You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I picked up some XT Di2 kit recently and quite fancy fitting it to my flat bar commuter bike. Problem is that the frame isn't internally routed but the Di2 is the internal mount stuff.
Has anyone tried drilling an aluminium frame for Di2?
Any problems with it?
Anyone??
Not tried, but I’d assume the same applies for Di2 drilling as for fitting a stealth dropper to a frame not intended for one - I assume getting cables to and from a seatpost mounted battery is the main point? The chainstay would concern me more. Avoid weld areas and be cautious about frame butting - you want to be drilling in the thick parts of tubes.
I really wouldn't recommend, drilling a hole in a frame is basically introducing a stress riser. It's unlikely to crack straight away, but it is likely to provide the point at which a crack will start.
Even if you're drilling through the thick parts of tubes, they're thick for a reason in that area.
I don't think it's completely impossible, but finding an area on a modern frame where there's "redundant" material is pretty difficult. Maybe underneath the BB shell, or arguably in the front of the head tube, but both may make Di2 cable routing pretty tricky without wearing through the cable before too long.
I'm sure someone will be along soon to say "this is all rubbish, I've done it to mine and it's completely fine..."
It depends...both on the frame, and secondly, the number and size of holes needed.
There's a fair chance you will shorten the life span of your frame.
what is it that makes the Di2 internal mount? The battery? just look in ebay for external bottle cage battery and mount instead. And buy cables that are the correct length. I just upgraded my new steel tubed tricycle to 1x10 speed Di2 and it looks and runs fine. Mounting the battery was a challenge, but I did it with a Topeak seatmount bottle cage fitted to the rear of the seatpost for aeroz!
Is there a bottle cage boss on the seat tube?
Stick it in there, run the rest of the wires under tape.
A lot depends on the frame and how much it would upset you if it failed.
I made my allez sl frame work with internal di2. All it needed was one hole enlarging in the dropout end of the chainstay , one hole enlarging where the rear brake cable enters the top tube and one hole enlarging on the bottom of the bb shell. All three hole there already just made a bit bigger.
No one knows if your frame will be ok and up to you if you want to take the risk v a bottle cage mount that uses the internal seat post battery anyway and some sticky tape