How to install Di2 SW-R610 Sprinter Switches

How to install Di2 SW-R610 Sprinter Switches

[@scottabergermd]

Great video. Can you install them on the flat part of the handlebar, so they can be used when cruising?

[@TumshieHeed]

Yes. You can place the Sprinter Switches anywhere on the bar you like, as long as they cable reaches there. Thanks for looking.

[@scottabergermd]

Thank you for your prompt reply. Are the cables long enough, in your opinion to reach the bar near the step for shifting when you are riding on the flat part of the bars? If not is there an extension cable that can be bought to add length to these switches?

[@TumshieHeed]

+Paindoctor Hi, 1. There is no Shimano extension cable available and the Sprinter Switches will only work on the keyed port, sadly. Do not try to 'splice' a standard wire to the flat Sprinter Shifter wire. This will short the system out the first time you press the switch. The 9070s [levers] and 6870s have the 3 ports the lower one with the dedicated Sprinter Switch keyed port. The Sprinter Switch is the only component with this keyed and dedicated wiring connector. The sprint shifters do not contain a circuit board and do not present as components on the CAN bus network of the Di2 system. The sprint shifters are simple momentary trip switches that 'talk' to the circuit board on the STI levers to which they are connected. The lever is what sends the shift signal to the system. The R600 Climbing Shifter can be stripped of its housing and glued with resin anywhere on the bars? If you want to adapt a switch then the R600s give more control and can be configured to operate either the Front RD or the Back RD independently of the levers, The R610s can only call the variables set in the levers. So, if I were you I would use the R600 unit and strip off the housing, which is too bulky in my view, and glue it to the bar for climbing. I run BOTH R600 and R610 buttons on my climbing bike and I highly recommend that configuration. They are so worth it, if you have the $s to spend. 2. As for popping the R610s on the tops/underneath, there are too many variables [bar width, lever position, preferred hand placement] to be sure if you would want the Sprinter Switches there. The cable is long enough to run about half way along my 420mm bars. That is not long enough for my preferred position. Also, to fix them there you may need to alter/remove the clips and resin-fix them like Froome did with his Climbing Shifters. If your bars are not flat on the tops they will not need adapting, of course. In sum: I highly recommend running the R600s on your tops with the housing removed and resin sealed and adhered to your bars. If you do that I predict you will love it. And you can do that on the old 2-port levers as well as the 9070 and 6870 levers which have 3 ports because they R600 unit uses the standard 2nd gen Di2 connector. Hope this helps. Enjoy riding with Di2. I love it.