http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/analysis-sram-wireless-electronic-group-41023/

Intersting

Just read that, very intriguing. Seems logical, late to the game, so make sure you go one better.

It opens up the thought of other riders/teams/randoms changing your gears for you. Mwha ha ha!

Edit: they say its protected from that but after the disc brake debacle, I prefer to think it’s open to some misbehaviour!

Wont this mean you will have to charge 4 separate batteries…?

Finally. Absolutely no reason to need wires any more. Charging might be an issue depending on battery life…. Most of my wireless kit last a long time so I wouldn’t have thought it would be too much of an issue.

ndthornton – Member
Wont this mean you will have to charge 4 separate batteries…?

Yes, but if it’s like Di2 then you’re not exactly going to have to do it very often so you just do all four together.

Wont this mean you will have to charge 4 separate batteries…?

seeing as they’ve gone to town on this I’d love to see some integrated charging options, little kinetic charge generation from cage movements or recovering some energy from brake lever operation? maybe photovoltaics or a combination of both perhaps meaning you need never actually charge it? Probably more likely they’ll just detach and charge from the mains/USB though innit…

If they really have pulled off functioning wireless shifting and it works I can see this giving Di2 a sharp jab in the Nads, Roadies will love it, there’s no cleaner cable routing than not having any cables…

For MTBs a Wireless XX1 type group, with different shifting set up options would be Ace TBH…

It’ll cost a packat, and it will have SRAM build quality, but if they have pulled it off I’d consider Shimano’s Chips well and truly pissed on there…

1x will be even better for electronic/wireless as it’s one fewer shifter/mech needed

Looking forward to this hitting the MTB scene, get rid of all me gear cabling. Batteries should last years as its only a very small signal needed between each end. Price wise is certainly going to be eyewatering i’d have thought though!

Lots on bikerumor today

SpyShots! – New SRAM Red Wireless @ Pro Challenge

It opens up the thought of other riders/teams/randoms changing your gears for you. Mwha ha ha!
Edit: they say its protected from that but after the disc brake debacle, I prefer to think it’s open to some misbehaviour!

It should be protected, but what it does open a possibility of is some less than scrupulous team putting a jammer in one of the team cars.

FWIW I think this isn’t all that well thought through. Electronic gears are a good idea, wireless isn’t. Batteries will be a pain, and it used a lot more energy to move a mech than it does to send an ANT+ pulse every time a wheel rotates.

I’m not sure what the actual benefit is? Less cable clutter with this wireless version I suppose, quicker shifting, less to go wrong ?
I’d still rather have a gearbox for my MTB, I’ve trashed 3 hangers and 1 mech this year, I’ve not had had any rides ruined because I’m running manuualy activated gear cables for my rear mech

I’m not sure what the actual benefit is?

One upmanship? Electronic gears are a genuine advance; SRAM is late to the party so need to go ‘one better’ (though in this case it probably isn’t, though the way the buttons work is very interesting.

It does look like a nice, tidy solution as Di2 can start looking a bit messy when adding extra shift buttons for example, and even more so with the various Fox icd shocks on MTB which is [ninja edit :D] more wires (not that you have to use these of course with the drivetrain). One curious thought is if the same ideas can be applied to SRAM’s e.i. shocks?

The worrying thing on the other hand is SRAM build quality 😀 Having said that the prototypes were spotted this time last year on the US race scene so you’d hope they have a fair amount of high level testing in the bank already

As an aside, I think you can run Di2 and iCD off the same battery.

Id do it just to get rid of all those pesky cables 😆

I was surprised when Di2 was cables and not wireless – my only conclusion was that Shimano probably have the technology but marketing says go to wires and then sell the replacement a couple of years down the line

both buttons together for the front shift? urgh. going on EVERYTHING they have released recently, its bound to have issues as well.

I was surprised when Di2 was cables and not wireless – my only conclusion was that Shimano probably have the technology but marketing says go to wires and then sell the replacement a couple of years down the line

Shimano are (or appear) fairly resistant to doing stuff for the sake of marketing, and Campag use wires too. Wireless smacks to me of ‘because we can’ rather than anything else.

I like it. Not just for the gimmick value (which it undeniably will have) but because it will massively simplify your road bike/frame, no more stupid cable tunnels or nadgered routing, no finding a home for the battery(s), just bolt on the parts, pair them (however that’s done) and you’re set, frames get simpler and hence cheaper and the whole aesthetic gets a wee bit “cleaner”… Right?

Well that’s the end goal I’m sure. But will anyone really fancy being a beta test guinea pig with a 1st gen SRAM product? The concept is great but execution isn’t always their strong suit…

i have a full 9050 di2 setup to fit, however with winter coming and this then, well i dunno if to hold off,

what would sway me is shifter options, sprint/climb/tt – however no info on those?

Imagine an xc Mtb with wireless shifters, wireless dropper and wireless front and rear lock-out!!! Epic 🙂

Loads of reasons this is a good idea. Whether it is worth the £ they will charge is another thing.

I really don’t think battery life will be that much of an issue? Maybe the rear derailler? My cadence sensor on the roadie has lasted 3 years / 6000 miles so far on the same battery.

Imagine an xc Mtb with wireless shifters, wireless dropper and wireless front and rear lock-out!!! Epic

You missed wireless brakes…… oh wait 😆 😯

I wireless dropper would work really well since you wouldn’t require a complex and ‘reletively’ power hungry moter to do work against a spring (like in a rear mech). All you would need is a tiny solenoid or similar to disengage somethgorother, your fat ass provides the umf.

I really don’t think battery life will be that much of an issue? Maybe the rear derailler? My cadence sensor on the roadie has lasted 3 years / 6000 miles so far on the same battery.

Battery life in the shifters (and fork lockouts/dropper remotes) shouldn’t be an issue as all they have to do is transmit a pulse – could probably get away with a CR2032 or similar in these. Batteries in the mechs need to be a bit meatier.

I wireless dropper would work really well since you wouldn’t require a complex and ‘reletively’ power hungry moter to do work against a spring (like in a rear mech). All you would need is a tiny solenoid or similar to disengage somethgorother, your fat ass provides the umf.

I have a box with 3 or 4 (OK, I’m a slow learner, or an optimist) discarded wireless computers. Signal unreliable to the point that they were far far worse than a wired one.

No wireless shifting for me, ta

So who is going to write an app to link this to a cadence or power meter so you get automatic gear changes? There are probable many reasons why this is a bad idea,but when has that ever stopped anyone having a go.

Well you can already see gear info on the latest Garmin devices when using Di2. Guess the main issues is that it isn’t really practical to ride at one cadence or power. Even having a climb/ flat/ descend setting probably isn’t all that practical given how variable pedaling inputs are normally

wireless computers. Signal unreliable to the point that they were far far worse than a wired one.

No wireless shifting for me

So you’re not entrusting your car security and ease of access to a remotely operated alarm fob then? Well if you’re not millions are.

Great idea, the simplest charging solution would be 1 charger with 3/4 leads of different lengths so that you can just run it from one source in situ. I did think if I had the garage space I’d rig the bike hook with a plug so that you can come in hang up the bike and charge lights etc.

Next step go the whole hog an do wireless charging just wrap the charger onto the battery and off you go.

I’m guessing shimano didn’t go wireless for 2 reasons. 1st do the convincing that electric shifting works, 2nd upgrade money. Even if it’s just a pair of transmitters/batteries.

I’d like to know who was running electric shifting on the cobbles in the tour this year, looked like as much as a good day off road could throw at it.

Anyway all speculative, my next road bike will have whatever is going cheap at the time on it.

I’m guessing shimano didn’t go wireless for 2 reasons. 1st do the convincing that electric shifting works, 2nd upgrade money. Even if it’s just a pair of transmitters/batteries.

Not convinced that planned obsolescence is really a reason (remember this is a three-horse race, and Campag haven’t gone wireless either), and the XTR Firebolt shifters look very neat without having to accommodate batteries.