Overview of Electronic Shifting Systems for Bicycles: Brands and Series

Electronic Shifting Systems for Road Bikes

Shimano: Di2

Di2, Shimano’s electronic shifting system, is the most widely used in the world. Known for its pinpoint accuracy and lightning-fast shifting, it’s trusted by professional road racers across the globe.

First launched in 2009 as part of the DURA-ACE series, Di2 has continued to evolve and now features a semi-wireless system.

Today, Di2 is not only available in the top-tier DURA-ACE group but also in Shimano’s second-tier ULTEGRA and third-tier 105 lines, making electronic shifting more accessible than ever.

SRAM: eTap / AXS

SRAM entered the road bike electronic shifting market a bit later, introducing eTap in 2015 as part of its flagship RED lineup. It stunned the cycling world with a completely wireless shifting system, using no wires at all.

Later, SRAM released the more advanced and flexible AXS (pronounced “access”) system. While originally designed for MTB, AXS now supports features like power meters and dropper seatposts, adapting to a variety of rider needs.

In recent years, SRAM has begun branding its road bike electronic components under the AXS name as well (sometimes written as eTap AXS), signaling that the future of SRAM’s road tech lies with AXS.

Campagnolo: EPS

Campagnolo, one of the “big three” road bike component makers, launched its electronic shifting system EPS (Electronic Power Shift) in 2012.

Staying true to its classic Ergopower lever design, Campagnolo retained the familiar feel of its mechanical levers while integrating electronic switch-based shifting.

Electronic Shifting Systems for MTB

Shimano: Di2

Shimano’s electronic shifting system for MTB uses the same Di2 branding as its road counterparts. While Di2 is available down to the third-tier 105 series for road bikes, as of February 2024, the MTB lineup is limited to the top-tier XTR and second-tier Deore XT groups.

SRAM: AXS

In the MTB segment, SRAM has been gaining traction and visibility in recent years, even outshining Shimano in some respects. Its MTB-specific electronic shifting system is AXS, which is also becoming the unified standard for SRAM’s road bike components.

The biggest differences from Shimano’s Di2 are:

• Fully wireless design
• Integration with other accessories like dropper seatposts

SRAM has also been focusing heavily on compatibility. All of its current MTB drivetrain series under the Eagle name feature 12-speed cassettes and are fully interchangeable across different tiers. Additionally, SRAM offers upgrade kits that let you convert a mechanical setup to electronic shifting just by adding an AXS derailleur and shifter.

In 2023, SRAM introduced the Eagle Transmission series. This lineup eliminates the traditional derailleur hanger in favor of the Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) standard—generating a lot of buzz in the MTB community.