# Mechanical vs electronic shifting **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [October 11, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441 "2018-10-11T05:49:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaveQB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/daveqb/32/617_2.png) [@DaveQB](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveQB)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/1 "2018-10-11T05:49:27Z")
Just a bit of interest/fun. So how many of our bikes are on mechanical gearing and how many on electronic? _Poll ([view on site](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![philrcook](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/philrcook/32/15797_2.png) [@philrcook](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/philrcook)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:08am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/2 "2018-10-11T07:08:52Z")
I have a mountain bike and winter road bike on mechanical and my summer road bike electronic. I love how crisp and reliable the electronic shifting is, don’t think I’d buy another bike with mechanical shifting if electronic was an option, it’s worth every penny. ---
**Author:** ![klettern0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/klettern0/32/7746_2.png) [@klettern0](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/klettern0)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:13am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/3 "2018-10-11T07:13:22Z")
On my commuter road bike i have mechanical, on my normal road bike and my triathlon bike i have electronic. But in the future i will definitly buy a commuter bike with electronic shifting, because it’s so much more fun. ---
**Author:** ![DaveQB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/daveqb/32/617_2.png) [@DaveQB](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveQB)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:15am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/4 "2018-10-11T07:15:08Z")
> [@philrcook](#): > > I have a mountain bike and winter road bike on mechanical and my summer road bike electronic. Why is that? Don’t trust electronic in the winter? ---
**Author:** ![JulianM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/julianm/32/2112_2.png) [@JulianM](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/JulianM)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:16am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/5 "2018-10-11T07:16:22Z")
Etap on the TT bike, Mechanical on the others (and the wife’s!) ---
**Author:** ![AndyGajda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/andygajda/32/1052_2.png) [@AndyGajda](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AndyGajda)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:45am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/6 "2018-10-11T07:45:51Z")
TT bike is Di2, road bikes mechanical. ---
**Author:** ![janneseppala](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/janneseppala/32/17140_2.png) [@janneseppala](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/janneseppala)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 8:16am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/7 "2018-10-11T08:16:44Z")
eTap on my handbike. ---
**Author:** ![RCC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rcc/32/1014_2.png) [@RCC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/RCC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 10:56am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/8 "2018-10-11T10:56:56Z")
Di2 on my Slice TT bike. It’s awesome and lovely in every way… I have had it fail on me twice in the past though and lock me in the big ring… I thought I’d have it again in a heart beat. But i didn’t… - Mechanical on my new Cervelo road bike. ---
**Author:** ![philrcook](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/philrcook/32/15797_2.png) [@philrcook](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/philrcook)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/9 "2018-10-11T14:03:39Z")
The opposite really, I’d prefer electronic on everything, especially winter but finances don’t allow. ---
**Author:** ![AndyGajda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/andygajda/32/1052_2.png) [@AndyGajda](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AndyGajda)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/11 "2018-10-11T15:37:41Z")
I had a new race bike built this year and was all set to put Di2 on it, like my TT bike, which is superb. Ironically I was talked out of it by the bike shop (that happens to be owned by our club captain). Reasons being it’s likely at some point I’ll crash and trash shifters/mechs. When I do I can go into pretty much any shop and get up and running again with stuff that’s in stock. May not have that luxury if you’r on Di2. And it’s so much cheaper and easier to replace/repair. ---
**Author:** ![SteveM](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/stevem/32/33075_2.png) [@SteveM](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/SteveM)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/12 "2018-10-11T15:46:10Z")
Same here; when/if SRAM comes out with a Force 1 electronic rear derailleur, I’ll do that for the Tri bike but I don’t feel like cobbling it together and not using a clutch derailleur. ---
**Author:** ![Legsinbeastmode](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/legsinbeastmode/32/2480_2.png) [@Legsinbeastmode](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Legsinbeastmode)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/13 "2018-10-11T16:52:56Z")
I’ve had a road bike with Di2 for 5 years, i also have a gravel bike with Sram Force 1x, i have to say going back to mechanical has been fantastic, i actually prefer mechanical for some reason, maybe I’m getting old and nostalgic, but i love that more positive click, also much more feel when in gloves or cold hands as well. ---
**Author:** ![byoungxprt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/byoungxprt/32/7712_2.png) [@byoungxprt](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/byoungxprt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/14 "2018-10-11T17:33:44Z")
Though I don’t disagree about the cost, I can’t imagine anything easier to replace than Etap. I have Di2 on my TT and Etap on my road and while I really like them both it is really hard to justify the cost. On the other hand how often have you broken a component on your bike? I broke a 12 year old 105 rear derailleur once crossing the chain on a weird downhill uphill transition. I would think it would have to be some kind of crash to break a shifter or derailleur and Di2 parts are easy to find online. ---
**Author:** ![scottjamesgray](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/scottjamesgray/32/1017_2.png) [@scottjamesgray](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/scottjamesgray)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/16 "2018-10-11T17:38:52Z")
Di2 on the fleet. The first gen had issues and I’d struggle for spares now but Canyon have always been fantastic at replacing items no questions asked. ---
**Author:** ![stevemz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/stevemz/32/19061_2.png) [@stevemz](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/stevemz)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/17 "2018-10-11T18:54:26Z")
Just got my first bike with Di2 after being on mechanical for a long time. It sounds silly but I really did get tired at the end of long 5-6 hours rides with the shifter so the less force required to push the buttons will be nice. ---
**Author:** ![bilwit](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bilwit/32/15350_2.png) [@bilwit](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/bilwit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/18 "2018-10-11T19:16:59Z")
Switched to electronic Di2 recently and am now a convert. The price for a new groupset is definitely an issue and hard to justify in terms of _value_ but these days previous gen Dura Ace (9070) is an absolute steal. I’ve picked up unused, parted-out 9070 rear+front derailleurs for less than $300 together on two occasions. ---
**Author:** ![shawrx](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/shawrx/32/83816_2.png) [@shawrx](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/shawrx)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/19 "2018-10-11T23:13:26Z")
etap on my road bike which is cool but what I really love is di2 on my 1x gravel bike. Shifts awesome under all kinds of conditions. ---
**Author:** ![fasterthanever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4bbf92/32.png) [@fasterthanever](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/fasterthanever)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/20 "2018-10-11T23:55:02Z")
That’s a LOT of pennies though. ---
**Author:** ![AndyGajda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/andygajda/32/1052_2.png) [@AndyGajda](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AndyGajda)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 7:07am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/21 "2018-10-12T07:07:06Z")
As I’m a racer, crashes are an occupational hazard so to speak! And if something’s broken, it’s much easier to pop into a shop and buy a part than order online and wait for a replacement! ---
**Author:** ![danieljcrossley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/danieljcrossley/32/470_2.png) [@danieljcrossley](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/danieljcrossley)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 7:42am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441/22 "2018-10-12T07:42:55Z")
I agree - I have Di2 on my TT bike and wouldn’t change that for anything. I purchased my new summer road bike last year and went for Dura-ace mechanical and the shifting on it is so good that I honestly don’t think I would notice the gains from running Di2 or eTap. As a side note I had to replace my Di2 battery last season after 4 years of solid use on the TT bike and don’t fancy having three bikes with a ~£150 battery replacement cost. [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/mechanical-vs-electronic-shifting/3441.md?page=2)