Quote Originally Posted by Owlie View Post
I totally agree that if you have hand issues (arthritis, etc), electronic shifting is definitely a plus. I think there's a difference between accommodating so that you can ride comfortably and buying it because of purported performance improvement (and because it's a cool new toy). But then, you could say that about nearly anything.
I thought Di2 was stupid, too...until I broke my wrist mountain-biking. It's taken me a long time to have enough strength in my fingers/wrist/hand to properly shift my right SRAM lever and my wrist limited my rides until the past couple of months. Had I broken my left wrist I'd really be screwed. It's hard work shifting to the big ring on that side even with a fully functional wrist.

So, yeah, they serve a purpose. I'm considering Di2 on my next bike...especially if I develop arthritis in my bum wrist. Anything that allows me to bike more, in spite of physical limitations/injury, is a good thing.