Wilier Triestina has now chimed in with their Shimano Di2 specific frame. Competitive Cyclist has the price as $9,480. Has anyone seen Di2 in person? Those battleship colors for the battery and front der. look really ugly. Here is the announcement from Wilier Triestina from April 27th:
Wilier Triestina USA has announced the special order availability of its reigning World Road Champion model, the Cento1, in a version modified specifically for use with Shimano’s acclaimed electronic drivetrain, Dura-Ace Di2. The Cento1 Di2 frameset boasts the same superlight 46Ton carbon monocoque construction and performance features, while enhancements have been implemented in the form of internal routing for wiring that connects the Di2 battery with its electronic shifters and derailleurs.
"While performance was the key pursuit in the development and use of the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electrically actuated shifting system, the side benefit is the freedom and creativity afforded frame makers with respect to cable routing,” explained Devin Walton, Director of Media Relations for Shimano North America. “Wilier’s new frame design takes advantage of that benefit and with the special accommodations for the battery pack creates historically sought-after integration of frame and controls without any impact on shifting response.
Angelo Cilli, Wilier Triestina USA co-owner and founder, added: “We’re excited about the promising new age being ushered in by Shimano’s electronic groupsets for road and time trial bikes. In the past, attempts were made by other manufacturers to offer electronic shifting, but after extensive in-house testing we have become believers that this technology by Shimano has been refined to the point of being truly feasible and relevant. Campagnolo is promising release of its own electronic drivetrain in the near future, so it seems that the technology may finally be here to stay,” concluded Cilli.
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All I have seen are some review videos of Di2 on youtube. They seem to work flawlessly, however the battery needs charging every 500-1000 miles. If you can remember that ahead of time and forgot not to do it, I guess its not so much of an inconvenience. I still think its a marvel of control engineering. Price is too steep for me to get one, and for now, I'll cherish the tactile feedback I have on my bike.
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