# How to change shifting modes on DI2



## Bikenut

Hi all,

This is my first post. I have been cycling for years, but last year I retired and have been cycling a LOT more since then. Also got my first carbon bike along with DI2 and disc brakes. So hello to all of you and I'm hoping to participate on this forum as I cycle away.

Now for my problem....:

I have on my DI2 system a SM-EW90A control box and an SM-EWW01 (D-Fly) wireless unit. The wireless unit connects to my Garmin Edge 1000 no problem. E-Tube Project interfaces with the bike through a SM-BCR-2 charger and under “Customize” in E-Tube I have set the syncro-shift and semi-shifting both to ON.

Problem is, when I press the small button on the control box, the Edge which shows the shifting mode as “M” (manual), never changes to something else like one of the 2 automatic shifting modes. I read somewhere that if the button is pressed twice quickly, you can cycle through all three modes, i.e. manual, synchro shift, and semi shifting, but I can’t seem to get it to do that. The shifters act as if they are in manual mode, and the Garmin Edge seems to confirm nothing changes because it’s always showing “M”.

Any advice on how to change shifting modes with my current hardware would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## Marc

Double tap the button on your junction-A or gear display. Every Double tap advances on gearing mode (M->S1->S2 and then back to M)

The difference is S1 you manually toggle the FD and it can compensate with the RD to get a less drastic gear change....while S2 automatically controls the FD and you basically don't need controls for it. Both take a bit of configuring to make effective. Otherwise both can easily be mistaken for acting like manual.


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## Bikenut

I tried double tapping the button; it has no effect. The display on the Garmin stays the same. I have no display on the junction so when you mention tapping the display, are you suggesting double tapping the Edge or some other Shimano hardware I don't have?
Thanks.
BTW, if double tapping the button button is the only way for me to change the gearing mode, this makes things really inconvenient, I don''t see myself fumbling for this when riding.


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## fronesis

Marc is correct. You change the shift mode by double-clicking the junction A button. 

A few things to check

1. Are you certain your system is updated (newer battery, proper junction A, and updated firmware) so that it can do synchro shifting? Check the shimano flow chart online to be sure. 

2. If your junction A has no display (I have the SC-MT800, which does have a display) then it can be hard to tell that you've changed the shift modes. In semi-synchro, the RD shifts are just the same); in full synchro, you will only know you are in it if you keep shifting the RD without moving the FD (and the FD will shift normally in full synchro). So I'd carefully test the bike out on the stand to rule out the possibility that you have been cycling through the shift modes without realizing it.


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## Bikenut

A fellow cyclist said I need a new battery which might jive with what you're suggesting about whether I have the "newer battery". Where is this Shimano flow chart you mention? 

I do have the latest software, firmware, and updated all the components. The bike was purchased last year, so I find it disappointing that already I may have an outdated battery, which I see from online stores seems to cost $140 USD, so I can't justify spending that money already to replace a perfectly good battery that is only 1 year old.

I have tried double tapping the junction A button twice at varying rates, and my Garmin never moves out of Mode "M". Nothing on the drive train seems different when I ride, so all indications are that this bike cannot go into S1 or S2 from fully manual. I may need to change the battery which is not an option for me now. Does the battery theory make sense?

Also, 2 related questions: How many years can one expect a DI2 battery to last? And second, does the D-Fly chew up much battery power? I ask the last question because I fully charged the bike, the Garmin showed 100% DI2 battery power, and 80 km later, it showed 90% power. So very roughly 80 km for 10% battery drain which would mean I would get 800 km on a single charge. Last year, without the D-Fly installed, I did almost 3000 km on a single charge so my conclusion is that it may be a pig on power.

Thanks


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## Marc

Bikenut said:


> A fellow cyclist said I need a new battery which might jive with what you're suggesting about whether I have the "newer battery". Where is this Shimano flow chart you mention?
> 
> I do have the latest software, firmware, and updated all the components. The bike was purchased last year, so I find it disappointing that already I may have an outdated battery, which I see from online stores seems to cost $140 USD, so I can't justify spending that money already to replace a perfectly good battery that is only 1 year old.
> 
> I have tried double tapping the junction A button twice at varying rates, and my Garmin never moves out of Mode "M". Nothing on the drive train seems different when I ride, so all indications are that this bike cannot go into S1 or S2 from fully manual. I may need to change the battery which is not an option for me now. Does the battery theory make sense?
> 
> Also, 2 related questions: How many years can one expect a DI2 battery to last? And second, does the D-Fly chew up much battery power? I ask the last question because I fully charged the bike, the Garmin showed 100% DI2 battery power, and 80 km later, it showed 90% power. So very roughly 80 km for 10% battery drain which would mean I would get 800 km on a single charge. Last year, without the D-Fly installed, I did almost 3000 km on a single charge so my conclusion is that it may be a pig on power.
> 
> Thanks


You need either the BT-DN100 or BT-DN110 battery. You also need the SW90A/B or MT800 or SC9050 or SC-9051 Junction A.

It should be noted...that Garmin's sense of battery life on 3rd party devices leaves much to be desired. It is more often than not wrong. Trust your native Di2 readout first and the Garmin readout last.


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## xxl

Tangential question: Would it be technologically feasible for e-shifting systems to have several modes built in, so that a derailleur system could be used across different manufacturers' cassettes (with their different spacings among the gears)? Such a system could also allow users to set their shift points for 10-, 11-speed, or other spacings.

I can see why, e.g., Shimano, with its STI orientation (the "I" does not stand for "interchangeability"), would not necessarily _want_ to accommodate being able to use its e-shifting systems with Campy or SRAM cassettes, but wondered if such a thing would be possible to engineer into the "Di-X" code.


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## Marc

xxl said:


> Tangential question: Would it be technologically feasible for e-shifting systems to have several modes built in, so that a derailleur system could be used across different manufacturers' cassettes (with their different spacings among the gears)? Such a system could also allow users to set their shift points for 10-, 11-speed, or other spacings.
> 
> I can see why, e.g., Shimano, with its STI orientation (the "I" does not stand for "interchangeability"), would not necessarily _want_ to accommodate being able to use its e-shifting systems with Campy or SRAM cassettes, but wondered if such a thing would be possible to engineer into the "Di-X" code.



A) 10s/11s: Theoretically, yes. Practically, no. Shimano intentionally broke generational compatibility with 11s. Which is terrible news for anyone wanting a triple.

B) Cassettes are basically interchangeable now with 11s....the cog spacing is so close and the differences so small, that odds are with a limit screw adjust and maybe an index adjust it would work fine. People do it with mechanical today, should carry over to Di2.


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## part_robot

Bikenut said:


> So very roughly 80 km for 10% battery drain which would mean I would get 800 km on a single charge. Last year, without the D-Fly installed, I did almost 3000 km on a single charge so my conclusion is that it may be a pig on power.
> 
> Thanks


My experience so far mirrors that to the km; I used to get 3000km on one charge and I'm definitely getting much less than 1000km using the semi-auto mode. It's extremely annoying as I'm finding I'm having to charge it every 3-4 weeks now


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