Ultegra Di2 – Exciting Announcement or Pointless Expense?

© 2011 SHIMANO INC

It hasn’t been the best kept secret, with rumors swirling for close to two years. The long wait came to an end today, as Shimano just announced the availability of Ultegra Di2, bringing electronic shifting to the mid-range of their race-worthy component line.

I, like I imagine many of you, have long bought Ultegra components – priced significantly below, with sharing the same features and reliability as the top-end Dura Ace, they were an attractive solution for the cyclist on a budget. Now that Di2 is available in the Ultegra line, supposedly for the same price as the Dura Ace mechanical group (somewhere around $1600US), will you be switching? Or are you of the opinion that electronic shifting is a pointless frivolity for us mortals? Let us know in the comments below!