Archer Components' D1x shifting system doesn't achieve a quantum leap in shifting performance, but does offer several nice features.
. Archer now has three different remotes available; the DBR, the Paddle, and the MFR Drop Bar remote. The Paddle Remote offers nine different paddle color options.
fit around the D1x shifter in my Trek Remedy’s rear end, so removing my rear wheel was no problem at all. Of course this all depends on your frame and tire choices, but I’d bet most bikes won’t present a problem. First you tell the app how many gears your cassette has. Then you snug up the cable with a few taps of the left double arrow button and start running through the gears. With one hand spinning your crank, you simply push the left double arrow button until the derailleur shifts cogs. Once you’re sitting nicely in a gear, you tap the left ‘Gear’ button on the app screen and repeat the procedure through the cassette.
This little hill entering my favourite trail zone isn’t much, but it’s the first place I have to drop a few gears quickly. I found Archer’s system handled this task quite well. The Sprint batteries’ life is as promised or better: I’ve ridden at least the estimated 25 hours on a charge, and only recharged the remote’s internal battery once so far. I have also ridden at least an hour and a half with the shifter’s battery indicator showing solid red and I got home before it died.
To hit the upper paddle, your thumb has to move more rearward than it would with a traditional trigger shifter. On two occasions while upshifting, I accidentally hit the lower paddle while my thumb was moving back to my grip, putting me back into the gear I just came from. This was really a matter of getting used to the remote, and didn’t prove to be an ongoing issue. However, it made me realize that the upper paddle requires more thumb motion than I’d like.