Originally Posted by zacster

Just out of curiosity from this thread I started looking at the latest electronic systems. I haven't kept up on it at all. It does look like so much has changed in the last few years that no bike you bought 5 years ago would be compatible with what is available today. Sram and Shimano both have basically closed out the old mix and match that was sometimes possible in the past. You are committed to whichever system you go with seemingly forever. Sram systems only work with Sram cassettes, freehubs and chains, brakes, shifters and Shimano the same. The only concession I saw was a pair of Sram shifters that would work with rim brakes for us old school guys that still have the itch to upgrade our old bikes to electronic shifting.

My take on this for the OP then is that NO bike is future proof. Whatever you buy today will be obsolete in 5 years as it all just works as one system. At least obsolete in terms of upgrades, you can ride it for as long as you'd like. My "new" bike is already 20 years old.