Wireless shifters or Electric bicycle?

[JR Namida]

WIRELESS FOR THE MASSES – WIRELESS SHIFTING STARTING AT $1190
https://roadbikeaction.com/wireless-for-the-masses-wireless-shifting-starting-at-1190/

Or a small motor single speed bicycle with or without a torque sensor to climb hills and long inclines,
Ride1up Roaster V2,
https://ride1up.com/product/roadster-v2/

KBO Hurricane,
https://kbobike.com/products/road-electric-bike

Tenways CG0 600 and and the
https://tenways.com/

Ridescoozy Torque 1
https://ridescoozy.com/Electric-Bicycles/Torque-One-Ebike


Where does my Xmas Club money go this year, it is a question I will not know until January 2022. I have wanted Sram wirless shift since the 10 speed red version appeared on the market. I thought they would release a $1,200 Force 10 speed version later in the year. Instead they released a Red 11 speed version with a 10 cog system and smaller chain rings, and then the force group at prices I could not justify with all my 10 speed gear. Now they have reduced the 1X to affordability range, but maybe I am looking for a single speed 350 watt motor with a torque sensor to climb a few hills much easier. I have many routes I like to ride on my KBO Hurricane, but without the Torque Sensing it is kinda useless on short hills or long gentle inclines where cadence falls off sending the wrong info to the motor.

I am guessing one direction today, but may change my mind in January. The only disc brake bicycle I have is the KBO Hurricane, so the wireless shifting would need a new bicycle carbon fiber disc brake frame for the build. in the end, am looking @ $2,000 for wireless bicycle, and the $1,400 eBike with light weight carbon fork, and integrated carbon fiber handle bars, track bar brakes, ans a light weight Tomson seat post and saddle, light weight front wheel and 25mm with known puncture resistant tire.

I hate fat tired heavy eBikes, as I need to stay close to 32 pounds to carry up and down the stairs. Left down stairs without a battery, an eBike would disappear in less than an hour in my secure neighborhood.

What would you purchase?

JR

[jeffg]

Wireless shifting is incredible. Have installed it on several bikes and it works really well. Have yet to encounter any problems with it. One drawback is the cost to replace components, but that is a problem with any electronic drive train.

As for motor assist. I feel that unless you have a real physical need for assist up hills or into the wind, just gear down and spin your way through it. My wife and i were riding in the neighborhood last weekend, going up a small hill to our home and a couple wiz past us on ebikes. My wife commented on how fast they were going, and I told her it is because the bikes have a motor. She looked at me and remarked, "What's the sense in that? It requires no effort and you get no workout!" Can't argue with commonsense.

Although ebikes do require some effort, in no way do they require anywhere near the effort a non-ebike requires to get up a hill or go 18mph. The work load is not the same. If you have a physical need, then go for it, but you will be missing out on the brilliance of wireless shifting!

[Markchange]

Then I would choose an e-bike because my grandfather at 72 still wants to ride so an e-bike gives him the opportunity to enjoy riding again.

[meamoantonio]

They say once you go wireless shifting you never go back, you guys know anyone who shifted back from wireless? Im super curious

[Jesper]

(06-28-2024, 12:08 PM)meamoantonio Wrote:  They say once you go wireless shifting you never go back, you guys know anyone who shifted back from wireless? Im super curious

I went from friction to indexed, back to friction. Never going to anything else. My indexed shifting bikes are gathering dust. No fun no technique required. Not in competition so it serves no purpose for me or the vast majority of cyclists. I know bike shops keep pushing the next generation of equipment to those who really will receive no perceived benefit from it other than a psyche boost and a lighter wallet. People need to carry around a phone charger wherever they go and now need to charge ebike batteries and shifting system batteries. Sorry for being a realist, but if is just more overpriced equipment to put on overpriced bikes to be used by inexperienced bike owners. There are only about 200,000 competitive road cyclists in the world (Novice/Cat. 5 to Pro level including road l, cross, and track combined). I doubt if you include Tri and bmx/mtb you will add much more than 100000 cyclists. There are (by rough estimate) about 2 billion bike users (though not necessarily bike owners) worldwide. That means the vast majority of bike riders are just your garden variety commuters, weekend warriors, etc. (myself included now) that are for some reason thinking they need the top of the line professional equipment just to ride a few miles a week. Yes, when I seriously competed I had near to the top of the line stuff but even then it was 5 to 10 years behind the euipment I could have bought new and yet I was somehow able to compete and win on my "antique" equipment. I ride a 45 year old bike and can still out pace (and I am comparatively slow) many (most?) riders who are substantially younger (20 or more yrs) than myself (and probably with less physical issues) while they have all of the newest, lightest, fanciest equipment and doodads. It only proves that all this stuff is just a marketing gimmick to sell overpriced equipment to others who do not need it and do not really benefit from it except as a psychological trap. This is why these topics show up on sites like this. I do not think the pros are worried about the differences since their stuff is paid for any they pretty much have to race on the equipment provided even if it is not theor most preferred brand or model (or color!). People talk about aerodynamics and other BS when they are not knowledgeable about the fact it that doesn't even come into play regarding engineering designs of bikes and equipment unless you are travelling around 25 mph or faster. When is the last time anyone you know who is not a competitive cyclist averaged over 25 mph for at least 15 minutes nevermind an hour or more (no downhill does not count). It is pretty freaking hard. I know since I used to do that (training average of 25 miles or more per day, 500 miles plus per month) when I competed. My last 10 mile time trial was only 23-24 mph (~25 min. riding) which sucks when you have ridden at average 25 mph for hours before and actually benefitted from aerodynamic design.
Next time if I ride in a pack I will carry a signal jammer just to watch people freak out since most electronic shifting systems will be wireles soon and anything wireless is easy to signal jam. Soon there will be that form of cheating (electronic countermeasures) used by professional riders. Instead of just doing radiographs of bikes for motors, they will have to do them on water bottles and bananas to find hidden transmitters. Even then these wireless systems will be easy to jam at a substantial distance. Give it 5 to 10 years and tell me I'm wrong (my background includes EW, ECM, ECCM, ELINT, etc.). I'm not talking sci-fi here folks and I can guarantee someone is or has already built equipment to do just what I have stated. Manufacturers cannot just "grab" a piece of the electromagnetic spectrum without gaining permission and license to use it regardless of how tiny of a bandwidth they plan to use. Hard to keep a signal frequency guarded when it is required to openly transmit for the equipment to operate. Hard to shield a receiver without also shielding it from the signal it is intended to receive.

Final thought: wireless and/or electronic shifting on a bicycle- no need unless a competition level athlete where it serves a true purpose per the reason for its design (other than profiteering on the unwary). Ebikes- if you want a "scooter" buy a "scooter" nothing wrong with that (a horseless carriage is 3 or more wheeled conveyance with a motor; a legless bicycle is a 2 wheeled conveyance with a motor)
Sorry, off my "soapbox" again.

[Talha]

(10-31-2021, 06:16 PM)JR Namida Wrote:  Where does my Xmas Club money go this year, it is a question I will not know until January 2022. I have wanted Sram wirless shift since the 10 speed red version appeared on the market. I thought they would release a $1,200 Force 10 speed version later in the year. Instead they released a Red 11 speed version with a 10 cog system and smaller chain rings, and then the force group at prices I could not justify with all my 10 speed gear. Now they have reduced the 1X to affordability range, but maybe I am looking for a single speed 350 watt motor with a torque sensor to climb a few hills much easier. I have many routes I like to ride on my KBO Hurricane, but without the Torque Sensing it is kinda useless on short hills or long gentle inclines where cadence falls off sending the wrong info to the motor.

I am guessing one direction today, but may change my mind in January. The only disc brake bicycle I have is the KBO Hurricane, so the wireless shifting would need a new bicycle carbon fiber disc brake frame for the build. in the end, am looking @ $2,000 for wireless bicycle, and the $1,400 eBike with light weight carbon fork, and integrated carbon fiber handle bars, track bar brakes, ans a light weight Tomson seat post and saddle, light weight front wheel and 25mm with known puncture resistant tire.

I hate fat tired heavy eBikes, as I need to stay close to 32 pounds to carry up and down the stairs. Left down stairs without a battery, an eBike would disappear in less than an hour in my secure neighborhood.

What would you purchase?

Given your emphasis on dealing with hills and the practicality of carrying the bike up and down stairs I would lean towards the ebike with the torque sensor. It solves both functional needs (climbing hills, long gentle inclines) and practical concerns (weight, security).