# Electronic shifting



## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

I'm not sure whether I'm just noticing it more lately, but it sure seems like there are enough riders having trouble with their shifting now that electronics are entrenched in the pro bike world. Any insights into whether this is a real thing, or which brand is seen as more reliable?


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

What might have been a cable adjustment before, while the racer is hanging on to the team car, now seems more likely to require a bike swap & is a more noticeable icnident to the TV camera crew.

Pro bikes lead a hard life -- frequent crashes, power washing forces water into places it doesn't belong, weather extremes, etc.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

It could be that you're seeing more coverage of the pro peloton than ever, so you're seeing more mechanical issues. You'd have to note every mechanical you witness, decide whether it's a wheel replacement or a shifting issue, note the team to determine whether it's sram, shimano or campy.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Fireform said:


> I'm not sure whether I'm just noticing it more lately, but it sure seems like there are enough riders having trouble with their shifting now that electronics are entrenched in the pro bike world. Any insights into whether this is a real thing, or which brand is seen as more reliable?


When you see a "mechanical", how do you know it is a shifting issue?

I've been watching all the Eurosport Giro broadcasts. (I'm the boss so I rescheduled myself and watch every minute.) I think there are far fewer mechanicals than usual.


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## kmunny19 (Aug 13, 2008)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> I've been watching all the Eurosport Giro broadcasts. (I'm the boss so I rescheduled myself and watch every minute.)


I've been watching a decent bit of Eurosport as well, (I'm hanging on by a thread, almost surprised each time my electronic door lock fob green lights me into the office, and constantly dancing around the line, just to sharpen my dancing around the line skills), and would agree that considering the total miles ridden, it doesn't seem bad. 

I think the discussion the other day about the e-shift, and how one rider may or may not have had a neglected battery led to a brief discussion, that probably got some attention. I took the upshot to be that the stuff works well, but you need to keep track of the battery life.


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## Matr1x (May 19, 2013)

The shifting is kinda odd if you havent tried all 3. Campy, by far feels the best, and seems almost flawless. But SRAM is nice also. I still like SRAM red and even Apex of the electric versions. Shamino had the idea, but the Di (no matter what version you get) is full of small things that at times make the "advantage" of electric useless.

I use to love them, but since SRAM came back into biking (after the original grip shift)...they came back swinging. 1:1 ratio is so smooth and clicks right into the gear you pick, rarely will you drop a chain. Shamino is still on the 2:1 ratio...as a result, you get slower shifts and/or not as crisp.

Prime example, I had 2 mountain bikes. One was XO one was full XTR. Minus that, the bikes where almost identical in every way. On the same fire road trail, my XO bike was better shifting and had crisper response when changing gears fast. I could get down the trail 2:17min faster on the XO bike. Mainly due to shifts being better. I tried Shamino again on road, and it is nice. But as soon as I got a friend to loan me his bike for 3 days to test out the Red group...I was sold. 

Campy let everyone mess with electronics and print articles on their products. But in secret, Campy was working on their own version. And after 1 week on a shop demo. I would pick the Campy electric over all electric shifting. They did it so well, everything is spot on. I would advise any roadie to check out a demo with the Campy system...you will dream of it from then on!


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Matr1x said:


> But SRAM is nice also. I still like SRAM red and even Apex of the electric versions


SRAM finally has electrics!


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> SRAM finally has electrics!


it's a secretive groupset that is only available for RBR readers.
I just got mine yesterday in the mail. You?


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

Gesink rides Di2... when his chain got thrown, did he require a bike change? If he did it would seem that this would be a possible disadvantage of electronic shifting. With cables you can manipulate the derailleur pretty easily to unjam the chain.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

DrSmile said:


> With cables you can manipulate the derailleur pretty easily to unjam the chain.


No problem with Di2 either, but sometimes a chain be be really stuck and it's easier/faster to swap bikes.
The new protocol seems to be complete bike changes in every circumstance.
Even if a new wheel is all that's needed, the mech swaps bikes and replaces the wheel later.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

it cost Wiggins at Trentino, Evans says a mechanical caused him a podium position at the Giro today (don't know what setup he was running). There were a number of issues at the ToC this year involving electronic shifting.


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## Ruby13 (Aug 11, 2011)

SRAM has electronic shifting? 
I wasn't aware and don't believe that the new SRAM Red 22 is electronic.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

stevesbike said:


> it cost Wiggins at Trentino, Evans says a mechanical caused him a podium position at the Giro today (don't know what setup he was running). There were a number of issues at the ToC this year involving electronic shifting.


I saw that. Pity he had to lose significant ground due to another mechanical. The '09 Vuelta was sad to watch when he had that untimely mechanical.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

stevesbike said:


> Evans says a mechanical caused him a podium position at the Giro today (don't know what setup he was running).


Evans is on Shimano 9070. He looked okay on the climb, just going slower, and he didn't look like he was fiddling with his gears. Maybe he's blaming the gears instead of his legs. Considering how cold and frustrated he must have been it was probably not a good time for chatting. 
We were talking about the cold possibly affecting the systems? But Di2 worked okay during the cyclocross season.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Evans' bike looked pretty crusty but I bet all the others did too. 

It does seem that especially team leaders will swap a bike instead of waiting for a wheel change, usually rear. I cringe every time they casually toss it der-side down on the pavement.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Electronic Shifting is a flawed solution to a problem that didn't/doesn't exist. Shimano/Campy have invested so much in it, that it will keep being produced and raced and we will keep being told that it is utterly brilliant and like good consumers we will keep telling people how brilliant it is and how we didn't know how we managed before. 
Once upon a time bicycles were built for the duration - nowadays, like cars and fridges, they are fashion items with a deliberately short lifespan.


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## Ruby13 (Aug 11, 2011)

Feel the same about electronic shifting. I don't have it so I don't miss it. My car is a 5 speed and if I was in the market for a new car that offers electronic shifting, I still would prefer to shift manually. I enjoy manual shifting with my car and my bikes.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

albert owen said:


> ...
> Once upon a time bicycles were built for the duration ...


+1

As in every other industry, they have to try to innovate to hopefully come up with something to stay ahead of the competition.

Someone comes up with an idea, a competitor gets wind of it, do you wait to see if it is successful before you decide to go into it or research now and hope to come up with something better?

I had the option to go electronic shifting. I will never know if it was a good decision. But my mechanically pulled shifting mechanism from the 'iron age' works for me.


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## carbonLORD (Aug 2, 2004)

Ruby13 said:


> Feel the same about electronic shifting. I don't have it and don'y miss it. My car us a 5 speed and if I was in the market they now offer electronic shifting but I still prefer to shift manually. I enjoy it with my car and my bikes.


Its still manual....

You cant miss what you've never used.

You cant dislike what you've never tried.

You *can* have an opinion.

Ride a system with the multishift update for more then a test ride and come back with a fresher review.

I'm not speaking to you directly, I'm just amazed at comments like these from people who have neither used the system for longer then 10 minutes or at all.


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## King Arthur (Nov 13, 2009)

The "LATEST INFORMATION" on the new electronic group from SRAM. SRAM unveil prototype electronic shifting system | Cyclismas | cycling satire and commentary


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five.
Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer?
We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!

--Henri Desgrange, L'Équipe article of 1902

Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

King Arthur said:


> The "LATEST INFORMATION" on the new electronic group from SRAM


Here's the real version


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Here's the real version


OMG is it out already???





You could have put in a bit more effort than to use free-hand? A bit of re-sizing of a proper font and skew here and there. The grey triangular could have been re-worked as well ...


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## PaxRomana (Jan 16, 2012)

Creakyknees said:


> I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five.
> Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer?


Pulp Fiction- Fuck Pride - YouTube


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