Electronic vs mechanical shifting: the pros and cons
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 25 июл 2024
- There’s a growing trend amongst performance road bikes of hiding cables for a sleek look. Some brands have managed to find a way to squeeze both brake hoses and gear housings through tight bends, while others ease the process by making their bikes compatible with electronic gears only (e.g. Shimano Di2 or SRAM eTap).
And it’s exactly this trend that had us keen to talk through some of the bigger points in the debate of electronic versus mechanical shifting when buying a new bike. No longer is it a simple case of which one shifts better, faster or requires less maintenance - the topic has become broader than that.
And so while sitting in the middle of an apple orchard within Victoria’s High Country, we decided to do what anyone else in our situation would: discuss the major pros and cons of derailleur-based electronic gearing for road and gravel riders. Consider this a beginner’s guide to the topic.
See the full review at:
cyclingtips.com/2021/01/elect...
Thanks to alpinecider.com.au/ for hosting us during our conversation.
Music by Epidemic Sound
Includes paid promotion: Our second Field Test was done in partnership with Ride High Country, the tourism and advocacy group responsible for cycling within Victoria’s North East region. We thank them for their support in being able to produce this series. 
Спорт
Honestly, it's cool, but I'm sick of needing an *app* for everything. Part of my riding joy is ditching tech , phone included, and blazing out on the trail for hours. I also loved clipper ships and sailing, so rigging of cables and tinkering with it is never a probem, it's part of the escape into bicycles and the entire experience from tech everything.
Amen i think is just looking for solutions where there wasnt really a problem to begin with.
I'm with you on that man. As soon as I saw that you could integrate the drive train with your PC, I kind of mentally rejected it. And I'm a software engineer. I've always been deeply struck by the mechanical beauty of the bicycle. I fear electronic shifting will be the norm. Kind of like the way race geometry has become ubiquitous and it's so hard to find a flat top tube...
Rim brake for life.
Agree 100%
I have dura ace mechanical on my Tarmac SL7. They are designed to handle cables and it’s actually a very clean setup. From the front of the bike, you can’t even see the cables. Mechanical shifting more than meets my expectations and I never have to worry about charging or running out of battery.
It would be nice if they could do dynamo powered/charged wireless shifting, that would eliminate the need to charge them and be negligible watt draw.
Don't you love how the industry tells us "it's simpler"--be it electronic shifting or 1x drive train? Strange coincidence that "simpler" is always more expensive, and in this case of drive trains, much more so.
Mechanical Rim Brake for Life.
A fixed gear drive train is the simplest and lightest of all, so why don't road racers use that? They once did, you know.
Mechanical + hydraulic disk brakes for the win
@@rangersmith4652 Well, simpler doesn't mean better, quite the opposite in many cases. Although a Fixie can be a nice commuter or flatland cruiser.
@@Alex-kr7zr You missed my sarcasm. Of course road racers are not going that direction, nor should they.
I don’t want any batteries in order to get my bike to work. I also want to adjust the gears myself. Electronic sounds good for people who are racing, but for me personally it seems like more hassle than what it’s worth (and it’s worth a lot)
my biggest issue with electronic shifting is that i go bikepacking, some times for 2 or 3 months at a time, and batteries just don't last that long. yeah, I could carry a power bank, but a spare cable and an eyedropper full of cable lube take up less space and weight.
Having come from Dura Ace mechanical to ultegra di2, if I had to choose one it’d be mechanical. I just like the feedback and quickness. You KNOW when you’re good to start ramming the pedals again, especially out of saddle on a climb, whereas the electronic is vague and you just wait and drain speed. I like them both! I’ve had days out with mechanical where a wire may be fraying and ruin performance, but I always liked biking for it’s pure escape from tech too. Perhaps I’m biased, but mechanical seems to be a lot snappier in my usage.
I once got to ride a bike with Ultegra Di2 R8070. After those few rides with the bike, I realised I can actually live without an electronic groupset.
Mechanical groupsets are less complex, so there's not much for them to go wrong and if they do, it's easier to diagnose.
Couldn't disagree more. My Di2 shifts faster and precisely. There is no wait, at least not more than a mechanical shift. If you're in a climb the Di2 is almost flawless. If not, something is amiss.
Reliability and easyness of repair are pivotal in racing. Mechanical forever.
Technically electronic is reliable on only thing where no need to replace cable if stretches too far to keep gear right
@@mlee6050 it is reliable until it fails and once it fails good luck for repairing it on the field or replacing it wherever you are. You can find a steel cable wherever you are and anyone can replace it and set it right.
@@Nessunego I am thinking to go electric on my next bike being trek Emonda ALR but as easier adjust it and enhanced shifting so hope not fail, I hope not fail but also if I have puncture I need shops as I still use tubular
Where I cycle with my lightweight bike that got mechanical I only use 53/11 gear even on the hills I have maybe 400m max length
@@mlee6050 good luck for your new bike, it is surely a good bike
@@Nessunego yeah, looking at it as wanted aero but not going SLR as if want to use axs dropper sometime, at moment estimate finish is 7.8kg think that is like all Garmin power meter stuff on it too but want more aero and long lasting than light weight
My dream design is white era but maybe if get someone to replace most the white with rainbow tie dye look
That darn fly is back! 🤣
I know, every one of these videos. Loves you guys.
The fly is what ties our Field Test videos together. :)
Dave Rome.
@@VeloVeloVeloTV hilarious 😂.
@@VeloVeloVeloTV Biggest little fan!
Part of the roster now
watching you guys sat in shorts and t-shirt in the sun whilst it has pissed it down all week here in Manchester makes this a hard watch 😩 bring on spring!!!
Tell me about bud. Sitting here in my living room watching this and staring at my new bike that I’ve not even ridden yet. Don’t want to take it out in the shit 🇬🇧 weather.
Going to be hot all week here. I'm off to the beach boys! 😃
In 20 years no electronic shifter of today is going to be alive due to exausted batteries, incompatibility with newer batteries, change in wifi protocols, failure of the electronic engine moving parts et cetera. My mechanical shifter is 10 years old and still works like a dream, I just change a cheap cable every 2 years.
And they even said in this video that electronic is cheaper in the long run due to not having to change cables 😂. Like bro, I have a 12yr old bike and never changed the cables once and still works fine. It's an Orbea Tenere 2012 model on Shimano Altus 3x7speed.
Good stuff here. As someone whose first bike had friction shifters on the down tube, I found the content very educational.
Brilliant video. Answered most of my questions as after riding mechanical for the last 13 years on my most recent bike I am now deciding between Di2, eTap or mechanical on the next bike. Thank you.
great series at Bright. Cheers
Three beers just sitting there for over 10 minutes and not one touch let alone sip. Is that dedication or just a prop?
Sponsorship perhaps. I know in some situations the sponsorship costs more if it's actually consumed
I’d hazard a guess that this was filmed at 8 in the morning. Not ideal for drinking anything but coffee at that hour
Advertisement. Hence why the labels are pointing at the camera.
@@taylorjones2268 This is certainly true for a number of the videos. This particular one was recorded in the afternoon and those tasty ciders were indeed consumed!
Dave Rome.
It's cider, and I don't think the presentation would be improved by alcohol!
My 19 year old Campy Chorus (obviously mechanical) works flawlessly and runs on the original cables!! Campy was expense to buy but cheap to maintain because it LASTS.
I think mechanical will have to stay around as all these websites only ever talk about high end bikes. I cannot imagine a £500 bike coming with electric groupsets, most people I see on the road still use cheaper brand bikes. Unless companies price out most the population of the world.
100%. Mechanical isn't going anywhere at the low end, that's for sure. The question is whether we'll continue to see mechanical groupsets progressed and refined at the top end.
@@VeloVeloVeloTV Ultegra, Force, Record - those are the three I own/owned. They are all exceptionally good right now; why do they need to progress them? If they kept making them as is, those who have them will be happy that replacements will always be available and those that are new to the game will be quite pleased if they go mechanical via the latest of these groupsets. Just my opinion.
I love and agree with most of the comments on this post. You are smart experienced riders that will not be bullied or scammed by the industry....
Love this series.
Thanks and glad you're liking it!
Dave Rome.
Many of my friends who have da di2 seem to have issues with it. Etap is definitely more hassle free. I’ve also changed from Sram red 22 mechanical to red axs and one of the reason is because I put a TT bar on my road bike and having shifting buttons on it helps. I do miss the snappy gear shift of the mechanical but it’s a trade off I’m willing to accept by going electronic
I'm dubious that adding batteries, transmitters (for wireless systems), motors and (I presume) encoders makes the proposition 'simpler'. Perhaps from a manufacturer's standpoint. Perversely, the simpler cycling becomes the more difficult bicycles are to maintain and repair. And afford.
Setting up ETap on a new bike is simpler then setting up mechanical. No shift cables to run. No need to fuss with cable tension. Just attach the parts, use the spacers supplied by SRAM to get you gaps right. Set your limits and you're done. No need to replace cables and housings. No need to fish cables through the frame. And the shifting is consistent month after month after month.
@@niklasanderson303 Yes, I take your point; I meant my comments to apply to the bicycle as an overall system. From carbon composites to wireless shifting one would be hard pressed to consider the modern bicycle to be simpler than its mechanical, metal predecessors. And though setting up eTap may be simpler consider that its cable acutated counterparts are simple enough that children can set them up -- as I used to as a grade schooler and still do -- and ridden thousands of KMs with little more than a turn of a barrel adjuster to keep tuned.
Yes but $$$$$
I've gone from first gen Ultegra Di2, back to mechanical, and then back to New gen Di2.
I have to say that there's really not a huge difference, even the trim wasn't that annoying. The big thing was the upshifting. Not having to throw the lever, especially into the big ring during a race, is much much better.
I think choice is a good thing. I've had / currently use a mix of groupsets from Di2 Ultegra and 105 mechanical to AXS Force (2x) and Rival AXS (1x). I find them very reliable and don't mind the very occasional charing, it's the smallest part of maintaining a bike.
Yes to choice. Riders should be able to choose rim brakes, alloy wheels, and mechanical shifting on any high-end bike. But then, when we pay $70K for a pickup (a USA thing), we should be able to opt for cloth upholstery.
these reviews are excellent and very informative. you didn't mention a major downside/upside of di2, 'crash mode' it aren't easy to get it back to normal operation, a big trap if you remove wheel for transport and bump the RD. also no battery indicator. however of course you'd connect up a garmin etc for battery status. would have been nice to see the automation in operation on di2, I love it and it would have been useful, i.e. synchro mode. otherwise for pure high performance road, hard to go past electronic shifting.
Just upgraded to GRX Di2 and it is great.
Good stuff.....Which bike?? and from what group set ?
@@osint6372 Salsa warbird. It had Grx 810. I moved that over to my steel RLT9, which had Sram force.
@@thecappy What did it cost..? About $1000??
I've no beef with Di2. But I honestly love the feel of a well tuned and maintained mechanical groupset, it's very satisfying. My orbea frame is Di2 compatible so I'm future proof anyway I suppose.
Disc Mech GRX on my gravel bike, rim brake Di2 on my TCR SL.
All about electronic.. both my winter and summers have this setup. but my turbo has mech
But those electronic gremlins are a pain in the arse
Just curious how long a derailleur motor will last, before burning out?
I'd say both electronic and Mechanical are great, though I'd minimally go Ultegra for Mechanical.
My first bike had Shimano 105 R5800 and it was terrible. I had to bring it in to the shop to tune it every two weeks and the shifting problem would come back only two weeks later after it being solved. I brought it to atleast 5 shops and they still couldn't solve it fully as I returned to them 2 weeks later.
After changing bikes with a new Shimano 105 R7000, I'd say it was leaps better than the 105 R5800. Though can't say I've had the best experience w/ Shimano 105. The new owner of my old 105 R5800 bike swapped the entire groupset out for dura-ace mechanical too.
Now on SRAM Rival eTap AXS and no issues as well. Charging is more of a habit esp now with electric cars too. I'd just charge the batteries after a long ride or every two weeks.
Both has it's pros and cons and the different specs too. To each their own.
I have a mechanical/Di2/Etap mix on my road bikes, but mechanical only for MTB. The ease of electronic shifting makes a long day out much less strain on my hands [it's an age thing]. The other issue [could also be age related!] is the occasional mis-shift when swapping between Mech/Elec; I've configured my Di2 to mirror as closely as possible the etap.
For mechnical, it seems that the trickle down to Tiagra level etc remains strong for now. How long before we see lower grade electronic?
I can see it in racing, day ot day ride or shorter bikepacking trips, but not so much in longer ones, though the biggest advantage I see is shift ratio
"Primitive" bike industry marketing is a disgrace 😂
As an AUDAX rider who does very large distances, the electronic failure of a battery system is a huge problem in a remote area; it also means you'll be stuck in high gear! At least with mechanical, you carry Allen Keys & cables can be adjusted "on the fly".
As for shifting, mechanical is indexed & not difficult to do.
I also question the water resistance of these e-systems
A "primitive system" of physical linkages, hinges, pulleys, and such is exactly how the human musculoskeletal system works, so it make perfect sense that the device being powered by a human should work in the same way. Even electronic systems still use a mechanical carriage to physically move the chain from one cog to another, creating different drive ratios. The only difference is that the movement is directed by microprocessors and powered by electric motors instead of by cable position and tension. But this from a guy who grew up on friction shifters and didn't even have indexing until age 40.
I personally have di2 on my road bike and Sram Force 1x mechanical on my gravel bike. Over the years, and as a bike mechanic I've found the best mechanical is by far Campy, Shimano is very precise but the feel was never as good as the MTB stuff, Double Tap (replace the t with cr). Di2 wins the electronic vote though Etap is absolutely awesome to install. EPS works very well and I owned it for 2 seasons with no issues it's just hideously expensive
Di2/electronic all the way,funds permitting.
I’d emphasise that the smaller Di2 hood shapes are far superior to their bulbous mech cousins. Additionally, the Di2 satellite shifters are a game changer.
If mechanical is becoming a dinosaur on the verge of extinction, how soon before electronic/wireless becomes affordable?! Will there be a window of time when some might be priced out of getting a new, quality bike?
Have you seen the prices of gravel bikes lately? The prices are nothing short of ridiculous. Aside from the low end of the market, cycling has really become expensive over the last few years.
I think the shift towards aero, complicated carbon, disc brakes and electronic mechs opens up a new market for cheap and cheerful quality bikes based on steel and aluminium, and fully mechanical systems. The Decathlon Triban range is a fantastic example of this, and it could be a big market. Not everyone will want a professional race bike.
I think if there's still a market for $500-$2000 sporty but not race bikes, then manufacturers will still cater to it. I would expect the drivetrain brands to at least continue manufacturing their mechanical options as "legacy" products for a long time yet, but they might stop iterating on them.
Look in2 archer components
I loved it when he said cable actuated shifting was a "Primitive Technology," I didn't know that cave dwellers had bicycles. It smacked of pretentious snobbery to the nth degree. Cable shifting has been around for maybe 125 years, not since the stone age. Mechanical shifting is reliable and does not need electronics to function. If you are cycling across remote areas, you don't want electronic shifting.
Interesting how the guys almost completely ignored Campagnolo. I think they mentioned it once, the rest of the video it was always about either SRAM or Shimano.
To be fair, everyone ignores Campag....
The reality is that Campagnolo is a distant third player. Over 90% of the consumer market is now shared between Shimano and SRAM.
@@VeloVeloVeloTV On road alone, it's probably 90% Shimano.
@@VeloVeloVeloTV you are right, but you mentioned how SRAM does not really further develop it's mechanical groupsets and how you are not sure about what Shimano is going to do in the future. Campagnolo has released new versions of their three top-end mechanical groupsets in 2018/2019, two of them even before they released the latest version of their top-end electronic groupset. So in this context I thought this would be worth mentioning.
@@richardhaselwood9478 😂😂😂
Just bought my 11th bike,a Canyon Ultimate rim brake / Mech. shifting,no di-2 on any of my bikes
It would be interesting to compare mechanical, electronic (SRAM AXS, Shimano Di2) and hydraulic (Rotor) groupsets with one another.
Now 2022. My bike came with SRAM Force electronic derailleurs. Flawless shifting, easy to select the gear for easy stress cadence (disabled). No need to remember batteries' charge state. There are LED indicators, or if slow, and phone App stats. I just charge as needed. I can easily move batteries between front or rear derailleur. No wires to short. No need to use an App during a ride or at all. Shop sets up once and can leave as set if desired. App can be used to optimize shift patterns and for battery info. No issues during uphill steep inclines shifting. I am disabled and use Samsung Health App, Samsung watch, Wahoo cadence sensor for stats on pulse rate, cadence, distance, elevations. I have a made from plans sloop sail rowing dory setup for exercise, exploring the delta, bird watching, and camping, I use a rechargeable white house perimeter light I pull up mast at night as required. I also use tide tables and current data on my phone. Row against tide and/or current once will always choose my route after considering phone current tide apps. Weather apps for wind intensity directions and weather alerts. Marine transceiver for communication and safety. Even considering a Sat. phone when in the backcountry. Homeless people living on motorless sail rigs have cell phones and cheap rechargeable Amazon house perimeter lights for night. Never knew a near shore or off shore or inland sailor without electronics for safety. OK when crabbing fishing as a kid before cell phones no electronics.
I have Di2 on my Giant Defy and mechanical GRX on my Cannondale Topstone Lefty 3. I really, really wish I'd paid the extra money and upgraded to the Lefty 1, which comes with ETAP, over the mechanical GRX shifting. The GRX shifts okay, but it's no-where near as precise or smooth as the Di2.
Curious, does Di2 Ultegra shift more "crisp" in the rear than mechanical? Faster shift? Less noise?
I find it’s faster, more direct, but certainly noisier. Really thunks into gear.
Same experience for me, faster shifting that comes in with a big clunk
i know how to deal with mechanical and many of my mates have had the gears not shift mid ride on di2
The only downside about electrical is price. I've had Ultegra Di2 on both my road bikes for ~ 5 years. But a good quality mechanical is great too.
I don't think mechanical will be phased out completely, but I think we'll see less mechanical options. I'll use Shimano for my talking points just because I don't know the groupsets for other brands.
When I bought my bike a few months ago I had the unique opportunity to ride the exact model bike with the only difference their group sets (105 v Ultegra). I couldn't feel a difference them and I went with the more affordable 105 option. Ultegra mechanical and made zero sense to me considering how well 105 compared. However, Ultegra Di2 blew my mind but that was painfully expensive. What I think we'll see is sets like Ultegra and Dura-Ace go exclusive electronic keeping lower grade sets full mechanical. Then maybe pay a more affordable premium for something like 105 Di2 for those who want it.
I had 14 year old Dura Ace work flawlessly with only having the cables changed 1x. That being said I opted for Sram Force etap on my new Orbea Orca and I can never go back to mechanical. Weight is the only penalty and it's minimal.
That older Dura-Ace (guessing 7800 series) was wonderfully reliable! Newer generations that hide the cables under the bar tape are a little more maintenance hungry.
Dave Rome.
i have ultegra r8000 now and wanted tu upgrade to 105 di2, but its 500g more in sum. its too much and ultegra di2 ist too expensive. so ill stay with mechanical
could i leave any electronically shifted bicycle locked up in a major town or city?
The next gain in cycling will be Team Cars doing your gear changes for you.
Now it's "forced" electronic shifting and "forced" disc brakes. I used to be able to afford 7400, then 7700, then 7800 on my race bikes, now I think of 12 speed Dura Ace , like I think of it like I think about an S-Class. Another thing that gripes me is the crazy low gearing. Why don't they offer a 12 speed 11-25?
The reason manufacturers go for electronic is because more can be changed, customized and also more can go wrong, both of which mean more sales of more products
Who lets their cables get to the point they fray? I've been riding for over 30 years and never had a frayed or broken cable. It is all about taking care or your equipment. Even electronic shifting gets crappy if you don't take care of it.
Ergh.... I let my front gear cable get very manky last year, because I didn't feel like changing it (yes, totally my fault). Changing it was a colossal PITA (it had corroded). I'm normally all over my maintenance too. I've seen friends snap cables, because they didn't want to take them into a shop "just yet".... It does happen I'm afraid.
It's sadly extremely common. When working in a shop I'd see frayed or snapped cables multiple times a week. So many people just ignore the early warning signs of slowed or poor shifting and will continue to ride their bikes until things stop working altogether.
Dave Rome.
I liked the Bike O Matic. Mechanical shifting automatically. No batteries :)
Would be nice/fun to know bizarre cases of electronics going wry
A friend told me of the guy he rides with, who whilst out on a bike with eTap, the rear derailleur shifted on its own, locking up the rear wheel and causing injury to the rider and bike. All but the rear wheel have been repair. No word on this rider using this setup again.
I've seen electronics freeze up or cause a chain drop.
Watching you fight off flies whilst wearing t-shirts... meanwhile, here in the UK, it's snowing...
I use DI2 on my summer bike and it's so good that if it was a bit cheaper I would put it on my winterbike and MTB to, it's just so easy to deal with!
You don't want Shimano's MTB take on Di2. It is fragile and not very good.
@@vomErsten what is fragile exactly with di2 xt/xtr?
I have 2 of those systems and 2 road systems
@@mikicastan The XTR Di2 shifter has a tendency to break, with the housing separating, and the mech clutch is weaker than on its mechanical counterparts. To be fair, though, Shimano still has problems with its clutch on the newer 12-speed mechanical groupos. I'll take the higher-end SRAM stuff over the Shimano stuff on MTB any day of the week.
No gripes with road Di2.
@@vomErsten i lost screw and spring that moves cage up and down on my xt di2 RD and its unusuable altough engine works perfectly.
Other then that can’t say anything for di2.
@@mikicastan Yeah, it's not the electronics that fail on MTB Di2, it's the mechanical structure that is frail; they just aren't well-built. It's very un-Shimano-like. There is a very good reason why it never caught on the way SRAM AXS has.
I have enough stuff I need to remember to charge now... please dont even say I'll have to charge my road or mountain bike's battery ....NOPE ! I love my XT and 105 !
06:28
wait
9150 is ligther than 9100
right?
Innovations are good. However, cycling spirit is freedom, nature etc. , exercise and away from our daily stressful electronic environment...
I am the "old school", prefer mechanical shifting " always " work.
When electronic or battery seem perfect when they are in good working order.
Building a 2022 Emonda from the frame up. I don't just take my bike in and drop it off when I need something done and as easy as electronic shifting sounds I'll be building a fully mechanical bike with hydraulic disc brakes. The weight and cost penalty of electronics does not justify being lazy and not understanding your bike. If you ride further than you'd like to walk you should take some time to educate yourself on the mechanics of how your bike works. It makes riding that much more enjoyable!
Exactly. I once worked on a customer's bike who said he relies on bike shops to work on his tires, he didn't bother to learn how to work on them at the very least and mind you, he's on a clincher setup, the easiest tire setup to work on and his tire-rim combo isn't stubborn.
Nice beer props
What are the benefits of auto shifting on Di2?
are the handlebars adjustable?
For which bike in this video?
I have a bike with Campy Record 10 mechanical, and a new bike with Ultegra Di2, and the Campy shifts better
That mechanical fly was driving them crazy tho... LOL
Paradoxically I have Di2 on my mtb and mechanical on my road bike.
I ditched hydro Ultegra Di2 for mechanical rim Chorus 12. Di2 is fantastic but a bit robotic and lifeless. I prefer the very, very tactile feel of Chorus.
I hate mechanical cables they always go out of wack after a while. Di2 always stays aligned forever as long derailleur hangers are not bent. eTap the best no wires.
If you have the budget go for electronic shifting, if you dont have the budget just get the mechanical and embrace the perk of not having a fear of running out the battery :)
Don't know why people always bring up the battery thing. Di2 is easily paired with your head unit, so I know about every minute what my battery level is.
“The motor is doing the work for you.”
When upgrading its always the question, mechanical dura ace or ultegra di2? I go mechanical at this stage.
What about electronic brakes
Don’t fix something that’s not broke. If you keep your bike clean and well maintain mechanical is best. All that’s just a way to make the cost go way up. Same with disk brakes.
Yeah, bet you're disappointed your BMW came with disc brakes
"Rather than have the force to overcome"???? I've never had a hard time applying enough force to shift. It requires less force than squeezing a lemon.
Blink if they keep you hostages. You didn't even touch your drinks once 😀
Remarkable how many higher tech resistant riders you have in here! I imagine some of them must still harness up their horse and carriage to go to town rather than drive one of those new fangled horseless carriages!
I am agree. I am wondering what happens when the debate comes up about toe straps vs clipless pedals?How does having an option to use electronic vs mechanical result in someone being lazy or not understanding their bike?
So in a post-apocalyptical world, a $50 Wal-Mart bike would outperform a $5000 Shimano DI2 equipped bike?
Good point!
Wow. Good of you to mention Campagnolo, once, then ignore it for the rest of the video.
I’ll continue to use my Shimano 9100 mechanical and SRAM RED22 mechanical groupset, meanwhile everyone else can jump on the electronic groupsets bandwagon that “Big Bicycle” is pushing just like all the other marketing BS like “disc brakes, aero wheels, Aero frames, stiffer this, more compliant that”
So well behaved.
The fact high end doesn't give the option for mechanical and pushes electronic is a little like...wtf? Kinda upset i could care less about replacing a cable once in a blue moon or routine maintenence when things get loose.
Imagine having your bike now consume electricity and be a programed digital machine, like... battery's also discharge faster over time and cant hold charge as well. Meaning you cant ride as long or shift as strong.
Their are ALOT more downsides to electronic, number one being it consumes energy to produce energy that needs to be recharged everytime after you ride, and the last time i checked a MAJOR global problem with humanity is our unsustainabliity due to non renewable energy consumption
Mechanical should ALWAYS be the first choice,
At its given price point it should come with solar cells able to be mounted to the frame so it doesn't cost money just to charge the friggin system
My friend who does endurance MTB rides says he got 700 miles on a charge for the derailleur and changes the little button battery in the shifter once a year. We are talking about enough electricity to charge a phone.
Be honest, you only zoomed in at 4:37 because of the fly
It's not a bug, it's a feature.
First of all, you almost never have to worry about breaking your cables on a mechanical shifter. I have a 12yr old bike and never replaced the shifter cable and still doing fine.
Second, truing your mechanical gears isn't an issue once you learn how to do it yourself.
Third, who cares about a little more pressure on the levers? Buttons are more likely to fail than mech levers on rigorous use.
Fourth, bulky and heavy derailleurs plus the batteries.
Have tried them both and the only issue I have with mechs is that the clicking sounds are too loud, your opponent hears what you intend to do during a race.
What’s going on with the guy on the left ?
I've been wondering the same thing. -Iain (the guy on the left)
I'd be happy to help with your inquiry but I will need more information before I can proceed. Please advise.
The industry, and many youtubers, are sucked into the E-shifting. Mechanical worked well for years until E-shifting, now all of a sudden mechanical shifting is no good🙄
It's called Marketing. Mech' and Elec' are like comparing Apples & Pears.
Lost me at the point where you have to charge your gears
There are no cons to electronic. I have Sram ETAP and it is awesome. I have it on all my road bikes.
And the increase in cost for going from DA mech to Ult di2. And minimal weight cost. Still a cost.
@@mgr8ful The cost to replace if you smash it on a rock or it becomes defective....
Guessing you haven’t crashed and had to replace an eTap rear derailleur then... Cost is a definitely con!
uprgade from ultegra r8070 to 105 di2 is half a kilo more. its a con
More editorial bias "primative cable"... The 'pros and cons' can be a list for both mechanical and electronic... But we don't need electronic like in the UK we don't tend to drive cars with automatic gear boxes. My Campagnolo Super Record / Chorus / Ekar change gear very quicly and with no 'effort', Ekar my newest is a delight on the close ratio portion of the cassette ! This is industry hype driving the price up and actually making bikes much more complicated, we are not Pro's we shouldn't be trying to drive F1 bikes on the road... And good rim brakes set up correctly do the job, like the nightmare of hidden cables... Why ? Synically because we can charge more...
Wait a minute on the failure part isn't if the battery dies, if will leave you in the gear your already in? and also, it automatically puts you in the mechanical mode , but you can't shift anymore until it's charged.
Electronic don’t always work...we had a three day 400km and one of the group who had Ultegra Di2 kept having issues (4 times in 3 days) and it was stuck in the 12 cog and wouldn’t move despite multiple resets and everything else. It ended up being a cable problem so it’s absolutely not 100% reliable. Cable maintenance is so easy it’s ridiculous...
Electronic shifting is for two types of people:
1. Pros
2. People with more money than sense.
fly.
Sold on Electronic for ease of use and maintenance - just wish the price was more affordable :D
Once you’ve ridden Di2, going back to mechanical feels going back to the dark ages!
Nope. It does not. Electronic shifting is the most over rated thing in cycling. I have absolutely no problem going from electronic shifting on my road bike to mechanical on my gravel bike.
@@DaveCM and you are entitled to your opinion as am I!
@@alifeinlycra5622 im perfectly comfortable with my sram AXS. shifting is like hot knife on butter. almost instantaneous
4:04 - should say "electronic set-ups". No biggie, everyone understood, of course. Thanks for the vid.
Mechanical = Toyota Land Cruiser
Electronic / Wireless = Land Rover Range Rover
… now you get the point?
When you can buy a $2,000 bike with electronic shifting, then it will take over. My bet is that today the vast majority of bikes come with mechanical shifting.
I would rather buy a 3000 dollars bike with mechanical shifter
$1500-3500 used to be the price range for an affordable performance road racing bicycle. Now that's the price for the Groupset alone if you want to go with electronic shifting. Then you need a frame and decent wheels. $4500 plus is just too damn much for a midrange road bike. If you have it, spend the money but if you don't a consumer shouldn't be excluded from getting a reasonably high performing road bike. Very few road bike enthusiasts race. They just want a relatively high performing machine and they shouldn't be priced out of the market. I don't know if I can justify spending $4500 or more for a decent bike.
Good vid but guys, who the hell has the ton of money for electronic shifting?!?! Really, with bikes costing $10k, cmon guys, I bought my bikes years ago and am glad I did, I couldn’t afford the costs now and would just have to settle on a good used bike or say forget it. Seriously guys, the market has gotten stupid!!!! The bike company that sticks to the old tech with rim brakes and mechanical shifting is winning like Giant!!!
Bikes should be mechanical unless the di2 unit is self sufficient it's just dosent belong on a bycical