Originally Posted by
Bald Paul
I don't know where you come up with the idea that an internal combustion engine is a power source with "known and consistent torque" and how this would affect gear changes. It's a torque CURVE and isn't linear. The transmissions (especially modern electronically controlled) are programmed to adjust shift points based on a number of inputs to determine the proper gear for demand. Shift points aren't set at a given speed or torque, it's a rather complex computation inside the TCU. There are times under light loads when the transmission may even skip a gear, shifting from, say, 1st to 3rd or 3rd to 5th.
You keep harping on your belief that serious road cyclists won't use the technology. I disagree. At first, it may just be used by the recreational / casual cyclists (even your link to the Shimano system states that) but given software tweaks - maybe even AI - to effect gear changes in a manner that would emulate "real" cyclists, and I wouldn't rule it out just yet. Coming up with all sorts of reasons why it won't work based on technology you feel will never advance? Well, Zog, there's no sense rubbing those sticks together, because you'll never make fire!
I think that
PeteHski worked in motorsports, namely F1*, so I think he might understand these things
. We may differ in this discussion, but I respect his opinion highly.
The bigger difference between a bike and a motorcycle is the weight. A 5lb weight difference in a motorcycle is usually not a big deal; on a road bike, that's huge. From a sporting perspective, derailleurs continue to dominate because of the weight; all other drivetrain alternatives weigh considerably more. Can that gap be shrunk through innovation and materials? Perhaps. It's still an unsolved problem.
That said, I have seen packs of youths on ebikes with their seats set coolly low (way too low to pedal with any semblance of efficiency). I suspect that they, being teens after all, have figured out the absolutely minimum pedal pressure to get the ebike moving. I doubt that they have anything more than a cursory understanding of shifting. If they take up cycling as a sport, I'm sure that sequential, electronic shifting is going to be their default setting. As far as automatic shifting - perhaps a power-meter equipped bike can time the shifts for expected drops in the power stroke?
* I may have this completely wrong. If so, apologies and as you were.