I installed the A1x shifter myself on a tadpole HP Gekko fx trike with an eBike electric motorized rear wheel. I was quite anxious as it is very difficult to get a recumbent repaired here as they don't make house calls. Once I got the eight shift points programmed it was pretty easy to do the fine tuning on the trail while riding. I took my first ride today, 10 miles uphill. It required less shifting than normal and worked great. The cable is now only 2' long rather than 5-6'. Getting the remote control installed on the vertical handle bar required removing and replacing the rubber handgrip which was not easy. The entire project was really worth the effort.
Thanks a lot for watching and sharing how you used the Archer shifting system on your HP Gekko trike, Steve. I'm happy to hear it was worth the effort and I'm sure others will be interested in your upgrade. Here's a link for viewers to check out HP Velotechnik recumbent trikes: www.hpvelotechnik.com/en/recumbent-trikes-bikes/gekko-recumbent-trikes/gekko-fx-26-sporty-foldable-touring-trike/
Thanks for watching and the nice comment, Neil! It's definitely an interesting - I think ingenious - rethink of electric shifting. Archer has really done a nice job.
I’ve been using this for a while on my Trek Fuel 9.5....and now I’ve taken it off that and put in on my Levo SL. For the money it is absolutely fantastic and just works flawlessly.
As an engineer, this solution is so simple and clean I would have never thought of it. The fine tunning is just brilliant, how many times have I had a barely bent derrailleur hanger, or maybe some play in the pulley cages and only one or 2 sprokets aren't as smooth as the others to shift? This is just amazing. Prices feels a little too high. I may try to make something similar on my own.
Thanks for watching and I'm glad you liked learning about this enough to consider designing your own, Groove Seeker. That would be a fun project and I wish you luck! Archer is an innovative small company with big ideas. So they might be able to bring the price down at some point. Thanks again!
@@JimLangley1 thank you for your reply, I just wanted to say I know for your building wheels videos. I haven't had the oportunity to build any from scratch but I have trued quite a lot of them thanks to you, so, very apreciate you sharing your knowledge. KEEP IT UP!! :)
Great video, and product! I especially like how you can micro-adjust and dial in each gear. Please let us know how it lasts if you have a chance to give it more time on the bike. Thanks.
Thanks for watching and the kind words, John, glad you liked it. I'll be riding it more to see how it holds up. And, maybe others who have used it will leave comments here before I do. That sometimes happens. Thanks again!
Thanks for watching and the question, Mud. They both work fine. So it kind of comes down to if you like more of a feel when you shift or less. So, for example if you always ride with long gloves you might like the regular button to be able to feel shifts better. And if you don't like having to press much, you would maybe prefer the light touch. Hope this is at least a little helpful.
Very cool - so adaptable! Though it's clearly marketed for 1x drivetrains, Archer's website says it'll support from 2 to 20 gears, so maybe you could put it on a front derailleur double/triple too. If so, folks could do a road bike conversion still for < $800, (2 units), and its per-gear tuning would even support really odd cable pull sequences like Campagnolo's 10sp (2.5mm five times, 3.0mm twice, 3.5mm twice). I've got a Litespeed 1999 vortex that I never want to part with, so maybe something like this would work on it :-)
Glad you liked the video, Chuck and thanks for commenting. I own a Litespeed Vortex, too - awesome bike! Archer is innovative and working on a road setup and ebike one as I mentioned. So I think it's possible that a kit for shifting both derailleurs might come along if they saw a demand for it. The adjustability is great and it seems to me it might work for the front derailleurs, too. The latest news is that SRAM appears to have been inspired by Archer and says they're working on a cable pulling eshifting system. Thanks again for watching and the comment!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks - I must have looked away during your text overlay that said their road setup is in the works. It'll be interesting to see their FD mounting options (seat tube vs. down tube in front of BB cable guide). It's cool that you have a Vortex too! On frames like Vortex, there's not much clearance behind the seat tube even for things like 28mm tires, let alone an Archer cable box. I wonder how a dual-shifter setup will sit with the weight-weenies ;-) Re: an eBike-specific solution, that raises some fun questions! Connectors to eBike batteries and eBike headlight accessories are varied, so are they targeting a particular brand, or only setups with Anderson Powerpole connectors? Although you won't need to charge batteries for an eBike unit, does that mean an eBike becomes un-shiftable if the eBike battery is empty? I also wonder if for mid-drive motors they will attempt to do motor cut-out during shift to avoid chewing up the gears/chain.
@@chuckb4375 When I visited Archer they had 2 new ebikes right there with their system installed. They told me they can make it "plug and play," so I assume they wire connectors for whatever setup you have. You'd want to check with them for actual tech specs for anything you want to add it to. And, on their road setup, I believe right now they're working on one for a 1X drivetrain not a double chainring setup. That's what they showed me. A few companies are making road 1Xs and it's standard on gravel/all terrain road bikes pretty much too. Fun stuff!
The technical term for such a simple device is “linear actuator”! worm gear driven but with wireless Bluetooth and an app to make simple adjustments. Any mechanical engineer with help from an electrical engineer with app programming skills could make one….but costly. Experienced techs could do likewise perhaps at a more competitive price point.
That's interesting, Graydon, thank you! I've said since the introduction of electric shifting that the price will come down like it has with other consumer electronics. But so far I've been completely wrong - apart from SRAM's XPLR eTap, which has dropped the entry point a little.
a complaint I've read is it's too slow. but for me that's not an issue. the elimination of fatigue is worth it, and the other systems don't make sense to me. I've also ridden in snow, puddles, washed the bike, no issues.
Some others have mentioned in the comments that it seemed slow to them, Johannes. I think the best thing is for people to try one so they can decide. There are all types of mountain bikers and all types of trails too and different riders have different needs. Some of the most extreme riders really need super fast shifts to do what they can do on a mountain bike. So I think it's best to try it out to make sure it's right for how and where and what you ride. That's the same for any shifting system, though, not just electric. Thanks a lot for watching and your thoughtful comments. I appreciate it!
@@sparks701 mine works fast enough for me. Mabye they tried a unit with low battery or a faulty unit and they fooled them selves into thinking its slow. 🤔 Slow or not it has been a great help for me, better fit, eliminated fatigue.
@@benjaminpuzzo7194 if you want different fit, want to eliminate fatigue then yes. Use higher clutch tension. Then yes. This works with any rear derailleur. Ou can adjust each gear.
pretty cool, but it seems to shift pretty slowly especially if you need to quickly upshift for a techy climb. I like having the multi upshift of the shimano XT shifter which this cannot replicate.
Thanks, Clarkie. I am pretty sure that Archer has a setting that lets you shift across multiple gears at a time. They talk about it on their site. The shifting to me feels similar to Shimano Di2 shifting, which is on the slow side compared to standard cable shifting. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi Graydon! Yes, mostly because of the 2 AA batteries it does add a little weight but unfortunately I didn't think to do a weight comparison so I can't say exactly how much. Archer lists their D1X at 235 grams if you wanted to weigh what's on your bike and do the math. The price has gone up by about $50 since I did this review. I don't know if it'll come down or not. Appreciate you watching and the great question, thanks Graydon!
@@JimLangley1 - thought China bike tech stores would be onto this already….checked AliExpress but not yet available. No doubt Asia businesses will grab onto this concept very soon and drive the price down IMHO.
@@gtranquilla I thought that, too, Graydon. It's possible that SRAM coming out with their Rival XPLR eTap at about $269 was in response to Archer's system even though SRAM's isn't cable operated or as fine-tunable.
Thanks for showing inside, I was curious how these worked....a worm drive and I'm guessing servo or stepper to turn it. Probably a pretty reliable unit as long as water stays out. I suppose the most interesting part will be determining when it's time for cable replacement, as the rider can no longer feel a friction increase.
Thanks for watching and the thoughts, Cup & Cone! The cable is so short that it should barely stretch and there are no exposed sections to corrode. I think it'll last for many years as long as it's put in with a little lube. I'm not sure how the screw is driven, but I think you're correct - some servo or stepper. Archer did tell they use an Acme thread, or courser pitch. From the reviews on their site, it seems that the systems out in the field are holding up well. I know Shimano uses something like this in their Di2 derailleur for moving it and they told me the mechanism is nearly foolproof. Thanks again!
It would be interesting to have bike builders build this unit on the inside of the right chainstay but with the lithium battery holder and charger external obviously…
First time I've seen this system, looks really simple to install. I was concerned about the unit moving around on rough terrain only been secured with those cable clips, I'm guessing you found it to be stable Jim? Also, that's the truest running rear wheel I've ever seen... Great video ...
Hi Graham! Thanks for watching and the comment. Yes, it's amazingly simple to install. The app took a little figuring out but was great to use once I got the hang of it. I should have explained more on how the Shifter attaches. Those two straps wrap around the chainstay or seatstay. Archer recommends zip tying the Shifter to the stay before tightening the straps. If you do that, the Shifter is held tight and when you pull on the attaching straps you can get them really tight and then there are super secure clamps with 2 screws on each strap to lock the straps tight. So, I bet you could knock it out of position if you crashed and hit it, but I don't think it will move just riding. And here's the cool part: Even if it moves it doesn't affect the cable adjustment or shifting adjustment. It will still shift fine, though if it were to get knocked way out of position maybe it would hit the spokes or your heel and you definitely wouldn't want that. So you would stop and push it back where it was. Thanks for noticing the wheel.. I build that one ;-)
Can it handle harsher terrains like enduro or downhill tracks? (i know it already has it in its name "trail") but im still wondering couse it looks like it is built great. And also what is your bike?
Thanks for watching and commenting, Jay. My bike is a Trek Fuel EX. The thing about electric drivetrains is that they work as long as the batteries are charged and in the case of the Archer as long as you don't smack the shifter and wreck it somehow. But you could crash in an enduro and ruin the derailleur, too. So it really depends on the course, how skilled and lucky you are. But overall, it should work fine as long as it has power and a crash doesn't affect it. Hope this helps.
Thanks for watching and the question, Rick. Yes, I'm still riding it. I have not had a chance to try the AXS mtb shifting only the road system. But, I would say that the newest AXS, the GX looks pretty impressive for the price. When I got the Archer system that wasn't on the market yet. Now that SRAM has a much less expensive system it's worth a look. I like what Archer has done with their D1X. I think some of it can be improved, such as ease of charging the batteries and the speed of shifts. It's likely they're working on upgrades as I type because they're a small innovative company. On the other hand, SRAM is an industry giant with massive engineering and R&D, so I would expect their new system to be very good. The Archer system's most ingenious feature is that it works with the derailleur you already have. I heard SRAM is working on one of those, too, but don't know when we'll see it. Thanks again!
@@JimLangley1 Hi the shifting speed is going to be resolved soon. They have already demonstrated a new battery which speed up the shifting. Look at their new Sprint battery set ;)
Hi Bikeo! All electronic shifters seem slower than cable shifters on each individual shift for a reason: the e derailleurs shift by programmed steps; while cable derailleurs shift by how far the lever travels. With the former you have to wait for the e derailleur to complete its travel/shift; for the latter, you can push the lever past where it needs to go (the detent/click) to "force" or "slam" or "speed" shift. That's the big difference in shifting speed. I think it's something each individual rider has to decide for themselves. I found it took time to get used to it. The thing is that the electric shifting provides a more consistent, precise shift. It's subtle but if you notice the precision shifts and how the electronic shifting almost always hits the gear spot-on, you grow to like it a lot even though it can be slightly slower than cable shifting. Hope this helps explain. Thanks for watching and the great question/comment!
@@JimLangley1 that’s a good explanation. The precision in shifting performance, specific to each cog, is really where this e shifter shines. Analog shifters cannot vary their precision for individual cogs.
@@RideAlongside I forgot to mention that the battery power affects shifting speed, too. With a low battery an electric shifter can shift slower. And with more battery power like say on an e-bike, the shifter can make the shifts faster than with lower power batteries.
I am having an issue with my new velomobile where I cannot get the mechanical shifter to shift correctly, it seems like it is always going too far no matter what I do and its virtually impossible to shift while going up a hill. Do you think this shifting system would fix this? Its not much fun to ride when you're afraid to shift because it might jam and then you cannot move and have to get out and lift up the wheel and pick up the rear wheel and shift it manually. I've had a bike shop take a crack at it and they couldn't fix this issue apparently, although I'm not sure how skilled they are. I have a 'rotor 1x12'.
Thanks for watching and the question, 100toeface. From what you describe, it sounds like you might have a bent derailleur or a bent derailleur hanger. This is a very common issue that is caused often by bikes falling over. Do you know if the mechanic checked your bicycle with a derailleur hanger alignment tool? I mention this because you need to make sure your frame and derailleur are working properly even with the Archer electronic shifting system or any other e-shifter brand, too, like from Shimano or SRAM. When a frame derailleur hanger or derailleur gets damaged and bent it usually makes the derailleur shift too far toward the spokes. If you keep shifting you can get the chain and derailleur jammed in the wheel, which can damage the wheel. You can do a visual check by shifting down onto the smallest cog on the rear. Then stand behind the bike and look carefully at the derailleur. On a perfect rear derailleur and frame, an imaginary perfectly straight vertical line will be able to bisect the smallest cog and BOTH derailleur pulleys. If that's NOT the case with your bike, then you might have found the cause of your shifting issue. Anyone with a derailleur hanger alignment gauge/tool can help. I have a video about the tool here: ruclips.net/video/du08XdYc1KI/видео.html I hope this is helpful and you can get your bicycle shifting correctly again. I'm happy to answer more question if you need more help. Good luck!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks so much for that response, really amazing, much appreciated it, I subscribed and watched the video link. Since its a velomobile I'm not sure that tool will work because of restricted access to the rear wheel, but I'll let the bike shop know and see what they can do, thanks! If all I have to do is replace that one part I'd be more than happy to just do that. Although it has shifted badly since I got it brand new(which is a week ago), and it is inside a carbon shell protected so I don't see how it would have gotten bent during its voyage at sea. Then again I can't imagine the dealer shipping it to me misaligned either so something must have happened to it on the boat. I did order the Archer system as well, seems it would eliminate 2 sources of issues, the cable and the shifter, if I ever do get this fixed.
@@100toeface thanks a lot for subscribing! Did you buy one of these bikes: www.velomobileworld.com/ ? If so, please tell me which model you bought and I will see if I can find a schematic drawing or photos of the drivetrain to try to determine what might be causing the jamming. Also, please explain what you mean by "jamming?" For example, does the chain get stuck in the sprockets so you can't pedal? Or does the chain shift and then stop shifting before it reaches the gear you were trying to select? Etc.. there can be many causes of jamming. Explaining what's happening would help me try to figure out what might be the problem. Because it's a new bicycle it might be something relatively easy to fix. Usually a dealer would test ride a bicycle before shipping it and as you say the shell should have protected the frame and derailleur. I wonder if something is wrong with the chain itself? For example, if the connecting pin wasn't fully inserted during chain installation, that pin could jam and stop the pedaling and shifting. I'm happy to try to help more if you can describe more what's going on. I would expect that any good mechanic could find it pretty quickly and let you know what's needed to fix it. So that's a good option if you have a good local bike shop. I'll be interested to hear what they find if you do that. Good luck!
@@100toeface I had another idea for you 100toeface - looking at the photos of the different Velomobile models it looks to me like the chain runs beneath the seat. If that's the case, it must run under some rollers/pulleys or through some type of channel. Since something is jamming, maybe the mechanism that controls the chain is loose or misaligned and needs to be fixed? Just one more thing you might look at. Since it's a new bike I'm thinking it must be some kind of minor assembly issue such as this. Good luck!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks a lot. It is an Alpha 7 velomobile. The dealer seemed quite good, I find it hard to believe he would ship it in this condition, so I conclude that there must have been vibration from a month on a container ship that caused something to get messed up. Maybe the derailleur got vibrated out of alignment. It is almost impossible to get it into the lowest gear without tons of gear crunching sounds, as if there was a huge bag of rocks being thrown around. By 'jam' I mean sometimes I am unable to pedal at all if there is a particularly horrendous shift. To fix it I have to pick up the rear wheel and pedal with my other hand and manually shift to higher gears to get it unstuck. If I am inside the velomobile trying to do that normally, the pedals wont move at all. Two days ago this jamming happened and now it seems as if it is in a super high gear(s) all of the time even if I shift to what should be the lowest gear, it is still as if it is in a high gear. I pushed it home and dropped it off at the bike shop, I'll let you know what they say-you've helped more than enough. Again thanks for the ideas, I wish you worked at the local cycle shop that's for sure.
Thanks for watching and the great question, Kynan. I reviewed this awhile ago and I know Archer is always working on new stuff so you should reach out to them directly and ask them. To do that according to their website: contact their support staff at support@archercomponents.com or call/text (831)313-7400. They’re in California so you can expect a response Monday through Friday 10am-4pm PT. Thanks again!
Mine failed twice. First on Remote (under warranty) and and time on the shifter (dead motor) which was a few days after the warranty. Now Archer wants to charge me $76 for rebuilding the shifter. Total mileage is only 2184km. not so worth it after all.
Thanks for watching and your very interesting comment, "consumer052." It's interesting because you must be used to shift levers that have numbers on them telling you what gear you are in. But, most bicycles these days do not have numbers on the shift levers. And that's okay because it's relatively easy to know what gear you're in by simply looking at the chain and where it is on the sprockets. A lot of today's drivetrains, too, only have one sprocket in front so you only have to look at the back and can see if where the chain is. If there are 11 cogs in back, for example, you can look at the chain and have a good idea where you are in your range of gears. Another way riders tell is by how the gear feels to pedal and also by how many clicks they've made with the lever. But, you're right. If you want a lever that shows you what gear you are in, you won't get it with this system. Thanks for the great comment.
@@michealbackus4543 thanks for explaining. Yes, please stay safe. I have an e-bike, too. Mine is an 11-speed with one sprocket up front. The way I shift is based on how fast I pedal. If I'm "lugging my engine," I shift into an easier gear. If I'm spinning my legs like crazy, I shift into a harder gear. I shift a lot to keep my legs going at the rate that I'm comfortable with. I can always tell when I "run out of gear toward either the highest/hardest or the lowest/easiest because the bike won't go into any harder a gear or easier a gear. I know that the hardest gear is 11th and the easiest is 1st. For the 9 gears in between, I just go by feel and you get pretty good at finding what feels right to your legs and lungs. Okay? I hope these tips are helpful. The one thing that an electric shifting drivetrain could offer at some point is an app that would show on your cell phone what gear you're in. The Archer system app does this when you do the setup, but I don't think they have a riding app for watching the gear you're in as you shift. Maybe someday. Thanks again for watching!
I don't know if this idea will interest you or not, Antichrome, but it doesn't have to be your smartphone. You could ask a friend with a smartphone to download the app to their phone (it's free). Then since they know how their phone works, they could walk you through accessing the app and setting up the system. Once it's setup, you don't need the app anymore. At that point everything is done with the Remote. That's a workaround that would work. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks for watching and the comment, Jamar. When it comes to electronics things change fast. It shouldn't be too difficult for Archer to shave 34 grams - maybe much more, in their next version (I understand they're already testing early samples).
I installed the A1x shifter myself on a tadpole HP Gekko fx trike with an eBike electric motorized rear wheel. I was quite anxious as it is very difficult to get a recumbent repaired here as they don't make house calls. Once I got the eight shift points programmed it was pretty easy to do the fine tuning on the trail while riding. I took my first ride today, 10 miles uphill. It required less shifting than normal and worked great. The cable is now only 2' long rather than 5-6'. Getting the remote control installed on the vertical handle bar required removing and replacing the rubber handgrip which was not easy. The entire project was really worth the effort.
Thanks a lot for watching and sharing how you used the Archer shifting system on your HP Gekko trike, Steve. I'm happy to hear it was worth the effort and I'm sure others will be interested in your upgrade. Here's a link for viewers to check out HP Velotechnik recumbent trikes: www.hpvelotechnik.com/en/recumbent-trikes-bikes/gekko-recumbent-trikes/gekko-fx-26-sporty-foldable-touring-trike/
Great video, Jim! That's a really interesting product --- I'm tempted!
Thanks for watching and the nice comment, Neil! It's definitely an interesting - I think ingenious - rethink of electric shifting. Archer has really done a nice job.
I’ve been using this for a while on my Trek Fuel 9.5....and now I’ve taken it off that and put in on my Levo SL. For the money it is absolutely fantastic and just works flawlessly.
Thanks a lot for letting us know it works so well for you, wayne - appreciate it very much!
As an engineer, this solution is so simple and clean I would have never thought of it. The fine tunning is just brilliant, how many times have I had a barely bent derrailleur hanger, or maybe some play in the pulley cages and only one or 2 sprokets aren't as smooth as the others to shift? This is just amazing. Prices feels a little too high. I may try to make something similar on my own.
Thanks for watching and I'm glad you liked learning about this enough to consider designing your own, Groove Seeker. That would be a fun project and I wish you luck! Archer is an innovative small company with big ideas. So they might be able to bring the price down at some point. Thanks again!
@@JimLangley1 thank you for your reply, I just wanted to say I know for your building wheels videos. I haven't had the oportunity to build any from scratch but I have trued quite a lot of them thanks to you, so, very apreciate you sharing your knowledge. KEEP IT UP!! :)
@@grooveseeker6269 you're most welcome - I'm happy to hear my wheel tips are helping you out. Thanks a lot for letting me know.
Outstanding info, well done and a legit accessory to consider. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for watching and the nice words, JR! Much appreciated!
Looks like Archer has a great option here. May have to try it sometime soon.
Thanks, Ride Alongside! Glad you liked the video. I think you'll like it.
Great video, and product! I especially like how you can micro-adjust and dial in each gear. Please let us know how it lasts if you have a chance to give it more time on the bike. Thanks.
Thanks for watching and the kind words, John, glad you liked it. I'll be riding it more to see how it holds up. And, maybe others who have used it will leave comments here before I do. That sometimes happens. Thanks again!
This tech is a game changer.great vid .
Thanks for watching and the nice comment!
excellent, detailed presentation, thank you!
You’re welcome, Bert! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Excellent product and excellent video.
Appreciate you watching the video, Zoran, and letting me know you liked it and Archer Components' D1X system. Thank you!
What's better - light touch or regular buttons? I'm about to order but have no idea which I would prefer
Thanks for watching and the question, Mud. They both work fine. So it kind of comes down to if you like more of a feel when you shift or less. So, for example if you always ride with long gloves you might like the regular button to be able to feel shifts better. And if you don't like having to press much, you would maybe prefer the light touch. Hope this is at least a little helpful.
Very cool - so adaptable!
Though it's clearly marketed for 1x drivetrains, Archer's website says it'll support from 2 to 20 gears, so maybe you could put it on a front derailleur double/triple too. If so, folks could do a road bike conversion still for < $800, (2 units), and its per-gear tuning would even support really odd cable pull sequences like Campagnolo's 10sp (2.5mm five times, 3.0mm twice, 3.5mm twice). I've got a Litespeed 1999 vortex that I never want to part with, so maybe something like this would work on it :-)
Glad you liked the video, Chuck and thanks for commenting. I own a Litespeed Vortex, too - awesome bike! Archer is innovative and working on a road setup and ebike one as I mentioned. So I think it's possible that a kit for shifting both derailleurs might come along if they saw a demand for it. The adjustability is great and it seems to me it might work for the front derailleurs, too. The latest news is that SRAM appears to have been inspired by Archer and says they're working on a cable pulling eshifting system. Thanks again for watching and the comment!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks - I must have looked away during your text overlay that said their road setup is in the works. It'll be interesting to see their FD mounting options (seat tube vs. down tube in front of BB cable guide). It's cool that you have a Vortex too! On frames like Vortex, there's not much clearance behind the seat tube even for things like 28mm tires, let alone an Archer cable box. I wonder how a dual-shifter setup will sit with the weight-weenies ;-)
Re: an eBike-specific solution, that raises some fun questions! Connectors to eBike batteries and eBike headlight accessories are varied, so are they targeting a particular brand, or only setups with Anderson Powerpole connectors? Although you won't need to charge batteries for an eBike unit, does that mean an eBike becomes un-shiftable if the eBike battery is empty? I also wonder if for mid-drive motors they will attempt to do motor cut-out during shift to avoid chewing up the gears/chain.
@@chuckb4375 When I visited Archer they had 2 new ebikes right there with their system installed. They told me they can make it "plug and play," so I assume they wire connectors for whatever setup you have. You'd want to check with them for actual tech specs for anything you want to add it to. And, on their road setup, I believe right now they're working on one for a 1X drivetrain not a double chainring setup. That's what they showed me. A few companies are making road 1Xs and it's standard on gravel/all terrain road bikes pretty much too. Fun stuff!
Nice JIm. I want one. :) Good job on the Video.
Thanks, Mike! Appreciate you watching the video!
Thanks for posting this very informative video. When you replace the batteries after charging do you have to reprogram the gears all over again?
Thanks for watching and the great question. No, you don't have to reprogram the shifts. The system remembers the setup. Thanks again!
The technical term for such a simple device is “linear actuator”! worm gear driven but with wireless Bluetooth and an app to make simple adjustments. Any mechanical engineer with help from an electrical engineer with app programming skills could make one….but costly. Experienced techs could do likewise perhaps at a more competitive price point.
That's interesting, Graydon, thank you! I've said since the introduction of electric shifting that the price will come down like it has with other consumer electronics. But so far I've been completely wrong - apart from SRAM's XPLR eTap, which has dropped the entry point a little.
a complaint I've read is it's too slow. but for me that's not an issue. the elimination of fatigue is worth it, and the other systems don't make sense to me.
I've also ridden in snow, puddles, washed the bike, no issues.
Some others have mentioned in the comments that it seemed slow to them, Johannes. I think the best thing is for people to try one so they can decide. There are all types of mountain bikers and all types of trails too and different riders have different needs. Some of the most extreme riders really need super fast shifts to do what they can do on a mountain bike. So I think it's best to try it out to make sure it's right for how and where and what you ride. That's the same for any shifting system, though, not just electric. Thanks a lot for watching and your thoughtful comments. I appreciate it!
I haven’t noticed any lag in mine been using for a year now on my 5010.
@@sparks701 mine works fast enough for me. Mabye they tried a unit with low battery or a faulty unit and they fooled them selves into thinking its slow. 🤔 Slow or not it has been a great help for me, better fit, eliminated fatigue.
@@sparks701 thanks a lot for sharing your feedback on yours, Sparks - appreciate it very much!
Sweet, I love mine.
What drivetrain do you have? Would you recommend I buy it even if my GX Eagle shifts fine?
@@benjaminpuzzo7194 if you want different fit, want to eliminate fatigue then yes. Use higher clutch tension. Then yes.
This works with any rear derailleur. Ou can adjust each gear.
@@benjaminpuzzo7194 I don't know what you mean with "shifts fine"
Thanks for watching and the feedback on yours, Johannes.
pretty cool, but it seems to shift pretty slowly especially if you need to quickly upshift for a techy climb. I like having the multi upshift of the shimano XT shifter which this cannot replicate.
Thanks, Clarkie. I am pretty sure that Archer has a setting that lets you shift across multiple gears at a time. They talk about it on their site. The shifting to me feels similar to Shimano Di2 shifting, which is on the slow side compared to standard cable shifting. Thanks for watching and commenting!
It has got a multiple shift option and you can choose how many gears you want to change....both up and down.
Wow….I am impressed! Now if the price goes down a bit, I will buy one.🎉 So does it add some weight relative to the mechanical cable and shifter?
Hi Graydon! Yes, mostly because of the 2 AA batteries it does add a little weight but unfortunately I didn't think to do a weight comparison so I can't say exactly how much. Archer lists their D1X at 235 grams if you wanted to weigh what's on your bike and do the math. The price has gone up by about $50 since I did this review. I don't know if it'll come down or not. Appreciate you watching and the great question, thanks Graydon!
@@JimLangley1 - thought China bike tech stores would be onto this already….checked AliExpress but not yet available. No doubt Asia businesses will grab onto this concept very soon and drive the price down IMHO.
@@gtranquilla I thought that, too, Graydon. It's possible that SRAM coming out with their Rival XPLR eTap at about $269 was in response to Archer's system even though SRAM's isn't cable operated or as fine-tunable.
Thanks for showing inside, I was curious how these worked....a worm drive and I'm guessing servo or stepper to turn it. Probably a pretty reliable unit as long as water stays out. I suppose the most interesting part will be determining when it's time for cable replacement, as the rider can no longer feel a friction increase.
Thanks for watching and the thoughts, Cup & Cone! The cable is so short that it should barely stretch and there are no exposed sections to corrode. I think it'll last for many years as long as it's put in with a little lube. I'm not sure how the screw is driven, but I think you're correct - some servo or stepper. Archer did tell they use an Acme thread, or courser pitch. From the reviews on their site, it seems that the systems out in the field are holding up well. I know Shimano uses something like this in their Di2 derailleur for moving it and they told me the mechanism is nearly foolproof. Thanks again!
It would be interesting to have bike builders build this unit on the inside of the right chainstay but with the lithium battery holder and charger external obviously…
I like the way you think, Graydon ;-) Good idea!
Well explained, thank you. So essentially I could use a 10 speed derailleur with a 12speed cassette?
Thanks for watching and commenting, Mick. Yes, that's right, you can do that.
@@JimLangley1thanks, I'm thinking of making a 1 by tt bike with this system.
First time I've seen this system, looks really simple to install.
I was concerned about the unit moving around on rough terrain only been secured with those cable clips, I'm guessing you found it to be stable Jim?
Also, that's the truest running rear wheel I've ever seen... Great video ...
Hi Graham! Thanks for watching and the comment. Yes, it's amazingly simple to install. The app took a little figuring out but was great to use once I got the hang of it. I should have explained more on how the Shifter attaches. Those two straps wrap around the chainstay or seatstay. Archer recommends zip tying the Shifter to the stay before tightening the straps. If you do that, the Shifter is held tight and when you pull on the attaching straps you can get them really tight and then there are super secure clamps with 2 screws on each strap to lock the straps tight. So, I bet you could knock it out of position if you crashed and hit it, but I don't think it will move just riding. And here's the cool part: Even if it moves it doesn't affect the cable adjustment or shifting adjustment. It will still shift fine, though if it were to get knocked way out of position maybe it would hit the spokes or your heel and you definitely wouldn't want that. So you would stop and push it back where it was. Thanks for noticing the wheel.. I build that one ;-)
@@JimLangley1 Haha... cheers Jim, I knew it would be one of your builds...
Awesome video! 😊👍
Thanks a lot for watching and the great comment - glad you enjoyed the show!
Can it handle harsher terrains like enduro or downhill tracks? (i know it already has it in its name "trail") but im still wondering couse it looks like it is built great. And also what is your bike?
Thanks for watching and commenting, Jay. My bike is a Trek Fuel EX. The thing about electric drivetrains is that they work as long as the batteries are charged and in the case of the Archer as long as you don't smack the shifter and wreck it somehow. But you could crash in an enduro and ruin the derailleur, too. So it really depends on the course, how skilled and lucky you are. But overall, it should work fine as long as it has power and a crash doesn't affect it. Hope this helps.
Are you still using the archer? Everyone's pushing the cost prohibitive axs now. Have you been able to compare performance?
Thanks for watching and the question, Rick. Yes, I'm still riding it. I have not had a chance to try the AXS mtb shifting only the road system. But, I would say that the newest AXS, the GX looks pretty impressive for the price. When I got the Archer system that wasn't on the market yet. Now that SRAM has a much less expensive system it's worth a look. I like what Archer has done with their D1X. I think some of it can be improved, such as ease of charging the batteries and the speed of shifts. It's likely they're working on upgrades as I type because they're a small innovative company. On the other hand, SRAM is an industry giant with massive engineering and R&D, so I would expect their new system to be very good. The Archer system's most ingenious feature is that it works with the derailleur you already have. I heard SRAM is working on one of those, too, but don't know when we'll see it. Thanks again!
@@JimLangley1 Hi the shifting speed is going to be resolved soon. They have already demonstrated a new battery which speed up the shifting. Look at their new Sprint battery set ;)
@@hman72y thanks a lot for sharing this information, appreciate it!!
Brilliant
Thanks for watching and the comment, Aaron!
I’ve never used the electronic shifter but this feels rather slow compared to mainstream models?
Hi Bikeo! All electronic shifters seem slower than cable shifters on each individual shift for a reason: the e derailleurs shift by programmed steps; while cable derailleurs shift by how far the lever travels. With the former you have to wait for the e derailleur to complete its travel/shift; for the latter, you can push the lever past where it needs to go (the detent/click) to "force" or "slam" or "speed" shift. That's the big difference in shifting speed. I think it's something each individual rider has to decide for themselves. I found it took time to get used to it. The thing is that the electric shifting provides a more consistent, precise shift. It's subtle but if you notice the precision shifts and how the electronic shifting almost always hits the gear spot-on, you grow to like it a lot even though it can be slightly slower than cable shifting. Hope this helps explain. Thanks for watching and the great question/comment!
@@JimLangley1 that’s a good explanation. The precision in shifting performance, specific to each cog, is really where this e shifter shines. Analog shifters cannot vary their precision for individual cogs.
@@RideAlongside I forgot to mention that the battery power affects shifting speed, too. With a low battery an electric shifter can shift slower. And with more battery power like say on an e-bike, the shifter can make the shifts faster than with lower power batteries.
compared to axs it's definitely slower, but very nice either way
Maybe a great solution to use road drivetrain with flat handle bars
Yes, silvagc, that’s a great application. Thanks for watching and making that excellent point!
I hope so just got a gravel but going flat bars waiting on mine 2 come in now.
They have a presale on a new version...guessing it's really just a fancier remote
Thanks for letting us know, Bizno - appreciate you watching and the comment.
Impressive!
Thanks for watching and commenting, London. I think it's impressive, too!
I am having an issue with my new velomobile where I cannot get the mechanical shifter to shift correctly, it seems like it is always going too far no matter what I do and its virtually impossible to shift while going up a hill. Do you think this shifting system would fix this? Its not much fun to ride when you're afraid to shift because it might jam and then you cannot move and have to get out and lift up the wheel and pick up the rear wheel and shift it manually. I've had a bike shop take a crack at it and they couldn't fix this issue apparently, although I'm not sure how skilled they are. I have a 'rotor 1x12'.
Thanks for watching and the question, 100toeface. From what you describe, it sounds like you might have a bent derailleur or a bent derailleur hanger. This is a very common issue that is caused often by bikes falling over. Do you know if the mechanic checked your bicycle with a derailleur hanger alignment tool?
I mention this because you need to make sure your frame and derailleur are working properly even with the Archer electronic shifting system or any other e-shifter brand, too, like from Shimano or SRAM.
When a frame derailleur hanger or derailleur gets damaged and bent it usually makes the derailleur shift too far toward the spokes. If you keep shifting you can get the chain and derailleur jammed in the wheel, which can damage the wheel.
You can do a visual check by shifting down onto the smallest cog on the rear. Then stand behind the bike and look carefully at the derailleur. On a perfect rear derailleur and frame, an imaginary perfectly straight vertical line will be able to bisect the smallest cog and BOTH derailleur pulleys.
If that's NOT the case with your bike, then you might have found the cause of your shifting issue. Anyone with a derailleur hanger alignment gauge/tool can help. I have a video about the tool here: ruclips.net/video/du08XdYc1KI/видео.html
I hope this is helpful and you can get your bicycle shifting correctly again. I'm happy to answer more question if you need more help. Good luck!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks so much for that response, really amazing, much appreciated it, I subscribed and watched the video link. Since its a velomobile I'm not sure that tool will work because of restricted access to the rear wheel, but I'll let the bike shop know and see what they can do, thanks! If all I have to do is replace that one part I'd be more than happy to just do that. Although it has shifted badly since I got it brand new(which is a week ago), and it is inside a carbon shell protected so I don't see how it would have gotten bent during its voyage at sea. Then again I can't imagine the dealer shipping it to me misaligned either so something must have happened to it on the boat. I did order the Archer system as well, seems it would eliminate 2 sources of issues, the cable and the shifter, if I ever do get this fixed.
@@100toeface thanks a lot for subscribing! Did you buy one of these bikes: www.velomobileworld.com/ ? If so, please tell me which model you bought and I will see if I can find a schematic drawing or photos of the drivetrain to try to determine what might be causing the jamming. Also, please explain what you mean by "jamming?"
For example, does the chain get stuck in the sprockets so you can't pedal? Or does the chain shift and then stop shifting before it reaches the gear you were trying to select? Etc.. there can be many causes of jamming. Explaining what's happening would help me try to figure out what might be the problem. Because it's a new bicycle it might be something relatively easy to fix. Usually a dealer would test ride a bicycle before shipping it and as you say the shell should have protected the frame and derailleur.
I wonder if something is wrong with the chain itself? For example, if the connecting pin wasn't fully inserted during chain installation, that pin could jam and stop the pedaling and shifting. I'm happy to try to help more if you can describe more what's going on. I would expect that any good mechanic could find it pretty quickly and let you know what's needed to fix it. So that's a good option if you have a good local bike shop. I'll be interested to hear what they find if you do that. Good luck!
@@100toeface I had another idea for you 100toeface - looking at the photos of the different Velomobile models it looks to me like the chain runs beneath the seat. If that's the case, it must run under some rollers/pulleys or through some type of channel. Since something is jamming, maybe the mechanism that controls the chain is loose or misaligned and needs to be fixed? Just one more thing you might look at. Since it's a new bike I'm thinking it must be some kind of minor assembly issue such as this. Good luck!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks a lot. It is an Alpha 7 velomobile. The dealer seemed quite good, I find it hard to believe he would ship it in this condition, so I conclude that there must have been vibration from a month on a container ship that caused something to get messed up. Maybe the derailleur got vibrated out of alignment. It is almost impossible to get it into the lowest gear without tons of gear crunching sounds, as if there was a huge bag of rocks being thrown around. By 'jam' I mean sometimes I am unable to pedal at all if there is a particularly horrendous shift. To fix it I have to pick up the rear wheel and pedal with my other hand and manually shift to higher gears to get it unstuck. If I am inside the velomobile trying to do that normally, the pedals wont move at all. Two days ago this jamming happened and now it seems as if it is in a super high gear(s) all of the time even if I shift to what should be the lowest gear, it is still as if it is in a high gear. I pushed it home and dropped it off at the bike shop, I'll let you know what they say-you've helped more than enough. Again thanks for the ideas, I wish you worked at the local cycle shop that's for sure.
will this work on the 3 speed beach cruisers or not?
the ones without a big derailer, must be built in
im talking about the nexus gear changer for beach cruises
Thanks for watching and the great question, Kynan. I reviewed this awhile ago and I know Archer is always working on new stuff so you should reach out to them directly and ask them. To do that according to their website: contact their support staff at support@archercomponents.com or call/text (831)313-7400. They’re in California so you can expect a response Monday through Friday 10am-4pm PT. Thanks again!
@@JimLangley1 Thanks mate
@@kynansecondname7993 you're very welcome. Thanks for watching and asking a great question!
Mine failed twice. First on Remote (under warranty) and and time on the shifter (dead motor) which was a few days after the warranty. Now Archer wants to charge me $76 for rebuilding the shifter. Total mileage is only 2184km. not so worth it after all.
Thanks very much for sharing your feedback on the system ivanteo.
@@JimLangley1 It's just not suitable for situations where failure is not an option.
Problem is there is no indication of which gear you are currently in.
Thanks for watching and your very interesting comment, "consumer052." It's interesting because you must be used to shift levers that have numbers on them telling you what gear you are in. But, most bicycles these days do not have numbers on the shift levers.
And that's okay because it's relatively easy to know what gear you're in by simply looking at the chain and where it is on the sprockets. A lot of today's drivetrains, too, only have one sprocket in front so you only have to look at the back and can see if where the chain is.
If there are 11 cogs in back, for example, you can look at the chain and have a good idea where you are in your range of gears. Another way riders tell is by how the gear feels to pedal and also by how many clicks they've made with the lever.
But, you're right. If you want a lever that shows you what gear you are in, you won't get it with this system. Thanks for the great comment.
@@JimLangley1 Thanks for your reply!
I have an e-bike, its raally not safe taking your eyes off the road when you are traveling over 40 mph.
@@michealbackus4543 thanks for explaining. Yes, please stay safe. I have an e-bike, too. Mine is an 11-speed with one sprocket up front. The way I shift is based on how fast I pedal. If I'm "lugging my engine," I shift into an easier gear. If I'm spinning my legs like crazy, I shift into a harder gear. I shift a lot to keep my legs going at the rate that I'm comfortable with. I can always tell when I "run out of gear toward either the highest/hardest or the lowest/easiest because the bike won't go into any harder a gear or easier a gear. I know that the hardest gear is 11th and the easiest is 1st. For the 9 gears in between, I just go by feel and you get pretty good at finding what feels right to your legs and lungs. Okay? I hope these tips are helpful. The one thing that an electric shifting drivetrain could offer at some point is an app that would show on your cell phone what gear you're in. The Archer system app does this when you do the setup, but I don't think they have a riding app for watching the gear you're in as you shift. Maybe someday. Thanks again for watching!
So you don't have a display to show you which gear you're in either.
Thanks for watching, Rick. Yes, there's no display when riding.
Tuning by viewing the chainline from the rear is way better than listening to all that clunking-guess work. 🤦🏻♂
Thanks for watching and sharing your derailleur tuning tip, Andrew.
I don't use apps or smartphones, I guess this won't work for me.
I don't know if this idea will interest you or not, Antichrome, but it doesn't have to be your smartphone. You could ask a friend with a smartphone to download the app to their phone (it's free). Then since they know how their phone works, they could walk you through accessing the app and setting up the system. Once it's setup, you don't need the app anymore. At that point everything is done with the Remote. That's a workaround that would work. Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@JimLangley1 good to know
It's 34 grams too heavy
Thanks for watching and the comment, Jamar. When it comes to electronics things change fast. It shouldn't be too difficult for Archer to shave 34 grams - maybe much more, in their next version (I understand they're already testing early samples).
Put this on my bike , it was garbage
Thanks for the feedback