. The result looks great and has withstood six months of riding without a hitch.

          I ran *most* of my wiring internally, with one exception — I used an external Junction B (SM-JC40) screwed into the old cable guide mounting nut under the bottom bracket. The resulting assembly sits mostly out of the wind (with the plugs positioned aft), and lets me easily unplug the FD, RD, internal battery or cockpit controls as needed to update firmware or perform tests. All four E-Tube wires use the original down tube shifter cable exit hole to enter the frame and head to their respective destinations on the bike:

          a) RD — wire exits out the existing hole in the end of the chainstay.

          b) FD — wire exits out the existing FD mechanical cable hole, and is held in place against the frame and away from the crankset with some Di2 external wiring tape.

          c) Internal battery — wire enters bottom of seat tube by threading around the bottom bracket shell. I taped some foam to the battery to snug-up the fit in the seat tube and prevent rattling. Be sure to tie a string to the battery and tape the end to the inside of your seatpost in case you need to fetch it for replacement down the road. Also be sure you can insert the battery far enough to allow proper insertion of your seatpost. I have a 58cm frame so this was possible without cutting my seatpost.

          d) Cockpit Junction A (I used an SM-EW90 5-port attached to the stem to give myself expandability options in the future) — wire exits through a custom 6mm hole I drilled about 5mm aft of the headset on the top surface of the top tube. This is the area that Cervelo recommends (probably because the carbon is thicker and reinforced here around the headset).

          No splicing of the E-Tube wires should be needed. The top tube hole takes awhile to drill, so bring your patience and go slow. I drilled a small pilot hole first. Go easy with pressure at the end so you don’t damage the other side of your frame when you finally break through. I didn’t use a special bit, but it dulled considerably so I threw it in the trash when I was done.

          I threaded the wires through the frame by passing shifter cables first and then taping the two together for guidance. Use the tape sparingly around the connectors since they’re barely small enough to get through the holes.

          I used Shimano’s grommets to cover the exit holes and hold the wires in place for a clean OEM look. I used an SM-GM01 for the top tube hole but needed to custom-trim the waist of some GM02s with an exacto knife to get the right fit on the FD and RD holes.

          Hope that helps!

          1. Hi Michael, thank you so much for taking the time to reply, and in such detail. This is exactly the information I was looking for. I do have a couple of questions which I hope you don’t mind me asking:
             1) are you able to use the ‘internal’ junction box for the 4 wires I.e does is fit back inside the frame via the original exit hole on underside of down tube?
             2) does the mechanical exit hole for the FD cable need to be altered to take the di2 wire?
             3) did you use shimano cable ties/zip ties that come with the di2 wires to prevent rattling inside the frame and if so, is it necessary to use them on ALL di2 wires?
             4) I too have a 58cm frame and was wondering if you could advise on the best lengths of di2 wires to buy?
             5) you mentioned using shimano tape to hold FD cable in place – is that easily obtainable?
             6) I’m really pleased to hear you managed to use the internal battery as I was concerned that it may not fit. What did you use to wrap it to prevent rattling?

             Thank you again for your help. It is much appreciated and I cannot wait to get started.
             Best wishes
             Graham

             1. Hey Graham,

                No worries on the extra questions — I’m sure the shoe would be on the other foot if you completed this project first!

                The original shifter cable exit hole on the SLC-SL down tube is not large enough to fit an internal JC41 junction box without further modifications. Others online (including Cervelo) have described widening the hole with a dremel tool, but I didn’t bother as I wanted an external junction for convenience.

                I didn’t alter my FD cable exit hole, but it was a tight fit to get the E-Tube wire connector through. I had to tug the connector with some needle nose pliers to encourage it.

                I removed Shimano’s internal wire ties for routing simplicity and haven’t had a rattling problem.

                I can’t remember the wire lengths I used, but I used a string to preview the lengths I would need and then added 25% to all the lengths for good measure. You don’t want to buy too short! And the overage will be hidden internally anyway.

                Shimano’s “wire cover kit” for externally-wired Di2 setups is widely available through online stores and eBay. I just used one of the short covers and saved the rest as backups. Many rainy rides here in Portland over the winter haven’t dislodged the original.

                I used some thin strips of rolled packing foam I had lying around to slightly widen the girth of the battery before inserting it (it doesn’t take much). Again, I used a string to pre-measure the depth I needed to achieve to stay clear of the bottom of the seatpost before re-insertion.

                Finally, I just covered my unused down tube shifter cable entry ports with super-aero black electrical tape… 😉

                Good luck!

11. Carlton, this is a great write up, a one stop encyclopedia of answers. I was wondering if you have heard anything with regard to the new ultegra 6870. Are we to assume since the new components will use the e-tube system they will again be cross compatible?

    Also, sinc the rear der is the only device that knows or cares if it is 10 or 11 speed, it would theoretically be possible for the component to receive new firmware to allow for 11 speed on a 6770 deraileur. I have heard rumors of this from mechanics from my LBS who heard this at Interbike. Do you have any in site into this?

    1. Author

       Dkevdog: Everything I’ve seen indicates that the 6870 system is completely cross-compatible with the 6770 and 9070. I would be shocked if Shimano offers a firmware upgrade to make the RD-6770 (10-speed rear derailleur) compatible with 11-speed. I think a RD-6870 will be required. I post an update here if I hear otherwise.

12. Hello Carlton,

    Another question if I may…

    Is it save to use an ultegra 10 speed group with an ultegra 11 speed front derailleur?
    Will they work properly together?

    And yet another question about my mtb-di2 project.

    As I am using 2 sw-r600 shifters, I proberly have to assign the one that needs to control the front derailleur, and the one for the rear derailleur, but I need the pc1 interface for that.

    Much to my surprise, I’ve noticed that the charger of the internal battery can also be used as an pc interface but is much cheaper.

    Do you know which differance there is between the two
    (except that one is capable of charging a battery) and which one I must buy?

    Thanks for the help…

    1. Author

       Yes, the 11-speed front derailleur will work fine with a 10-speed chain/gears/rear derailleur, though Shimano will officially say it’s designed to work best with the skinnier 11-speed chain size.

       I recommend the internal battery, 3- or 5-port front Junction A, and the battery charger PC interface. It’s the default configuration going forward for Shimano groupsets. The battery charger PC interface is cheaper and does everything except advanced diagnostics (which would very rarely be required.)

       1. Thanks again for the great help…

          Greetings…

13. I’m just starting to get interested in Di2 ultegra 6870 but i’m getting concerned over what is needed. Do I need to purchase the connector pc kit? How much should i expect to drop on a full 6870 system?

    1. Chris- I do know that you do NOT need the PC connector kit unless you plan on doing shop level diagnostics and testing of the components. I made the mistake and purchased the PC Connector thinking I needed to make feature upgrades and firmware changes to my 6770 system. Fortunately I stumbled upon Carlton’s blog here and realized my mistake and returned the PC connector kit and bought just the charger for the internal battery. I can confirm that is all that is needed to allow program changes and firmware upgrades.

       As for the price of the 6870, there is one foreign site I found yesterday, starbike.com that has pricing listed now. Its the only one I could find but as has been rumored and expected, pricing will be very similar to the Ultegra 6770 group. If you don’t need the extra rear cog and minimal weight savings- there are currently some screaming deals on the 6770 group because dealers are going to want it to be all gone when the new 6870 hits the ground.

       1. Author

          Thanks Dkevdog. This is what I’ve heard as well about the 6870; pricing should be in line with the 6770. I’d be much more interested in the 11-speed version if any of my existing wheels were compatible. . .

          I purchased and was using the internal battery charger (with my iPhone power adapter) and had no idea it was also a PC interface. I needed to perform a firmware update and started to order the SM-PCE1 and discovered I already had what I needed! I thought it was kinda expensive to be just a charger. Shimano obviously does a very poor job of describing their components. . .

    2. if you get the internal battery, you do not need the pc connector. if you get the external battery, you will need the connector to do firmware upgrade our shifting changes at home. ( but dealers are required to offer you firmware upgrade free if you buy from a local bike store)

14. If I want to do a tririg setup to clean up the front end(ew61 a junction with jc 40) but I also want to run an internal battery what are my options. Would I have to add the 3 or 5 port junction when wanting to charge or do an update?

    1. Author

       Phil, you are correct. I don’t know of any stems or aerobars that can incorporate internal mounting of the SM-EW90 3- or 5-port junctions. But you would have need to temporarily attach for charging. The rear derailleur cable would be the most accessible location for attachment (assuming the cockpit cables are all internal.)

15. Cervelo S3- My second build - I will need help on this one! - London Fixed-gear and Single-speed
    

    11 years ago

    Permalink
16. So I went and purchased the SM-BCR2 charger and an internal battery for my ultegra 6770 litespeed. I get where to put the battery, but the charger has an unusual plug on it, not the regular round DI2 etube style. How does this connect to myfshtm or o I née to swap out a our plug or junction somewhere?

    1. Author

       K Speed: Here’s the info you need from the post above:
       SM-BCR2: Charging and PC Connection for 3-port and 5-port A Junctions. This plugs into a special port on the side of the A junctions (which is covered by a rubber flap.)

17. Thanks Carlton, I missed that part. I’ll have to order the proper junction. Do yo know if is possible to have more than one junction in a system?

    1. Author

       I haven’t heard of riding with 2 A junctions connected. It seems like a bad idea. If the EW-90 doesn’t fit the way you want, you could just attach it temporally when charging. The rear derailleur cable should work for this.

18. I have a 2014 trek 5.9 frameset which I want to put ultegra Di2 6770 on ,I’m ok with the obvious bits shifters and mechs but still confused on which wires and junctions I will need .would it be possible to provide a list of part numbers please.

    1. Author

       I’m not sure what more information I can provide. You’ll need an “A” and a “B” junction. One of each, take your pick. Then you’ll need cables to connect everything together. (Shifters to A junction, A to B, B to battery and both derailleurs.) Measure your frame, then go longer. Longer works, but shorter won’t. It’s best to order several cables of various lengths and return what you don’t need.

19. Can i get a RD6870 or RD9070 to work on a 10 speed cassette ?
    I would like to wait changing my Wheels but looking to upgrade my SRAM to a DI2

    1. Author

       Anders, I’ve looked into this and see no way to change either of these from 11-speed to 10-speed mode. With 11-speeds, the maximum travel across the gears is longer and the spacing between the gears is smaller, and I can’t find any way to switch the rear derailleurs between these two requirements. Your best bet is to get a RD6770 10-speed rear derailleur now and upgrade to a new 11-speed derailleur when you upgrade wheels.

20. I want to use the “Dura-Ace DI2 9070 Junction Box 5-Port” for my time trial bike with the ST-9071 Dura-Ace Time Trial/Triathlon Dual Control Brake Levers/Shifters. The problem I see is that the levers come with short cable and the junction box fits under the handlebar stem. What extra cable should I use?

    1. Author

       I have the ST-9071 levers on my TT bike. Despite what some photos show, they come with long cables. Long enough easily to route through the base bar and out to the 5-port junction attached at the stem. The manual for the levers probably shows this.

       1. Thanks Carlton for your speedy response. Much appreciated.

21. Great writeup. Just one suggested change. the 6870 front and rear derailleurs are not the same as 6770. they have new smaller motors that are more efficient like dura-ace. 6770’s battery lasted half as long as da di2 and had bulkier motors. they have fixed this in the new Ultegra.

22. Probably a stupid question as I think that you have answered it above!
    My D-Ace Di2 10-speed rear derailleur (7970) needs replacing….will the Ultegra Di2 6770 rear derailleur work? All other Dura Ace components are OK.
    Thanks

    1. No, it won’t. You’ll need to replace it with an identical 7970.

       1. Thanks for the update. The idler arm spring is worn and not providing enough tension on the chain…..I am loathed to spend $750 on a new derailleur after 2.5 years of riding! I have been told that spares are not available. Do you have any advice?
          Roger

          1. Author

             Roger, the easiest solution is to buy an identical replacement; they’re as cheap as $520USD on Ebay. The other option would be to disassemble what you have and try to find a replacement spring; perhaps the spring RD-7900 would work, but I’m not sure. I don’t know that Shimano offers spare parts or repairs, but there is a slim chance they could help you.

23. Carlton- I’ve come across an interesting and weird problem. I tried using the SM-BCR2 to update the firmware on a friends Di2 6770 bike. He has the original front junction so I used the 5 port junction from mine and plugged everything in. He also has a the short cage BMR1 on a dedicated frame mount.

    I was able to update all of the firmware on all of the components to add multishift capabilities but one problem. I can not for the life of me get the system to recognize nor update firmware on BMR1 battery mount. In fact, because now the rest of the components are running a higher level firmware, the battery is not even recognized by the original cockpit controller or components- which means the bike is inoperable. No shifting functions from either STI levers. He’s not too happy with me right now! I was able to get it to function perfectly (including the new multishift) using a directly connected SMBTR2 internal battery taped to the frame. He really doesn’t want to go with the internal battery option because he doesn’t want to fork out $250+ for it and the charger. Do you know if this is a known issue or problem and if there is any workaround? I’m going to try and contact Shimano today to see what they say.

    1. Author

       That is a strange issue. I’d recommend attaching the battery directly to your Junction A, with nothing else connected, and try updating the firmware that way. There is no requirement for an internal battery. I’m guessing this may be related to having 2 Junction As in the system during programming. Were you able to update the firmware of his original Junction A that way?

       1. We tried direct attchment and unfortunatley that didn’t work either. As a matter of fact the E-Tube Project software even suggested it adirect connection that way. The saftware keeps indicating that it is a faulty wire or battery mount, but I’m doubting that. I think its a simple firmware issue since everything suggests that all components must run the same firmware. The battery mount is the only component that didn’t update and was never reconginzed by the software. There was only one Junction A in the setup during the time of the firmware update, I removed his standard EW-67a ultegra junction do perform the programming. I didn’t have time to contact Shimano yesterday, lucky for me I am somewhat local to their Irvine office and have business down there today so I might just pay them a visit. I’ll keep you posted!

          1. Author

             It sounds like you’ve done everything possible. Maybe it’s a bad firmware update? Your last options are to use the other diagnostic PC interface (local dealer?) or replace the battery mount.

             1. I have the exact same issue as Dkevdog, I’ve tried it with two BMR1 long cage mounts and have the problem with them both.

                Interested to see if anyone finds an answer, don’t really want to buy or hire a PCE1 just for this. Can’t help thinking it is a bug in the Shimano software.

             2. Update- I spent some time talking to Shimano about the problem and they are aware of it. It is not a matter of firmware, it is because of the proprietary connector that the SM-BCR2 uses to connector to the 3 or 5 port junction. Apparently because the battery lacks that port, it is unable to communicate to the computer and software.

                Only two options are available to solve the problem. Option #1 is to find a shop that has the SM-PCE1 shop programmer, which can connect directly to the BMR1 battery mount and update the firmware (or purchase the tool yourself and perform the upgrade)

                Option #2 is of course to purchase the lighter, cleaner looking (albeit expensive) internal SM-BTR2 internal battery. My friend opted to go that route and all worked perfectly.

                Shimano doesn’t advertise that the system is 6770 compatible, and while it certainly should work with all of the components, it indeed does not. It is only sold and specifically designed and marketed to charge the internal battery and perform software/feature changes on the Dura Ace 9070 or new Ultegra 6870 WHEN using the internal battery.

                So there you have it folks.

             3. Thanks for that, pretty much what I’d thought that it was something to do with the charger not being able to patch the older batteries. Still a bit annoying.

                I’ve got one of the seatpost batteries and everything works with that but it is for my TT bike, so I’ll either need to patch the batteries by hiring a PCE1 or buy another internal battery, shame they are so expensive.

24. CArlton

    Great article.. one question. I have a Mac running parallels and i have successfully installed the current version of etube project v2.3

    When i connect the SM-BCR2 to the mac it makes the successful noise and and installed the simano driver.

    When i launch etube it requests to connect the SM-BCR2 to the computer, which i have already done…this is where it ends.

    i have tried the following 1. uninstalled the driver and reinstalled successfully again and restarted the PC – no help

    in “Devices” i have disabled the Shimano device and re-enabled it as suggested by other forums – no help

    FYI its Dura Ace 9070 Di2..

    Any help here would be great, i have trawled the net for 2 days but nothing.

    1. Author

       Daniel, I think this is a Parallels issue. Your best bet is to use Boot Camp or a Windows PC. This type of problem is common with virtual machines, though I haven’t tried with the Etube specifically.

       1. All,

          I’ve been successfully running E-Tube Project software on a Windows 7 Virtual Machine under VMWare Fusion, first on Fusion v.4 under OSX Mountain Lion, now on Fusion v.6 under Mavericks.

          1. Thank you, ill give it a go

             1. I had the same problem as daniel running Windows 7 in a Parallels VM. Windows detects the USB device and auto-installs the Shimano drivers, but the e-tube s/w doesn’t see the device. So, I downloaded VMWare Fusion, imported the Windows 7 image from Parallels, and everything is peachy now.

                I was surprised, btw, at how many different pieces of firmware there are in a DA 9000 setup. Each shifter, the upper junction block, and the internal battery all have their own resident firmware that I needed to update. And this was _after_ I had to update another piece of firmware (for the charger, perhaps? I didn’t make a note), when I first started the e-tube program. Fortunately, the e-tube software makes it all quite easy.

25. Hi
    I am just fixing Di2 7970 to my bike, but am waiting on the front mech to arrive in mail. Will the rear mech still go through motions i.e click across from using the shifters, regardless of not have connected a front mech, or is the circuit broken if the front mech is not connected?

    I ask as when I put the battery in just to make sure there is power to the rear mech, the shifters are not operating the rear mech. I also have the speed shifters on the drops and they do not operate the rear mech either. The rear mech does however do its full range adjustment thing, when you press and hold down the red button on the front (handlebar) junction

    Reassurance would be greatly appreciated

    1. Author

       As I understand it, the 7970 front derailleur contains the central controller and is required. (In the newer ETube system, this was moved to the Front Junction A.)

26. All,

    Just wanted to report back with hard evidence for any of you that wish to use a pair of SW-R600 “climbing shifters” in lieu of the more expensive ST-9071 TT brifters on the pursuit bars of your TT bike.

    In my case, I’m just trying to keep a lid on my budget so I can afford to have Di2 on both my road and TT bikes. 😉

    But I’ve heard of others doing this to preserve their high-zoot hydraulic brakes.

    In any case, it works — just as predicted by Carlton above — at least with the new non-7970 E-Tube systems (and with a few potential annoyances, listed below for those who are thinking of trying this).

    The units are a little “blocky” looking sitting there on the pursuit grips, but I’m used to them now and even imagine that they provide a bit of added stability, with more stuff to grip onto and around when I’m off the extensions.

    —

    Here’s what I did:

    1) Upgraded the firmware and customized the function of each component in the system *individually* before connecting them together on the bike (using the standard SM-PCE1 unit).

    2) Configured one SW-R600 to control the FD, and one the RD.

    The principle *gotcha* is that Shimano has been less creative than we are — so assuming (or hoping) that we’d only use these in concert with the right road brifter to feather the RD, they granted them a short e-tube wire and a “handedness” to the wire exit position and mounts.

    There are two consequences:

    First, the wires were just *barely* long enough to snake through my base bars to the aft exit hole — but not all the way to the EW90 junction box. I solved this by plugging an SW-R600 and a SW-R671 from each side of the aerobars into an SM-JC41 junction box before sending a final short wire to the master EW90.

    Second, since you’ll end up mounting both of your SW-R600s pointing inboard from the grips, they will end up not being mirror images of each other. Visually — not ideal — but no functional worry, since each button is individually customizable.

    3) Finally, when I plugged my SM-BCR2 in to charge the internal battery, I noticed that the E-Tube Project software is able to recognize *both* SW-R600 units, and gives each its own icon on the display. However, unlike the SW-R671 bar-end shifters, they aren’t referred to as “L” and “R”. To change their function, you instruct the software which SW-R600 you intend to program by holding down one of its buttons for a few seconds.

    —

    Enjoy! And thanks again Carlton for putting together this great “missing manual”…

27. Hi Carlton. Thanks for this, it’s a minefield 🙂

    Just one question, do you know for sure that the ST-6871 is compatible with the RD-6770 as I have read it only works with the RD-6870. Thanks

    1. Hi Rob- That was one of my questions to Shimano when I spoke to them directly. The answer is “yes”- with one caveat- you will likely have to upgrade the firmware in the 6770 components so they are all on the same firmware. Easily done with either of the two programmers discussed here. Be aware that if you have the external battery mount BMR1 from an original 6770 setup, you will run into problems upgrading the firmware on the battery mount unless you are using the PCE-1 programmer. If you upgrade to the internal battery you will have no issues with either programmer.

       I was just able to get a hold of a dealer who already has stock of the new 6870 build kit components and he is sending me one of the kits for a build I’ve been holding off on. Should have it by early next week

       1. Thanks for the reply. I’ve been buying a few bits now and then but I’m a bit stuck now. I’m eventually planning 2 builds, a Roubaix with compact and an Argon 18 Tri bike with double. For some reason though I have bought RD-6770, FD-6770, ST-6770 and a 6700 double. I have no use for 11 speed on the Tri bike but the new slicker mech would be useful. I guess I should just buy a 6700 compact and go with the 6770 on the roubaix but 11 speed on that would be really useful!! If I stick the 6770 stuff on the Tri bike then I’m left with the 6770 sti’s but they will work with 6870 kit right? So confusing…….

28. So…I bought a 6870 upgrade kit for my tt bike but want to retain 10 speed capability. It sounds like I can do that by purchasing a RD 6770 and upgrading the firmware to the same version as the 6870 components. And the RD 6770 will work ok with the FD 6870?

    1. Author

       Correct.

29. Great write-up, thank you. I hope you can help with a specific build. I am building up a 1×11 system by using the RD6870 GS version. I plan to use the SW-9071 or R671 bar end shifters with the ST-9071 drop shifter on right only. What ports, junctions, and cables do i need to complete the system? I can’t find any information on building the 1×11. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

    1. Author

       Jim, 11-speed is the same as a 10-speed system. You’ll need whatever shifter combo you want, a 3 or 5 port junction, and cables to connect the junctions, battery, and derailleurs per the Shimano manuals.

    2. Author

       I should add that for a 1×11 setup, all you do is eliminate the front derailleur. It’s not required (as it is in the original 7970) because the central controller is in the Junction A (instead of the front derailleur as on 7970) on second gen Etube systems.

30. Carlton, great information!! Thanks for the great explanation and Q&A.
    I’m upgrading my mech bike to the 6870. I’ve read about several opinions about using the new 11s chain on my front chain rings. Is it necessary/required to upgrade the front chain rings to work with the new 11s chain?
    Thanks!

    1. Author

       I’m glad you found it useful! For front ring compatibility with the 11-speed chains, the answer is “it depends on the rings.” In general, most rings are probably OK. I’d recommend using the rings you have and upgrading only if you have a problem.

       The bigger issue may be ring flex from the higher front derailleur shift forces. That’s the reason I upgraded from stock FSA rings to forged PraxisWorks rings, which are fantastic btw, and both 10- and 11-speed compatible.

31. Carlton – really useful post. Thanks.
    Quick question. I damaged the wire going to the RD on my 7970. The shifting function from the right lever no longer works but the protection function goes through all the gears as expected. Does this make sense ? I would have thought that if the cable was damaged to the extent that the normal shifting didn’t work, the protection procedure wouldn’t work either. Annoying as it looks like that for the 7970 individual wires are not available – we have to buy a kit with several wires + junction and it is a bit expensive.
    Thanks again for the article

    1. Author

       Tri 04 France: Since 7970 uses 4 wires, it does seem possible that some functionality is retained by the 3 unbroken wires. Replacing the entire harness is your best option.

32. Can the dura ace 9070 front an rear dr multi shift with 9071 an the r671? I have this a venge with the new DA 9070 an love the setting of multi shift, an was planning building a sworks shiv module tt. I am not sure if multi shift would work on a tt bike.

    1. My understanding of the systems would be yes, it would work. I have the R671 shifters on an ultegra 6770 system and multishift works fine with that. You will need to update firmware and enable the feature if you haven’t already. The front Junction is what controls and determines the multishift capabilities, not the end shifters themselves.

33. Carlton, absolutely wonderful write up!!

34. Hi Carlton, two quick question came up as I am building up my TM01 with Di2:
    – is it okay to coil up E-tube wires that are too long and loosely zip-tie them, to prevent tangling and banging around in the frame?
    – you mentioned that you have installed the internal battery in the seat-tube as opposed to the seat post itself which I very much like. Did you install it with the E-tube connection pointing up or down?

    Thanks Carlton!! Again, great write-up and amazing resource for those building or working on Di2 set-ups!!

    Cheers, Yoeri

    1. Author

       Yoeri, I installed the internal battery in the frame seat tube with the connector facing down. You can coil the excess wire, but I have had no issues with just pushing the extra wire into the frame and doing nothing else.

       1. Hey Carlton, thanks, have done exactly as you described but with connector facing up. Used a piece of wire from a hanger that I taped around the batter as ‘pull-up’ system. Works like a charm. If you ever want pictures from the set-up, I can email them to you. Might be handy if when somebody asks for it…Cheers, Carlton.
          PS: this is probably the most resourcefull Di2 forum I have found.

35. Hi Carlton,

    can you confirm that this combination should work together. An Ultegra 6770 Di2 10 Speed Rear Derailleur and an 11 speed Dura-Ace 9070 Di2 STI Shifter Set.

    My mechanic says it wont and that I need to get 10 speed levers.

    Thanks heaps Wally

    ps: like your work

    1. Author

       Wally, yes, it will work. A firmware update might be required.

36. Hi Carlton

    Great article, I have just purchased shimano C50 wheels with 11 speed ultegra cassette 11-28 teeth is it compatible on my RD6770, I have tried to adjust it onto the cassette 28 teeth but it refuses to move, and not sure if chain is a problem, any advice will be appreciated.

    Cheers

    Jimbo

    1. Author

       James, the 6770 10-speed derailleur will not work with an 11-speed cassette. You either need an 11-speed derailleur or a 10-speed cassette. Also, 11-speed cassettes do require a specific 11-speed chain.

37. Carlton

    Thank you great advice, back to the drawing board, keep up the good work.

    Cheers

    Jimbo

38. Hi Carlton,

    Please confirm in note 4 you say the only electronic component that needs upgrading so 6770 can be used with 11 speed is the RD, in common question you say that the FD needs upgrading as well.

    Please confirm?

    Thanks

    Dave

    1. Author

       Hi Dave. I should point out that the “Common Questions” are from Shimano, not me. I should update that. Shimano will tell you that for ultimate compatibility, you need to upgrade the front derailleur. If there is an advantage to doing so, I haven’t beed able to find it. A “10-speed” front derailleur functions perfectly with an 11-speed rear derailleur. If I upgrade my bike, I’ll only replace the rear derailleur (and wheel/hub/sprockets/chain.)

       1. Carlton,

          Thanks for clarifying!

          I found your site a great source of information, very well written and presented, keep up the good work.

          Many Thanks

          Dave

39. Any idea when the 6870 will be available in the USA?

    1. Author

       I’m not sure, but based on previous years, it will be April before it’s readily available in the US. I ordered parts online from Japan/Europe because I wanted to get my bike upgraded last winter and not wait until spring.

40. Hi Carlton – great article, thanks ….i am currently running full mech DA9000 ….can i make the jump to Di2 Ultegra 6870 Shifters / FD & RD with relevant wiring looms and internal seat post etc …and have full compatibility ? ie: with DA9000 chain rings and the 6870 Di2 FD …as an example …im just thinking …if they work interchangeably …the 6870 hardware is a fair whack cheaper ….than 9070 gear…

    Cheers in advance for your advice!

    Paul

    1. Author

       You should be fine with all of your DA9000 components. The only one I would upgrade is the chain, due to the high front derailleur shift forces.

       1. Thanks again Carlton