Subaru sport mode makes the CVT shift like a traditional automatic transmissions.


-Tim-

Actually the Subaru mimics 7 speeds and has paddle shifters.

It works great.

The best predictor for electronic shifting in my bike group is disposable income. People who have a bunch of cash to spend on bikes buy electronic shifting because why not?

I have hand powered shifting (105) and I have no trouble shifting while climbing.

I have a Subaru with CVT and paddle shifters. Paddle shifter just keeps the transmission locked in one pre-set position.

CVTs don't shift.

I think a couple of you are missing the point. You can get a CVT to "mimic" other types of transmissions, but in normal operating mode CVTs do not shift.

Everyone in the group has disposable income, it just depends on how much they have and how much they enjoy cycling. People that ride bikes and don't have disposable income ride cheap bikes because that can't afford a car and public transportation doesn't go to where they need to be for work.

It's amazing you managed to post that, what with operating system compatibility, internet, wifi, not plugging the keyboard into the CD-ROM, etc. How many rides did you miss working on this post?

Yes, we all have disposable income. That wasn't what I was saying, though. The indicator is the amount of disposable income. The more disposable income, the more likely we are to have electronic shifting.

I think a couple of you are missing the point. This is a cycling forum, and the thread has nothing to do with CVTs

Agreed... but not always.

Besides disposable income you also need desire. There are many people that ride $3000 bikes and drive $50,000+ cars. They can easily afford a more expensive bike but they don't care. Conversely there are people that have $10,000+ bikes and drive older and/or cheaper cars. See rule #25 .

I was told a store by a bike salesman about someone came in and wanted the most expensive bike they could order. The salesman asked why and was told he was sponsoring a cycling event and wanted it as a prop for the a fund raising diner the night before. He wound up buying a Cervelo P5 TT bike. The guy never came back after and he heard the bike was never seen again.

Talk about disposable income.

Everyone in my bike group has desire.

It's the internet, so pedantry.

At least we're not discussing expensive watches.

The bike was probably auctioned/raffled off, and the cost of the bike was likely a charitable deduction for one of the event sponsors.

A safe assumption. People with high disposable income usually know how to maximize its value.

This thread is getting interesting... lol
but I have to disagree with this statement here.. and a few others.
First off..I'm a disabled vet with very little disposable income. I have a bike with Di2. I'm simply resourceful.
Secondly, i know PLENTY of people with high disposable income that are extremely wasteful and irresponsible with their money. I know far more folks with low disposable income that are able to stretch said income as far as humanly possible. They have to maximize what little they have to survive.

Lastly, this thread has gone WAY off topic. We somehow turned this into an argument about wealth? Look out on the web, you can buy new/used bikes with di2 for very reasonable prices. But, since we're knee deep into this...I don't think di2 is a sign of 'wealth'. Rather, I would say that if you ride a $8k+ bike with top shelf components...and you're not on a race team and just ride on your own or casually with the LBS... that.. would be more of a sign of wealth or high disposable income. At least more so than having di2 on your bike.

Oldnslow got it right, it's about desire and what you value when you ride. Di2 isn't necessary, some folks just prefer the feel of it. If you say it's excessive.. the same could be said about frame material... You could say carbon or Ti.. heck even 'new steel'... is unnecessary..aluminum is fine.

Funny story. I was looking around for a C3 to test ride in my size. Found one, but it was Di2, and I didn't really want to test ride it. The shop offered it to me for the price of mechanical Ultegra. I begrudgingly went and test rode it. And then bought it. And now would prefer not to own another bike without it.

How much was the difference between mech and di2? Maybe I should mosey on down to the same shop when it's time for N+1.

I was on a ride this weekend where at mile 80, my left hand went temporarily limp and couldn't shift out of the small chainring. Then again, I am an inexperienced rider on my first road bike with Tiagra 4700, so I don't know if it would've been easier with Ultegra mech and/or more miles on the saddle to harden up that hand.

[MENTION=473679]surak[/MENTION]

It was Element Cycles, in Redmond. Cervelo had just put the C3 on sale. They updated the paint job and called it a new model, so it was time to clear out old stock. It was lucky timing on my part, my bike had recently been stolen, I was due for an upgrade, and the bar tape is the only part of that bike I paid full price for. This was really the exception to prove [MENTION=273237]oldnslow2[/MENTION]'s rule.

You can currently get an R3 with Di2 for $4K in Bothell.

I ran the numbers at the Texas Cyclesport website, as they have the ability to select particular option. This was a Raleigh road, only difference is one is Ultegra mechanical, the other is Ultegra Di2,

About $820 additional for Di2.

When I upgraded, I only did the shifters and F & R derailers, plus the required battery and charging cable, cables and junction boxes. Ran about $1,000 for that alone. Had I opted to upgrade (from 105) the crank and brakes, likely another $200 or so.

This might or not be what you see for a floor model at a shop. Much depends on inventory and what the LBS wants to move.

https://www.texascyclesport.com/rale...d-it-your-way/

Nothing wrong with getting a bargain.

I ordered my Emonda in January. it was a Project One so it had to be special ordered. I told the shop owner that I would pay cash up front if that helped with the price. He told me to not get the Bontrager carbon wheels since he was over stocked with Zipps and I wound up with a 27% discount from the retail price.

I originally ordered it with Sram Red 22 mechanical and then next year the shop owner called and offered me the "promo" mini group upgrade for eTap and a great price. After buying the eTap and selling my one year old mechanical it cost me only $800 which is half of the retail price of the mini group.

At the time I was driving a 2001 Civic with 260,000 miles.

I just value a quality bicycle more than a car.

Interestingly, that's pretty close to the discount I got on my Enve hoops. Shop owner told me she just wasn't going to let me pay full price for them. Now I bring them a bottle of wine every time I'm in town.

I bring a growler form the micro brew down the block.