Electronic Shifting System

[alienator]

The other issue is, mechanical bikes are green. With NiMH/Li-ion batteries, it would no longer be a green machine but become another one of those environmentally polluting electronic gadget that has life cycle measured in terms of months.

The green issue is uber questionable. The issue of green, if you're going to use it strictly, has to include the production process, too. As such, how green are bicycles? How green is ore mining, CF production, painting, lubricant production, cleaning solvent production, tire production? And what happens to disposed tires, tubes, maintenance trash, lubes and solvents, and discarded parts?

New battery technology provides long lifetimes and many charges for said batteries. Further, research into small fuel cells--like to power cell phones, computers, and etc.--is going like gang busters. A fuel cell powered bicycle would be as clean as a bike today.

As for the electronics, they need not be short lived, either.

 

[sogood]

As for the electronics, they need not be short lived, either.

True, there are production issues in terms of that green calculation. I hate to think what goes into the making of a CF component.

As for the lifecycle of electronics. True that they don't have to be short lived, but that seemed to be how companies do it, so as to enforce a kind of forced upgrade pressure on the consumer.

In any case, we'll wait and see what develops with these systems. It'll be interesting to know whether the companies can recoup their development cost on these.

 

[LeDomestique]

Your argument might work for you, but it does not work in general.

As is frequently the case with new products or innovation, the benefits are not always evident to everyone.

Unfortunately, I agree. 10 years from now I'll be wondering how on earth did I manage to shift without my Electronic Dura-Ace. Or even worse....shifting (as we now know it) will be a thing of the past thanks to the auto-shifting electronics.

I still think that -much like many, many other products- this is a product trying to create a market for itself rather than the other way around.

Duh

 

[alienator]

As for the lifecycle of electronics. True that they don't have to be short lived, but that seemed to be how companies do it, so as to enforce a kind of forced upgrade pressure on the consumer.

I think you can rest a good bit of the blame for this on the marketeers and the gotta have the new thing consumers.

In any case, we'll wait and see what develops with these systems. It'll be interesting to know whether the companies can recoup their development cost on these.

Yup. These is definitely interesting and fun times in bike technology and development.

Actually, I've had an idea that I thought would be much better than an electronic gruppo. I thought it would be uber cool if frame manufacturers started building frames with wiring for computers/power meters already bonded inside the frame. At each end of the frame, wiring would emerge and end in a universal connection, maybe like a USB or summat. Something like this would make wirelss computers mostly irrelevant, and bikes would look that much cleaner. At the handlebar end, it would be even cooler yet, 'cuz by the time this happened flexible OLED displays would be common. All a guy would have to do is bond his display/computer to the handlebar and plug it in. Slick, sleek, and tech geek hot!

 

[alienator]

Unfortunately, I agree. 10 years from now I'll be wondering how on earth did I manage to shift without my Electronic Dura-Ace. Or even worse....shifting (as we now know it) will be a thing of the past thanks to the auto-shifting electronics.

I still think that -much like many, many other products- this is a product trying to create a market for itself rather than the other way around.

Duh

Hey, my own feelngs about der electronic gruppos are mostly like yers: I don't see any advantage in it for me, and I'm not certain that technology is to the point wherein these gruppos will be robust enough and small enough...at least not small enough to not look beastly.

Still, I'm trying to keep an open mind about 'em. Go figure: I dig the mechanical feel of my Record group; and at the same time I'm having wet dreams thinkin' about a set of new, $5000, LEW wheels.

 

[Giant1]

I have never seen an electronic shift set up. I'm guessing that there would be some kind of servo or motor at each derailleur to activate the gear changes. So between the unit that sends out a signal and a reciever / activator at the other end it just sounds like a lot of additional componentry and possibly weight just to match what the incumbent mechancial systems currently do so well.

Having said that I'm sure that the big players will eventually put something out on the market just because they always need a new product to generate interest and $. It's how they keep the punters going back for more (release the next latest and greatest must have product)

 

[sogood]

Actually, I've had an idea that I thought would be much better than an electronic gruppo. I thought it would be uber cool if frame manufacturers started building frames with wiring for computers/power meters already bonded inside the frame. At each end of the frame, wiring would emerge and end in a universal connection, maybe like a USB or summat. Something like this would make wirelss computers mostly irrelevant, and bikes would look that much cleaner. At the handlebar end, it would be even cooler yet, 'cuz by the time this happened flexible OLED displays would be common. All a guy would have to do is bond his display/computer to the handlebar and plug it in. Slick, sleek, and tech geek hot!

Hey, I thought that was my idea. Let me check my invention record and entry dates...

 

[vascdoc]

Check out this link:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=4772

It will provide you photos and review of the Campy and Shimano systems. It also talks about the Mavic system from the 1980's. The advantages of the system in principle are that you could shift unlimited numbers of coags faster than with a conventional system, and you are not using the mechanics of the pedal stroke to drive the shift and thus do not need to change your cadance. I personally do not find a need in my riding for such a system. The pain of worring about another battery thing to charge on top of the glitches that will occur with a new production model make it very unlikely that many of us will use it for a long time.

 

[Buffalo Dude]

Could you imagine the chaos that would ensue if the channels got scambled?



I'll stick with my mechanical shifters. Heck, I still like riding my older touring bike with the down-tube frictional shifters.

 

[sogood]

Could you imagine the chaos that would ensue if the channels got scambled?

Wired system could easily get around this concern. Just don't cut that cable...

 

[graphixgeek]

I know that three bicycle manufacturers are touting Shimano's new automatic 3-spd. I believe Trek, Giant, and Raleigh have at least one model. Not quite the all electric drivetrain, but maybe a testbed? As for me...I like the combination of the friction front, indexed rear downtube levers...