2,485 Comments

1. Hi I have just upgraded my bike to Di2. I have ST 6870 shifters with fd6770 and rd6770 derailiures with an internal battery, but when I connect to my lap top with etube it won’t connect. It appears to be wanting to see st6770 shifters. Everything works fine riding I just wanted to program multi shift. Has anyone else come across this problem? Any suggestions?

   1. I believe ST 6870 are 11 speed and you are trying to combine it to 10 SPD 6770 FD/RD which are not compatible. I went 6770 all the way including my shifters just to be sure. The only 11 speed item I have on my bike is a DURA ACE 11 speed crankset which I haven’t had any problems with.

      1. The ST6870 shifters are compatible with 10 speed 6770 components. But the system needs to be updated.

         1. Nice to know. I just didn’t want to risk it and putting $$ down and regretting it so I stayed with same models.

            1. Do I need to update the firmware in my btr2 with a pce cable? As when I connect just the btr2 battery etube says it’s not compatible with etube but I am running the latest version of etube.

            2. You can not connect the battery directly to the PCE1, without a EW90 detected it can not update.
               Use your BCR2 to update the complete system.

2. I just want to confirm….I’m running 6770 components but 11spd shifters (6870), 3port junction A…everything works fine…i install a Pave climbing shifter running off the rear deraileur shifter (right) and get no response from it…..whats the problem?

   1. you will need to update the firmware so it knows it has the remote… also be sure your plugged into the middle port

      1. Which port is that. ….is it the junction port?

         1. The remote should be plugged into the top or middle port of the shifter. The lower port on the shifter is for sprint shifters only. For updates if you are using the BCR2 it plugs into the junction charger port, if you are using the PCE1 plug it into any open shifter port.

            1. how can i get the climbing shifter to work on a 6770 group?

            2. Your system will need an etube update, than it can be programmed however you want it from within the etube project.

3. I’ve heard that the SW-R610 shifters can plug into the 5 port junction box. Is there an adaptor to do this, or is this just wrong? I will be using the R785 hydro levers and would really like to use some kind of thumb shifter like Campagnolo has on their Ergo shifters. Any ideas?

   1. No adapter needed they just plug directaly in. If you need more open ports you can use a JC41 and a jumper and get 3 more ports.

      1. Thanks for the quick reply. From above: “SW-R610 Dura-Ace Sprint Shifter: This is the only component using a unique wiring connector; it is only compatible with the ST-9070 Dura-Ace and Ultegra ST-6870 Road Dual Control Brake Levers/Shifters.” To me that sounds like they *only* work when plugged directly into the levers.

         1. Sorry I did not look closely at your message I thought you were asking about the remote R600 climbing shifter. The sprint shifter can only be used in the lower port of 11 speed shifters.

            1. No worries. I think the ones I saw were talking about that one too. Dang!

            2. Looks like the way to do it is to solder sprinter switches to the climbing shifter. Inadvertently, that is the “adaptor” I mentioned.

            3. That will not work if you just splice it to the cable, it will short out the entire system the first time you press the switch. I have hacked where a switch has been spliced to the board inside the switch, but that a very difficult hack and quite delicate. Any momentary switch in the system needs to have a chip to identify it to the network.

4. Thanks. I have a question for Carlton re the SM-BMR1 vs SM-BMR2?

   But first some background.

   I had an intermittent fault in my FD-6770 / RD-6770 Di2 system. Replaced every wire and junction box and it was still variable. I read a post where someone had the same fault symptoms and it turned out to be corrosion inside the battery mount. If I bumped the battery mount the di2 would stop working and if I bumped it again it started to work again. Well eventually the whole lot stopped working and the battery mount no longer could be seen by e-tube. I purchased a sm-bmr1 and fitted it and all was good. Anyway, I thought I would setup the RD-6770 via e-tube as I thought it sounded a little noisy. When I started e-tube it said there was an update and I said yes. Then after the update it said there were FW updates so I said yes. Well since then the rd and fd don’t work when plugged in together but work individually when one is removed. The only thing different from the original setup is that the battery mount which I ordered as SM-BMR1 says in e-tube that it is a SM-BMR2. Hence the question.

   1. If you update a BMR1 with the current etube version it will work the same as a BMR2. It sounds like you are trying to run a 10 speed and 11 speed system, are both FD and RD 6770?

      1. You can downgrade the software in any component of the DI2 system. It is fiddly, but it can be done. I reported on how to do it about 2 months ago in the comments and Carlton put it up in the main info section. I had to downgrade an internal battery I bought recently which had late firmware incompatible with my 6770 front junction and was successful in doing this. I don’t do software updates anymore past the 2.5 version and I downgrade an new components I buy to the 2.5 version. If you downgrade it may get you back going without having to buy any additional components.

      2. yes both 6770 dr

         1. Well can’t say what it could be. If you are using a PCE1 for the updates than you can do diagnostics, if you are using a BCR2 than you can’t.

            1. Each individual component using PCE1 has no errors. as a complete bike scan only one dr shows up. and on a successive scan other dr shows up. but not together.

            2. Try using a different port on the other shifter.

5. Seems simple to me if you don’t update it you can’t use it. Update it and than you can use it.

6. Your site has been very helpful. I have an older 6770 setup, and I have an intermittent shift problem which I’m 90% sure is in the wiring going to the EW67A junction box from my right (rear) shifter. Instead of replacing the 67A, can I buy 2 e-tubes and the SM-EW90-A? I should mention I own the PC updater box, so updating the firmware is something I can do.

   1. Yes an EW90 can be used. However be sure you have a relief loop going to the shifters so the plug is not being pulled on and disconnect when pressure from your hands or of the levers rotate slightly.

   2. This is how my 6770 setup started playing up. Thought it was the wiring as well. Try disconnecting the front dr. and see if the rear dr now works perfectly. Let me know how you go.

7. hi,

   My old ultegra 10spd front mech broke (snapped cage). So I took the opportunity to try to switch to 11 speed partly because ‘why not’, and partly because I couldn’t find any old 10spd mechs to buy.

   So after researching on the web it seemed that I needed to replace both front and rear mech with the 6870 versions

   This I have done, just a simple unit switch of both mechs

   All went very smoothly with the major snag that nothing is working!

   If i hold either shifter in for a few secs the battery ok green light comes on. but holding down the button on the junction box that usually allows micro adjustment of the rear mech, or to remover the crash protection does absolutely nothing.

   Any ideas?

   1. You need to update the firmware.

8. I have an original 7970 Di2 Durace system on my Trek Speed Concept 9.0. The shifter for the front chain ring on the aerobar stopped working. I talked to one guy from Trek that was doing bike maintenance work at a recent Ironman event and he told me that the entire harness needed to be replaced and that they are no longer available. What options do I have at this point?

   1. After isolating and identifying events leading up to sudden failure, I would perform a continuity test for bad/broken electrical flow. My experience w/Service & Repair – not limited to bikes: Few techies will admit they don’t know.

   2. Try Crosslake for wiring replacements.

      1. Do you have information on Crosslake – when I searched I found a store in Mn that specializes in Moutnain Bikes – nothing on Di2 for a time trial bike.

         1. Crosslake sales is correct place. They sell road bikes. In search box on me page, type in Dura Ace. You should get (3) wring choices.

         2. http://www.crosslakesales.com/search?q=Dura+ace

   3. The first thing you need to do is determine if it’s the shifter for the harness. Unplug the working shifter (R) and plug it into the (L) shifter and see if it shifts the FD, if not, than its the (L) shifter, if it does shift than its the harness. Also if both the extension and the bullhorn shifters are not shifting than its likly the harness. I have a harness on ebay I’m selling for $210 new in box. It’s a SM-EW79A-I for 7970 TT setups. Let me know, and I can get it to you through PayPal. If it’s the shifter look on ebay, but you will likly need to buy a pair. The stuff mentioned at Crosslakes ate rear harnesses and not what you need, unless it’s the rear harness. My cell is 818-653-9526.

      1. Thank you – I just dropped the bike off at my mechanic to trouble shoot. I am going to drop by and give him your suggestions on trouble shooting. If we can narrow it down then I can decide on what to buy. I am glad you told me about the Crosslakes items because I could not tell what they were. I am not having any problem with the rear derailleur.

         1. There is a remote possibility that it could be in the rear harness since it also connects to the FD, but it’s remote. There would also be a way to check for that by plugging the RD cable into the FD, this would also check to see if it’s the FD. The front harnesses and plugs get a lot more wear and sweet since your hands are holding onto the bars.

            1. My Bike shop cam back to me and said that the buttons are toast and that the only way to fix this is to replace the entire harness. This is the original Di2 so everything is hard wired together. What should I buy and where can I get the harness and button assembly?

            2. So if its the shifter buttons not sure why they are saying you need to replace the harness as well, the only place I know of the get shifters is on ebay used, and I see none being sold separately you would need to buy a complete group, where are you located?

            3. Yesterday I went to PU the bike and we looked up the part number you recommended and observed that there is a plug in connection. We took off the grip tape and it appears that the plug was not connected. We did not have time to reconnect but I think that is the problem. My mechanic and a mechanic from Trek had told me that it was one interconnected harness – no plug. Thanks for your help if this doesn’t work I will call you at the number you listed in an earlier response. I am in Orange County CA

            4. Bill, I’m in the Pasadena area so if you need more help you could just drive up. Sounds like you need a good LBS. BTW the connectors should have shrink sleeve over them to prevent them from coming disconnected and dry.

            5. I thought you were somewhere in So Cal based on the area code that you had for the phone number. I did see the shrink wrap tubing when we pulled the wire out yesterday. I am not sure why it came apart, but it did. I have rode in a lot of different conditions (rain, bumpy roads, etc.) Also, the wire is under the grip tape and so over time pulling on that grip tape could do it. I like my LBS but they have some limitations when it comes to the high end things. If he cannot get this to work then I will give you a call.

9. Carlton, thanks very much for this informative page. I’ve installed my own DI2 to my new Merckx San Remo road bike. It wouldn’t have been possible without your page. I have 10spd dura ace cassette & chain and my FD/RD are both Ultegra 6770 DI2. Internal etube cable routing with internal battery, My crankset is dura ace 11spd 53/39, Shifters are both dura ace 9070 with sprint Shifters and climbing Shifters. Everything works flawlessly. Thanks again for your help!

10. Hi Di2diy, Please can you advise if it would be possible to programe a SW-R600 climbing shifter to operate the front derraileur, im a left arm amputee looking into my best options into working the front chainring on my Ultegra Di2 setup. I have heard it would be possible using the e-tube program

    1. The R600 climbing switch can be configured to operate the FD with Up-Shift and Down-Shift activation as it does the RD.
       All things being equal, it is a relatively simple job.
       Hope this helps.

    2. Yes it’s an easy reprogramming. When plugged into a PCE1 programmer, or through the junction A using the BCR2 there is a menu for setting the button options in the etube project setup.

11. Hello running di2 hydraulic shifters with 6770 front and rear deraulier, for some reason the shifters have stopped working , when the button on the 3 port junction box is pressed it will run through crash mode .

    1. Be sure the cables are plugged in completely with a click, also be sure to leave a loop so the can’t come unplugged if the shifter moves.

12. I am using a Garmin Edge 520 Bike GPS. Adding a Wireless Transmitter SM‑EWW01 and updated all component firmware with E-tube Project I can now display Gears, Gear Combo, and Gear Ratio. While Gears are correctly displayed, Gear Combo and Gear Ratio are based on incorrect gearing information. Where within E-tube Project can I correct this information?

    1. Author

       You update gear details in the Garmin Edge setup, not on the Shimano side.

13. Have Ultegra Di2 and was happily charging via USB with laptop running Windows 8.1. I upgraded the laptop to Windows 10 and now charging via USB not happening. Charging seems to start with orange light coming on, but then goes out after about 5 secs. I googled for solutions but have come up with nothing. I don’t have E-tube Project installed. Any solutions?

    1. Charge using a USB charger like an iPhone not the computer.

14. The Dura Ace STI shifters 9070 are equipped with small buttons on top of each shifter, for controlling Garmin thru SM-EWW01 Ant+.
    I was wondering if it is possible to retrofit the Ultegra STI 6870 shifter, with push buttons so they can do the same.
    If the push buttons communicate thru CAN BUS or they have their own Ant+ transmitter, I guess it will be very difficult.
    But have anyone investigating in the push buttons ?

    1. Author

       The buttons cause commands to be sent over CAN to the ANT module. The switches and firmware for the commands are native to the dura-ace shifters and can’t be easily reproduced in Ultegra shifters.

       1. I see, thanks.
          Really love this site, a lot of really helpful and interesting informations. Thanks again.

15. Hello having problems with di2 hydraulic shifters, they don’t work all connections have been checked, there is power to junction box A and the rear derailleur will go through crash test mode but nothing happens when you use the shifters. Have even changed the cable from shifters to junction box A but the shifters still don’t work thanks

    1. Have you updated the firmware? If not you will need to do so.

16. Primarily a cassette change . I have a di2 10 speed with a 11-25 cassette and want to change it to a 12-30 cassette . Is this just a straight swap and do I really need a medium cage to ensure this happens (chain will probably have to be changed)?

    1. They don’t recommend a 30 with a short cage, but by adjusting the spacer screw you would probably have enough room, the real question is why? If you must wimp out then an 11 – 28 and a bit of Rule #5 should be sufficient even unto Ventoux 🙂

17. Hi Guys, this seems by far the most knowledgeable place on the internet for Di2!

    I’ve just built up a new frame with my old (10spd Ultegra 6770) groupset. Connected everything and it all worked perfectly, set it up the indexing and was surprised how easy it all was. I then took the bike for a quick shake down (literally 3 minutes) and had no front shifting. I assumed this was the battery. CHarged it and still no front shifting. Plugged it into the computer and there are a few oddities.

    1. Plugged into the left shifter, nothing else shows up (plugged into the junction box, both shifters show).
    2. The battery doesn’t seem to show up at all.

    Now, after going through and checking everything, I have no power at all!

    Everything was already on the latest firmware.

    I assume this is an issue with the battery mount, but find it hard to believe this has failed suddenly now.

    Any ideas? (I broke my previous frame, so money is tight and i’d rather not spend more!)

    1. Hi Robert,

       Step – 1, Double-check the firmware is all up-to-date and that your connections are snug.

       Step – 2, Report back with the good news.

       Enjoy Di2.

    2. First I assume everything is 6770 and no mixing of FD/RD 6870. Also it sounds like you are using a PCE1 for the updates (?) if so you can update each component separately with the option on the right in the main menu, so check each component. But first check the plugs going to the lever and be sure you are using the plug tool, and hear a “click” when you plug it in.

       1. Yep, all 6770 and PCE1 for updates and error checking.

          Haven’t had a chance today, but will double check everything independently. Yesterday, the battery wouldn’t show at all on the PC even when I plugged it in directly.

    3. Robert, under normal thinking I agree with you that the battery housing should not fil as quickly as than, but I have had two of them fail in quick succession. I was thinking when it does it again changing to internal battery – I have already changed to 3 port type A junction and the leads to the shifters

       1. Hi Malcolm, I was actually considering that… However, the cost is very high. At the cheapest online prices, it means £85 for the battery, £65 for the junction box (and most ridiculously!) £60 for what is essentially a USB charger! That’s £210 for basically an internal battery.

          Even though i’d much rather have the internal battery.

          Is there a way to be certain that it has indeed failed?

          1. the way I found out is that when you insert battery and press the button in middle of junction (the one for the micro shift) you get the red light flashing when gear selector pressed, then when you take it out of that mode no shift at all. I know what you mean about the cost. I was fortunate in that I already had the USB box with my other bike with DI2.

          2. I sell a seat post battery kit that will allow you to use your current wiring setup includes inline charger for $200. I have sold over 100.
             http://www.ebay.com/itm/291752577324?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

    4. So, i’ve checked all the connections and everything is plugged in as it should be.
       I then put the battery on charge again.

       Battery back on bike – Green light flash on the junction box.
       Still won’t shift the front mech
       Plug the battery into the laptop – No errors
       Plug the wire back into the battery and now nothing again. At all.
       Back into laptop – it still says no errors.

       To me, this seems to suggest that battery is only holding enough charge to operate the rear mech, and even then only for 5 minutes. Is it normal to fail so suddenly?
       Seems odd that it has failed at the same time as I swapped the groupset onto a new frame!?

       Is there any way to check the battery is knackered before I spend loads on a replacement to find that the battery mount is faulty?

       1. On the computer does it actually show you have a battery installed? As when my battery housing have failed I can plug it in and update the firmware on those components the system saw, but it did not recognise a battery it said something like select from one of the above…

          1. Yes, it shows the battery there and that there are no errors.

       2. Rob.
          Try unplugging the front DR and see if your Rear DR now works. If the Rear DR works, unplug it and plug the front Dr back in and see if it works. If so you have the same fault that my 6770 Di2 system developed.
          I have upgraded to an 11 speed system at a large expense using current shifters, battery, mount, but new cassette, chain and crankset and have sent the 10 speed front and rear DRs to Shimano for their techs to check.

          1. Hi Peter,

             Thanks that sounds interesting and may explain my issues. I’ll try that and report back.

          2. With the front DR unplugged, the rear works fine. Nothing on the front with the rear plugged or unplugged.

             Now, does this mean there’s an issue with the front DR or, the left shifter? (or something else?)

             I have tried re-programming the shifter buttons, so the left works the rear (nothing). Switching back to the right and it works again.

             The left shifter doesn’t show when I plug it into the laptop via junction box, but shows (and has no errors when I plug it into the laptop) when it’s plugged directly into the shifter.

             I think I will have to unwrap the (freshly wrapped – grrr) bars and swap the wires around to see try and establish if it’s the wire/junction box or the shifter.

             Any other ideas would be much appreciated!

             1. Rob, are you using the PCE1 interface to E-Tube. If so plug one connector into your left shifter’s second Di2 port or where ever you plug into to read your bike settings. Then plug the second PCE1 cable into the front DR.
                If the FD shows up and tests OK it is a probable fault with the shifter.
                But I think the problem is an issue with the FD. I will know more after I get more info from Shimano when they get around to look at my DRs that I have sent them.

             2. Thanks for everyone for the help. I have now solved the problem… One of the wires (to the shifter) was knackered. Swapped the wires around and the left shifter worked fine. It took me a little longer than it should have to diagnose as that was part of the bike that I hadn’t touched at all moving the bits over (I just kept the bar/stem/shifters as they were when moving over to the new frame).

18. I will shortly rebuild the cockpit of my tri-bike. I am keen to have a clean front end for my aerobar set up.

    I have been considering how best to use the new bar-end junction box (announced by Shimano in June). It can’t be used at the end of the bullhorn bars – the shifters will be there.

    Could it be possible to position the bar-end junction box at the (rider) end of one of the aerobar extensions? The new bar-end junction box has only two ports, so how would it be possible to link both the TT (aerobar) shifters with both the bullhorn STI shifters? Do all 4 shifters need to be plugged directly into Junction A? Would a Y Junction somehow help?

    1. What about the 5 port A junction?

       1. It’s hard to fit the 5 port junction in an aero stem and still have it easily accessible for charging. I am hoping the new bar-end junction provides new options.

          Or perhaps something will turn up at Eurobike.

    2. not only do the shifters NOT need to be plugged into the junction A, but there only needs to be one cable plugged into the junction A so it can be put anywhere like under the seat post. all you need is a couple of JC41 and 1 short cable to plug them together and that will give you six ports out. that way you can have just one wire going to the cockpit from the rear of the bike. The JC41 are small enough to fit in most bars, but some drilling will be required for one wire to exit to the rear.

19. Now i’ve established my issue, i’ll be replacing the 10-speed junction box with the more up to date EW-90 junction box.

    So, now that I have two defunct, one-ended etube cables. Can I attach one to a USB cable and charge the battery via the etube socket on the junction box?
    Seems it could be a better option than buying the £70 shimano charger to charge an internal battery.

    1. You can only charge the BTR2 with a BCR2 charger with the EW90. But if you had the internal BTR2 with a EW67 how did you charge it before?

       1. I have the external battery. I’d like to move to either the internal shimano one or make my own. I just can’t get over the cost of the charger.

          So you can’t charge through en etube port?

          1. Well not with the Shimano battery, but I sell a kit on ebay that you can comes complete with charger. It’s really intended to be used with the EW67, without replacing the cables. So you could use the one you have even if one of the plugs has gone bad. The Shimano charger is also a etube interface, but if you already have a PCE1 its of no use.

20. Hello. Any indication if the new Dura Ace junction box EW-RS910 “bar end style” can be used together with Ultegra DI2 6870 group.
    It could be a nice way to “hide” the box.

21. Hello, trying to get a new bike with DI2 ultegra. How can you tell the shop is not using the old version ?

    1. If its 11 speed Ultegra then it will be the newer 68xx series Ultegra, it will use an internal battery, will have an SW EW90A or B front junction box with charger port and you could always ask them! If they lie take it back 🙂

       1. Internal batteries are not the only option used for Ultegra 11 speed Di2, 6870. Many bikes come with external batteries as well. Also Ultegra 10 speed Di2 6770, could come with an internal battery, and have a EW90. Just be sure it’s 11 speed and not 10 speed.

22. I got knocked over by a car yesterday and now my rear mech goes past the first cog and forces the chain against the plastic spoke protector,the mech doesn’t look bent, do you think going through the setup will get it back to normal

    1. Neil, your mech hanger is most definitely bent, albeit only by a small amount. You will need to have it realigned at your lbs or invest in an alignment tool yourself. They are a life saver and worth every penny.

       1. Thanks for the advice Jeff, i replaced the hanger (only £10) the changes are smooth as silk again i didn’t have to go through setup. I’ve straightened the old one enough to keep as a spare

          1. Good to hear you are back on the road again Neil. I personally always like to double check alignment with a tool after replacing a new hanger as I have come across a few in the past that still needed a small nudge to get perfect gear changes. This would also apply especially to aluminium bikes where the derailleur has had a knock and the frame drop out may have bent a bit. With a carbon frame tho you should be pretty safe with the correct alignment of a new hanger as has happened with yourself.
             Happy cycling!

23. Hi all, maybe a rare failure but my 6870-FD actuator casting broke yesterday. No impacts, just snapped on an upshift. Unit just over 2 years old.

    I only found one other example online (http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=89140) which is identical problem to mine.

    Anyone else come across this?

    1. My 6870 is going on into two years as well. No breakage problems yet.
       btw:
       1. I owned a Vermont Castings wood stove over a period of 3 decades. During that time the cast iron back cracked three times and was fixed at the Vermont factory. However, each time I trucked it in I got the “……..never heard of or seen such a defect before…..” routine drilled in my ears.
       2. You might be able to have it welded back by a Jewelry repairer – should you opt not to press the warranty.

24. Di2diy,

    First, let me say thank you for sharing your knowledge and skill with a everyone. I know it takes a lot of time to answer questions.

    As for mine… I have Cannondale Super Six Evo with an Ultegra 11 spd setup with external battery. I just bought the bike from the original owner via eBay. Bike is a 2015, completely stock and un-modified, my first Di2. I noticed there was a little rub in some gears from the rear mech, so I used the adjustment mode to trim it out. All seemed fine on the stand. Hopped on the bike for a test ride and, when I made the shift to 1st gear, the chain hopped over the top cog, jammed the derailleur, and broke the hanger. Turns out the top limit screw was not set at all. I untangled the mess, and checked to make sure the rear derailleur wasn’t hurt. It still shifted up/down fine, and I noted no issues. I ran through the gears several times. Worked fine each time. I ordered a new hanger and waited a week for it to arrive. My battery was fully charged, and system working normally.

    Got the new hanger on, installed the mech, and made sure the etube wire was fully seated. Snapped the battery in place, and nothing. No shift, from either mech, no system power. I thought, maybe the battery needed charging, so I put it on charge and left it for an hour or so. Came back, lights were off on the charger, so I figured it was fully charged and installed the battery. It shifted 3-4 times, then stopped working. Checked the battery with a meter….dead as hammer. 0 mv. Put it back on charger and, this time, watched the charger. Yellow light comes on, indicating charge, then red light starts flashing after about a minute, indicating a faulty battery. The battery wasn’t dropped, exposed to heat/cold, or anything like that. Working fine one minute, stone dead the next. I’ve had cordless drill batteries do the same thing. A common issue with Li-ion batteries, I suppose.

    At any rate, I suspect I may simply have a bad battery. I ordered one, and am waiting for it to come in. I’m cautious, however, and don’t want to risk frying my new battery if there is an underlying issue.

    Sorry to be so long winded, but wanted to give all pertinent info.

    What do you think? Simply a bad battery, or something else.

    Thanks, Mark

    1. Mark, That is a great bike. You will enjoy it. It takes a bit of force to ‘break’ a hanger.

       Just read over the feeds here and you can see that making doubly sure solves many an issue and saves a load of $s.

       Step 1; Carefully recheck you connections.
       Step 2; Update your firmware [instructions are in the feeds here].
       Step 3; Enjoy a great bike.

       We love Di2.

       1. Thanks for the tips. I have already checked all connections. As I said, working fine one minute, then squat. Hoping it’s just a bad battery.
          I don’t have the PC interface. If the new battery has firmware conflicts, I guess I’ll have to either see if my LBS can do it, or just bite the bullet and get my own. Probably a good idea to have one anyway.

          Thanks

    2. Mark, It does seem curious that the battery failed after the event. however there is not much else to do but replace the battery… if a volt meter showed no power than its likely toast. If you had a PCE1 system checker you could check the system for faults in the RD, but when you get the new battery check the voltage, plug it in and do a RD reset by holding down the button on the junction box A till the RD goes through the reset. if the RD wont go through the reset there may be a problem with the RD. let me know what you find when you get a battery. Often I reply to people and never hear the results of suggestions, and it helps me know/learn how to advise. BTW there in no firmware in the battery, and would not advise updating the system… if it was working don’t fix it, it could just cause a different problem.

       1. Thank you so much for the info. I thought it odd that the battery would be anything more than a power source, but I coulda swore I read somewhere in the previous posts that the battery had a “brain”, as well as the mount, and all system components. If it’s just a dumb battery, it should just be a straight swap.
          I agree…hate it when people don’t post follow ups to issues. I will definitely keep you posted. New battery is supposed to be here Monday, according to USPS tracking. Maybe it’ll get here sooner!

          1. Hey gang,

             A new battery solved the problem. I checked it when it arrived, and there was barely any voltage out of the box. Put it on the charger and watched it like a hawk….kept waiting for the red trouble light to start flashing. It charged as it should and, an hour later, the battery was fully charged and read 8.2V on the meter. Snapped it in and every thing worked fine. Even checked again the next day. All good!

             So in the end, it was just a bad battery. Odd that it crapped out when it did, but at least it was an easy fix.

             On a side note: I found batteries offered on fleabay for as much as $105! Even some people who were asking $50-60 for used ones. A little digging and I found a seller with brand new batteries for $24.95 with free shipping. At that price, I’m thinking about picking up another one for a spare.

             Thanks for all the help.

             1. Great stuff, Mark. Occam’s Razor wins again! Simple fix best fix.
                Thanks for the heads up on sourcing cheap batteries.
                Ride fast and stay safe!
                We love Di2.

25. Hi all, looking for a little help if anyone can point me the right way. I’ve got an up-to-date 2016 6870 11-speed Di2 setup:

    SM-BTR2 internal battery (3.0.10)
    SM-EW90-A 3-port Junction A (2.2.0)
    ST-6870_L and -R shifters (3.0.0)
    RD-6870-SS rear mech (2.6.3)
    FD-6870 front mech (2.6.2)

    Problem is when I try to introduce the new EW-WU101 ANT+ *and* Bluetooth D-Fly unit. When connected it comes up in e-tube as Not Compatible, and I it offers the E-Tube compatibility chart.

    The only problem I could see from that is that under “wireless unit” the EW-WU101 has an asterisk *7 – “The system accepts just 1 unit with wireless chip. (doesn’t work if plural units with wireless chip [sic] are connected”

    The new SM-BTR2 contains a wireless chip I believe – is it not compatible with the D-Fly EW-WU101? Does it work with the ANT+ only SM-EWW01 does anybody know?

    Essentially, is there any way anyone can think of to get my gear info onto my Edge 820?

    Thanks so much in advance. David.

    1. …also, in order to gain synchronised shifting, do I need to upgrade to my battery to the BT-DN110 from the SM-BTR2? Would this allow the system to connect to a Garmin Head Unit to display gear ratios?

       1. Author

          Theoretically, you will need to upgrade to the new battery for synchronized shifting, and it seems like you have. The new battery is required for the new Bluetooth ANT broadcast module. The battery doesn’t contain a Bluetooth module, despite some poor descriptions indicating otherwise. So it should work if all of your firmware is up to date. But none of this has been confirmed yet. You are the first test case.

26. I’ve ordered the BT-DN110 battery and will attempt to see if that allows the EW-WU101 to work. Ironically this is all being done so I can use it with a Garmin which would work over ANT+, but I’m future-proofing myself I guess.

    1. Author

       The new battery should solve your problem. The Bluetooth adapter will allow you to use your smartphone to make configuration changes and firmware updates – definitely more convenient than using a PC and a cable.

       1. Just a quick question – do you know what the difference is between the EW-WU101 and the EW-WU111 – the extra ‘1’ makes me think it is a better option. Maybe I should return the 101 and get the 111? DC Rainmaker mentions it here http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/06/shimano-dura-ace-power-meter.html

          1. Author

             Descriptions and pictures of the EW-WU101 and 111 are in the article above. The 101 is the only version currently shipping.

             1. OK – according to Shimano the EW-111 is a smaller in-line version of the EW-101, and has less functionality https://twitter.com/ShimanoROAD/status/779228482471682048 – http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/spec/2.2/ROAD%20Di2%20spec/Wireless%20Unit?q=ewwu1

       2. Sorry. I meant: so you’re saying that ew-wu101 works only with the new battery?

          1. Author

             Correct

       3. The BT-DN110 battery did solve the problem. I am now selling the SM-BTR2 🙁

    2. Did you confirm that synchro shifting works with your new batterry? If so did it also require the new D-fly EW-WU101 or is that only necessary for Bluetooth.

       1. Further clarified in a tweet from Shimano.

          https://twitter.com/ShimanoROAD/status/779228482471682048

          Even if you have the new BT-DN110 battery now, a future firmware update will be required for DA 9070 or Ultegra 6870. Not specified when that will happen.

27. I believe I have the RD-6770 Di2 rear derailleur. When on an fully loaded ride in mountainous terrain overseas recently I had my rear cassette 11-28t changed to a 11-32t. Now I find that I need a medium or long cage pulley in order to for the system to run properly. My question; can a new pulley cage be installed on my existing derailleur, or must I purchase a new complete derailleur with medium cage?

    1. Author

       People have done the modification. I’d recommend purchasing a mid-length cage version unless you’ve done similar mods before.

       1. As far as i know there is no med cage version of 6770 from Shimano, but you can get your current upgraded. I would love to be wrong on this one..

28. Hey Carlton, thanks for this page, it is most helpful.

    Have a couple of questions that you might not be familiar with since they are a little weird… I bought a frame that was used with 6770. External battery, but 5 port Junction A. I’d like to use 6870 derailleurs. I understand I need the SM-PCE1 to update the battery holder. Could this be done without having the shifters and derailleurs attached? (I did not yet buy them)

    Also…is the firmware update just changing it from the original firmware to a newer one that will work with both 10 and 11 speed, or will it only work with 11 speed once updated?

    (I don’t really want to drive an hour+ to a LBS with the SM-PCE1, and was thinking of sending the battery holder off to a friend)

    Thanks!

    1. the whole system needs to be updated not just the battery mount. Also you can buy the SM-BCR2 to update the system… its the charger for the internal battery and can do the updates you need, Its about half the price. the PCE1 can do diagnostics that the BCR2 cant but you may never need to, also if you ever want to go with an internal battery you would need that charger. if money is not an issue and you plan to never get the internal battery than go with the PCE1

       1. Unless you wait for the release of the EW-WU111, then use the bluetooth app?

          Maybe the app will not do diagnostics, just firmware and config changes?

       2. Okay, thanks…will wait until i have all the parts. I have a SM-BCR2 already, but Carlton says it will not update the battery holder?

          ” The more expensive dedicate service tool (SM-PCE1 PC Interface) must be used to upgrade the firmware on the external battery/mount.The external battery and battery mount can not receive firmware upgrades via the SM-EW90 Front Junction A and the SM-BCR2 PC Interface/Battery Charger. “

          1. Hum.. I have updated complete systems using both, although is has been while since I use the BCR2, its possible that something has changed that won’t allow it. If you have one you can give it a try and report back. Also there is no firmware in the battery, the FPGA is in the mount, the battery is just a power source.

          2. I want to update this reply:… I think you misunderstood about the BCR2 NOT being able to update the external mounts (BMR1&BMR2) they can both be updated using the BCR2, it is not necessary to us a PCE1, although you could use both. I just updated a BMR1 to 3.0.10 using the BCR2, no problem whatsoever. you cannot charge through the external mounts but you can do all the updated.

29. Hi Carlton – Great post and info for the community. Will the r610 sprint shifters work with the new R9170 disc/Di2 STI shifters coming out early next year? I love those sprint shifters, but didn’t see them mentioned in any announcements around the new groupset.

    Thanks in advance. Sorry if this has already been answered (didn’t see it if it was).

30. I have a 10 speed and a 11 speed bike. and I am wondering if I can use the SM-BCR2 to update my 10 speed if I do the hack to change the wire on the to a regular di2 plug. Also what exactly can a SM-PCE1 do that a SM-BCR2 cannot? Thanks

    1. Yes you can use the BCR2 if hacked, however if you do the update it will disable the system from working with the SM EW67 and not allow it to work without a EW90 in the system. You cannot charge an external battery with the charger, and some have had issues with updates of the external mounts (although I have not). The PCE1 can do diagnostics and the BCR2 can’t.

       1. Thanks for the fast and detailed answer. Seems like it would get more sense to get a PCE1 as oppose to have replace the junction box.

31. I see a bit of talking about the newer wireless components and this interests me. I currently have a 6870 system that is not compliant so I run it on older firmwares. Basically I have an internal battery 6870 setup with 6770 shifters but I am using the older EW67 front junction and I charge/connect Etube with a hacked BCR2 that connects via an unused port. I was reluctant to upgrade the EW67 when I could achieve what I wanted for a couple of bucks with a hacked cable and it all works perfectly.

    My question relates to the new wireless capability. If I upgraded the battery to the new wireless supporting battery, and updated my front junction to the SC-MT800 front junction from the MTB series DI2 (Does the SC-MT800 have the BCR2 charge port connector?), would that be a compliant system that would give me a display with wireless capability to use the App for future upgrades? Further to that, would this new App possibly allow configurations to be saved and loaded quickly? I run several sets of wheels and often have to adjust my RD trim to get it right for all my wheels. It would be great to be able to load a configuration in quickly from an App rather than to have to manual do trim changes in programming mode.

    I know not much info is available yet as it is newly released, but just wondering if I can kill 2 birds with one stone to upgrade the junction and add wireless capability at the same time.

    Cheers,

    Adrian

    1. Author

       The answer is “probably yes” for using the SC-MT800 mountain bike display front junction and Bluetooth, but it’s unconfirmed at this point.

       As for the mobile app storing profiles, the answer is probably not. But you can keep a manual list of the trim settings for each wheel. You don’t need the app to do that for you – you can do that yourself today in a notepad app.

       1. That seems like a better solution than I have currently. At the moment I enter prog/adjust mode and then have to remember the offset I do with the shifter. Sometimes it seems I could enter wrong or some presses don’t work. It would be great to be able to know the number for a wheel and just type it in and hit program. Even better if it supported profiles…. even just some way to store the settings that you could later load back in.

          I will keep an eye on this and wait for someone to be the guinea pig. Shame to have to replace the battery for this though. My BTR2 is working fine.

32. Hello-

    What’s required to use the Di2 system (6870) with Shimano disk brakes?

    I have a Trek Domane with disk and would upgrade to Di2. Any suggestions on the shifter/brakes?

    Thanks

33. I was wondering if I can I replace the SM-EW67-A-E Ultegra 3-Cable Junction on my Ui2 set up with a SM-EW90-A Dura-Ace 3-Port Junction:

    1. Yes, you will need also need to buy 2, 350mm wires to go to the shifters, you will need to update the system firmware for it to work.

34. Hi. Is it possible to convert a tt shifter 7971 to be used to ew90 by replacing the cable of the shifter with compatible wires?

    1. No.

35. Hello friends. Do you know if the Alfine Di2 need to update your firmware? Another question, is this the brain Can Bus protocol (which you operate the system) installed on the SM-BMR1?
    Thank you.

36. Hi,

    I am building a gravelbike,
    I want to run 1x 11 setup with Alfine di2 shifters with di2 xt rearderailleur.
    Can this be done?

37. Can I upgrade my 2012 Ultegra Di2 10 speed front derailleur to a Dura Ace Di2 10 speed derailleur?

    1. The only 10 speed Dura Ace derailleur is for the 7950 system which is not compatible with the E tube based Ultegra Di2 system. So in this specific case the answer is no. If you meant the 11 speed Dura Ace then the answer is yes. Assuming you get an 11 speed rear as well.

38. Hello,

    I have dura ace di2 9070 dual control levers and derailleurs. I broke rear derailleur.
    Right control lever compartible with ultegra di2 rear derailleur rd-6870 or need both front and rear derailleurs 6870?

    1. Author

       As it says in the article, all 11 speed rear derailleurs are interchangeable.

       1. Thanks!) Rear derailleur 9070 stop switching to two last gears. What could it be? With another derailleur works good.

          1. Could be you need a new RD. Use a SM-PCR1 to do a diagnostics. Also try resetting the RD. Remove the rear wheel, hold/press down the button on junction A till the RD resets, should go through all positions.

39. First of all thanks for your DI2 guide, the best I have seen so far – Thumbs up for your comprehensive work !!

    I’m right now getting a Ultegra DI2 groupset together for my wife’s bike and doing so by finding good offers on Ebay. I do have the 6870 front- and rear dérailleurs ready as well as a set of 6770 shifters(crazy cheap on Ebay). I’m now looking for junction boxes, cables etc and I just came by a good offer again but unsure if the SM-EW67-A-E Ultegra 3-Cable Junction will work with my other parts, especially the 6870 bits? Also, if I need to update the firmware, is it then the expensive PC interface as the only option? Finally, do you happen to know how long the integrated cables are on the above mentioned junction box?

    Thanks so much

    Karsten

    1. I have 6770 shifters, EW67 junction, internal battery and 6870 FD and RD. New firmware will not work with this setup only because of the internal battery (It would work with the external battery). Therefore I have downgraded the firmware as is explained on this page to older firmware that support this setup.

       1. Author

          Thanks Adrian. Yes, can’t use the old junction with the internal battery, unless you use one of di2diy’s internal batteries (link provided in post.) But I’d recommend going with the newer 3-port junction regardless.

          1. yes if you want to save a few bucks it’s an easy way to get rid of the the external battery. But if money is not an issue go 11 speed.

          2. You can actually use the old junction with the internal battery as that is what I am doing…. but you will be limited to older firmware which is perfectly fine for most people unless you want to add newer Di2 accessories that require the new firmware (like the wireless unit). Downgrading the firmware requires a hack but is actually really easy to do and is explained on this page. The only other thing is you have nowhere to plugin the charger in on the old junction. It takes about 5 minutes to cut a DI2 cable and solder the terminals to the charger cable and you can then plug the cable into the spare shifter port for charging (and to run Etube software). I have 2 bikes running this setup without any issues. The first has been going around 2 years, and many charges.

             1. Yes and it’s also possible to use windows 95 for many computer interface things as well. The question is why would you? Life is too short to not go with the latest and greatest. IMHO

             2. My comment was made to point out an error. The statement was made that you can’t use internal battery with EW67, but you can, and I am doing it.

                It’s hardly windows 95. Let’s call it Windows 7. If you were to hop on my bike and then hop on another bike with the latest 6870 full setup you would not know any difference to ride it. It works identically. If you wanted to add the latest accessories for Di2 like wireless than yes there is a difference, but that is like 5% of the market if that and many of those people have money so will just get all the best Di2 bits. When it comes to charging, it takes me approximately 7 seconds longer to connect my charger when I recharge it once every few months. It takes about an hour to do cable mods and firmware up/downgrades to use this approach.

                Why would you do this… to save $$$ while still utilising high quality volume manufactures parts from Shimano. No 3rd party bits on my groupset. All packaged nicely produced on high quality production lines. No low volume hand soldered bits built from pulled apart old parts. Saved me around $150 in parts getting the latest junction with cables etc. when I already had the old junctions. I had an external battery that could be unreliable in the wet, so wanted a reliable internal battery setup for minimum $$.

                IMHO

    2. Thanks for all the very good comments – In the meantime I as a matter of fact won the auction and got away with the EW67, all the cables, internal junction box and external battery holder for only 71£. I’m not so scared about the external battery as we very seldom rides in rain and we are not that hysterical about weight savings.

       So the setup will basically be as follows:
       – 6870 rear dérailleur
       – 6870 front dérailleur
       – 6770 STI shifters
       – EW67 junction box
       – Internal cable routing
       – External battery

       Should I expect any issues with regards to firmware mismatch or would this combination work right away? I do not have the PC interface for uploading new firmware so that could be a challenge if needed. We do plan on a D-Fly in order to integrate with he Edge 520 so somewhere down the road I guess a new firmware is needed?

       Further down the road I can upgrade the junction box together with an internal battery(I do have the internal charger from my own bike)

       Yet again thanks for input and many greetings from cold rainy Denmark

       Karsten

       1. Its hard to say if you will need to update, but its likely you will. If you plan to use D-fly than yes an update will be needed. As Carlton pointed out you may be better off going to the EW90 junction A (plus shifter + (350mm) cables and buy the BCR2 since that will give you the PC interface… you will need this to allow you to upgrade the system and use an internal battery if you want to later … look into going with a EW-WU101- EW-WU111 ANT and Bluetooth Wireless Broadcast Modules: These modules are similar to the SM-WEE01 but also include Bluetooth capabilities in addition to ANT capabilities. They require the BT-DN110 battery or the BM-DN100 Battery Mount and can not be used with the SM-EW67 Front A Junction.
          I do not recommend hacking the system firmware. I know some do, but in the end this will limit your options in the future, and its only money, so go big.

    3. Yet again thanks for all the good advice and over time the setup will be upgraded to the newest parts for sure. It was just in order to get her bike running with the parts at hand at this stage.

       My own bike is with a complete brand new internal 6870 groupset and I guess that I could simply disconnect my individual components and connect the corresponding part from her bike and use my internal charger/PC interface to do any firmware upgrade if needed.

       To my knowledge there is no firmware in the external battery/battery holder – Is that correct?

       Thanks

       Karsten

       1. Actually the mount is the main component that will likely need the update, nothing in the battery though. If you have a bike with a EW90 and BCR2 you can update everything except the EW67, and the levers, but if you have a wire you can update one lever at a time.

          1. What do you mean by “having a wire” ? My plan was simply to disconnect my to 6870 levers from the EW90 and then connect the 2 6770 levers to the same EW90 and then do the update via the EW90 charger connection. I will do the same with both dérailleurs. If I disconnect my internal battery and connect the external battery/battery holder I guess that I will be able to do the same for the battery holder.

             1. So that’s what I mean, since you can not update the EW67, you will need to use a wire to connect a lever to the EW90, if you remove the EW90 from your bike you can update each component one at a time, you will only need 3 wires and the Junction B, to update each component you need the BMR and the EW90 with one wire going to one component at a time. I don’t know what you plan to do with the EW67, see if you can find a shop that has a PCE1.

40. Hi, first let me thank you for your very informative guide to all things Di2.

    My problem is as follows:

    I had a carbon frame replaced due to a crash. The frame had a chainstay mount for the external battery which was a very neat solution.

    The replacement frame did not have such a mount and so they have mounted the battery under the bottle cage – it’s ugly & I’m not happy with it.

    I am currently running full 6770 with an external battery.

    I want to upgrade to an internal battery with a new EW90 junction box and SD50 cabling.

    From reading the site i believe the firmware cannot be any later than 2.5.2.
    to have everything working in harmony.

    The problem is that i would imagine any new internal battery will have the latest 3.0.5 firmware which i understand is NOT downgradable.

    Is this still the case and if so what other solutions have i got open to me?

    Thanks

    Mark

    1. There is no issue with updating the firmware. It will work just fine as long as both FD & RD are 6770.

       1. Hi di2diy

          Thanks for the quick response.

          Let me get this straight regardless of what firmware I am running at the moment I can just connect everything together and I will have no issues?

          By the way I have no idea what firmware version I’m currently running other than I have multi-shift.

          While I have your attention if for whatever reason I was to total my RD6770 would that mean I would have to move to a 11 speed front and rear derailleur if a RD6770 was unavailable?

          Thanks again

          Mark

          1. if you upgrade to an internal battery+EW90 you will definitely need to update the firmware and making modifications to any custom settings can be made easily since you will have a system updater when you buy the BCR2, but all the 6770 will work after the upgrade. and yes if you go to 11 speed you will need to buy both FD+RD 6870. there are still a few RD6770 on ebay from time to time. I do sell a internal battery kit that will work with your old 6770 EW67 ($225), but if you are willing to spend the money for the shimano setup you will have a system updater as well.

             1. Thanks Di2diy

                Your battery looks interesting, but by the time I do the GBP to US$ conversion and pay the customs its no longer cost effective, so I’ll be going down the Shimano route.

                Thanks again for your assistance.

                Mark

             2. No worries, I’m in Europe now, so it would be some time before I could send one. And since you have the money you’ll be set with the Shimano setup.