New investment in Classified could herald the end of the front derailleur?

[T4tomo]

I'm still watching this one. Cost needs to come down but how many times have you not paid attention and come to a standstill in a huge gear that you then struggle to get going again ? Being able to change a whole chainset down whilst stationary would be handy.

Yes, it's not like you can lift the rear wheel and change the chainring in like 2 seconds is it 🤣

 

[MichaelW2]

Sram had the Dual Drive 3x7 with electronic shifting back in 1990's

 

[Ming the Merciless]

No rim brake version: very limited appeal.

Just don’t add a disc rotor and you have the rim brake version

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'm still watching this one. Cost needs to come down but how many times have you not paid attention and come to a standstill in a huge gear that you then struggle to get going again ? Being able to change a whole chainset down whilst stationary would be handy.

Doesn’t your butler do this for you, whilst you have your shoes polished waiting for the green light to get going again?

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

Have had a shot, a bike with the hub was left at my LBS. Had a try and its very good instant change at any speed.. Cant buy the hub they just sell the complete wheel and switch.

I haven't changed my opinion much since https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-end-of-the-front-derailleur.273637/post-6366173

... but they are offering https://www.classified-cycling.cc/products/road which is the bits needed to build your own wheels for 1,399 Euros, I didn't look hard enough to find a Pound price. :-)

Whilst that is high, remove the cost of a Dura-ace hub (£150ish) and front shifter (£99ish mech/£275ish Di2) it suddenly starts to look viable. Remember that many of the expensive parts are movable between wheels, so if you do have three pairs of wheels you may only need three hubs and one set of internals.

The SA hub is only offered with 28, 32 or 36 holes, they need to offer no more than 16 if they want to sell to "racers"

Years and years and years ago Suntour offered great stuff but never charged enough to develop the next generation, SA don't seem to have ambitions in this direction, happy in their niche https://www.sturmey-archer.com/products .

At £500 it would look very attractive to anyone considering Di2.

I love Di2 as despite sounding pointless it makes rides, such as the commute, which you don't feel like doing almost pleasant and I can easily see a two speed hub becoming the accepted standard on expensive bike.

Bye

Ian

 

[Tom B]

I can't begin to understand what this is, other than a new gearing system, but at £2,299 for a wheel it's hard to imagine it heralding the end of anything.

My thoughts exactly, if i could buy a wheel with this set up, for £125 quid, even £200 it might enter mainstream.

Despite pedalling 8000miles or more a year none of my bikes cost more than £1000, let alone a wheel.

 

[cougie uk]

Doesn’t your butler do this for you, whilst you have your shoes polished waiting for the green light to get going again?

He can't keep up with me. He's getting old.

 

[Wooger]

Good morning,


I haven't changed my opinion much since https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-end-of-the-front-derailleur.273637/post-6366173

... but they are offering https://www.classified-cycling.cc/products/road which is the bits needed to build your own wheels for 1,399 Euros, I didn't look hard enough to find a Pound price. :-)

Whilst that is high, remove the cost of a Dura-ace hub (£150ish) and front shifter (£99ish mech/£275ish Di2) it suddenly starts to look viable. Remember that many of the expensive parts are movable between wheels, so if you do have three pairs of wheels you may only need three hubs and one set of internals.

At £500 it would look very attractive to anyone considering Di2.

How is this in the same market as a dura ace hub, it's vastly heavier and likely worse in other respects also. Make that a generic 30 quid hub.
And how is this saving money for anyone on a shifter - are you just going to not have a left hand brifter on your bike all of a sudden?

The people this will appeal to are mostly not spending close to 500 on upgrades, or even a whole bike.

Weight and lockin to their very expensive cassettes only makes it a non-starter for anyone who cares about performance or cycles a lot.

 

[Cycleops]

I suspect this will appeal to the racers initially but prices will eventually come down to make it affordable for the great unwashed, much like Di2.

 

[Deleted member 121159]

This makes me think that bicycle technology has plateaued. Most new bikes look identical. Electronic shifting is no technological marvel, just a motor moving a piece of metal left and right. Now we have a £2000 wheel with 2 internal gears. Hydraulic brakes are great, but that's also just repurposing a century-old invention. Every year there's a new bottom bracket standard, and it comes with new problems so people can buy new solutions. Does anyone see anything new happening to bike technology?

 

[Smokin Joe]

This makes me think that bicycle technology has plateaued. Most new bikes look identical. Electronic shifting is no technological marvel, just a motor moving a piece of metal left and right. Now we have a £2000 wheel with 2 internal gears. Hydraulic brakes are great, but that's also just repurposing a century-old invention. Every year there's a new bottom bracket standard, and it comes with new problems so people can buy new solutions. Does anyone see anything new happening to bike technology?

If there ever was a time when bikes did not look identical it hasn't been during my lifetime. All those tech innovations over the years have led to bikes that are faster at a given power output, one look at time trial result sheets from fish and chip events from forty years ago compared to what ordinary club riders are doing today sees times that would have been astonishing back then.

The bikes are more complicated now, but I suspect that those who maintain that simplicity trumps everything else are in the vocal minority. Most riders today are prepared to put up with higher tech for greater efficiency. All the old stuff is still available for those who think otherwise, but go to any mass cyclists gathering and you won't see much of it.

 

[All uphill]

This makes me think that bicycle technology has plateaued. Most new bikes look identical. Electronic shifting is no technological marvel, just a motor moving a piece of metal left and right. Now we have a £2000 wheel with 2 internal gears. Hydraulic brakes are great, but that's also just repurposing a century-old invention. Every year there's a new bottom bracket standard, and it comes with new problems so people can buy new solutions. Does anyone see anything new happening to bike technology?

I think all the big innovations for cycling in the uk are about infrastructure, political will, changed perceptions and environmental concern.

The actual bike is much less important than the person and place.

Except: I do see a place for a genuinely maintenance free bike. Tyres, gears etc all good for 10,000 km without adjustment.

 

[Tom B]

This makes me think that bicycle technology has plateaued. Most new bikes look identical. Electronic shifting is no technological marvel, just a motor moving a piece of metal left and right. Now we have a £2000 wheel with 2 internal gears. Hydraulic brakes are great, but that's also just repurposing a century-old invention. Every year there's a new bottom bracket standard, and it comes with new problems so people can buy new solutions. Does anyone see anything new happening to bike technology?

Convergence of evolution?

Yes there probably are better solutions than a deraileur and chain, but at what price.

Price is a key park of every day cycling - a key part of why i cycle to work each day is saving the £100 a month, i dont want to splurge (or any other work beginning with s) that away by fitting £2000 wheels or some sort of hydraulic, electrical, pixiedust transmission on a solution that's technically brilliant, but means my p/mile ends up being more than the car/bus/train/private helicoper.

Depends how you measure "better"

 

[cougie uk]

This makes me think that bicycle technology has plateaued. Most new bikes look identical. Electronic shifting is no technological marvel, just a motor moving a piece of metal left and right. Now we have a £2000 wheel with 2 internal gears. Hydraulic brakes are great, but that's also just repurposing a century-old invention. Every year there's a new bottom bracket standard, and it comes with new problems so people can buy new solutions. Does anyone see anything new happening to bike technology?

When I started in the 80s all bikes looked the same - custom steel round tubes.
Now they're flattish carbon fibre because that is what sells.

A modern bike is so much faster than the bikes of old. I dont think tech has plateaud at all.

 

[Deleted member 121159]

I think all the big innovations for cycling in the uk are about infrastructure, political will, changed perceptions and environmental concern.

The actual bike is much less important than the person and place.

Except: I do see a place for a genuinely maintenance free bike. Tyres, gears etc all good for 10,000 km without adjustment.

Yes, I agree that in the bigger scheme of things, it's the infrastructure and attitude that matter not the machine. Also agree with the maintenance free bike idea.