[Closed] Letting Bluetooth Shift Your Bike's Gears For You

Ooo, I can see a new take on the old school trick of riding by and slamming your mates gears to top back in the days of thumbshifters. A quick resetting of Bluetooth link and hilarity ensues

An interesting innovation and great example of technology convergence:

just because it is technically possible, it doesn't make it useful...

To jambo

An understanding of the 'jobs' Users need to get done and the metrics they apply in rating how successfully they have reached a desired outcome is the true measure of the value of the service (or product) - this is the science behind innovation.

Understanding these jobs and prioritizing them in order of importance provides targeted value. for example, 'Jobs' could be described in these terms:

minimize (direction) the time time it takes to (unit of measure) select a gear to maintain constant cadence (the desired outcome)
maximize (direction) the performance (unit of measure) to win a race (the desired outcome
+200 other jobs etc in order of priority.

Users requirements are key, but Users are not always best qualified to know their needs and certainly not qualified to determine the best and the most valuable design solutions, that's the job of the developer. Users are often not precise, and paradoxically, introduce more variation into the process of development. The understanding usefulness is a data gathering process which must be well considered and well managed to avoid bias and the soliciting of mis-information.

Can picture stomping up a climb in the big ring when the software decides you need an easier gear... changes down to the inner ring. Smack. Over the bars and lying in a heap on the ground!

Interesting idea. If its potential use is anywhere it would be hub gears.

Can picture stomping up a climb in the big ring when the software decides you need an easier gear... changes down to the inner ring. Smack. Over the bars and lying in a heap on the ground!

This. Gears changing when you expect it = good. Gears changing when your not expecting it = bad

He does see one potential market, though: "Triathlon riders...

😆 😆 😆

Hmm, you're from Cambridgeshire and quite defensive about this. The company is from Cambridge. Any connection?

If you want to talk about "the science of innovation", I'd argue that this doesn't come under most accepted definitions of innovation. The distinction drawn between ideas/research/concepts and innovation is that innovation has to deliver value - generally to the company or organisation that has developed it.

It's an interesting concept but hours of testing on a rolling road don't really equate to real world use. Sometimes I like to spin, sometimes I stand and stomp to give my legs a change to rest the spinney muscles.

Now, ABS for a front brake, as mentioned in the NS article... that's potentially more valuable.

Shimano have had an automatic hub ear for a while - I've always found it annoying. When you crest a hill, you don't get that second or two of relief, it immediately shifts up again. Basically it's trying to keep your effort the same all the time, whereas most people don't want that, they want harder and easier bits.

Basically it's trying to keep your effort the same all the time, whereas most people don't want that, they want harder and easier bits

Obree rides TTs like this - he covers it in his training book. Higher power on the hills, recovers on the flatter sections.

Maybe for riding around the Cambridge Science Park it would have a benefit, just. For any situation where the 'pushback' from the pedals must be predictable, i.e. you know what gear you are in and how much you have to push, then it's no good - you'll just fall off.

Hang on, no - there is a big ramp on the Science Park spine road, you can't use it there, either...

Rachel

innovation is that innovation has to deliver value - generally to the company or organisation that has developed it.

This is true, but I'd go further arguing that value can be targeted through prioritized 'needs-based' research before dutifully designing/developing a product (or service) to deliver the best value proposition, I would propose this approach would increase the probability of success in 'realizing targeted value' (data driven and scientific innovation). I'm not suggesting that this approach was adopted by the developers in this case - perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn't. Perhaps it was just an interesting technical challenge.

Hmm, you're from Cambridgeshire and quite defensive about this. The company is from Cambridge. Any connection?

The rhetoric seems to be on this thread that cyclists (user's) like to 'feel in control', which i fully empathize with. The target market in this case might be for a certain set of customers,Triathletes were suggested, where cadence performance might be prioritized higher than manual control over gear selection. I haven't seen the device so can't comment on it's functional performance or reliability but I would be interested to give it a try.

The Shimano electric gearshift has been modified to accept wireless signals and works in both manual mode (by accepting commands from the rider via the iPhone)

So you'd have to get your iphone out your pocket, wake it up, find the app then select your gear? Or does someone in your support car do that for you?

cyclists (user's) like to 'feel in control',

ABS for a front brake