Electric shifters on a hybrid?

[Pale Rider]

The man in the bike shop demonstrated the Shimano electric gearshift system to me on a road bike and I was impressed.

It appealed to the gadget lover in me, and the man said it works a treat.

Is there any reason why Shimano couldn't design one for a city, hybrid or mountain bike?

 

[ianrauk]

None what so ever.
The switches can be mounted anywhere on the handle bars.

 

[Pale Rider]

None what so ever.
The switches can be mounted anywhere on the handle bars.

Perhaps the sticking point is cost.

The marketing men at the bike makers might think an electrically geared hybrid would be too expensive to sell well.

 

[ianrauk]

Perhaps the sticking point is cost.

The marketing men at the bike makers might think an electrically geared hybrid would be too expensive to sell well.

As with all new technology the price will come down.
And what is expensive to one person is not necessarily expensive to another.
It's still a little too expensive for run of the mill joe...but I think it will end up being on the majority of mid to high range bikes.

 

[Pale Rider]

Kalkhoff now offers an Alfine hybrid with electric shifters:

http://www.kalkhoff-bikes.com/int/en/models/2013/category/fitness-10/model/endeavour-11-g-di2-1.html

 

[David Haworth]

They can and they have you can get an alfine 8 or 11 di2 set from shimano but its expensive so I don't know many bikes with it fitted.

My question would be if the alfine di2 flatbar shifters would control ultegra di2 derailleurs..?