e-shifting today as others have stated serves no real purpose except for the “techie or gadget factor”. But I think as another stated integrate them with other components such as cadence/powermeters/HRM, etc…and you could have a very viable system that could take the sport into another level. Whether it will be good or bad is yet to been seen. However, things such as this will be limited in racing as there are alot of F1 technologies that are not available in their consumer counterparts.

I can envision a smart transmission that can automatically adjust based on the riders current condition (power/cadence/grade/HR/etc).

As far as the actual system goes, I think it creates just as many new problems as it solves.

One thing that shimano has a patent for that I hope they do someday produce is a 14-speed cassette. You could run a 9-22 strait block. how sick would that be?

Suspension is for one thing primarily: CONTROL

It has nothing to do with comfort or making the ride smooth. While those are by products of suspension it primarily

has everything to do with being able to control a bike blasting over rough terrain at full cry without losing control of the bike.

Taking que from Formula one. The suspension and technology there have nothing to do with comfort. An F1 Car will beat the $&#& otta of it’s occupant with g-forces alone. The suspension settings are anything but comfortable.

Electronics is Shimanos way of making a pre-emptive strike against the introduction of the NuVinci in the market place. Like alluded to earlier slap a computer on it and you have launch control. Optimal Gearing for the amount of watts a particular rider is generating. So on.

Should Nu Vinci get ahead of Shimi with a lighter and more refined design…all they’ll need to do is outsource or higher a few engineers to slap some electronic gagetry on board.

However my guess is that the Nu Vinci idea will probably be sooner developed by someone interested in using it someplace financially more profitable…like the auto industry.

But here’s another possibility with Electronics. Shimano could make their unit alter the amount of cable pulled with each shift.

Theoretically an e-shifter could calibrate itself to a campy cassette, or a 7,8,9, or 10 speed cassette.

i liken electronic shifting to its automotive counterpart, dual-clutch transmissions. there will always be people who want a manual. but if i can get something that shifts just like a manual, and is faster at shifting than any human will ever be, why not? and i feel the same way for bikes. most of road cyclists out there have frames made out of the most exotic, modern, and technologically advanced materials. so why not put the most technologically advanced shifting systems on there too, instead of some 19th century developed system?

but, to each his own. i know that i thoroughly enjoy riding, and switching gears lightning fast at the touch of a button.

Gotta put the gear indicator on the cyclo-computer with GPS mapping, setting way points with each shift, then letting the system remember the course and shift for you automatically during the race. Make refinements, optimize for speed, pedal effort, integrate with electric assist, optimized for delta s delta t, signals to rider, etc. Fantastic.
No cable mess, do it for brakes, too, add electronic stability control. Put the generator on the disk brakes/shocks when possible.

Index is better, I can shift well with friction, but if I was racing, give me the latest and greatest.

As an aside, an employee of mine who commutes took my advice and got a disc braked road bike, (cable control, not hydraulic) I have had a few friends constantly buy the newest, and just too much maint. yet. This fellow loves the bike with discs, it has transformed his view of control in the wet, I test rode it, and must agree, darn nice.

The long way leading to the point is, humans adapt very fast, so mastery of a level of technology is good enough, but “new” tech needs to be evaluated for its place and utility.

Not all bikes need the latest, but in general applications that allow more to ride with pleasure is a good thing. There is a creeping market of anti tech though, I put the “fixie” crowd in that marketing box. I used to ride a true track bike on the street out of necessity, just not as brave/foolish today.