Ultegra Ui2 or SRAM Red?

I have no experience of Ultegra or Dura Ace di2 electronic shifting BUT my understanding is that the battery lasts for an exceptionally long time.

Just a thought, have you considered Campag? Got my first campy athena equiped bike this year and at the moment will never go back! Both the SRAM and Ui2 are great groupsets though, would love to try the electronic thing!

I'm guessing that DI2 carries a weight penalty over the mechanical equivalent(?) If this is the case, then given that SRAM Red is lighter than Dura-Ace, (and DA is lighter than Ultegra), have you checked out the total weight difference and assessed whether that matters to you?

What about mechanical Dura-Ace? What's the price difference between that and UDi2? I can't help thinking that something with the evolution and 'tried-and-tested' history of mech DA has a lot going for it.

Either way, sounds like it will be a lovely bike, and I'm jealous of the climate difference, the weather on my ride was miserable today!

or get yourself a single speed for the commuting and SRAM force, or non-electronic Ultegra and some decent wheels.

First off, I have no experience of commuting with electronic shifting. But I run SRAM Red on my road bike and I think it basically depends on what you want from your drivetrain. SRAM Red is light, positive in action and pretty dependable. But it does go out of tolerance at the rear very easily and needs a good eye keeping on it. But having said that, you can do that work yourself, no problem.

If you want the ease factor, almost fit and forget, then Ui2 would likely be better. Electronic shifters just look after themselves that bit better. In day to day commuting, both systems are a total luxury but I think you'll spend less time fiddling with Ui2. For racing though, SRAM Red will save you some weight - as they are occasional races, and all things considered, if I were you, I'd go electronic.