Author Topic: Alfine goes electric  (Read 5666 times)

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #25 on: 06 March, 2012, 12:18:16 pm »
Sounds like a scam to get cyclists onto the annual electronic upgrade bandwagon. 'This year's electronic shift from Shimano 0.003s faster than last year's…' etc.

along with software upgrades a la android mode? ;P

Frere

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #26 on: 06 March, 2012, 12:30:28 pm »
Have duplicate shifters in more than one place.  Have shifters that don't require significant force to operate.  Automagically sequence through a complicated gear system in the right order.  Not have your cables freeze in winter.  There's all sorts of advantages, I'm just sceptical that they're going to sell in large numbers.

Automagic gear selection is the one that appeals to me most, but I hadn't considered some of the other possibilities... I do like the idea of duplicate shifters.

Bung in a few accelerometers and you could tune the automatic gear selection to the gradient, optimised to your preferred cadence.

I can see it taking a few years for electronic shifting to really get a foothold in the market, but I think enough people will see it as a genuine benefit once the price comes down a bit.

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #27 on: 06 March, 2012, 12:45:04 pm »
I've been dreaming of automatic bicycle gears ever since I learnt to program a computer, thirty years ago.  I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that any system to shift as well as I do would need to read my mind, as well as cadence and torque.  Your choice of gear is based on what you will be doing in a few seconds as well as what you're doing right now.  Gradient is not the only thing that governs that.

I would enjoy the luxury of electronic shifters anyway, especially if I could use whatever type of switch I liked, then I could put it wherever I liked, or even have two or three sets of switches.  But probably the manufacturers won't make it a simple matter of opening and closing a circuit.  They'll have the shifter sending a fancy code or something.
●●●  My eBay items  ●●●  Twitter  ●●●

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #28 on: 06 March, 2012, 01:17:29 pm »
Could electric shifters be used as immobilisers as well?
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #29 on: 06 March, 2012, 01:19:17 pm »
I've been dreaming of automatic bicycle gears ever since I learnt to program a computer, thirty years ago.  I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that any system to shift as well as I do would need to read my mind, as well as cadence and torque.  You choice of gear is based on what you will be doing in a few seconds as well as what you're doing right now.  Gradient is not the only thing that governs that.

...

Anyone remember Browning Automatic?
Getting there...

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #30 on: 06 March, 2012, 01:21:30 pm »
Yep, and the Deal Drive.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #31 on: 06 March, 2012, 01:26:12 pm »
Could electric shifters be used as immobilisers as well?

Yes if a sort of neutral gear could be selected.  It's possible with some designs, like certain old Sturmey Archer 3-speeds.  But it wouldn't be worth making the gears less efficient, if that's what it took to have an immobiliser.
●●●  My eBay items  ●●●  Twitter  ●●●


clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #33 on: 08 January, 2013, 11:42:47 am »
Very tempting.  But that lever!  It's one of those bulbous ones. :(  Surely the majority of Alfine users want flat bar compatibility?
Getting there...

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #35 on: 08 January, 2013, 11:47:40 am »
OK.  Just found the alternative switch.  Oh my.
Getting there...

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #36 on: 08 January, 2013, 11:58:04 am »
Oh and add another £50 for the matching left hand lever, unless you are not wanting 2 brakes (or want the lopsided look on the bars :) )
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #37 on: 08 January, 2013, 02:06:11 pm »
Dear Mr On-One,

How much for a pompetamine stripped of the rear wheel bars, shifters etc? (bearing in mind a built bike is £600)

Yours, Ham

Dear Mrs Ham,

You know how I've decided not to buy new skis? Well that should make it ok to buy a new bike, no? AND ....AND ....AND....I will sell one at the end, honest

Yours, Ham

Dear Everyone,

Are you interested in a secondhand 8 Speed Alfine drop bar bike, set up for city riding (46 - 115" gearing)

TIA, Ham.

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #38 on: 08 January, 2013, 02:12:00 pm »
You really really are a bad man, Mr Ham.  I have the perfect frame for fitting that kit to (and it's NOT the Inbred :) )

Grrrr

Grrrr

I may need to borrow your couch :)
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #39 on: 08 January, 2013, 02:24:10 pm »
Moi?

And here I am thinking how much better it would be for April.......

Given the gear issues on the pompetamine I had to ride the Marin Rocinante today, and it reminded me that I have a handlebar comfort issue with it (pins and needles after 10 miles :(

And the Rocinante?



Watch out, windmills!

Valiant

  • aka Sam
    • Radiance Audio
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #40 on: 10 January, 2013, 08:16:21 am »
Dassa nice looking bike
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.

Support Equilibrium

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #41 on: 10 January, 2013, 08:27:04 am »
Indeed, it is a nice looking bike.  Have you got Ergon grips on it? If not they may help (we put some on Mrs T's town bike and they made the world of difference to her over longer differences)
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #42 on: 10 January, 2013, 10:23:30 am »
I've got some sort of gel grips on it, not sure which. Think there might be something wrong with the height or reach, but I've been riding this (or its predecessor) for some 8 or more years and it feels right every time I get on.


PH

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #43 on: 10 January, 2013, 07:53:50 pm »
What a great thing for folders, no more complicated cable runs and constant readjustment after the fold has messed up the alignment. 
I'll see where the price goes, but this would make my Airnimal far more usable.

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #44 on: 10 January, 2013, 08:40:00 pm »
I really hope the Rohloff bods have seen the Alfine motor. It looks very elegant.


Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #45 on: 10 January, 2013, 09:53:44 pm »
Thinking about it, I have Ergon on my Dahon s/s and don't have issues with that, I've bought a set (Merlin have some good deals at the mo, another 10% or more of discounted prices)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #46 on: 10 January, 2013, 10:01:48 pm »
I really hope the Rohloff bods have seen the Alfine motor. It looks very elegant.

Isn't there already an electric shifting wossname for Rohloffs?

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #47 on: 10 January, 2013, 10:15:14 pm »


Isn't there already an electric shifting wossname for Rohloffs?

Yes but it looks a bit "garden shed".
I'd prefer something made by Rohloff themselves.


Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #48 on: 11 January, 2013, 01:01:41 pm »
"Goes electric" made me think of electric assist.  Shimano needs to get into this market, pronto.  It's gonna be big.
●●●  My eBay items  ●●●  Twitter  ●●●

Re: Alfine goes electric
« Reply #49 on: 11 January, 2013, 04:32:27 pm »
"Goes electric" made me think of electric assist.  Shimano needs to get into this market, pronto.  It's gonna be big.

It doesn't make business sense for Shimano IMHO. They just don't have the expertise and manufacturing resources to compete with Panasonic and Bosch. All the quality pedelec systems are mid-drive and don't replace any Shimano components, so I think they perceive it as a complement to their business rather than a threat. I'd expect to see a degree of integration develop between electronic gearing and pedelec systems, most likely through a standard interconnection.

Also, would someone please tell the European manufacturers that fitting a dynohub to a pedelec is a bit mental?