rpenmanparker 

The multiple batteries could be a pain, but likely not. First of all it is only the derailleur batteries that will take much juice. The shifter batteries are just sending a signal, not doing any real work. So they should last for years and might even be non-rechargeable throwaways. Or maybe there will be a wiring manifold harness you can attach to all the batteries at once to charge them all simultaneously.

robbyville

I keep thinking of the way Apple laptops charge, with the magnet? How cool would that be

Bah Humbug

Quite debatable, actually, but that's neither here nor there.

No one ever dropped a chain with mechanical?

rpenmanparker 

Well I guess that settles it. Single speed for me...NOT!

rpenmanparker 

They say that I have a magnetic personality. Perhaps I could make a some money in retirement just by standing near the bike.

gc3

Yeah me too I'm waiting for this new fangled tech to get sorted out....hoping maybe by 2020.

Now, let's talk about the craziness of riding on plastic carbon wheels....

BoSoxYacht

It'll be fun to see team cars with radio frequency jamming devices.

GuyDebord

Digital cameras have been evolving for decades and just 4 years ago (finally) Leica and Fuji came back to offer refined 21st century rangefinders that work as a 20th century old film camera.
For me Di2 has a looooooong way to go and before it reaches that moment we will have Wireless transmissions, they are just around the corner and this is where it will be a game changer. Im skipping Di2, my RED 22 shifts like a dream.

rpenmanparker 

Wut? You wouldn't dare! Talk about it I mean. I know you are crazy enough to ride on them.

bt

mechanical will always be around.

Electric will always be a choice.


One isn't a solution for the other.

gregf83 

The difference with cameras is that digital brings a long list of performance benefits and allows one to do many things not possible with a film camera.

It's hard to come up with a performance benefit from electronic shifting. Reliability perhaps but no one is at a disadvantage in a race if they're using mechanical shifters.

c0lnago

I use it for CX...it's been terrific (shifting in really cold, slop, etc. is night and day). Outside of that/regular road riding I don't see much point...batteries, charging, more weight...nothing wrong with mech shifting.

bt

plus, frames can be used for either type of shifting so the industry doesn't have to build frames one way or the other.

also, again, some people prefer mechanical and some prefer electric.

It's not going to take over and be the only option.

Now, disc brakes are a whole 'nother oprah.....

rpenmanparker 

Electronic shifting is the key that opens the door to automatic shifting. Brace yourself. It is coming.

And batteries were required for automatic cameras long before digital was included.

gregf83 

So you don't disagree with anything I wrote. The actual performance benefits of electronic shifting are pretty thin to non-existent compared to adding electronics to a camera.

Eventually, I think electronic shifting will dominate but only once the cost delta to mechanical is reduced.

rpenmanparker 

Ah, an expert at putting words in other peoples' mouths, I see! No, I think that the performance benefits of electronic shifting are quite significant. Just not as significant as when automatic shifting is introduced.

grolby

Nailed it. Using mechanical shift systems, or friction shifters, or toe clips and straps, is not a "skill" worth cultivating or caring about. The bar is incredibly low. These are all incredibly easy things to learn, they are not impressive or valuable skills with applications outside of operating the particular piece of technology they are relevant to. If you want to impress me with your skills on a bike, manual your road bike, or hop a curb at full speed, or you know, do something impressive that involves handling or riding your bicycle. Shifting a bike is irrelevant except in so far as it helps you make the bike go forward. Yawn.

That ship has long since sailed. A multi-speed road bicycle's shifty bits are not the least bit simple and have not been for quite a long time.

Jiggle

If electronic doesn't fix these problems, why do I want it?

Stucky

I seriously don't "get" electronic shifting.

IMO, part of the beauty and joy of bicycles is their directness and simplicity; a simple lever or lever-and-cam system which moves a simple cable, which operates a moveable pulley/cage. I for the life of me, could not see replacing that with a computer and battery and servos and buttons. I want to tell my bike what to do; not have to be reliant on yet another computer, which at some point I'd likely have to "out-smart" to get it to do what I want it to do- which would be much more work than merely turning a screw or tensioning a cable to make the mechanical system do whatever i want it to.

Technology is fine when it helps us do what we want to do and gives us a benefit; but in general, usually the simplest and most direct method which enables those things, is the best and most efficent and most durable.

Mechanical shifters from 40 years ago are still being used and working well. You will not see DI2 from today still working 40 years from now; probably not even 10 years from now, because electronics rarely continue to function that long. Circuits fail just from use and environmental conditions; parts become obsolete and no longer available/or become uber-expensive if they are still available (Like the motherboard in an old computer which costs more than a new computer).

I can not see all of the complexity that is inherent with electronic shifting, when it offers no benefit above mechanical shifting. And seriously, with mechanical, once the cable housings are broken-in (have stretched), how often do you have to touch the adjustments? Virtually never; and even if/when you do, it is a very simple process which ANYONE can learn quickly and easily. One needn't ever be reliant upon an LBS or manufacturer with mechanical shifting; but one will always be yoked to the LBS/manufacturer with electronic, for service and repair; battery replacement (they WILL wear-out eventually); etc.

I love mechanical because everything about it is user-friendly and accessible. I don't want yet another thing which is controlled by a computer and which requires batteries; ESPECIALLY not on my bikes! Even if DI2 were to become cheaper than mechanical groups, I don't want it- EVER; any more so thamn I'd want a motor on my bicycle (What? You don't want a motor? Are you against technology???!!! )

It's kind of like electronic focus on cameras. Nice when it works; but it seems that a good percentage of the time it wastes more time or causes a missed shot because it may not focus properly or at all in low-contrast or low-light, etc. -and by the time you put the camera in manual focus mode, and fool with the controls, it would have been much easier to just twist the ring on a conventional lens.

Bah Humbug

I have no idea what goes on inside your head. I want Di2 so I can shift from the hoods on my P3 and not worry about cable stretch and exact tension. If you don't want Di2 that's fine; just don't declare it a failure because it doesn't fix something it didn't promise to fix.

Bah Humbug

Interesting. Lots of 10-year-old cars with electronics in them are still running just fine. Lots of mechanical parts fail in way less than a decade, especially "from use and environmental conditions".

If you're more comfortable with mechanical things, that's fine. I'm a CS guy; I'm much more comfortable with electronics and wires and batteries than I am with cables.

zvez

electric all the way. No more issues with cable replacement stretch etc. If you can afford it and ride alot you won't regret it.

Jiggle

Because replacing a $15 cable every 5000 miles is soooooo hard. I bet Di2 users spend as much or more time hunting for the charging port on their battery pack per year than a mechanical user spends changing a cable.

Jiggle

I guess if you really want multiple shift locations the extra $500 is worth it. I'll get electric when it's the same price as mechanical, because, quite simply, there's no cost of manufacturing reason why it shouldn't be.

sleepy

Doesn't mean I want Duracells or worry about radio interference when I ride a bike.

If you want to go electric, good for you. I'm kind of happy riding my bike with caliper brakes and 1/5/7/8/9/10 cable actuated shifting. By all means forge ahead if it means I get my bike bits cheaper. I have no interest in cutting times, and I like fighting it up the steep climbs.