Di2 Mountain Bike

The Di2 Mountain Bike project was conceived upon considering the following question, “What will the future of mountain biking be?” Internally routed hydraulic and electrical lines, carbon fiber rotors, “single sided forks”, and electric shifting are just some of the possibilities this bike executes. The main focus was to bring together a variety of unique parts in a durable race worthy platform. The build is not necessarily the lightest, but still weighs a feathery 18lbs.The paint scheme was designed by Fairwheel’s Brian Meyer after a discussion involving how to implement Di2 in to a mountain bike platform. Discussion considered the pro’s and con’s of combining a classic panel design with emerging technology and components. The paint lets the carbon tubing emerge amidst classic banding and paneling, while utilizing new color approaches to old designs. The schematics of the seat and top tube cluster are a combination of Di2 elements and circuitry.

The amount of secrecy surrounding the development of Di2 also informed the design. Internet forums had been abuzz with spy photos and speculation. Questions ran the typical gamut asking, “how does it work”, “how will it perform”, “how much will it weigh”, and most humorously – “what if I run out of battery power during a ride?”. How did Fairwheel implement Di2 on a mountain bike? A bit of soldering, a bit of drilling, and a bit of wiring.

A big unknown was just how the bike would perform. After all, mountain biking places unique stresses on a bike. The answer was a relief, with the bike riding and shifting flawlessly, under all of the demands of cross country riding. The project has left us quit certain that we’ll see a MTB specific electric design in the future.

Di2 Mountain Bike Part List