ed 

Okay...it's not new tech.

Now that that's outta the way...the electronic Dura Ace front and rear derailleurs and shifters are going to be available to the masses in 2009. It's been tested for the past 5yrs on the pro circuit and they said it's ready for mass-prod.

The benefits:
-shifting is much quicker / snappier
-more consistant and precise
-automatically slightly overshifts and drops to center for quick changes
-excellent for cable routing
-Rechargeable batteries...just plug into the wall once in a while

The drawbacks:
-not avail. as a MTB group yet
-RD alone is at least $300
-if you run out of batt. on the trail...you're scrood


I like/don't like it.

We'll see how goes.

Cyclist30907654

I think all mtb shifters should be flappy paddle and have an anto-blip feature.

Cyclist30907654

This thread is worthless without pictures!

The system is worthless without manual override.

ed 

It's in a paper copy I got from my Fa-In-Law...I'll see what I can do.

Look here.

Agree 1000%

kenhill3

Yeah, I like. But as Ben says the man. override is necessary.

I would not bother to have one, good old mechanical derailleur system has been around a long time and works just fine, IMO. This new system is still basically mechanical, why add batteries and electronic crap- just more to go wrong on top of the mechanicals.

ca7erham

I dont like. Whats wrong with what we have now? Its not exactly like the disc VS. Vee, or the rigid VS. Sus fork issue. As it is, I think I can shift more than fast enough. But thats just my opinion. What the hell do I know?

kenhill3

I just checked out the written copy and the video. Pretty impressive, actually. We'll see how reliable it is.

Trust Shimano to actually come out with this, what with Mavic's failed attempt a few years back. It'll be interesting to learn about the the tech and development of this. I must say that it appears to me that Shimano has had the best track track record in new product development, less stinkers than Campy, for instance. Good on Shimano. I guess I'll predict that Shimano's electronic shifting flies, in one form of another.

kenhill3

Thanks for the pics, Ed. Would be interesting to see that stuff installed on a bike. Do you know what the longish thing with the slots is? Rear der. arm activator thing or somethin'?

ca7erham

Also, I'm not all sure that it would hold up well in mud. Rain, yes, but mud no. So it might work for trend following roadies.

Nimitz87

I think its the battery pack and mount.

Chad

ghettocruiser

Do the high-end roadies carry spare wheels on their brake hoods now?

Trying to get the bikes under the UCI weight limit?

Dannihilator

Don't like it.

ed 

HiJack(it's my thread, I can do it dangit)

Hey BenLi...I just clicked your YouTube link (not bad, sir)...I uploaded something of mine for ya just for the heck of it.

Here

Smallguy

neat technology but I don;t think it will work well for MTb'ing

maybe on dry smooth single track but what happens when u go through a puddle that turns out to be a mini pond

maddmaxx 

There will be applications where it makes sense and other where it doesn't. Pro racers may not worry about the cost but the rest of us do.

I have seen one application that makes a great deal of sense. Pro level TT bikes can have shifter buttons on both the aero bars and the base bars, so no matter where the rider needs to put his hands, he can shift from there.

I could also maybe see downhill riders wanting to shift without moving the hands at all, but again, top pro level riders can afford the cost.

born2bahick

Get off that XC guitar, and get out the FR LT dualie Guitar

cryptid01

That was lovely Edward, thank you.

kenhill3

Ed-

Thanks, that was really nice. Love all the hammer-ons and harmonics-both hands, no less! What kinda axe is that?

kenhill3

And Ben Li-

That was real purty, young man! Love the classical stuff, it's like drugs for me.

roccobike

For some of you who are racers and good at it or just outstanding MTBers, this is probably a good product. For the folks like me who are not high end, just out having fun, I don't think the increase in cost justifies the increase in performance.
Unless the costs come down significantly, I don't see this trickling down like other technology has.

junkyard

Only chumps and weenies need this product. Everyone else who is a man would just ride a singlespeed.

ca7erham

^^^
Are you getting an electronic comp. set?

ed 

That is more of a "Trail" guitar. I used to have a nice Taylor, but I sold it to buy my wife an insulin pump. I still have a full-on Freeride rig (Custom Fender p90 Strat)

Thx...I really don't play the guitar anymore. Just once a week or so at church. I mix it up with the Strat and rock out.

Thanks...I took lessons from my friend here in Topeka for a few months when guitar got stale and he taught me new fingerstyle techniques. Then we ended up just hanging out and playing together all the time.

It's an El'cheapo Alvarez 12strg that I took the octave strings off. I needed an acoustic and didn't have the coin.

born2bahick

Why not Bluetooth the system, Our GPS phones can track ride data, play our tunes, and shift with voice command. This is the eventuality for the roadies, as their useless arms will soon wither and fall off anyways!

Cyclist30907654

VERY NICE.

It's one of my long time goals to learn that particular style of playing. I tried to learn drifting by Andy McKee once, but I couldn't get the harmonics to ring out, or make the tapping clear. I basically attributed to my guitar. It's a cheap Rogue Acoustic Electric that ran me around $130, and I assumed the action was too high.

But anyway, I LIKE IT!