electronic shifting - I Love Bicycling

Electronic shifting should be considered a great leap forward for the bicycle. The smooth reliability of the contemporary bike electronic shifting is something that can’t be denied. The electronic shifting bike has been around for years but with the introduction of SRAM’s Red Tap in the spring of 2016 and the existing Campagnolo EPS, and Shimano’s DI2, Di2 and Di2XTR for mountain bikes, electronic shifting is something you might want to take a look at.

It’s Not So New?

Electronic shifting is nothing new. Cyclists began seeing versions of electronic shifting bikes bikes in about 1990 with offerings from Suntour and Mavic — but it’s been sketchy going forward. Other companies also tried it, but most of them failed at commercial applications because of reliability issues — some failed in the rain for example — and were subsequently discontinued.

The Big Three

One system was commercially available as of 2009; Shimano’s Di2 for road bikes. In 2011 Shimano introduced the Ultegra Di2 electronic gear change set; a cheaper version of the electronic Dura-Ace system. Campagnolo introduced their first system of electronic shifting in the same year. By 2012 Campagnolo had three electronic shifting systems available and cyclists began to see a growing range of electronic alternatives to traditional mechanical shifting. In 1997 an electronic shifting bike was used to win the first time trial in the Tour de France.

Bike Electronic Shifting – What Is It And Why Should You Be Interested?

Bicycle purists may scoff at electronic shifting bikes but just looking at one can make a believer out of you. Lean and mean, you can hardly recognize it as a brainchild of electronic engineering — wireless versions even more so. They are are missing cables, springs and derailleurs. They have buttons instead of levers and appear like stripped-down bikes. They look fast — and they are fast.

How They Work

Traditional mechanical shifters use cables to move the chain between gears. The cable is connected to a derailleur and a shifter mounted on the handlebar. A spring forces the derailleur to one side and cable tension to the other. When you use the shifter, you’re allowing the spring to move the derailleur, or pulling it against the spring tension with the cable to shift gears.

Cables Versus Wires

Electronic shifting swaps cables for wires. When you push a button, you enter a command into a computer (more like a chip really) rather than adjusting tension on a cable. Electric servo motors (often used on robotics) on the derailleurs then move the chain to a different gear as directed by the computer.

Cable-actuated spring mechanisms can’t match the power and precision of electronic computer-controlled servo motors. The crisp, clean, and click — if you even feel the click — is more positive than the best indexed shifters.

Hidden Wires

Wires can be routed out of the way inside tubes, hidden from sight and exposure. It increases their ability to survive crashes and hard riding and also eliminates the effect of dirt, mud, and other foreign objects that get inside traditional cable housings.

Shifter Variations

Shifters can be placed wherever you want them. The re-location benefit probably pays the most dividends on a road bike where you can position the shifters almost anywhere in the drops, on top of the bars or both. But even just being able to achieve an optimum reach for your thumbs on a mountain bike’s flat bars is beneficial as well.

Fast and Accurate

The biggest benefit is speed and accuracy of shifts. Without having to think about using it, electronic shifting gives you the fastest possible shifts up or down. The system won’t succumb to the shock of impacts or jostling of rough terrain, and that’s a huge advantage in cyclocross. If you’re able to hit the button, it will complete the shift perfectly — every time. There’s no slop or waiting for the chain to crawl onto the big chainring. It just moves to its new position with controlled accuracy.

Safer in Packs and Pacelines

You can get dual shift buttons in your drops or on the hoods — it’s a huge safety advantage of electronic shifting. You never need to remove a hand to execute a shift. This is extremely valuable when in a tight pack situation or paceline where even the slightest wobble can take out the whole group.

Faster Rides Overall

Electronic shifting should make you faster. The more hilly and curvy, the more the advantage. You brain is wired directly into your drivetrain. You don’t even think about shifting and might not even remember that you shifted the bike. Your thumbs just seem to shift automatically. It just happens. You shift far more often and more efficiently using both chainrings because it is so easy and automatic. You should never get bogged down in a corner because you’re in a big gear and can’t reach to shift while trying to accelerate.

The Double Shift

The double shift. With electronic shifting you really can wait until the last second and you can and will double shift – drop to the small ring while simultaneously shifting down two cogs in the back. We all do it.

The Battery

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery is usually located in the seat post, which looks a bit more substantial than your typical seat post. And yes you need to charge the battery occasionally; once every month or two should do it. It depends on type and how often you ride — some may require charging more or less frequently.

1,000 Mile Range

Batteries will give you plenty of warning that it needs recharged. Just hold down any shift button on Shimano and it tells you how much charge is left. A general rule of thumb is that each charge should run you about 1,000 miles or more. Don’t worry too much about running the battery down — you remember to charge your phone don’t you? And if you do run down the battery, it’s like breaking a cable, you can still ride back home.

Maintenance Issues

Maintenance is another issue though. Mechanical shifting problems are very easy to diagnose and seldom require anything more complicated than replacing a cable or some housing. It can seem complex at first but it’s one of those things that after you’ve done it a few times, you get it figured out and you can typically tinker with it until you get it shifting smooth again.

Electronic shifter maintenance — not so much. Any real issues with your components typically require them to be serviced by a trained technician which is probably good since not too many cyclists have the engineering expertise to figure out what’s wrong, or even know where to begin to fix it. Most fixes require connecting the bike to a computer to diagnosis and/or update the software. (You never thought you would hear those words did you?)

Don’t Rule Out Mechanical

The innovation of bike electronic shifting shouldn’t automatically be the death of mechanical shifters. Some of the best mechanical systems are beginning to approach the performance of electronic so mechanical shifters aren’t going anywhere. But there’s no reason why mechanical and electrical systems can’t share the road together and that’s probably the way it’s headed. Electric brakes? Probably not. They’re going to hydraulic disc.