Hydraulic Shifters

[Deleted member 1258]

On the Fixed Gear gallery forum tonight and spotted a thread on hydraulic shifters and a link to this Bike Radar article.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/sea-otter-2011-acros-bring-hydraulic-shifting-to-market-29931

Interesting development, or a solution looking for a problem? Seems an unnecessary complicated way to do something simple.

 

[2Loose]

Seems a really simple way to do something tbh, but very expensive to do it that way all the same.

 

[Foghorn_leghorn]

Seems a really simple way to do something tbh, but very expensive to do it that way all the same.

+1

 

[MacB]

I think electronic shifting and braking would appeal more than this

 

[Foghorn_leghorn]

I think electronic shifting and braking would appeal more than this

Pulse width modulated brake actuators. interesting idea.
Of course it would be no ordinary bike, it'd be a duty cycle.
Hand me my coat..

 

[2Loose]

Pulse width modulated brake actuators. interesting idea.
Of course it would be no ordinary bike, it'd be a duty cycle.
Hand me my coat..

*groan*

 

[Wobblers]

I think electronic shifting and braking would appeal more than this

Electronic braking?! Now there's a solution looking for a failure... the failure being a flat battery when you're on that fast downhill bit with the awkward tight corner coming up!

I think I'll be a luddite and stick with mechanical brakes!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Electronic braking?! Now there's a solution looking for a failure... the failure being a flat battery when you're on that fast downhill bit with the awkward tight corner coming up!

I think I'll be a luddite and stick with mechanical brakes!

I agree, Isn't all this technology making a simple and efficient piece of machinery more complicated than it really needs to be?

 

[Davidc]

If faced with the choice of electrical or hydraulic shifting I'd take electrical.

Given the choice of either of those or cable I'll take cable every time thanks!

As for brakes - no matter what the braking system I'll take mechanical every time, with a strong preference for cable. I'd even put the rods on my first ever bike above both hydraulic and electrical.

If we ever had to have a single lever operating both the front and back brakes I'd then accept hydraulic as a good idea.

 

[raindog]

Isn't all this technology making a simple and efficient piece of machinery more complicated than it really needs to be?

Spot on. The beauty of the bicycle is it's simplicity.

 

[MacB]

Electronic braking?! Now there's a solution looking for a failure... the failure being a flat battery when you're on that fast downhill bit with the awkward tight corner coming up!

I think I'll be a luddite and stick with mechanical brakes!

I knew I should have qualified it hydraulic mechanisms have less appeal to me than electronic ones, but I'm not interested in either over cable operated. I'm a luddite as well, I carry spare brake and gear cables and spare brake pads, I know how they work and how to fix/maintain them, that's good enough for me.

 

[Smokin Joe]

If hydraulic (disc) brakes were reasonably priced and weighed no more than a cable system I would have them. They haven't exactly been a problem on cars or motorcycles and anyone who has ridden a motorcycle with cable brakes and then switched to hydraulic would never go back. The sensitivity and power of the system makes for smoother and safer braking.

 

[blubb]

Got two mtb's with hydraulic brakes and love them.

My first one was the Magura Julie and in about 8 years i only had to service it once, apart from the replacing of brake pads. Second one is the Formula rx which i am using for about a year now and still running fine.

I wouldn't use hydraulic disc brakes for a city bike though. They cost too much for something that you will never use to it's full potential.

 

[gb155]

I like the idea

not so the price TBH