New to CX - 1x groupset advice

[clipsed]

Hi guys,

I've done road racing for a long time, dabbled in MTB for fun, but have never ridden/raced CX. I just bought a second hand fuji altamira 1.3 CX (di2 compatible) frameset with 527cx oval wheels for $600 AUD (9/10 condition).

I am tossing up between ultegra di2 hydro and ultegra mechanical hydro.

My road bike is a trek SLR 9 with dura ace di2 so i am well aware of how awesome di2 is (grabbed it second hand for $6000 (done 2000km) with enve's 3.4, bargain!). I have been using it for about a year and i would never go back on my road bike - i especially love the FD.

The biggest thing for me here is value for money - i will always use my road bike a lot more, so i don't want to spend a fortune on my cx.

Cost differences are for my main 2 options (possibly third?)

UDi2 w/ RS785 = ~ $1450 AUD
Ultegra w/RS685 = ~ $700 AUD
Ultegra di2 W/spyres = ~1100 AUD

The cost differences are huge - mainly due to the battery/junction/cables and shifters costing more. I can afford it, but on a cheap < $2k build it seems a lot being just an RD.

I do plan to race (i road race A grade +), but i will probably only use this bike <20% of the week.

Any advice? Comments? Experience?

Will i regret not going Di2 if i decide to upgrade my frame etc? Or would i be better off just selling the whole bike and starting from scratch if i did decide i liked it.

[Asymptotic]

Whereabouts are you racing? I've done two muddy winter races so far and realised how useful Ui2 would be as my fingers got so cold/muddy that it was hard to shift the sram lever. If its not muddy you would probably be better off just going for your cheapest option and pick up some used tubs/ lightish tubeless wheel-set. Spyres are perfectly good, as you've raced mtb you probably realise that the difference between hydro and well set up mechanical disc is negligible in much slower speed cx racing

[clipsed]

I live in Brisbane so mixed conditions, definitely not cold though!

I would have considered Force CX1 Hydro (never owned SRAM before) but i can't find it anywhere!

[commendatore]

After using shimano and sram hydro brakes I was surprised by how much better the shimano were.

Shouldn't have been a surprise given their mtb offerings.

[pushstart]

I haven't used Shimano road hydro and the point above about Spyres being good enough for slow-speed cross racing is probably spot on. That said, i have Spyres on my road bike and SRAM HydroR on my commuter (and cross) bike and the hydros are so much better it isn't even funny. Now I have to upgrade my road bike. I would advocate hydro because even though you may not need the power, it is nice to be able to easily stop the bike with single-finger braking from the hoods. I ride a fair bit of singletrack on my cx bike and the confidence of the hydro brakes in technical riding can't be overstated. I just can't believe I held out for so long with "good-enough" mechanicals.

On the MTB I have Shimano hydro and the delivery is more progressive than SRAM; perhaps that is also true of their road offerings? I am happy with SRAM, though and far prefer SRAM 1:1 shifting (esp in crap conditions) and the type 2.1 RD (am using X9 since I am on 10sp still).

[wheelsONfire]

Hi guys,

I've done road racing for a long time, dabbled in MTB for fun, but have never ridden/raced CX. I just bought a second hand fuji altamira 1.3 CX (di2 compatible) frameset with 527cx oval wheels for $600 AUD (9/10 condition).

I am tossing up between ultegra di2 hydro and ultegra mechanical hydro.

My road bike is a trek SLR 9 with dura ace di2 so i am well aware of how awesome di2 is (grabbed it second hand for $6000 (done 2000km) with enve's 3.4, bargain!). I have been using it for about a year and i would never go back on my road bike - i especially love the FD.

The biggest thing for me here is value for money - i will always use my road bike a lot more, so i don't want to spend a fortune on my cx.

Cost differences are for my main 2 options (possibly third?)

UDi2 w/ RS785 = ~ $1450 AUD
Ultegra w/RS685 = ~ $700 AUD
Ultegra di2 W/spyres = ~1100 AUD

The cost differences are huge - mainly due to the battery/junction/cables and shifters costing more. I can afford it, but on a cheap < $2k build it seems a lot being just an RD.

I do plan to race (i road race A grade +), but i will probably only use this bike <20% of the week.

Any advice? Comments? Experience?

Will i regret not going Di2 if i decide to upgrade my frame etc? Or would i be better off just selling the whole bike and starting from scratch if i did decide i liked it.

Hard to tell!

I'm opposite to you, having DA 9000 on two road bikes and UL Di2 at my gravel bike.
I also like Di2 and it works great for gravel.
But if it's worth it,.. nobody but you can decide that.

[clipsed]

Made up my mind.. got di2 + hydro

[wheelsONfire]

Made up my mind.. got di2 + hydro

Good call, i doubt you'll regret it

[stoney]

Made up my mind.. got di2 + hydro

If going 1x up front I suggest getting the new XT di2 rear derailleur (much cheaper than XTR di2 RD) with the clutch to avoid chain slap and help keep the chain on. You can run it with the Ultegra di2 rear shifter.

[clipsed]

Made up my mind.. got di2 + hydro

If going 1x up front I suggest getting the new XT di2 rear derailleur (much cheaper than XTR di2 RD) with the clutch to avoid chain slap and help keep the chain on. You can run it with the Ultegra di2 rear shifter.

This is not out for a while though right? I can change the RD later - the biggest cost is all the wiring, battery, junction boxes and shifters!

[rothwem]

Made up my mind.. got di2 + hydro

If going 1x up front I suggest getting the new XT di2 rear derailleur (much cheaper than XTR di2 RD) with the clutch to avoid chain slap and help keep the chain on. You can run it with the Ultegra di2 rear shifter.

I guess you just run a regular di2 hydro lever on the left and leave it not hooked up to anything?

[ooo]

connect left lever and program di2 so both levers can be used to operate rd

(both can up and down, or one side up other side down like sram)