Loading…
0
Hot take: I think the push for electronic shifting on every new bike is getting out of hand
A guy came into the shop last month with a brand new gravel bike, and he was genuinely upset that his $4,500 model still had mechanical shift cables. He said, 'It's 2024, this is just outdated tech.' I had to explain that for a lot of riders, especially on long remote trips, the simplicity and reliability of a cable is a feature, not a bug. Do you think the industry is pushing electronic groupsets too hard for the average cyclist?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
stone.brooke7mo ago
That "outdated tech" comment really misses the point. I've been on trips where charging a shifter would be a real problem. The industry is definitely pushing it too hard, making people feel like their bike is less capable without it.
5
charles_mitchell7mo ago
Switched back to a cable shifter for bikepacking and haven't looked back. It just works.
6
robin5915mo ago
Charging mid-trip changed my mind too.
6
diana5127mo ago
Come on, it's just a battery. How many days are you really out where you can't plug in a USB cable? Most people ride close to home. The worry seems bigger than the actual problem for like 95% of riders.
1