they should make an nft of it for maximum modern investment goofery
6 Likes
Please stop
2 Likes
Some non-bike-nerd sent this to me a while bike. Looks neat, but it’s CeramicSpeed. They’re the kings of selling snake oil, so I have a hard time believing their claims.
1 Like
Never stop
3 Likes
I got really tired of seeing that. I think they had a version that would shift if you were breathing on the pedals.
1 Like
Shimano’s introduced a new “Linkglide” drivetrain that will forever complicate explaining Shimano mix & matchability even more.
TL;DR
- new 10-speed Deore and 11-speed XT dangler
- new 11-43 10-speed and 11-50 11-speed cassettes; fit on normal HG freehubs
- unique cog pitch, gotta use the matching new shifters, no mix&match with other 10/11-speed Shimano MTB parts.
- Thicker cogs for increased durability. Uses normal 11-speed chain.
- Seemingly aimed at eBikes - the cassettes are chonkly
2 Likes
yeah, they announced some electric motors yesterday too, right? seems like a big concerted push.
Guess it would be helpful if they had any availability of, well, anything.
5 Likes
xt cassette is claimed at something like 740-780g. Like, WHY?
1 Like
What’s the non-Marxist reason why these things are coming out? Just to provide E-specific drivetrains?
This is like reverse-engineering a moped with extra steps.
4 Likes
I’d guess its exactly for ebike transmissions, under the logic that people will treat them like cars and not ever service them until either the chain disintegrates or the chainrings become smooth discs ?
10 Likes
If you made the moped all at once, you’d probably get regulated like a motor vehicle company. If you build it step by step and make it so that the moped can be arrived at by some consumers on some models, you’re still making a bicycle.
It’s the transportation equivalent of making a medical diagnostic tool vs. a diagnosis facilitation tool. The latter takes like a decade less long to get to market and has way less oversight.
13 Likes
extremely specific analogies are very tarck
13 Likes
Is this our answer to sram abandoning 2x exact actuation (1:1) danglers? or is it still gx with a pullamajig.
there is no longer the 2x10 GX variant?? It’s exact actuation
I think it has promise in TT/triathlon, but I’m mostly very skeptical.
They claim better drivetrain efficiency and more aerodynamic, especially if the aero/dust cover is in place. That has direct benefits for TT/Tri bikes and owners of those bikes might look past the other drawbacks.
Their various materials and video interviews say:
- Mechanically efficient,
- More aerodynamic,
- Cost less to produce,
- Less complicated,
- Can be enclosed (i.e. no more greasy chains)
- 3% better in the wind tunnel compared to a Dura-Ace equipped bike" (tested at Specialized on a Venge).
- Bearings are sealed
- Road, city, e-bike, mountain bike, all applications workable.
Investor pitch source of most claims
2019 interview and demo with MTB system and shifting demo
2018 intro video
Going through them I say:
- Mechanically efficient
I’m sure they’re not making up data, but I question how much this relies on perfect alignment of all the parts, a perfectly clean environment, and if this is with sealed or unsealed bearings.
- More aerodynamic,
Especially with the cool aero cover I have no trouble believing this, sure. But I also don’t believe that a D-A drivetrain is the pinnacle of what Shimano could achieve if they wanted to make a more aero dangler.
- Cost less to produce,
They claim this without evidence. From where I sit it seems like you need a proprietary frame held to very good alignment, a cog set that needs to be milled or otherwise made in a more expensive method than coining. but maybe the fewer parts argument helps.
- Less complicated,
I guess when you consider all of the individual parts and linkages and such that make up a typical rear derailleur, this might arguably be less complicated, but I’m not sure it’s less complicated in a way that actually makes a difference.
- Can be enclosed (i.e. no more greasy chains)
Sure, but you can enclose a derailleur drivetrain too if you really want to.
- 3% better in the wind tunnel compared to a Dura-Ace equipped bike" (tested at Specialized on a Venge).
This is one of the strongest arguments for the system and if it holds up along with efficiency claims, and other issues can mostly be addressed I could definitely see top end TT and triathlon bikes using this system.
- Bearings are sealed
The videos and stills I looked at all showed unsealed bearings. I want to know if their efficiency claims were produced with unsealed or sealed bearings.
- Road, city, e-bike, mountain bike, all applications workable.
In theory sure why not.
Overall I am skeptical that this system relies on a proprietary frame design and just how good do the assembly tolerances need to be to actually realize the efficiency gains? I am very curious how it would hold up in bad weather or gravel riding, though the nice aero/debris cover is a good solution. Current systems are very tolerant of misalignment and chainstay growth like on full-sus MTBs.
It has a huge drawback in terms of tire clearance near the chainring especially for MTB applications. The cassette and chainring will be expensive to produce. Right now it’s wireless only which is fine. Seems like they could work to reduce wheel dish a bit, but at some point heel clearance to the driveshaft is an issue.
They never once mention WEIGHT which is a suspicious omission.
10 Likes
wondering what an aero chain cover or some profiling to a dangler would be. also- 3% better… what? g of drag of a static bike with no rider? wondering how many W that translates to or what the impact is on the entire system of a bike being pedalled by an actual human
1 Like
There is a roller-pinion + rack gear or round gear system that rom about 2016 they say it’s patented and is 99% efficient. But most of the online materials are focused on it’s zero backlash over long distances and therefore use in linear actuators like on big milling machines or whatever.
If it’s really 3% more efficient that is huge and I was wondering if there were any examples from motorsports. I’m guessing high speeds and heat may make it not good for those applications but who knows.
2 Likes
it is for now. but sram has long since declared 2x dead for mtb, so i’ts only a matter of time
1 Like
It’s unclear what that 3% benefit in wind drag entails - is that 3% over the total drag from the bike or 3% from just the drag attributable to the dangler or 3% of total drag with a rider. 3% of just the bike’s drag (including spinning wheels and cranks) at 250 watts output is less than a watt saved…
6 Likes