FAQ

WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTION MANUALS?

D1x Trail Shifter (Gen 1)

Paddle Remote

MFR Remote

DBR Remote

WHAT COMES IN THE BOX?

We include everything you need to get set up and running. Here's a list of the goods that come in the D1x Trail Shifter Kit:

  • D1x Trail Shifter
  • Handlebar mounted remote
  • MatchMaker compatible clamp and bolt
  • Shifter mounting hardware
  • Batteries for both remote and shifter
  • USB compatible charger
  • 60cm shift cable
  • 20cm shift cable housing and ferrules
  • 1 pair of shifter retention straps and mounting hardware

Most folks include a Trailside Battery Kit with their order so they have a second set of batteries. 

You may also consider getting a second set of Retention Straps in case you need to replace one (though a zip tie works in a pinch!)

WHEN WILL MY ORDER SHIP?

Please allow 3-5 business days for your order to ship out. We aim to get all orders out ASAP however we're a small team and sometimes it takes a little longer to package and ship them all out. We appreciate your patience!

WHERE CAN I TRY THIS OUT?

Head down to any of the shops listed on our Demo page. Don't see your shop listed? Have them contact us at sales@archercomponents.com for a free 30-day trial!

HOW DOES THE D1x WORK?

Think of the D1x as shifter – similar to the mechanical shifter that’s on your handlebar right now – but programmable, flexible, and simple to adjust.

At the heart of the D1x is a servo that pulls a small length of shifter cable to move your derailleur to get your chain into each gear on the cassette.

The D1x is fully programmable. So instead of a ratchet mechanism in your mechanical shifter, you have the ability to set the D1x to work with any number of gears, and on any derailleur-cassette combination. Gone are the days of pull ratio and barrel adjusters. 

You setup the D1x using a simple configuration app on your smart phone or tablet. Set your shift points, configure your settings, and hit the trails. 

GOT ANY INDEPENDENT REVIEWS?

Yes! Check out our News and Reviews page to see what folks are saying about the D1x Trail.

WHY WOULD I EVER WANT THIS?

We get this question a lot. People say, “hmmm, that’s cool, but why?” Here is a quick list of the top 9 reasons for electronic shifting, especially the D1x Trail.

  1. Electronic shifting is quicker, easier, and more flexible than mechanical shifting.
  2. The precision of the D1x reduces the wear on your drivetrain helping your components stay newer longer.
  3. The Micro-adjust remote lets you tune individual gears instead of a mechanical barrel adjust or the AXS trim feature which moves the entire setup (all 12 gears) inboard or out.
  4. Electronic shifting reduces fatigue on long rides especially if you have previous wrist injuries or arthritis.
  5. Our approach puts the sensitive electronics in a safe spot instead of hanging off the back of your vulnerable derailleur like AXS and Di2
  6. Internal cable routing is a pain.
  7. Swapping drivetrain components is simple with the D1x. If your derailleur gets mashed you can replace it with almost any 11 or 12-speed mech and quickly re-index using the app.
  8. If you’re running a 1×11 setup today, with the D1x you can change your cassette to a 12 speed, adjust your b-limit, and tell your D1x that you have 12 speeds now. Simple.
  9. Cable stretch is a real thing. Not to geek out, but stretch is a function of length. Longer cables are more prone to longer stretch. With the D1x you can run a 20cm cable to minimize stretch.

HOW DO I INSTALL THE D1x TRAIL?

Here’s the instruction and installation manual (pdf link)

Also, check out the installation video here:

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MICRO-ADJUST REMOTE AND A STANDARD REMOTE?

Starting with the D1x Trail the micro-adjust feature has been moved to the remote. With a Micro-adjust Remote you can fine tune each individual shift point while you ride. Here's a quick video:

HOW DO I TURN OFF THE REMOTE?

The remote is designed to shut off automatically when it cannot connect to the shifter. Sometimes you may need to power off the remote manually. Here's how:

  • You can power your remote down by pressing and holding the Micro-adjust button for 5 seconds.
  • If you don't have a micro-adjust button you can turn the remote off by removing the battery.

WHAT’S THE BATTERY LIFE?

The new D1x Trail has updated battery management technology that gives an astounding 80 hours of runtime in normal mode and up to 150 (!?!) hours in low power mode. When the system starts up an LED shows the approximate battery level of the shifter and remote. Green means go, red means charge after this ride, and flashing red means charge before you go. 

WHAT IS LOW POWER MODE?

With Low Power Mode you get all of the same awesome shifting performance but half the power consumption. The drawback is that Auto-shutdown and Get Me Home Gear are disabled. Also, the green flashing LED on the shifter is turned off to... you guessed it, save power.

GET ME HOME GEAR?

When the system senses that your shifter battery is critically low it will move into the gear you select in the app as your GMHG and leave you there while it powers down. This is meant to be a mid-cassette gear that you can use to safely pedal home.

WHAT DO THE LEDS MEAN?

  • Red flashing LED means the shifter is looking for a connection – either the phone or remote can connect and control the shifter.
  • Green flashing LED means the shifter is connected and functioning properly.
  • Orange flashing LED means you’re either in micro-adjust mode or you’re trying to pair with a remote.

HOW DO I TURN THE REMOTE OFF?

The remote turns off automatically when it senses that the connection with the shifter is broken. You can turn your remote off by turning off the shifter and waiting a few seconds. The LED on the remote will flash green for 30 seconds and then red twice to indicate it’s shutting down. You can also just take out the battery from the remote, that’ll kill the power quickly.

WILL THIS WORK ON MY … DRIVETRAIN?

Yes. Unless you’ve got a Rohloff or Pinion gearbox. 

CAN I INSTALL THIS ON A ….. BIKE?

The most important consideration when installing the D1x is space on the chain stay for the shifter. You should check that you have adequate linear space along the stay that is clear of any cable bosses or curves. You’ll want approximately 6 inches of space to get good placement.

CAN YOU HACK MY SHIFTER?

Yes – take precaution by not saving your ATM pin, SSN, or library card on your shifter.

CAN I HACK MY SHIFTER?

Hell yeah! We love to support non-traditional uses of our technology. Contact us at info@archercomponents.com with your crazy idea and we’ll do what we can to help build your dream!

IS IT WATERPROOF?

The electronics in the shifter and remote are coated to protect against water damage should water sneak in. The enclosures are sealed and welded shut so the chance of water sneaking in is fairly low.

Obviously, there’s one large hole in the shifter where the shifter cable comes out so excessive submersion of the shifter is not advised. Excess water and mud in the drive tunnel can cause the motor to wear out prematurely.

WHAT IS THE OPERATING AND STORAGE TEMPERATURE OF THE UNIT?

Battery charging: 0°C to 45°C
Operation: -10°C to 50°C
Storage: -20°C to 40°C
Note: Do not store the lithium ion batteries at lower than -20°C for longer than 6 months.
Note: Discharging the lithium ion batteries at low temperatures will negatively impact battery life.

WHAT KIND OF BATTERIES DO YOU USE?

The D1x ships with 14500 and 10440 protected lithium-ion batteries. You can get replacements from the Archer store online. 14500 cells are AA size, 900mAh capacity, 50mm long and 14mm diameter. 10440 cells are AAA size, 600mAh capacity, 44mm long and 10mm diameter.

You can also get replacements from vendors elsewhere but be very careful to get the correct sized cells. Some vendors sell unprotected li-ion batteries that do not have overcharge and over-discharge protection circuits – this is dangerous. Seriously.

Further some other vendors sell 14500 and 10440 batteries that are slightly larger than the batteries that fit in the D1x. Using these larger batteries can break your shifter and ruin your day.

Last thing I’ll say here, some vendors sell batteries with crazy high capacity ratings that seem too good to be true. We’ve done tests on batteries from many vendors and have found that the high-capacity cells are often not as powerful as they say on the package. Stick with the Archer brand batteries and you can’t go wrong.

WHAT KIND OF WARRANTY DO YOU OFFER?

30-day “no questions asked” money back guarantee. This offer is good for 30-days from the date of purchase. This offer is only valid for orders placed directly from our online store at www.archercomponents.com. This offer is not valid for purchases made from resellers or any other 3rd party vendor.

Customers that take advantage of the 30-day money back guarantee will not be allowed to place subsequent orders from our shop for a period of 6-months. 

1-year guarantee against manufacturing defects. Contact support@archercomponents.com for warranty issues.