The most important facts in brief

In addition to a complete groupset, Shimano also offers a retrofit/upgrade kit to convert an existing mechanical 1x12-speed drivetrain to a wireless Di2 version. The kit includes a rear derailleur, the corresponding shifter, the battery with charger and a chain lock.

The Enduro version of the new XTR was tested, find out more about the new groupset here: Link

First impression

As usual with the XTR, the quality of the individual parts is very high and appears to be superbly finished. The look of the crank doesn't quite match the design of the rest of the products. It is unusually eye-catching, the top groupset from Shimano has always been discreet up to now.

The shift lever offers many customization options. Nevertheless, it is surprising that Shimano has designed a mechanical shifter with two separate levers that controls the rear derailleur wirelessly. The advantage of electronics is that you can shift gears without pressing and with minimal movement. The lever doesn't look up to date, so you'd like to see something more reduced, such as a Zirbel shifter ring, which makes more skillful use of the advantages of electronics. Back to the Shimano lever, this takes a certain amount of getting used to, especially if you are used to shifting with the Sram shifter. However, it works perfectly and conveys a very clear and mechanical shifting feel. Only those with very thick thumbs might have trouble reaching the rear lever.

According to Shimano, the rear derailleur is designed to withstand contact with obstacles. Visually, it looks very robust. The battery is concealed under a cover. As was shown during the test, water penetrates the cover when cleaning - but without impairing the function.

Installation by yourself is only recommended for experienced screwdrivers. Although the packaging contains a bunch of notes, no instructions are included. You have to look for them on the internet and they are well hidden on a page with product instructions for specialist dealers. The instructions are not always self-explanatory. If you are looking for information on the upper end stop or the B-bolts, you won't find it. Fine-tuning the gears via the Shimano app is also not that easy, as adjusting the rear derailleur position always affects all gears and not just one. The competition can do this better.

In use

The new shifters take some getting used to: The two levers are relatively close together and almost one behind the other. It takes a bit of rethinking and, with time, shifting becomes intuitive. The familiarization phase takes some time. There is nothing to complain about in terms of function.

The shifting functions can be adjusted using the app. Multi-shifting can also be activated in the app. Up to three gears can be changed with a long press of the lever and this works well. If you press and hold the lever, even more gears can be shifted, but depending on the cadence and pressure on the pedals, there is quite a lot of creaking at the rear. The shifting behavior doesn't really differ from the old XTR. But making "very good" even better is not easy. When shifting on the flat at a high cadence, the gear change is barely noticeable. If you shift gears under very high load, for example after a steep downhill section, it's effortless, but with the corresponding acoustic accompaniment. Basically, the shifting process works really well, but with or without background noise depending on the conditions.

The rear wheel change is not as easy as before, as the tension of the rear derailleur cannot be reduced and there is no holding position for the changer. Here too, practice makes perfect and after a few times you'll get the hang of it.

Conclusion

The new XTR Di2 delivers what it promises as Shimano's top groupset: workmanship and shifting quality at the highest level. Gear changes are quick and crisp, but sometimes a little rough under full load uphill. The design and function of the gearshift are a matter of taste. As Shimano has not made any major technical changes apart from the wireless connection, the groupset is still compatible with third-party chainrings.

Price upgrade kit: CHF 935.00 / EUR 999.00

Manufacturer

www.bike.shimano.com