Bike Forums - View Single Post - Electronic vs Mechanical shifting

02-05-23 | 12:49 PM

#148

georges1

Steel is real

Joined: Mar 2013

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From: Not far from Paris

Bikes: 93GiantTourer,92MeridaAlbon,96Scapin,98KonaKilaueua,93Peugeot Prestige,05CasatiClipper,98Jamis Dragon,95Tange Prestige(to be built),98VettaTeam,95Coppi,93Grandis,Daccordi x3(in build),98Piton(in build),99Trek SLR2300

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteHski

In general new tech is better than the old tech it replaces. Manufacturers are in direct competition, so it is in their own interest to innovate and improve their products. Otherwise we would all still be riding around on Penny Farthings and driving Ford Model Ts.

Pro racers want the very best equipment and any marginal gains that technology may offer. I don’t think any of them would choose to ride an older bike out of free choice. Likewise manufacturers are unlikely to supply inferior equipment to pro teams.

Do you think teams like Ineos would tolerate tech that was a disadvantage to their pro riders? Likewise do you think consumers would tolerate new tech that was inferior or less reliable? This was effectively what the OP was asking here and I don’t see any riders complaining about their electronic shifting or wishing they could go back to cable shifters.

The only naysayers are those who have never even experienced electronic shifting and in some cases not even mechanical brifters! Their opinion is IMO worthless.

I have experienced the mavic ZMS and mavic mektronic back then and I wasn't enamored nor wowed by results. I am pretty sure that you know the saying"old tech that works is good tech". I haven't seen much people riding their road bikes with DI2 or ETAP where I am living. Remember what Mollema said about his SRAM equipment in one of the stages of theTDF???

. Is an electronic derailleur that fails a sign of reliability? No, not at all. Interesting article about Shimano Dura Ace 7970 DI2 in the professional peloton and another fact from theTDF2022 is that 17 teams were using Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset (that’s 136 bikes out of 176 bikes), three teams are with Campagnolo Super Record 12 speed groupset and two teams are on SRAM Red 12 speed, also 13 teams were using the Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL pedals, 8 teams are with Look Keo pedals, and one team with Speedplay. That says a lot about the dominance of Dura Ace in the professional peloton. Another interesting article about Victories of Dura Ace DI2 in theTDF

Last edited by georges1; 02-05-23 at 12:56 PM.

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