Wireless Gear Changing

[simon.r]

It looks as if SRAM are going to be releasing their wireless system soon:

http://road.cc/content/news/154813-sram-s-wireless-groupset-spotted-massive-photo-gallery

Possibly the biggest innovation since Di2? It'll be very interesting to see how it works in the hands of Joe Public, but assuming it works I suspect this will be the future.

How long before we get wireless brakes I wonder?

 

[Citius]

How long before we get wireless brakes I wonder?

Brakes will all be hydro in a few years, so wires will be redundant anyway.

 

[Roadrider48]

I have been pondering buying a Dura ace Di2 groupset for ages to go on one of my bikes, but just haven't got around to it yet.
I might wait a bit longer until this becomes available. Looks like it would be a dream to fit what with no cabling.
I have ridden a Di2 equipped bike and the shifting is so much more efficient than mechanical, especially front dérailleur shifting.
I wonder how much it will actually cost?

 

[simon.r]

Brakes will all be hydro in a few years, so wires will be redundant anyway.

But could we lose the hoses as well? If a wireless shifter can move a rear mech 11 steps, could a wireless system move a piston in a disc brake - say 11 steps of 0.1mm? I'll bet that someone somewhere is working on it.

 

[simon.r]

I have been pondering buying a Dura ace Di2 groupset for ages to go on one of my bikes, but just haven't got around to it yet.
I might wait a bit longer until this becomes available. Looks like it would be a dream to fit what with no cabling.
I have ridden a Di2 equipped bike and the shifting is so much more efficient than mechanical, especially front dérailleur shifting.
I wonder how much it will actually cost?

I'm in a very similar position. How long do you hold off? Do you think CD's will catch on?

 

[Citius]

Buy what you need, when you need it. If you decide to wait for stuff to come to market, you may end up waiting years. Life's too short.

Anyway, if you did away with hoses, you'd need to replace them with electronic control boxes - so I can't really see any advantage in wireless braking.

 

[simon.r]

Need and want are very different words!

I only need a 2 x 5 downtube shifter setup

But point taken, life's too short and all that.

 

[KneesUp]

Need and want are very different words!

I only need a 2 x 5 downtube shifter setup

But point taken, life's too short and all that.

My two bikes have bar end shifters and downtube shifters. I don't think I'm the target market for this.

 

[Drago]

Could be fun with people wirelessly hacking them to sabotage races.

 

[MikeW-71]

I have this image of Oleg Tinkoff in the team car with an Xbox controller and a crazy grin

 

[HertzvanRental]

I have this image of Oleg Tinkoff in the team car with an Xbox controller and a crazy grin

Controlling "in-tube" electric motors, perchance?

 

[sidevalve]

So you would trust your life to a electronic gismo working the brakes ? Yes I know airoplanes use 'fly by wire etc' but they tend to be a bit better maintained than cycles and have more back-up systems and don't rely on tiny batteries exposed to road salt and heavy vibration [and the phrase is 'by wire' not by wireLESS]. Cars use lots of electronics but not the brakes - not totally. Assuming there is no electronic interference of course
Why ? To save a few grams in weight on cables ?

 

[simon.r]

I appreciate that this isn't a replacement for normal, driver controlled, braking and that it isn't wireless, but Autonomous Emergency Braking is becoming more common on cars: http://www.euroncap.com/en/vehicle-safety/the-rewards-explained/autonomous-emergency-braking/

I don't know if I'd trust a solely electric brake, but it really wouldn't surprise me if a system was on sale in the next few years.

 

[MikeW-71]

Controlling "in-tube" electric motors, perchance?

When I saw the UCI stripping bikes down looking for motors, I thought it just couldn't be done that small as all the e-bikes I'd seen had massive batteries and obvious motor installations.

Then I saw the adverts for the in-tube motor assist that already exists, and how it could be totally concealed within the frame (batteries included) . Very impressive.

However I was thinking more of Oleg thinking it funny to knock Cav up a couple of gears in the middle of Alp d'huez

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I like the look of that, if they want someone who does a little bit of commuting in all weathers to test it out..................