Originally Posted by
Kimmo
OTOH, I'm sure the concept of 'purity' is a consideration for a certain fraction of the cost-no-object market...
If you can understand why purity might be a reason some folks like track bikes, you can probably see that mechanical shifting and rim brakes are likely to survive at the high end, even if it's just Campy.
The big question is if catering for this fraction is financially worth it to the "big three". Shimano decided to ditch mechanical at the high end, and I'd bet that rim brake is next on the chopping block in the next generation of Dura-ace.
Again, I expect there will be small time makers who will go for the niche markets; you can get brand new downtube shifters today, if you like, and I expect someone in 2050 will be able to buy a mechanical groupset with rim brakes just fine - but they won't have loads of choice.