DIY Di2 remote button hack job

[MintSauce]

Shebeen: You made me laugh

 

rock: I take the opposite line. I go and experience these things to tempt me and motivate me to earn them ;-)

 

Amberdrake: Thanks for the tips, will try it sometime

 

Velouria: I pop in from time to time. Sometimes interesting. Lots of crap around so most days I just turn around, walk out and shut the door :-)

[Baaisikilist]

Dammit, now I want electronic shifting...!

[glovemtb]

Great write up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The climbing shifter is an ugly monstrosity that I simply could never attach to my bike. It's just too big. Heaven knows why. Some say it needs a circuit board in the enclosure. That's bollocks."

 

Ha ! What a great description of the climbing shifters !!!!!!!!! Shimano's general ineptitude on auxiliary shifting switches is pretty amazing. 

A few observations (from a somewhat experienced di2 2nd gen. auxiliary hacking guy.):

The climbing shifters do need a circuit board so they can be plugged in to any port. What you plugged into (as you know) was the lower dedicated sprinters ports which uses the ecu (circuit board) in the levers.

Also using info from Ben M.s system (1st gen di2) is really apples and oranges as 2nd gen di2 is complete redesign of the "brains." His wire he used was 1st gen. 

No more 5 wires analog signal now they are only 2 wires with a digital signal and most of the devices that attached to the system are now:  "2nd gen is all CANbus communications with mostly fpga logic based ecu devices, only need 2 wires for that to happen vs 1st gen." (Like many systems in all new cars)

 

In 11 speed di2 9070 and 6870 3 ports in levers (not sure about 6770) the climbing shifters and sprinter ports can be set up to control front or rear der as you please. If you want control of both up and down functions in BOTH derailleurs you will need to hack an ecu based shifting device. (Easy to do if you are getting the hang of the electronic soldering and just stick the small circuit board in a bar end.) But adds ~100 bucks. I can explain it more with pics if interested. (well worth it for guys that love great bike ergonomics.) 

How to configure what controls what:

You can use the battery charger that comes with internal seatpost battery (SM-BCR2) along with the e-tube software to customize your di2 system and save a chunk of change on the 150.00 SM-PCE1 (which can be used for that purpose but as well additional diagnostics that you rarely need.) The external battery charger will not do this. 

 

Finally you are right if you do bury that switch under the tape it can easily stay pressed. (It is not hard to press.) Good news is, if it does stay pressed, in the dead of night; the di2 system will turn it off  temporarily, after the stay pressed signal has not shifted "anything."

 

There are a few different ways to cover those lil protruding buttons that will give a more general press area feel if interested.

Other switch options: There are a bunch of great switches like the one you ordered, same general model but about 12mmx12mmx7mm (vs 1/2 that size) with added rubber buttons tops depending on where you want it. Mixing the small with larger ones depending on ergonomics can work great.

Finally, the silicone sealant : if not on the label mentions for sealing electronics is corrosive to the connectors and can easily short them out over time. Other ways to seal if interested that beats heatshrink.

 

Also, when building up the buttons on the bars don't hook them up till the end.

 

PS. Once you get used the tactile feel & responsiveness of those little buttons you may become dissatisfied with the kludgy feel of the shift-lever paddles. "

 

Here is a great source of info for di2 newbies it is allot of fun for bike geeks but not luddites  !

 

http://carltonbale.com/shimano-di2-everything-you-need-to-know/

 

Hope any of this is useful.

[MintSauce]

Great write up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The climbing shifter is an ugly monstrosity that I simply could never attach to my bike. It's just too big. Heaven knows why. Some say it needs a circuit board in the enclosure. That's bollocks."

 

Ha ! What a great description of the climbing shifters !!!!!!!!! Shimano's general ineptitude on auxiliary shifting switches is pretty amazing. 

A few observations (from a somewhat experienced di2 2nd gen. auxiliary hacking guy.):

The climbing shifters do need a circuit board so they can be plugged in to any port. What you plugged into (as you know) was the lower dedicated sprinters ports which uses the ecu (circuit board) in the levers.

Also using info from Ben M.s system (1st gen di2) is really apples and oranges as 2nd gen di2 is complete redesign of the "brains." His wire he used was 1st gen. 

No more 5 wires analog signal now they are only 2 wires with a digital signal and most of the devices that attached to the system are now:  "2nd gen is all CANbus communications with mostly fpga logic based ecu devices, only need 2 wires for that to happen vs 1st gen." (Like many systems in all new cars)

 

In 11 speed di2 9070 and 6870 3 ports in levers (not sure about 6770) the climbing shifters and sprinter ports can be set up to control front or rear der as you please. If you want control of both up and down functions in BOTH derailleurs you will need to hack an ecu based shifting device. (Easy to do if you are getting the hang of the electronic soldering and just stick the small circuit board in a bar end.) But adds ~100 bucks. I can explain it more with pics if interested. (well worth it for guys that love great bike ergonomics.) 

How to configure what controls what:

You can use the battery charger that comes with internal seatpost battery (SM-BCR2) along with the e-tube software to customize your di2 system and save a chunk of change on the 150.00 SM-PCE1 (which can be used for that purpose but as well additional diagnostics that you rarely need.) The external battery charger will not do this. 

 

Finally you are right if you do bury that switch under the tape it can easily stay pressed. (It is not hard to press.) Good news is, if it does stay pressed, in the dead of night; the di2 system will turn it off  temporarily, after the stay pressed signal has not shifted "anything."

 

There are a few different ways to cover those lil protruding buttons that will give a more general press area feel if interested.

Other switch options: There are a bunch of great switches like the one you ordered, same general model but about 12mmx12mmx7mm (vs 1/2 that size) with added rubber buttons tops depending on where you want it. Mixing the small with larger ones depending on ergonomics can work great.

Finally, the silicone sealant : if not on the label mentions for sealing electronics is corrosive to the connectors and can easily short them out over time. Other ways to seal if interested that beats heatshrink.

 

Also, when building up the buttons on the bars don't hook them up till the end.

 

PS. Once you get used the tactile feel & responsiveness of those little buttons you may become dissatisfied with the kludgy feel of the shift-lever paddles. "

 

Here is a great source of info for di2 newbies it is allot of fun for bike geeks but not luddites  !

 

http://carltonbale.com/shimano-di2-everything-you-need-to-know/

 

Hope any of this is useful.

 

 

Thank you for the response! So much information. Appreciate it!

[glovemtb]

Thank you for the response! So much information. Appreciate it!

Sorry, I was on a roll...

[Pure Savage]

What an awesome thread!

[BaGearA]

What an awesome thread!

Just read through , Its so cool!

[Kalahari Vegmot]

Nice! What did it end up costing?

[splat]

The little switches arrived

Still waiting for the Di2 cable

And then the courage to 'spoeg and plak' them together

And then the bravery to plug them in and hope it doesn't short out the system (can you tell that I am not particularly mechanicaly or electrically inclined?)

 

I plan to have them under the bars as climbing switches, rather than sprint buttons