Gallery: NAHBS 2010: Dura-Ace Di2 Takes Hold

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Training & Events

NAHBS 2010: Dura-Ace Di2 takes hold

Dave Wages built this Ellis bicycle with a mix of Dedacciai steel tubing

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The Di2 wire enters the frame just aft of the head tube at this neat brazed-on port

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The battery is mounted beneath the chainstay using dedicated braze-ons

© James Huang/BikeRadar
A small loop added on the dropout helps guide the Di2 wire

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The rear brake cable is routed internally, too

© James Huang/BikeRadar
This beautiful polished Ellis frame was built with Reynolds 953 stainless steel tubing

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The masked and blasted logo is beautifully subtle – and permanent

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Barrel adjusters are integrated into the lower head tube lug.

© James Huang/BikeRadar
In contrast to the internally concealed Di2 setup, the external cables on this Ellis are almost intentionally put on display

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Polished Reynolds 953 tubes mate to the painted bottom bracket shell

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The rear of the brake bridge is gently rounded …

© James Huang/BikeRadar
… but the front is more tightly pinched

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Ellis's dropout design is open and airy

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The chainstay end is cleanly filled in

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The lugged stem matches perfectly

© James Huang/BikeRadar
This supposedly says 'Dr Tea' in reference to the bike's owner

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Underneath the ornate paint and polish jobs is this impeccable brazing

© James Huang/BikeRadar
SyCip also chose to build a bike with Shimano's new Dura-Ace Di2 electronic group

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Rather than hide the battery away, SyCip mount it right up top and even embellish it with a custom stitched and branded leather cover

© James Huang/BikeRadar
We can expect to see more of this type of routing in the future as Di2 continues to gain acceptance among small builders

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The rear derailleur wire exits neatly just ahead of the polished dropout

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Peeking through the SyCip logo is a strip of polished stainless steel

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Carefully applied paint adorns the front end

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The stitched-on leather bar wrap was custom branded witih the SyCip logo

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The leather saddle gets the same treatment

© James Huang/BikeRadar
SyCip also showed off this gorgeous green and white fixie

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The branding is even more apparent on this white leather handlebar covering

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Cherubim's steel road racer was as much fine art as it was high-tech

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Rather than keep the wire entry and exit points quiet and unobtrusive, Cherubim chose to make them a design feature

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Ornate entry ports for the Di2 wire and rear brake cable are brazed to the underside of the down tube

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The battery mounts to dedicated braze-ons and the cable is routed through the chainstay

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Cherubim keeps the battery cable inside the frame all the way to the mount

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The integrated headset and fillet brazed joints make for a smooth look

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Mounted up high is a highly polished and chromed stem

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Since the rear brake is moved down near the bottom bracket, the seatstay bridge can be smaller and more elegant

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The rear derailleur wire exits just ahead of the chromed dropout

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Displayed right next to Cherubim's Di2-equipped roadster was this stunning blue creation with a retro spec

© James Huang/BikeRadar
We're not sure these eye-catching custom brake levers can pull enough cable to function well but they certainly look fantastic

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Even the headset spacer is perfectly tapered to maintain the smooth lines

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Interestingly enough, this wasn't the only three-arm Campagnolo crank spider on the floor at NAHBS

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The Simplex front derailleur is stunning in its simplicity

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Cherubim somehow found these old Cinelli clipless pedals

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Contrary to modern designs, the old Cinelli pedal used a manual release

© James Huang/BikeRadar
The chain may be modern but the Simplex rear derailleur most certainly is not

© James Huang/BikeRadar
This saddle clearly has no padding but perhaps its central 'cutout' makes it reasonable tolerable. Then again…

© James Huang/BikeRadar
Small chrome and paint details add to the appeal

© James Huang/BikeRadar