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Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

outsideonline.com

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Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#51

Post by pimeys »

reportingsjr wrote: post #11
rhn_mk1 wrote: post #3

I'm not sure who's seriously interested in most of these features, fun factor nonwithstanding. One of bicycles' strengths is simplicity of critical elements, notably the gear switching. How do they make sure that the electronic system doesn't die on the rider when the battery goes flat? How do they deal with increasing slack in the lines? Who really benefits from turn signals? Unless they are mounted on special stalk…

I don't currently have much to add on the simplicity vs tech standpoint, but electronic shifting has been out for a while and there aren't really any problems with it. Someone I know rides every day and said the battery lasts for about 4 months (looks like newer versions are rechargeable as well). There aren't any cables in the shifting mechanism. It is a set of shifters that are wirelessly connected to the derailleu…

That's the SRAM system. Shimano has cables.

That said, I prefer my home built fixie: cheap to get great components, easy to maintain, and damn fun to ride.

Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#53

Post by jdavis703 »

stevenwoo wrote: post #32
sumitgt wrote: post #14

Unlike others on this thread, I love where this is headed. I'd love to have a really smart bike. However, once I have that much tech on a bike, it would be impossible to park it anywhere without the risk of being stolen.

It's already impossible to park a non department store bike of any value anywhere in an urban area of the United States without the risk of it getting stolen. It's probably one of the factors in why some people might not commute for errands even if everything else was favorable - a bike decent enough to warrant a ride is a target for thieves. The bike thief community in San Francisco/Oakland/Santa Cruz has been thriv…

So bring a skateboard or scooter if you're doing a quick errand. You can easily bring them inside, and if it's stolen you're only out $100-200.

Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#54

Post by dibujante »

blang wrote: post #4

The grumpy old man in me likes my bike to be as mechanical as possible, I don't want to remember to charge my shifters, power meter, gps, etc. Maybe that's why I still ride a 1989 Trek 1200 with down tube shifters and biopace chain rings.

Nishiki Shields 1974 over here.

Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#56

Post by tonymet »

oftenbanned wrote: post #22

I would like to see American magazines taking a more critical look at these lights. Like virtually all bike front lights sold in the USA, the Garmin UT800 has a circular beam, making it pretty much useless for anything. Proper bike lights have asymmetric projection beams that put the light on the road, not up into the sky. Unfortunately an American bicyclists who wants one of those lights is pretty much obligated to…

what brands would you recommend? I've been looking for exactly what you're talking about.

Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#57

Post by ssambros »

jdavis703 wrote: post #50
krhae wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brake lights would be a great addition, however. During fast stops, especially while commuting, it's nearly impossible to signal.

In Copenhagen people raise their hand to indicate a stop. I wish we'd adopt this in the U.S.

Do people have three hands in Copenhagen, because last time I checked my bike had two handbrakes, and I have to use both of them to stop safely?

Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#58

Post by brewdad »

soared wrote: post #42
stevenwoo wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's already impossible to park a non department store bike of any value anywhere in an urban area of the United States without the risk of it getting stolen. It's probably one of the factors in why some people might not commute for errands even if everything else was favorable - a bike decent enough to warrant a ride is a target for thieves. The bike thief community in San Francisco/Oakland/Santa Cruz has been thriv…

This is plainly not true. In 99% of America (read: not cali, nyc, etc) if you lock your bike up it won't get stolen.

You'll have to add Portland and Seattle to that list as well as any city with a large university. If there is a large community of cyclists, there will be bike thieves working hard to separate them from their bikes.

Re: Shimano wants to make your bike as smart as your car

#59

Post by Nition »

pcl wrote: post #23
jacquesm wrote: post #8

Anything you strap to a bike has to be reliable. If there is one thing you can say about mechanical systems it is that we know how to design them so they last the lifetime of a bike (wear parts excluded), anything electrical or electromechanical will have a shorter life than the equivalent that uses only mechanical parts. Just look at your average bicycle light set, even after I don't know how long we still can't mak…

> Just look at your average bicycle light set, even after I don't know how long we still can't make a set that lasts more than a couple of years. You're probably right about the average bike lights. But the good folks at Light and Motion make some incredible products. USB-rechargeable, bright, easily removable, and pretty durable in my experience. http://www.lightandmotion.com/

Since we're talking about it, are there any decent brands still making dynamo bike lights (the ones that are powered by the turning of the wheels)?
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