I'm not sure if this should go in the road bike forum or the electric bike forum. I have always understood the art of bike riding to be the manual use of a (beautiful) mechanical device to travel. I am disgusted to hear of the creeping use of electronic shifters (and the mere hint of their use in the TdF). Computers are bad enough - but at least they don't actually help you drive the bike. What's next? automatic electronic transmissions so the rider doesn't have that knotty problem of deciding what gear to use?

If I wanted an electric bike I would have bought one.

How do you Drive a bike?

Hoooray for old people! We're grumpy and we dont like change!

Cool. So companies make products available and people get to choose what they want to buy. I like it.

Some people have such an aversion to Di2. It amazes me.

I hear all the teams will be riding hoverbikes in next year's TdF!

My understanding is the next revision of Dura-Ace will not be offered in mechanical, Di2 only.

I agree with Mitch...to time my rides I use a sun dial.

You can still salvage the "powered by you" feel, if your shifters are powered by a generator powered by your pedal power.

I for one, would think that an automatic bike transmission would be awe-inspiring.

You mean there's some other way?

OP, Can you please post your address? I feel the sudden urge to walk on your lawn.

Let's go back to the Dreisine </tongue in cheek>

There is too much snark going on here, that I feel I cannot concisely individually appreciate all of you adequately. (How's that for some adverbs?)

I kinda agree with the OP, but also a piece of mind aspect to some extent. I like feeling that click and the resistance in the lever. I guess I'd be fine with Di2 for a Tri bike, but I can't imagine I'd ever go out of my way to put electronic shifting on a road bike.

Friction shifters, anyone? =D

I said the same thing when double clutch DSG/SMG and the like went on the market for cars...yet now I drive one and love it.. I think the same thing will happen here.

Haven't tried it, but from all accounts electronic shifting sounds like it "just works" a lot better than the mechanical cable setups. Mechanical cables for an indexed system like bike shifting are just a naturally poor setup; the cables "stretch", the get grimy and start sticking and you get in-between shifts. I, for one, welcome our new electronic overlords...

Do you have nightmares about all of the other things available that you don't want and haven't bought? Or did someone force you to buy a bike with electronic shifting?

Inquiring minds want to know the source of your angst and help you get a good night's sleep.

If electronic shifting on a bike wasn't so expensive I'd be all over it!

Get off my lawn!

Kids these days with their chains and variable gear ratios - that's cheating I tell you!

Why not?

...and those crazy pneumatic tires...

Does fuel injection keep you up at night too?

and fancy steel frames.

Heck, why are you on the internet?

It'll happen -- once the package includes an inclinometer, torque sensor, and a saddle load sensor (to detect riding out of the saddle) in addition to the cadence and speed sensors used thus far, it'll work well. That is, unless a quantum leap happens and CVTs become light enough to compete with derailleur systems.

Perhaps there's not enough damp wood for smoke signals or the telegraph station was abandoned?!?!