Last weekend I rode the Cascade Gravel Grinder in Sisters, OR. I encountered 4 riders whose electronic shifting failed on them during the ride. 2 of them were by the side of the road waiting for the support crew, and 2 of them finished the ride on their newly minted "single-speed" bikes, falling far behind the lead of course. I don't know of any mechanical shifting failures, though they may have happened.
And of course Lachlan Morton famously had the same problem on last year's Tour Divide. When he spoke afterward, someone asked him why he used electronic instead of mechanical shifting on such a long, remote, rugged ride. He replied, "Because I'm an idiot". You don't make it through a ride like that without having a sense of humor.
Levity aside, I wonder if we will see demand for mechanical shifting for rides in remote rugged terrain. My friend is doing the tour divide this year with his new electronic drivetrain and it introduces hassles you don't get with mechanical shifting: bring multiple batteries, how to charge them on the road, etc. And also, it seems, higher risk of failure.
Your thoughts & experiences?
And of course Lachlan Morton famously had the same problem on last year's Tour Divide. When he spoke afterward, someone asked him why he used electronic instead of mechanical shifting on such a long, remote, rugged ride. He replied, "Because I'm an idiot". You don't make it through a ride like that without having a sense of humor.
Levity aside, I wonder if we will see demand for mechanical shifting for rides in remote rugged terrain. My friend is doing the tour divide this year with his new electronic drivetrain and it introduces hassles you don't get with mechanical shifting: bring multiple batteries, how to charge them on the road, etc. And also, it seems, higher risk of failure.
Your thoughts & experiences?