I give the Shimano Ultegra Di2 Electronic Shifters two thumbs up!

I wasn't sure if upgrading to the Shimano Ultrega Di2 electronic shifters for my tri bike would be worth the money.  I have had them for a few months and have put many miles on them in various terrains.  With any new piece of equipment there is an adjustment period and it took a little getting used to at first.  I hear a lot of people say that they would never go back to manual shifters ever again, but you will definitely not hear me say that.  With that said, overall I am happy with the upgrade. 

 

On the positive side from a very non-technical point of view:

There are no cables which means there is no friction.  The shifting is consistent and thoughtless every time.  It is quiet and you won't find yourself making minute adjustments with the levers to find a percise cable tension.  

Additionally, I always found the conventional shifters hard to adjust and switch gears especially towards the end of a century ride when fatigued.  I would cross my arms across the bars (which is a definite no-no) just to get leverage to change gears.  This compromises bicycle control and safety, a factor that is eliminated with the Di2's.  The two button thumb shifting requires minimum movement or change of body position.  This is especially helpful for people with small hands and weak arms.  

On the negative side:

Of course one negative is the cost.  Once you can get past that there are a couple more things to consider.  I bought a bike with the shifters installed in the aero bars only.  This is great for Florida riding where it is flat and straight and you are in the aero position most often.  Although in the mountains where you are constantly up and down, it would be nice to have the shifters also in in the break bar.  Turns out you can buy this as an upgrade, something I will think about doing soon.  

Also something I had to get used to was having to click through each gear.  It only takes a couple extra seconds but it is definitely longer.  With the conventional shifters you can drop a few gears in one swoop.  

TIP: Just a note on these electronic shifters, they are battery operated.  The battery only needs to be charged a few times a season which is great.  But it's more important to handle these shifters with care during transport.  One trick is to open the battery lever and disengage the battery.   In other words, if the shifter buttons on the handle bars are bumped they will not be engaged possibly putting the gearing out of alignment. Also, don't find yourself across the world without your charger or without a universal plug adaptor.

Another thing about traveling, depending on where you go, you may or may not be able to find someone to work on the shifters.  I worry about this as I travel a lot for races as things always get bumped around in shipping.  Additionally finding a good mechanically locally to work on them has been a challange.  A couple of the gears need to be adjusted slightly at the moment and  I have gone to three different mechanics and have not been satisfied.  I even had one store tell me that they definitely can't work on it and that they should probably watch some youtube videos to try to learn and figure it out.  I live far from good mechanics so the commute to get the bike fixed is quite a hassle.  With the conventional shifters I could go right down the road.

Overall I am pleased with the upgrade.  They are consistent, comfortable and reliable!!!