Originally Posted by John E

Given the light weight and high efficiency of a standard roller chain drive and the huge ratio count now available (up to 3x10, with perhaps 25 or 26 usable gears), I see no benefit whatsoever to a CVT for bikes. Give me a 5 or 6 percent ratiometric progression from the low 40s to the mid 90s (gear-inches), and I have everything I need. (In fact, I already have it!) CVT for bicycles is a solution in search of a problem.

Even though every car I have owned has had an automatic transmission (I haven't even driven a stick in almost 25 years), the concept of an automatic transmission for bicycles is completely unattractive to me. I want to know when it going to shift, I don't want to be caught by surprise, and I want to be able to vary my cadence as desired.

The only new bicycle transmission technology which intrigues me is the manually controlled electromechanical derailleur set, which I think both Shimano and Campagnolo, and perhaps SRAM as well, have prototyped. The benefits would be automatic trimming of the front cage and multiple locations for gear controls, such as on the drops and on the brake hoods.