This is absolutely, without hesitation, my biggest resistance to electronic shifting. Riding a bike for me is about spending time with me and my bike - raw. Electronic shifting is like bringing your Gameboy along.

I spent a little time on a Ui2 group recently and it was pretty cool. But nowhere near on my radar to own for myself. I heart new SRAM red.

If folks can't adjust their mechanical derailleurs' how the hell are they going to program their electronic versions? I have seen folks on here asking for help because something isn't working or they can't find how to adjust something in the manual...

I have played with but never ridden Di2 and have ridden EPS. Not going to lie, I'm a Campy fan and the EPS just felt more comfortable to me (basically the same levers I already have -though mechanical). The shifting felt fine to me and I liked how it would shift w/out hesitation. Maybe not as fast as say the new Red (but I don't like the dbl tape feel either). None the less, I will take a mechanical group over electronic any day. Partially because I can't afford the electronic group (sorry, I don't want second best anything so Ui2 won't do) but mostly because I can rip a mechanical group apart, tune it, rebuild it, adjust it, ride it, hear it, know what is wrong with it.... When I can't figure it out, I jump on my fixie or my SS MTB and simply forget all about it for a while.

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09 Pinella w/ Record 10spd
http://1spd.blogspot.com/

the question you might ask is buying an electronic group right now wise?

i'd be somewhat peeved if i was a first gen di2 user, now that it's going by way of the horse & buggy...

(unless hoarding is an option for spare parts.)

You can buy 7970 Dura Ace Di2 (spare parts or whatever) at deeply discounted closeout pricing now.

I'm a first gen DA Di2 user, no regrets- it's still awesome, and I've ridden it for the past couple of years.

It won't work with any of the new stuff, but I'm fine with that- it's lack of Canbus meant that a custom battery went into the seatpost very early on in my ownership of it.

I'm building a new bike at the moment and I am delaying purchasing the groupset for it simply because of the rumours that Shimano is about to announce a Di2 group with hydraulic disc brake drop bar levers.

I considered the new SRAM red, but having ridden Di2 I don't want to go backwards to cables.

Not that cabled groupsets are (yet) an anachronism- DA 9000 proves that, but I wouldn't be surprised if 9000 was the swansong for mechanical Dura Ace.

I'm a purist, why would you ever want electronic shifting on a push bike? Sorry I just don't get it? But hey each to there own.

I have just brought and fitted mechanical da9000 ... Have only done short test rides but so far I am blown away.

In answer to your question I think there will always be a place for mechanical groupsets although they may not be fashionable.

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Caad9 BBQ Durace7800 build
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=82445#p721875

Just my 2 pennies on types of shifting.

Shifting is immaculate no matter what groupset where there is not any shit in the outers, once you ride a new bike in wet weather that's it, it becomes worse straight away and really only changing the outers returns it to feeling like new again. If you get a bit more than just a little into the outers shifting is pretty shit - does not matter how well set up. Yes lubricate clean etc, there is just no getting away from it whatever you do.

From that point electronic shifting is perfect because it does not have cables to get messed up, however personally I hope for a hydraulic groupset as it solves the dirty cable problem as well as keeping the whole setup simple. With rumours of hydro disks coming to road levers, how godamnawesome would it be if we could get hydraulic shifting?

Hi,

How much fun is it to run a fast car with an automatic gearbox?

Ciao,

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Being a snob is an expensive hobby.

Yep, this is what I'm hoping/waiting for. I'm fairly certain Acros will be bringing their A-GE to roadbikes. I would love a SRAM hydro group.

I thought this was weight weenies. What about the weight? I'm going to get a DT front shifter on my next frame.

I'm sorry wet weather messes up shifting. I never clean my winter bike (well I have never cleaned and lubricated the cables, I sometimes use a damp cloth to clean up the main tubes but that about it) and for the past 14 months ( at least) have been using the same cables (campag). Last summer the winter bike saw a lot of use as there was no summer until August, September and October when the summer bike came out. Apart from that it has has constant use even through the crapiest of weathers no matter how wet it has been. Shifting on my mechanical groupset (2011 Campag veloce) is perfect every time. I only had to touch the indexing when I replaced the casette last year. My cables are not messed up. Properly set up a mechanical drive train shifts well for a very long time.

So all this jibberish talk about changing cables every 3 months and mechanical groups not shifting perfectly is just that - jibberish. I am not exagerating about the lack drive train maintance I do either and I do live in Britain. I lubricate the chain with Rock n Roll (although the brand of lub is not important) and change it when I think I should. That's it.

I think I will have the same cables most of this coming year hopefully.

Get electronic groupsets if you want the tech. Otherwise mechanical is fine even the lower end groupsets like mine. But please don't delude yourselves into thinking that electronic shifting is a must have for good shifting. It isn't. Buy it for other reasons.

Persoanally I see no reason to change yet as good cables are cheaper.

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www.thecycleclinic.co.uk

Interesting perspectives on this issue. My own preference is for mechanical. Why? Mechanical systems have been around for a very long time and are very durable. I don't intend to replace components every few years (I continue with Record 10) and I fear that rapid technical advances with electronic systems will result in obsolescence and difficulties with finding spare electronic parts (e.g., batteries). On top of that, the aesthetics of the SR-11 appeal to me, so someday...

KAC

You don't need to program anything. People don't need to program their iPhone now do they? Think of a current cable set-top box. You turn it on, it looks for the channels, connects to the cable company to verify if you are eligible for every channel, checks your internet speed and five minutes later it's done. All you do is turn it on.

I don't see why electric shouldn't be much easier. It's nowadays "easy" to create a system where you just have to shift to the extremes and the computer then adjusts/finetunes. No more fiddling with routing, slack cables, limit screws, etc.

Have to agree with Valy on this one, mechanical group shifting does deteriorate over time but some deteriorate faster than others. Anyone who has ridden Shimano 7900 or 6700 knows it only works when the cables are in their prime! I have both on bad weather bikes (bad choice yes) and they drive me both nuts. First sign of friction and the middle cogs are very unstable. Other groups work better, my old 7800 would last months on end shifting flawlessly.

Now to the point... Electronic shifting does not deteriorate over time. Yes, you need to keep an eye on drivetrain wear but thats common to all groups.

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Canyon Ultimate SLX 2013 + DA9070 + Red Quarq + Corima Aero+ MCC (Ordered! 6.0kg)
Canyon AeroRoad + DA9000 + Lightning Power2Max + MCU's (6.5kg)
Cervelo P4 + G3 Powertap (7.78kg)
Cervelo SLC + SRAM Red 2013 + Red Quarq (6.8kg)

You know, I really do like the new tech stuff. Of course I don't have the funding for it at the moment but I am fine with that. I'm not out racing and the electronic shifting isn't going to help to build my endurance or ride any faster. I would be better off hiring a cycling coach and a personal trainer at the gym (hold on, I am a personal trainer so that would save me some money) and put my time and money into a better training plan.

But then again, if I had the funds, I'm sure I would consider picking up a SR EPS group just for the BLING of it all. For now, mechanical works just fine. Hopefully more folks will jump on the EPS bandwagon and I'll be able to score some sweet deals on some used SR mechanical parts!!!!

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09 Pinella w/ Record 10spd
http://1spd.blogspot.com/