Originally Posted by
Leinster
If someone wants auto-shift, the tech is already out there for them to build it, but I can't see it being IRB approved, so it's about as useful to the competitive cyclist as a 10lb bike.
I wouldn't mind having a heads-up gear indicator of some sort, as I often have to take 2 or 3 glances down to my cassette to work out if I have 2 or 3 more shifts available before hitting my 12 or 27. It was easy enough with 6 speed, but a 10 speed cluster is just that much closer together. My wife's Tiagra has it, so I guess we're just waiting for a pro to ask for it, a la Contador using an Apex derailleur so he could have a 30 at the back.
I'd argue that it has more relevance to training and maintaining power zones. The tri guys would be all over it.
Still pie in the sky and may appeal to probably 1% that ride...if that many.
The technology is there. The ideas have been discussed. I think SRAM's latest prototype electronic/wireless shifting system (as seen at ATOC) could be furthest down this path with hardware ready for such a system. It would really be nothing more than a software implementation at this point (I have no inside info here, so it is really my supposition). Do you really believe only 1% would be interested if it is available?