Electronic Shifting the future?

[Night Train]

Im not too sure about that, its the distance of the lever that counts? not to the centre of rotation?

The effective length of the lever is measured from the centre of rotation, whether it is a real or imaginary one.

Imagine a conventional BB. Now imagine it with a larger spindle. That doesn't change the length of the crank or the torque you can apply. Now keep increasing the spindle size until it is nearly as big as the chain ring. Still no effective difference. Now bore a hole in the centre of the spindle and make the hole bigger and bigger. Still no difference.

The pedal still revolves around the same centre, so the effective length of the lever is still the same.

 

[tyred]

I'm sure it will become increasingly popular as the price comes down. It has many advantages, and a few diasadvantages but that can be said of virtually everything.

Personally, it has nothing to offer me as I generally ride without gears.

 

[Speedywheelsjeans]

The effective length of the lever is measured from the centre of rotation, whether it is a real or imaginary one.

Imagine a conventional BB. Now imagine it with a larger spindle. That doesn't change the length of the crank or the torque you can apply. Now keep increasing the spindle size until it is nearly as big as the chain ring. Still no effective difference. Now bore a hole in the centre of the spindle and make the hole bigger and bigger. Still no difference.

The pedal still revolves around the same centre, so the effective length of the lever is still the same.

That makes sense, im definitely wrong on the torque issue. But as you said, we would have to come up with a way to reduce the weight of the bottom bracket with at that extra bearing circumference in it. If a way to have a conventional gearbox could be designed to fit in the bottom bracket it would have to be a genius invention.... or, made of titanium or aluminium so really really light, sitting in its own oil bath to as to reduce wear on metals.
Its an interesting concept to think of... but will it really work any better than what we're using right now.

 

[Night Train]

There are some really interesting BB gearboxes out there. Their claims are to reduce unsprung weight, increase ground clearance and enclose all the gears for MTB use.
I can also see a potential for recumbents too.

BB gearboxes would work well with electronic shifting as the shift patterns could be quite complex in the box but simplified on the controls with torque sensing.

Better really depends on what you are measuring. Less efficient and heavier then deraileurs but comparable to hub gears maybe. Also gives a simpler, and maybe stronger, rear wheel build.

 

[Cyclopathic]

For my modest bike useage electronic changers would be totally unjustifiable but I'd like to have a go with them just to see what they're like.

What could be next I wonder. Anti lock brakes perhaps? Air bags? Air conditioning?

 

[Davidc]

For my modest bike useage electronic changers would be totally unjustifiable but I'd like to have a go with them just to see what they're like.

What could be next I wonder. Anti lock brakes perhaps? Air bags? Air conditioning?

Most of us use, and then repair or replace, the original equipment which comes with our bikes. A few will change equipment to the latest, or sometimes to what they prefer.

With electric shifters I'd expect this to be the case. That means that for most of us we won't get them until they're original equipment on a new bike. It's possible that in my case that'll never happen. Bikes last me an average of about 15 years, so both should last 'til I'm 71 - I might still be riding by then! Of course, if electric shifters get established and cheap in the meantime, and I need to replace one it could happen.