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[Closed] Electronic shifting

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[#794589]

has this already been done??

[url= http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/gear-shifters/product/dura-ace-di2-transmission-34981 ]http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/gear-shifters/product/dura-ace-di2-transmission-34981[/url]

sounds frackin excellent to me

though it is the classic example of technology stagnating and improvements coming from other new technologies piggybacking on (eg the internal combustion engine and computer management)

it does sound brilliant but i think it should be combined with a gearbox/hammerschmidt and or beltdrive to shift gearing up to the next level


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:06 pm
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no one?


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:42 pm
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Quite old hat that now, the reviews and such were around a year or so ago. By all accounts it could be great, but isn't!

Mavic used to do their offering, 'Mechtronic' or something, which was a bit more Heath Robinson and still didn't quite live up to expectations.

There's a number of DI2 compatible frames for 2010 with guides for the wires and places to put batteries, should make it more prolific.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:46 pm
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Nearly £1400 just for two mechs and shifters. Ought to be miraculous for that.

Dual Control shifters (pair) £499.99
Rear derailleur £489.99
Front derailleur £369.99
Battery £59.99
Upper wiring harness £84.99
Lower wiring harness £139.99
Battery charger £64.98


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:48 pm
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I'm ambivalent about gearboxes TBH, too heavy at the minute anyway, and TBH it's only stupid Brits that ride around in shite conditions, and are bothering with alternative drive train solutions. Every-one else either has "summer" conditions all year round, or they do proper Winter sports, because they can...

Electronic shifting will come, probably it will work quite well, not that bothered, as I can set up a dérailleur properly.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:49 pm
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[i]By all accounts it could be great, but isn't![/i]

Every review I've read seems to suggest it works perfectly?


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:50 pm
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i think he means the reports about mutliple shift issues and small fiddly buttons.

FWIW ive had a play on this in my LBS, its soooo smooth! id love to try it on an mtb, even if you were only limited to a 2*10 drivetrain (till someone sorts out the software hacks ;0)


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 2:56 pm
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Yes I was referring to the fact that they could've done whatever they wanted with the shifters and instead chose to mimic the action of mechanical STIs, which apparently makes them a bit fiddly to operate, particularly with gloves! Think it was Cycling News who said all that.

I shalln't be getting it, but would be interested to try it!


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:00 pm
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It's a step up from the Shimano Airlines system :p Personally though I think it's fairly pointless apart from on TT bikes where it's not only more aero with buttons but having them in multiple places is a definite advantage (and could be seen in the Tour with guys able to change when honking up hills on the cow horns rather than have to sit down and change on the tri bars then stand up again).


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:09 pm
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The next step would presumably be to hard wire the gearing into your brain so the bike (which is already monitoring speed, cadence, tyre pressure, road surface, elevation and gradient) could monitor your HR/wattage/lactic buildup etc and choose the optimum gear...


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:47 pm
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with my heartrate the bike would call an ambulance as soon as i got out the door!


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:49 pm
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What's your max then STATO, people generally seem pretty shocked at mine, be nice to know I'm not alone 🙂


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:53 pm
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Why have hydraulic shifters not been explored (or have they?)??

I'd have thought with all the accumulated knowledge from disc brakes, you could have a completely sealed hydraulic derailleur system that would work much better than cables - especially in all the winter cak.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:54 pm
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They did exist, but IIRC the company held a patent until about 2013, but swiftly stopped making them/they were rubbish (forget which!). They were about £700 per end.

I've just never had a problem with cable actuated mechs, is it just me!?


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:55 pm
 Sam
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Bring back AutoD!


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:56 pm
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STATO - LOL!

Mine's between 195 and 210, resting somewhere between 40 and 50.

Never done a proper max test though so only going off computrainer readings.

(I'm only 22 though)


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:57 pm
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Shimano's unofficial line on this seems to be that even if it's silly expensive now and not even a real advantage over standard DA, they're in the market now and they've got a head start on the oppo. As batteries get smaller and motors more powerful, they'll be able to improve it based on their experience while others will eventually be forced to jump in but without the benefit of consumer testing.

Campag also have/had electronic versions out in the last couple of years but haven't gone to market with it (yet!)


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:58 pm
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Oh and max HRs have very little to do with your ability as an athlete so stop the w!lly waving 😉


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 3:59 pm
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Upper wiring harness £84.99
Lower wiring harness £139.99

it's not wireless ???


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:03 pm
 hora
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Im sure back in 2002 Gid from DirtnDreams had a set of Shimano electronic shifters on his Uzzi. Think (from memory) they were £400 per shifter back then.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:05 pm
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No - that would require lots of separate batteries, hence my point about about how future improvements in batteries will make it more viable.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:05 pm
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It's hardly willy waving is it really!?

Most athletes tend to have quite low HRs, it's not willy waving in any capacity, even resting HR isn't much of a sign of fitness, there are too many other things that can affect it.

I can average >200 for 2 hour races though 🙂


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:06 pm
 hora
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HR? Courtesy of my Suunto T3, my resting is 47bpm. No idea on my max but when I carried out some quick pressups - it shot upto 90 then straight back down again (very rapidly).

I'm 16stone/6ft and badly out of shape to boot.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:10 pm
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it's not wireless ???

Maybe it'd be hard to design a wireless protocol that was immune to interference and worked reliably when surrounded by 100 other people using the same protocol, whilst still having enough battery life to work for 1000 miles of riding.

Given even wireless cycle computers aren't 100% reliable especially if someone else nearby has one, or you have a flashing bike light or heart rate monitor or whatever, I guess it would be a bit scary to rely on wireless transmission to actually control the gears.

Joe


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:10 pm
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Joe - nah, don't reckon it's a real issue - it's just about the batteries is what Shimano have said.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:15 pm
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Is there any point in making it wireless? After all, wires are no more of an issue than cables are...


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:20 pm
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I guess it would be a bit scary to rely on wireless transmission to actually control the gears.

for brakes maybe - but the wrong gear is rarely calamitous - and after all GPS signals are way below the background noise level... and wires are far more fragile than steel cables!


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:20 pm
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"but the wrong gear is rarely calamitous "

Depends on how seriously you are riding. If it means the difference between winning or being first loser then it is pretty calamitous to some.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:26 pm
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If it means the difference between winning or being first loser then it is pretty calamitous to some.

yeah but I don't care about such obsessive types :o)


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:33 pm
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It would certainly be of interest to me to be able to change my riding buddies gears remotely, giving me the only chance I'll ever get to actually beat them somewhere!


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:33 pm
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Then you are not the target market for this product SFB.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:38 pm
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If you think about it, you don't really need two shifters. You us need to program the controller to do a double-shift when it changes front ring. No more cross-chaining.


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:45 pm
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Then you are not the target market for this product SFB.

no, I'm the bloke with a 'borrowed' supermarket trolley collecting the discards of the target market :o)

Oh and I thought it was funny when they said 'perfect barring bent hangers' - which usually happens to me within weeks of fitting a new one...


 
Posted : 18/08/2009 4:51 pm