Whoah wireless shifting! Never knew this existed. Has anyone ridden a bike with this? I guess if the battery dies, you are stuck in that gear, huh?
There's only been prototypes of truly wireless ones, but the wired/non-cable ones are pretty neat. They're pretty intelligent, you just jam it in whatever gear you want and it figures out what's the right time to do it without a crunch.
The battery life is like 6-8 months for an "average" rider they say, it gives you ample warning that you should charge it.
http://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/gran-fondo-20-di2-ul
Is this not totally wireless? Not being a smartass, just wondering cause it looks like it is (for shifting anyway).
A guy (Trek, I think) was demoing one at the Bike Expo. It seemed NEW! and COOL! But the benefits were kind of lost on me. It's entirely possible my next bike purchase will be a 52" boneshaker.
I would think continuously variable transmission hubs that change based on some formula using your cadence and bpm will be the next big thing.
@dave too heavy
but I want to see it done just for the fun of it
Actually chemical what I was thinking was similar, but...
now that there is electronic shifting, discard the idea of gears altogether, have a dial on the left that sets your desired level of effort and a dial on the right that sets your desired cadence, and let the system figure it out. Your concept, with an existing system.
Now that I think of it, the "effort" setting could be linked to a heart rate monitor so it's automatic.
@edmonds Patent that.
electronic shifting is old news. now it's on to mind-control shifting http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664515/a-prius-inspired-bike-has-mind-controlled-gear-shifting
Except that "optimal" cadence varies based on several factors such as your threshold (however you want to define that), fatigue levels, muscle fiber type composition (slow vs fast), terrain and the demands of your cycling (think CTC vs the Oval).
Infinite gear hubs do exist: http://www.nupace.com/product.htm but I don't know of a system that adjusts itself automatically.
I think the reason for electronic shifting is that it will supposedly never skip, and allow you to shift even when you are busting it as hard as you can up a hill (perfect recipe for losing your chain). Not really worth a couple of grand.
its not a "couple grand" premium over a comparable group. Also, never having to change a derailleur cable for contamination, not having to worry about convoluted cable routing affecting shifting, being able to adjust it while riding.
Totally worth it.
How do the electronic gruppos handle extended periods of crap weather? Steady rain, snow, mud, sub-freezing temps?
Would they be well suited to rando or light touring?
I've heard one report of the electronics crapping out after a couple days of riding in rain, but a single anecdote doesn't mean much.
I probably should have said "IMO" but Di2 is about $3800 and 7900 is about $2000... close enough to a couple of grand premium for me. And, there are plenty of new worries, like the battery dying, moisture, etc. (both of which Shimano obviously planned for, but still, you don't get those issues without electronic groups). I mean it's obviously awesome but I won't be using it until I can afford it.
@dan according to lennard zinn:
Campagnolo’s 10-speed electronic shift components were ready for the market in 2005, and it planned to introduce them. However, after a successful Giro d’Italia campaign with Illes Balears-Caisse d’Epargne, a number of the bikes failed to shift after being driven to Trento in driving rain at 150kph. The system worked after it was dried out again, but this is exactly the kind of thing that keeps electronic-shift engineers awake at night. This snafu stopped the progress dead in its tracks, as the company had other fish to fry and could not afford to devote resources to this project at the expense of its core business.
Campy subsequently did not release them until 2009.
What does Ultegra Di2 cost compared to 7900?
@dmtroyer: Thanks.
The Ultegra Di2 upgrade kit is $1300-1700 on the internets.
For several years Indy car auto racing has been using electronic shocks that use some sort of silicon nano fluid. The shocks can be adjusted with a very small amount of electric current. When the current is increased or decreased the fluid/shock becomes stiffer or softer. Unfortunately the fluid is very expensive and this technology has never made it past high-end auto racing.
It would be really cool to be able to lock out your mt bike fork or rear shock on the fly with a press of a button.
@greasefoot as opposed to the flip of a switch?
On my Mt Bike I need a wrench to lock out the rear shock...Am I behind the times?
Edit...yep I guess I missed the boat on the new hydraulic fluid shocks
That is very cool.
@ chris matthews Except that "optimal" cadence varies based on several factors ...
So true.
It took me a long time to figure out that all the stats about "optimal cadence" are for fit people who are up there at least close to the lactate level.
For someone not race fit and maybe putting out a fifth of that energy, the most efficient cadence is way slower.
It's why my cadence often goes way up when I'm climbing - I go from maybe 12 to 15% of my (feeble) maximal output to over 50%. Even with my great granny gears, it still takes some energy to go up a hill.
Look at those guys who are going maybe 5 or 6 mph and seem to be pedalling silly fast. Time their cadence and it's likely to be in the 60-something rpm.
It's silly because it takes more energy to get to 70 rpm with no load than to go 5 mph on flat pavement.
The guys are probably doing it after some racer talked to them about how much energy they were "wasting" with a cadence under 90. Some of them have *awesome* drops, too. That they've never used.
