Electric gear shifting?

[Dave W]

Had a go on a bike fitted with the Shimano system. I must say although I might not need it myself, the shifts were superb, I was very impressed to be honest. I didn't study it in any great depth because it wasn't my bike and we were in a bit of a hurry. Is it the future? Probably not but it does have a place I suppose.

[hondated]

Someone I know had the opportunity to also ride a bike with electronic gears and also straight after one with Campag. And his view was that he would have a Chorus equipped bike over an electronic one every time.
A case of you pays your money and takes your choice I suppose.

[eileithyia]

Horses for courses, you very prescise gear changes, but of course you also have to be able to re-charge the battery, there is quite a bit of life in them though.... in 2 weeks in Mallorca my other half only needed to charge the hire bike once.

One of the cyclist who worked for our usual bike hire company has advancing arthritis in his hands and finds changing gear difficult, for him electronic gears were a revelation and an extension to his cycling enjoyment.

[greyingbeard]

given how many cogs are now fitted on a wheel, and how close together they are, the slightest cable stretch/dirt etc can put indexed gears out of adjustment, I can see them becoming a pain. Elec controoled shifts the way to go for ease of use
Im not confident of long term durability, total soakings etc, for now at least I'll stick with the 5- to 9- speeds that Ive got, and a friction option on the levers where Ive got it - that always works.

[mercalia]

The next thing Shimano will dream up is electric transmission, no chain.You turn the pedals and turn a generator and the power goes to a motor built into the rear wheel.

[JohnW]

The next thing Shimano will dream up is ................

The next thing that Shimano will dream up is another invention that didn't need inventing for replacement of something that worked well and wasn't a problem and that they can charge a fortune for to take more money from you.

I know I'm a pain in the saddle contact zone because I keep saying this, and I'm steadily making myself a laughing stock, but I'm still using friction down-tube gear change levers, and despite all that's been said otherwise on the Forum - what the hell's wrong with them?

[Samuel D]

I don’t doubt that electric shifting can work well, but:

• cable shifting works well enough that further improvement is pointless from a practical perspective
• the last thing I want is another battery to keep charged
• it is contrary to the simple beauty and self-powered spirit of cycling.

I am completely against it for my own bicycle, though I don’t mind others using it – as long as mechanical systems remain an option in the future!

II know I'm a pain in the saddle contact zone because I keep saying this, and I'm steadily making myself a laughing stock, but I'm still using friction down-tube gear change levers, and despite all that's been said otherwise on the Forum - what the hell's wrong with them?

There was an interesting interview with Wiggins somewhere in which he contrasted the work of riding his electric-shifting Pinarello with the pleasure of riding his old Colnago with down-tube shifters. Pretty clear which he prefers!

There are a handful of professional racers who refuse to ride electric-shifting bikes despite sponsorship pressure. One such rider is Cancellara.

[JohnW]

I don’t doubt that electric shifting can work well, but:

• cable shifting works well enough that further improvement is pointless from a practical perspective
• the last thing I want is another battery to keep charged
• it is contrary to the simple beauty and self-powered spirit of cycling.

I am completely against it for my own bicycle, though I don’t mind others using it – as long as mechanical systems remain an option in the future!

II know I'm a pain in the saddle contact zone because I keep saying this, and I'm steadily making myself a laughing stock, but I'm still using friction down-tube gear change levers, and despite all that's been said otherwise on the Forum - what the hell's wrong with them?

There was an interesting interview with Wiggins somewhere in which he contrasted the work of riding his electric-shifting Pinarello with the pleasure of riding his old Colnago with down-tube shifters. Pretty clear which he prefers!

There are a handful of professional racers who refuse to ride electric-shifting bikes despite sponsorship pressure. One such rider is Cancellara.

Oh thank you Samuel - that's come like a breath of fresh air to me.

[reohn2]

I don’t doubt that electric shifting can work well, but:

• cable shifting works well enough that further improvement is pointless from a practical perspective
• the last thing I want is another battery to keep charged
  I am completely against it for my own bicycle, though I don’t mind others using it – as long as mechanical systems remain an option in the future!
  

Agreed,electronic shifting has no place in my cycling,and I want no part of it.

it is contrary to the simple beauty and self-powered spirit of cycling.

In one sense I agree but the same could be said about any new innovation in cycling,disc brakes,dérailleurs,STI's,etc.

There was an interesting interview with Wiggins somewhere in which he contrasted the work of riding his electric-shifting Pinarello with the pleasure of riding his old Colnago with down-tube shifters. Pretty clear which he prefers!
There are a handful of professional racers who refuse to ride electric-shifting bikes despite sponsorship pressure. One such rider is Cancellara.

They'll have their own reasons for preference as I have mine.
Mine are battery life both short and long term,breakdowns by the roadside and both initial and replacement lever/mechs/battery cost which though very costly ATM will I'm will come down.
But you just can't get away from the fact that with an electronic shifting bike,a roadside breakdown kills the ride stone dead.
As I cycle for pleasure,whilst a breakdown isn't pleasant 99.9% are repairable within minutes.

That said there's a lot of money sloshing around,whatever the politrickians keep telling us,and with cycling becoming the 'new golf' with lots of people spending upwards of £3k on a bike and most of those having never raced in their lives,there'll be a market for electronic shifting,silly rear cog numbers,crazy servicing costs,£200 shoes,etc,etc.

It's the way of consumerism,as long as there are consumers,consumerism will consume them

Don't blame Mr Shimano or Messers Campagnolo,Sram they'll only make what they can sell,if the people won't buy it they won't make it.
Which opens another debate,who's wagging what?

[robc02]

I don’t doubt that electric shifting can work well, but:

cable shifting works well enough that further improvement is pointless from a practical perspective
the last thing I want is another battery to keep charged
it is contrary to the simple beauty and self-powered spirit of cycling.
I am completely against it for my own bicycle, though I don’t mind others using it – as long as mechanical systems remain an option in the future!

Spot on IMO.

[JohnW]

I don’t doubt that electric shifting can work well, but:

cable shifting works well enough that further improvement is pointless from a practical perspective
the last thing I want is another battery to keep charged
it is contrary to the simple beauty and self-powered spirit of cycling.
I am completely against it for my own bicycle, though I don’t mind others using it – as long as mechanical systems remain an option in the future!

Spot on IMO.

Absolutely.

[mercalia]

Apart from specialisded uses such as the case of arthritus mentioned above, seems like the equivalent of adding electronic ignition to a steam train? Derailleur gears are are stupid idea that works well in practice? thats it.

[Mark1978]

I'm well into gadgets especially GPS tracking and measuring cadence and power and whatever. But even I think that electronic shifting is against the spirit of cycling in that it's supposed to be human powered, having a motor anywhere, even one that changes gear defeats the purpose.

That said I would still have one, as I would have an electric bike, but it's not something I'd seek out.

[andrewjoseph]

i'd love to try them, just because. i think they would be a great for my wife if they did them in triple.

[reohn2]

Apart from specialisded uses such as the case of arthritus ........

That's one very significant plus that's been aired before by CJ when the subject has come up on here before,and has got to be worth it for such sufferers.But if people have so much trouble with gear changing the question arises as to how such sufferers find braking