Electronic DA at Interbike

[LegendRider]

Earlier this week I traded emails with the owner of my LBS who has been at Interbike. He said that the electronic Dura Ace is getting HUGE amounts of attention. He is "wowed" by it and his enthusiasm is infectious.

I certainly don't need it, but I have a feeling it's in my future!

[Larry D]

I saw it at Expocycle, the Canadian Bike Show, earlier this month. Shifts are nice and crisp, but what was most impressive was the automatic trimming of the front derailleur as you shift cogs on the rear cluster.

I am just a bit skeptical about battery life and being in a situation where the battery dies and there is no mechanical backup to shift gears.

[Ahneida Ride]

will it pedal for me too ?

Is there not somethng romantic about shifting for one's self....

Is that not part of the cycling experience ?

The "I did this" euphoria ?

What am I missing ?

[victoryfactory]

will it pedal for me too ?

Is there not somethng romantic about shifting for one's self....

Is that not part of the cycling experience ?

The "I did this" euphoria ?

What am I missing ?

You'll get used to it. Remember when we used to focus our own cameras?

VF

[gdw]

Electronic shifting is the first step. The next will be programmable automatic shifting most likely working off of cadence and power. Set the parameters and pedal..... whoopee. :cool:

[paczki]

I would like automatic shifting that can fully utilize the small and big ring -- i.e. from 39/13 to 53/21 when that's a closer gear ratio than 39/15. That would be cool, and make my brain hurt less.

[vqdriver]

why not just make the leap all the way to cvt?

[texbike]

At what point do we just say to hell with it and start riding motorcycles instead of bicycles?

Texbike

[vqdriver]

at the same time, progress is progress and eventually, we'll all adopt it if the merits are really there.

in particular, i really like the idea of creative shifter button placement and the change to wires from cables.

[Ahneida Ride]

You'll get used to it. Remember when we used to focus our own cameras?

VF


good point ....

But is cycling about point and click ? is that not a Chevy with a
automatic tranny ? :confused:

Will Conventional systems be even offered in 10 years ?

[gemship]

I wonder what the difference in wieght is? The bottomline I believe is that the stronger, fresher legs will win the race.

[soulspinner]

good point ....

But is cycling about point and click ? is that not a Chevy with a
automatic tranny ? :confused:

Will Conventional systems be even offered in 10 years ?

Im with ya man. :beer:

[Bradford]

Shifting accounts for zero percent of my enjoyment of cycling. I could not be more indifferent to how my bike shifts.

If it works better, and is affordable, that is good enough for me. If it doesn't work as well or is too expensive, I'm fine the way I am.

[jhcakilmer]

Ontologically, doesn't mounting a motor on a bicycle kind of seem, well..... just down right ironically absurd.

Have we become bored with our bikes, or is it the same capitalistic corruption that seems to pervade almost everything?

When I get tired of having to push a small lever to shift my gears, I'll just get one of these......of maybe before.

[Dino]

What happens when the batteries die? Or there is an electronic failure? Does it come with a team support car to follow you? Can you manually select a gear to ride home "single speed"? Is this a race-day-only product? What? What? What?

:)

[dogdriver]

I remember a similar rant that developed regarding...... INDEXED SHIFTING..... back in the early '90's. Some went so far as to say that the golden age of the skilled technical rider had ended, or something like that. Stuff evolves, stuff improves, some missteps are made (Biopace...) along the way.

The manufacturers will always look for ways to get you to buy something new rather than plug away on that 25 year old Campy 8 speed with downtube shifters that would probably go 6000 miles a year forever.

Such is the nature of free enterprise, but I digress.

My $.02, Chris

PS-- I still can't find the DC adapter on my new RED.

[1centaur]

Everybody who rides it likes it, but it's way expensive and will undoubtedly be much lighter after a couple of years of beta testing.

Batteries that last 1800 miles should be fine for most of us. If I can remember to recharge my Garmin between rides I should have no problem with the power source for my shifts.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Everybody who rides it likes it, but it's way expensive and will undoubtedly be much lighter after a couple of years of beta testing

Let the early adopters and gizmo kids work the bugs out of it the hard way, then I'll be happy to turn in my DA 9 speed and jump right to electronic when it's more reliable and way lighter. Look what happened to cell phones. Once the standards for electronic get sorted out, manufacturers will start designing frames with built in wire routing or even wiring harnesses molded right into the carbon fiber.

There will be jacks at the right points on the frame and you just buy the components you want and plug them right into the frame. The wiring is already there. No more worrying about using Campy brifters with Shimano derailleurs--or vice versa if that's what you prefer. It will be way lighter, the batteries will last a whole season, and what the heck is wrong with automatic shifting with programmable shift profiles, like digital cameras? They have various exposure profiles that emphasize higher shutter speed + wider aperture for sports shooting, slower shutter and higher depth of field for landscapes, etc. This sort of stuff has huge potential and no, that's not sarcasm. But wait for the cost and weight to come down and the reliability to go up.

BBD

[Ahneida Ride]

I guess I am just a stick kind of guy. and I like pushing buttons ...

Give me a ruddy 64 Jag XKE convertible 4 speed 6 cylinder.
Let me hear the exhaust awake with an electric chrishendo as I shift gears.
I consumate as the triple Webers inhale and vaporize the leaded high octane fuel.

Pure magic I say ....

A generous 3 spoke teak wood steering wheel sans air bag.
An oak shift knob polished clean via years of sweaty human interrogation.
The cracked ebony leather exhumes the aroma of properly tanned British
hides. Add a Lucas radio that malfunctions prodigiously to the point of
being useless. Admire the absence of coffee cup holders and worship the
absentia of an 8 dimensional GPS LED 1080 hi def color flat screen display
that can convert frns to euros while predicting simultaneously in a
pernicious mundane humanoid drone, the countdown to fuel depletion.
Air conditioning is top down. Wheels chromed so magnificantly, Selma
Hayek could apply makeup in her reflection.

Therin, the very definition of Constitutional freedom is discovered.

That's living ... not existing. It's about the journey, not the arrival.



http://www.aa1car.com/blog/64_jaguar_xke.jpg

[1centaur]

BBD said, "Look what happened to cell phones."

Do you ever marvel at how HUGE those early cell phones look on TV shows from the time? Imagine repeating that mistake with a HUGE battery.

[avalonracing]

I'm for whatever will clean up the lines of the bike. Don't get me wrong, I want to do my own shifting but I'm all about hidden cables and/or wires... Under hoods, tape, through tubes, whatever.

[gdw]

If I can't easily adjust or repair it on the road or at home it's worthless to me. I don't need a shop to maintain my current gear and have no desire to start using one.

[johnnymossville]

You can go down to the store and buy a $12 Casio that keeps way better time than a Patek Philippe. Does that make it better? I don't know if the analogy works, but I find the lack of electronics on a finely tuned bicycle a real joy in this world of throw-away cars, computers and cellphones.

[Lifelover]

I guess I am just a stick kind of guy. and I like pushing buttons ...

Give me a ruddy 64 Jag XKE convertible 4 speed 6 cylinder.
Let me hear the exhaust awake with an electric chrishendo as I shift gears.
I consumate as the triple Webers inhale and vaporize the leaded high octane fuel.

Pure magic I say ....

A generous 3 spoke teak wood steering wheel sans air bag.
An oak shift knob polished clean via years of sweaty human interrogation.
The cracked ebony leather exhumes the aroma of properly tanned British
hides. Add a Lucas radio that malfunctions prodigiously to the point of
being useless. Admire the absence of coffee cup holders and worship the
absentia of an 8 dimensional GPS LED 1080 hi def color flat screen display
that can convert frns to euros while predicting simultaneously in a
pernicious mundane humanoid drone, the countdown to fuel depletion.
Air conditioning is top down. Wheels chromed so magnificantly, Selma
Hayek could apply makeup in her reflection.

Therin, the very definition of Constitutional freedom is discovered.

That's living ... not existing. It's about the journey, not the arrival.




That's all fine and Dandy, but if you had to drive 100 + miles a day for a living you would pick any current model car over that. That Jag is a burden to drive.

There is no stopping progress. If electronic shifting is truly better, than I'm all for it.

[SoCalSteve]

That's all fine and Dandy, but if you had to drive 100 + miles a day for a living you would pick any current model car over that. That Jag is a burden to drive.

There is no stopping progress. If electronic shifting is truly better, than I'm all for it.

Me too! But with a very BIG caveat...2nd generation, my friends...Let the people who design this stuff work out all the bugs before you plop down your hard earned $$$. Oh, and wait for the prices to drop as well!

Just one mans opinion,

Steve

[stuckey]

That's all fine and Dandy, but if you had to drive 100 + miles a day for a living you would pick any current model car over that. That Jag is a burden to drive.

There is no stopping progress. If electronic shifting is truly better, than I'm all for it.

I do not agree at all, until a year ago the newest car I owned was a 1972. I now have a year old car and it is not a ton better then the 53 chevy I use to make 500 mile drives with. It is all how you justify it and let yourself be part of marketing. There are things that have progressed for the right reasons but cars not so much and bike parts are starting to head down that path. I do not know but it just seems people will make up reasons to justify to themselves that they are getting played. It has to be hot if they tell you so...

[Ahneida Ride]

Progress like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The only thing constant in life is change. ;)

[stuckey]

Progress like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The only thing constant in life is change. ;)

Exactly right.
Off topic but have you seen the magazine Dollars And Sense or Show Me the Money? I think you would really like them.

[LegendRider]

Everybody who rides it likes it, but it's way expensive and will undoubtedly be much lighter after a couple of years of beta testing.

Batteries that last 1800 miles should be fine for most of us. If I can remember to recharge my Garmin between rides I should have no problem with the power source for my shifts.

I saw prototypes of electronic DA on the Gerolsteiner bikes at the 2006 Tour of Flanders. Shimano has been testing it for quite some time. I'm more confident in their electronic shifting than Mavic's previous attempts. Normally I'm not an early adopter, but I may be getting this in the spring...

[Walter]

For me, the $4K+ price tag and the fact that it is heavier than regular DA...and the fact that my current DA works just wonderfully....makes me stay away from thinking about getting it.

[Ahneida Ride]

4K frn ? you got to be kidding ! right ? :eek:

[Lifelover]

4K frn ? you got to be kidding ! right ? :eek:


If it is 4K than it's not "progress" no matter how good it is.

[oldguy00]

If it is 4K than it's not "progress" no matter how good it is.

And how much is a Mevici frame/fork?? :rolleyes:

[HIKERBIKE]

I was able to ride Wayne Stetina's Giant with the electronic dura ace after the Davis Phinney Sunflower ride in Cincinnati a few weeks ago. He has had this particular version since october last year, and this was the first time he was able to ride it in public. It is quick and precise,will automatically trim the front derailler as needed. The levers are there, but they do not move, you fingers touch integral buttons. Both levers have digital displays (lcd); the left showing 1 or 2, and a battery charge indicator, the right shows 1 thru 10. The battery was on the bottom side of the downtube by the crank; it now weighs about 68 grams; so the entire setup is about 68 grams more then the DA 7900 version. Wayne says he gets about 2000 miles out of a battery charge. When purchased as grupo it will be around $1800 more then the std Dura Ace. when purchased with a bike it should be a lot less, availabe in January 2009. Based upon the fact he has been riding versions of this for 5 yrs i would assume most of the bugs are worked out. (Campy is still working their bugs out) I think it wound up being the most ridden bike at the ride.
Yes, I would seriously look at it when purchasing a new bike. He was also running a DA carbon crank...............
kevin

[gemship]

I was able to ride Wayne Stetina's Giant with the electronic dura ace after the Davis Phinney Sunflower ride in Cincinnati a few weeks ago. He has had this particular version since october last year, and this was the first time he was able to ride it in public. It is quick and precise,will automatically trim the front derailler as needed. The levers are there, but they do not move, you fingers touch integral buttons. Both levers have digital displays (lcd); the left showing 1 or 2, and a battery charge indicator, the right shows 1 thru 10. The battery was on the bottom side of the downtube by the crank; it now weighs about 68 grams; so the entire setup is about 68 grams more then the DA 7900 version. Wayne says he gets about 2000 miles out of a battery charge. When purchased as grupo it will be around $1800 more then the std Dura Ace. when purchased with a bike it should be a lot less, availabe in January 2009. Based upon the fact he has been riding versions of this for 5 yrs i would assume most of the bugs are worked out. (Campy is still working their bugs out) I think it wound up being the most ridden bike at the ride.
Yes, I would seriously look at it when purchasing a new bike. He was also running a DA carbon crank...............
kevin

Well automatically trimming the front deraileur is a definitely a selling point otherwise I believe the simplicity of today's best groups are where its at. After all we are talking bicycles.

[Oirad]

good point ....

But is cycling about point and click ? is that not a Chevy with a
automatic tranny ? :confused:

Will Conventional systems be even offered in 10 years ?

Yeah. And while it is at it, can it turn my cranks for me?

Oirad

[Ahneida Ride]

But I actually enjoy triming my FD. ;)

[Dave]

The mechanical DA 7900 is not supposed to need or have the ability to trim the FD, so electronic trimming is not an upgrade from no trimming required.

With the extreme speed and precision of all three major component brand's mechanical systems, electronic would not interest me unless it cost very little more.

I have my cutoff price with mechanical systems too. Some of the groupo prices are elevated far beyond what the minor upgrades justify. With 2009 Campy for instance, Chorus is reasonable, but another $4-500 more for Record is not money very well spent and another $350 or so for SR is really not justified. But hey, if you've got the money to blow, it's buyers choice.