Electronic vs Mechanical shifting
02-04-23, 05:59 PM
#101
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 2,984
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1812 Post(s)
Liked 1,365 Times
in
862 Posts
Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged
they play no role in modern cycling or this discussion.
Likes For smd4:
02-04-23, 06:03 PM
#102
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,086
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 759 Post(s)
Liked 867 Times
in
426 Posts
Originally Posted by smd4
Did you not read the part I wrote about “once properly adjusted?” I use downtube shifters and have never once worried about frayed cables, gummed up cables, or any additional adjustments once properly set.
I’d much rather have my Seiko automatic than any digital watch.
I’d much rather have my Seiko automatic than any digital watch.
02-04-23, 06:07 PM
#103
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 853
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1997KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon(to be built),1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 199 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times
in
207 Posts
Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged
The would has moved on decades ago from these archaic systems. Glad you enjoy them but they play no role in modern cycling or this discussion.
02-04-23, 06:08 PM
#104
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 2,984
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1812 Post(s)
Liked 1,365 Times
in
862 Posts
Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged
There is a reason there are no manufactures selling down tube shifting bikes
Bianchi
Last edited by smd4; 02-04-23 at 06:12 PM.
Likes For smd4:
02-04-23, 06:13 PM
#105
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2998 Post(s)
Liked 5,204 Times
in
2,113 Posts
Originally Posted by smd4
Guess you thought wrong. Of course, if something happens to screw up the indexing, I can always switch to friction with the turn of a D ring.
02-04-23, 06:13 PM
#106
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 853
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1997KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon(to be built),1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 199 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times
in
207 Posts
Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged
People with vintage cars feel the same way about carburetors, points, bias ply tires, manual transmissions and am radios. Interesting but obsolete. There is a reason there are no manufactures selling down tube shifting bikes it is a vestige of a time gone by.
02-04-23, 06:14 PM
#107
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 853
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1997KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon(to be built),1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 199 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times
in
207 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
Is that right? Do most fans of down tube shifters prefer indexed rather than friction?
Likes For georges1:
02-04-23, 06:26 PM
#108
😵💫
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 4,015
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1579 Post(s)
Liked 2,952 Times
in
1,679 Posts
Originally Posted by georges1
As a very long time user of down tubeshifters, I always prefered indexed.
__________________
Road and Mountain 🚴🏾♂️
Road and Mountain 🚴🏾♂️
02-04-23, 06:45 PM
#109
climber has-been
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 5,517
Bikes: Scott Addict R1
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1985 Post(s)
Liked 1,931 Times
in
1,010 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
No, you've just drawn a fuzzy grey line and declared that those things are on the side of "solved real problems" and electronic shifting not.
Actual problems solved:
- high pressure clinchers - fussy and expensive tubulars
- indexed shifting - user errors and steep learning curve with friction shifting
- integrated brake/shift levers - must move hands away from brake levers to shift
- carbon frames - corrosion, fatigue failure (and others)
- disk brakes - poor wet weather braking, friction-induced blow offs
- low pressure tubeless tires - pinch flats
__________________
Ride, Rest, Repeat
Ride, Rest, Repeat
02-04-23, 07:18 PM
#111
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2998 Post(s)
Liked 5,204 Times
in
2,113 Posts
Originally Posted by terrymorse
Challenge accepted.
Actual problems solved:
Actual problems solved:
- high pressure clinchers - fussy and expensive tubulars
- indexed shifting - user errors and steep learning curve with friction shifting
- integrated brake/shift levers - must move hands away from brake levers to shift
- carbon frames - corrosion, fatigue failure (and others)
- disk brakes - poor wet weather braking, friction-induced blow offs
- low pressure tubeless tires - pinch flats
02-04-23, 07:21 PM
#112
climber has-been
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 5,517
Bikes: Scott Addict R1
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1985 Post(s)
Liked 1,931 Times
in
1,010 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
"Steep learning curve for friction shifting" -- seriously? Those are minor issues at best.
__________________
Ride, Rest, Repeat
Ride, Rest, Repeat
02-04-23, 07:30 PM
#113
Sock Puppet
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 1,300
Bikes: 2014 Cannondale Synapse Carbon, 2017 Jamis Renegade Exploit and too many others to mention.
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 785 Post(s)
Liked 684 Times
in
452 Posts
Originally Posted by georges1
the cable eating shifters from shimano were and are the 7900,9000 and 9100 series regarding mechanical shifters . But always value good cables when installing those
Likes For Lombard:
02-04-23, 07:30 PM
#114
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 5,069
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2566 Post(s)
Liked 2,755 Times
in
1,739 Posts
Originally Posted by spelger
another question related to a new bike i am looking at. for those of you that ride with electronic shifting do you think you would ever or never go back to mechanical? its an option for me that brings up the price a bit and am a bit on the fence about it. my accountant says its in my budget so am leaning toward it. in my reading up about it though it really sounds cool.
02-04-23, 07:38 PM
#115
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 1,817
Bikes: yes, i have one
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 886 Post(s)
Liked 938 Times
in
540 Posts
Originally Posted by terrymorse
Plenty of innovations have solved real problems. A few from memory:
Not on that list:
- high pressure clinchers with hooked rims
- indexed shifting
- integrated brake/shift levers
- carbon fiber for frames, rims, components
- disc brakes
- low pressure tubeless tires
Not on that list:
- electronic shifting
Likes For spelger:
02-04-23, 07:44 PM
#116
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2998 Post(s)
Liked 5,204 Times
in
2,113 Posts
Originally Posted by terrymorse
Not so minor when you sell a customer a bike with friction shifting that they can't manage to shift. BTDT.
Friction shifter: "Push the right lever up to shift to a higher gear in back."
You're right, friction shifting is a lot harder.
02-04-23, 07:44 PM
#117
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2998 Post(s)
Liked 5,204 Times
in
2,113 Posts
Originally Posted by spelger
this list, including the electronic shifting seems more innovation to me as opposed to solving problems.
Likes For tomato coupe:
02-04-23, 07:46 PM
#118
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 1,817
Bikes: yes, i have one
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 886 Post(s)
Liked 938 Times
in
540 Posts
Originally Posted by PeteHski
Some people in this discussion appear to have missed the original question.
02-04-23, 07:56 PM
#119
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,048
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 758 Post(s)
Liked 385 Times
in
258 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
Are they indexed?
02-04-23, 08:01 PM
#120
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 5,069
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2566 Post(s)
Liked 2,755 Times
in
1,739 Posts
Originally Posted by spelger
yeah, maybe i should have emboldened that bit like you did but then it wouldn't be as fun a thread as it turned out.
I thought your original question might put them off as they didn’t qualify, but they just can’t help themselves.
02-04-23, 08:10 PM
#121
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,079
Mentioned: 67 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2845 Post(s)
Liked 2,007 Times
in
1,254 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
I would have thought that most fans of down tube shifters would opt for friction, to attain the ultimate in simplicity.
Likes For seypat:
02-04-23, 08:10 PM
#122
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 2,984
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1812 Post(s)
Liked 1,365 Times
in
862 Posts
Originally Posted by Jeff Neese
Yeah, indexing became all the rage in order to get more newbies into cycling and make it less intimidating to work "all those gears".
Likes For smd4:
02-04-23, 08:10 PM
#123
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 2,984
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1812 Post(s)
Liked 1,365 Times
in
862 Posts
Originally Posted by seypat
Why do people think that the only shifting options(friction or indexed)before brifters is/was DT shifters? Barcons for the win.
Likes For smd4:
02-04-23, 08:12 PM
#124
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2998 Post(s)
Liked 5,204 Times
in
2,113 Posts
Originally Posted by seypat
Why do people think the only shifting options(friction or indexed)before brifters is/was DT shifters?
02-04-23, 08:27 PM
#125
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,048
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 758 Post(s)
Liked 385 Times
in
258 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
I would have thought that most fans of down tube shifters would opt for friction, to attain the ultimate in simplicity.
