Originally Posted by Wogsterca

Electronic shifting isn't a bad idea, you just need a power source, and I would think the rear hub would be a good place for it, a small hub generator, which produces say +5VDC and -5VDC, this is sent to the shifter, which can return +5VDC to shift up, -5VDC to shift down, and 0VDC when not shifting. This powers a stepper motor which is either part of the deraileur, or is mounted on the chain stay with a short cable to the deraileur and does the actual shifting. Since you have eliminated the long shift cable, you eliminate a lot of the inaccuracy with the long cable. A thin flat wire would be less obtrusive as well..... Would electronically activated brakes be far behind???