My brain does all of this, pretty well too.
Would you buy this?
Now with our electronic shifters, dropper posts, and suspension controls, it would be nice to have a way to put it together. What I am thinking is a little computer, that only has to do the following:
- If your cadence drops below or above a set range, shift into an easier (or harder) gear.
- (Not sure about this one) If your bike is going uphill and you are peddling (for a certain amount of time) lift the dropper post. (Could also do if you stop pedaling, drop the dropper.)
- When your dropper post it dropped, unlock your suspension. (Could be for amounts ex: 100 percent extended: shock almost locked out, fork locked out. 85-99% full extension: shock is more open, fork is medium. 50-85% full extension: Fork is open, Shock is halfway. Less than 50% extension: Fork and shock are completely open.) You would be able to adjust the amount, or you could just do it in a simpler way (Dropper is fully or partially dropped: Open fork and Shock)
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I think auto-shifting is probably the next step in drive train evolution. It makes sense. I wouldn't base it just on cadence but on some measure of torque, with the ability to adjust exactly how much torque would trigger a shift. You'd also probably want a way to quickly turn it off as there are times when it wouldn't be great to get caught mid-shift.
An auto dropper post strikes me as kinda dangerous. Wouldn't want that thing to make a mistake and suddenly pop up while I'm in the air or something. Maybe one that just automatically drops when you stand up, and doesn't come back up until you tell it to? That seems workable.
As for the suspension thing, I mean that's in the works right now with Live Valve and Flight Attendant. I wouldn't tie it to the dropper though because there are times when you have the seat dropped all the way but you wouldn't want the shock open all the way (e.g. flow/jump trail).
But personally I wouldn't buy any of this auto-sh!t. I prefer my bike without batteries of any kind.
An auto dropper post strikes me as kinda dangerous. Wouldn't want that thing to make a mistake and suddenly pop up while I'm in the air or something. Maybe one that just automatically drops when you stand up, and doesn't come back up until you tell it to? That seems workable.
As for the suspension thing, I mean that's in the works right now with Live Valve and Flight Attendant. I wouldn't tie it to the dropper though because there are times when you have the seat dropped all the way but you wouldn't want the shock open all the way (e.g. flow/jump trail).
But personally I wouldn't buy any of this auto-sh!t. I prefer my bike without batteries of any kind.
just riding fixes all these issues if you have a brain.
ride lots.
ride lots.
Sounds like a job for Picard.
No. On all counts.
1)Sometimes I want to mash 20rpm in a hard gear to get up that punchy climb, sometimes I want to spin at 80 rpm in 32/52 because I'm waiting for something. Sometimes I just 'soft-pedal' at 10 rpm because I'm goofing around.
(What happens to my gear selection, if I do 3-4 'half ratchets' in a techy section?
2) I actually sometimes drop my dropper down partially, or nearly all for a short while to use different muscles while pedaling.
3) There is actually very little correlation between my suspension needs (or lockout needs) and my dropper position, because of the above two reasons.
all-in-all, I want full control of my bike. SRAM AXS is all I'm OK with at this point. I don't even like that new Flight Attendant stuff.
1)Sometimes I want to mash 20rpm in a hard gear to get up that punchy climb, sometimes I want to spin at 80 rpm in 32/52 because I'm waiting for something. Sometimes I just 'soft-pedal' at 10 rpm because I'm goofing around.
(What happens to my gear selection, if I do 3-4 'half ratchets' in a techy section?
2) I actually sometimes drop my dropper down partially, or nearly all for a short while to use different muscles while pedaling.
3) There is actually very little correlation between my suspension needs (or lockout needs) and my dropper position, because of the above two reasons.
all-in-all, I want full control of my bike. SRAM AXS is all I'm OK with at this point. I don't even like that new Flight Attendant stuff.
there's no option for F*CK NO!
So far, nothing has convinced me that my bike would be better with a battery on it. Or, at least enough better to spend many dollars on it.
I understand the desire to add some smarts and electronics to things, either for fiddling, or to try to see if there is a market for it. But, honestly I don't feel like this is something I personally want quite yet.
Already mentioned, pedaling at low cadence and high torque might be desired at times (standing sprinting), sometimes soft pedaling at a low cadence is what we want as well, dropper posts don't being up or down don't always necessarily mean we want the suspension one way or another.
I understand the desire to add some smarts and electronics to things, either for fiddling, or to try to see if there is a market for it. But, honestly I don't feel like this is something I personally want quite yet.
Already mentioned, pedaling at low cadence and high torque might be desired at times (standing sprinting), sometimes soft pedaling at a low cadence is what we want as well, dropper posts don't being up or down don't always necessarily mean we want the suspension one way or another.
This is horrifying.
I think Shimano or SRAM tried something with their electronic shifters at one point where you could set a cadence. It makes sense on a road bike when you're just riding (not racing) and don't want to have to change your hand positions to shift. But other than that I'm not sure I'd really want it.
I will say that it seems like a pretty trivial feature to add to an electronic drivetrain so why not? Let people decide if they want to use it.
Next up will be AI shifting. Now accepting donations to study feasibility.
I will say that it seems like a pretty trivial feature to add to an electronic drivetrain so why not? Let people decide if they want to use it.
Next up will be AI shifting. Now accepting donations to study feasibility.
This would be a hard sell for more experienced riders. novice riders that struggle with cadence, power output, bike positioning etc.. would really get a lot out of this. But similar to auto racing.. enthusiasts tend to want less driver aids. Manual transmissions, reduced or removed traction and stability control etc.... Sometimes I alternate between a fast and slow cadence depending on how I feel, the conditions of the train etc.. The thought of me letting my bike make that decision seems like a bad idea. HOWEVER for my kids who are just getting into the sport, and dont enjoy it the way I do, some of these features would be a big selling point for starter bikes. Once they get the general idea of picking lines, and staying rubber side down, they could graduate to more complex bikes.
Now with our electronic shifters, dropper posts, and suspension controls, it would be nice to have a way to put it together. What I am thinking is a little computer, that only has to do the following:
What do you think? Other things that could be controlled?
- If your cadence drops below or above a set range, shift into an easier (or harder) gear.
- (Not sure about this one) If your bike is going uphill and you are peddling (for a certain amount of time) lift the dropper post. (Could also do if you stop pedaling, drop the dropper.)
- When your dropper post it dropped, unlock your suspension. (Could be for amounts ex: 100 percent extended: shock almost locked out, fork locked out. 85-99% full extension: shock is more open, fork is medium. 50-85% full extension: Fork is open, Shock is halfway. Less than 50% extension: Fork and shock are completely open.) You would be able to adjust the amount, or you could just do it in a simpler way (Dropper is fully or partially dropped: Open fork and Shock)
- They already did this. It used weights and the centrifugal force would change gears automatically. It was not awesome.
- A dropper that drops if I'm coasting? That sounds positively awesome!
- And unlock the suspension based on the dropper height? Combine that with idea #2 and I'll definitely do a #2!
- I want something that if I'm pedaling it automatically applies the brakes and when coasting releases them. For better efficiency.
Kobayashi should help. And rich for the trifecta.Sounds like a job for Picard.
Get Varaxis to philosophize about it and go all nihilistic.Kobayashi should help. And rich for the trifecta.
I'm going to say 'no'... Because, I think in part all of the things you've listed above are reasons I like riding my bicycle. I enjoy the act of riding - the shifting of gears, the effort it takes to climb a hill, the cable controlled shifting, and working on my bike myself. My bike is one of the few things left in the world I can fix myself (and afford). Cars like computers, like refrigerators and like far too many things these days are all disposable or need to be 'taken in' to be served (or beyond my skill level, or desire to do myself).
You're ideas will find their appeal to other riders (maybe not on this board) and I am willing to bet that SRAM (or Shimano) is busy working a system that involves integration with app on your smart phone or new head units. I would even bet there is some talk at SRAM (or Shimano) about how to turn auto-shifitng idea into a service they can charge a subscription fee for (or micro-transactions for). They'll let you shift by hand for free but the auto shifting will cost $.03 per shift or $7.99/mo.
You're ideas will find their appeal to other riders (maybe not on this board) and I am willing to bet that SRAM (or Shimano) is busy working a system that involves integration with app on your smart phone or new head units. I would even bet there is some talk at SRAM (or Shimano) about how to turn auto-shifitng idea into a service they can charge a subscription fee for (or micro-transactions for). They'll let you shift by hand for free but the auto shifting will cost $.03 per shift or $7.99/mo.
I'm ok with electronic gadgets that you attach to the bike, like a GPS, power meter, etc...
I don't want any electronics that are required to make some function of the bike work. Electronic shifters, suspension, seatposts, or whatever, only detract from the beauty of the bike as a concept and moreover, don't do anything that I can't do myself while adding uneeded complexity. There's even a term for that: overengineering.
I don't want any electronics that are required to make some function of the bike work. Electronic shifters, suspension, seatposts, or whatever, only detract from the beauty of the bike as a concept and moreover, don't do anything that I can't do myself while adding uneeded complexity. There's even a term for that: overengineering.
So....dumbing down the riding experience by making it smarter?
Nope.
Nope.
God bless MTBR’s ignore feature.Get Varaxis to philosophize about it and go all nihilistic.
=sParty
How would it differentiate between if I've slowed my cadence because I'm starting to head uphill versus slowing my cadence because I'm setting up to pedal-kick a drop-off?
- If your cadence drops below or above a set range, shift into an easier (or harder) gear.
LOL, I wonder if I'm even thinking of the right poster?God bless MTBR’s ignore feature.
=sParty
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