My road bike has Ultegra Di2 8070 (with black bar tape in pics) and I’ve had it for about 2 years now. There’s a pronounced bump where the hydraulic hose attaches to the brifter and for some reason it’s really been bothering me lately…like a rock in my shoe, I can’t stop thinking about it and it’s becoming increasingly uncomfortable on my hands.
My gravel bike has Force AXS shifters (with gray bar tape in pics) and I don’t have the same problem. The hose attaches more on top of the shifter rather than to the side like on Shimano. Both bikes have the same bars, and I find the Force brifters to be significantly more comfortable.
Is there a better way to wrap the Shimano shifters/bars to help this? Do other Shimano shifters have the hose enter at the same spot? I’d swap to GRX for example if it would solve this.
I’ve thought about switching to Force but that sounds like a pain, plus the hassle to selling the 11 speed Shimano components when 12 speed is out.
Good excuse to turn those shi hoods inwards a bit. It will make the bump way less prominent and it’s also supposedly more aero. But most importantly, it’s on trend!
Yeah, it’s one factor that rarely plays a role when people decide between groupset manufacturers, that’s ergonomics. I have never gotten along with Shimano’s shifter/brake lever designs, neither mechanical nor Di2. And they don’t seem to be able to make up their minds. My RS505 (= 105, but for some reason we won’t call it 105) had a knub that was supremely uncomfortable and not very secure to hold. It also had bulges lower down if memory serves. I don’t want to go on a rant, so I will stop here.
My Force eTap AXS (1st gen) levers have been ergonomically perfect when it comes to shape. My only wish is that I get a secondary button by default on top or on the sides.
Personally, the discomfort you describe would be enough for me that I’d look into switching.
If anyone has good pics of their wrapped bars with Shimano hoods lifted up I’d love to see them!
I’m wondering if I should have wrapped over the hose junction a bit to make it more comfortable, but I wasn’t sure if this would make it feel like there was a lump under the lower part of the hood.
On a long ride yesterday, I noticed I never grab the bump area intentionally.
I either grip in front of it or palms are on curved flat before the hoods with thumbs a tad behind the bump which feels natural.
I am about to install a climbing bar similar to yours. I will update this post if things turn out differently.
