I was looking at the paddles on the shifters.
They look bigger than 7900, but smaller than Di2.
I'm like a man in a desert looking at mirages thinking I'm seeing an oasis.

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I can't imagine that Shimano would ever put any prototype components on one of their neutral service rigs. Just ain't gonna happen.

Do you seriously have the DA 7900 brakes with the all black arms? These were the ones shown in the initial marketing material when 7900 was introduced. IMO they look much better than the unsightly polished ones but I always thought they never made it to production...

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my plastic bikes, 29ers & stable of old steel

Great spot there, well done.

Interesting brakes. Looks like they are also using a cam approach like new SRAM Red?

I see that they are still pushing Flight Deck!

Despite the advances, a lot of teams were using mechanical vs Di2 yesterday. Is this a cost thing in case of a crash which is more likely on the cobbles, or is there a problem with Di2 over cobbles?

It all still looks very 'prototype'. Judging from previous experience when we have seen spy shots of components in this state of development from Shimano this looks likely to be a calendar year 2013 launch at the earliest.

Nope, looks very much like double pivot to me.

Mechanical has better "feel", especially if you have thick gloves or numb hands. Possibly too easy to hook the wrong gear on cobbles as well?

Actually upon closer inspection I kinda of take my comment back. It's not a single pivot cam system but doesn't look like normal dual pivot either.

as i understand it, some teams things that it´s hard to feel that you shift when using di2 on cobble stones. thats why using the mechanical group on that.

Thank you Roeboe.


http://www.fiets.nl/2012/02/25/debuut-shimano-11-speed/

Debut Shimano 11-speed
February 25, 2012 | By Rodrick | Posted in Bike News , Homepage , News
"It's nice looking bikes at the start of the Flemish classic season. Especially when there is some spotting.
We saw the new Giant Defy and, for the first course, Shimano Dura-Ace 11 speed.

It was a bit houwtje-string, clearly a prototype of the milling machine, but it was there: Shimano 11 speed.
Just tallying the sprockets, yes, it's true: 11. Only one rider rode: shirt number 31 vanSky: Dowsett.

And for the first time in the race. There is much to tell, about the new group of Shimano, but that was
all not to see the stuff on the bike XXX. That was just a prototype. Mechanical, not electronic.

Brake calipers that little triangular than the 7900-variant. Something else shaped levers. How do they feel?
We were not allowed to sit. Pulled the bike is a lot of attention: everyone wanted him to see you.

A little further on, at Rabobank, the new Giant Defy ISP of the cars safely. Something more comfortable
than their 'normal' racing machine, especially with the Vittorio 25mm tubes. And that is necessary in the
cobblestones. Everyone in the team rode, except Barredo. It did not much: no rider in the top ten.
But whether it is on the bike? We have seen a lot. Now we do our homework. In issue 4 of Cycle
read more!"

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the new lever like some weird cross breed of 7800/7900, hope fully a step backwards towards the shifting the we all so loved.

That's EXACTLY what I'm hoping for and what I predicted Shimano would do.
Keep 7900 features (adjustability, weight, etc...), but bring back that smooth 7800 operation.

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Look like they managed to squeeze the mechanical internals in a Di2 like lever shape, looks very promising!
Those wheels, which we discussed before, do not imo. Cutout hubs, internal nipples.. meh

If we only had some info on what they did with the cassette/rear hub spacing..
Should have asked my mate, who was at the Omloop start, to check it out. Anyone have found more pictures yet?

Have a look at the larger pic of the rear of the bike. New shimano wheels!

Looks like a new hub (big flange) for shimano wheels and also the rim has internal spoke nipples (the hub is labeled prototype as usual with Shimano.)

The rear hub is 2:1 lacing as well if you count the spokes.

Yeah, looks like Shimano understood what Campa invented 20 years ago
And also 11sp is something what Shimano is copying now