Electronic Bike Shifters: The Complete Guide (2023)

Let's be honest: For enthusiasts like us, getting our hands on the latest cutting-edge technology is one of the most compelling reasons to test drive the bike.

But electronic bike shifters aren't just a gimmick—they offer a smoother, deeper, more enjoyable riding experience.

With the level of performance benefit they provide, there is a strong case to be made that all serious riders should upgrade to electronic shifting!

So what's available now? And what do you need to know about the different options on the market?

Read! In this article we will cover:

• 4 Main Benefits of Electronic Bicycle Shifters

• What do you need to know before investing in electronic bike shifters?

• The 3 contenders:Shimano Di2, CampagnoloEPS, miSHAME ON YOU

Ready to get familiar with electronic bike shifting?

let's dive!

4 Main Benefits of Electronic Bicycle Shifters

Electronic bike shifters haven't been around that long, and adoption hasn't been as quick or unreserved as one might expect for exciting new technology.

So what are the benefits riders are looking for when making the transition from mechanical to electric?

#1. change simplified

The gear-shifting experience is basically better in every way when you're using electricity, and that's the key benefit of the technology.

ChangeUsing a mechanical shifter involves pressing a button or lever, which transfers power from your hand to your hand.derailleur using a cable and spring.This is how cyclists have controlled their gears for decades.

This basic system has been perfected over the years, but it presents a series of drawbacks that the electronic system eliminates.

First, moving between gears in a mechanical system requires a different pressure, or actuation, for each gear change. This means that changing multiple gears requires several quick actions that you have to track to get to the correct gear.

This is not the case with electronic shifters.You can hold down the shift button and the system will shift repeatedly until you release the button, easily making as many shifts as you like in a fraction of a second.

Second, in a mechanical system, you change yourpower trainusing your derailleur by applying all the force yourself, from your hand, which is then transmitted by cables and springs.

This means that to shift you need to apply the right amount of force to a system that may be reluctant due to wear. Not applying the correct force can mean losing the turn entirely.

Again, this isn't a problem with electronic bike shifters: pressing the button is easy, and the battery-powered shifter provides the power needed to shift.

It also means that an electronic bike shifter offers near-perfect consistency up and down your gear set—it always takes the same amount of force and time to shift. The same cannot always be said of a mechanical system.

Finally, electronic gear shifters for bikes further streamline the process by doing the math for you.osyncedresource forShimano groupsetsosequential changebySRAMallows your system to calculate the ideal ratio between front and rear gears.

For a 2x12 powertrain, for example, this gives you continuous, uninterrupted access to all 24 gears from a single shifter, without splitting it into two sets of 12.

Again, this means a smoother experience as the system takes care of some of the practicalities for you, which is cited as aprimary reasonpeople choose not to ride anymore.

In other words, with an electronic bike shifter, you shift into the exact gear you want, at the same rate, every time.

The benefit of this is obvious: no downshifting, lost gears, or stalling when finding the right gear.

#two. Durability

Let's get this question out of the way: Sim, electronic bicycle shifting systems are waterproof.

You can go for a ride in the rain and wash the bike when you get home and you won't have any problems.

Because the systems use static wires (or are completely wireless), they won't clog up with debris or fray over time. Weatherproper bike maintenancealways recommended, with an electronic system you can leave regular cable replacements behind.

#3. personalization

With electronic bike shifters, you have a certain degree of flexibility in positioning the buttons and riding levers that you simply don't get with a mechanical system.

There are no cables to think about, your shift knobs can be anywhere, so you can shift from the drops, the top, the base bar, or anywhere else.

In fully wireless systems such asSRAM AXS Groups, you can also have multiple shift knobs in various places, all linked to your derailleur and triggering the shift.

Electronic bike shifting systems also often have associated apps or computer interfaces that allow you to further customize your experience by controlling the way your system works and tailoring it to suit your riding style.

#4. Data!

Electronic shifters are fun pieces of hardware to innovate on your rides, and the innovation extends to new software as well.

In today's cycling world, reviews provided by platforms likeStrava, electronic bike shifters allow you to expand your information portfolio by gaining data and analysis from your group.

That's right, electronic bike shifters are capable of exporting information, including the time you spend in each gear.

This adds another dimension to quantifying your riding and can be useful in understanding how your fitness is changing and even how many teeth your cassette needs.

What do you need to know before investing in electronic gears for bicycles?

How much do electronic bike gears cost?

Here we come to the elephant in the room:Electronic group assemblies are significantly more expensive than their mechanical counterparts.

This is the main reason why the adoption of electronic shifting for bicycles has been somewhat slow, as the technology is still expensive to manufacture, purchase, maintain, and replace. Until now, they've been prohibitively expensive for all but the elite cyclist (or those with deep pockets).

A good rule of thumb for cycling and life is don't ride on what you can't replace.And these days, there's a considerable price difference between electronic shifting technology and its mechanical big brother.

That said, as electronic shifting inevitably becomes more commonplace and mass-produced, costs should start to drop to manageable levels.and the recent electronic update ofShimano's revered blue-collar 105 groupsetIt's a great sign of things to come.

And the battery life?

Here's the good news: With electronic bike shifters, battery life isn't the issue some people might think.

It's an emotional scenario: far from home and your shapeshifters die, leaving you stranded and stuck in one gear. Fortunately, this is unlikely to happen.

The batteries in electronic bike shifters last literally hundreds of miles.and there are plenty of indicators to alert you that your kit needs to be charged when that time comes.

When you find that the battery indicator is low on power, you can probably still complete three or four full laps without running out. then it's a“make sure you charge it when you get home”indicator, not a"You are in trouble"indicator.

Now that you know the ins and outs of electronic gear shifting, let's talk about what's really out there!

The 3 contenders:Shimano Di2,Campagnolo EPS, miSHAME ON YOU

Shimano Di2 rear derailleur

Shimano first released Di2 as an electronic shifter for road bikes in 2009.The technology then developed to a point where it could be applied to the hard-to-reach world as well.Mountain bike.

Di2 technology is currently offered on a range of Shimano's high-end road, mountain and road bikes.gravel pools.

The Shimano Di2 system is wired, which means that a display unit is connected to the shift paddles, derailleur, and battery via frame-mounted cables.

Paddle shifters look like traditional mechanical levers, but function like lightweight buttons. The display unit contains the system computer and indicates information such as battery life and your equipment.

The battery is installed in the frame, usually on the seat post, unless you're using one.dropper, but it charges with the display unit, so once you've inserted the battery, you don't have to take it out again.

The systems work with one or two derailleurs, depending on the number of front gears you use and thesynchronized turnthe system will actively manage the ratio between both gears as you shift up and down. The Shimano Access app lets you customize even more.

The system also features a safety release in case the derailleur is hit while in motion.

Change Campagnolo EPS

Campagnolo currently only offers its EPS Electronic Shifting system for road bikes.It is a wired system structurally similar to a Di2 groupset.

The main point of differentiation is that the EPS system is designed to more fully mimic the mechanical experience: The shift knobs have built-in resistance to make shifting more tactile.

oSuper relief EPSIt comes with an impressive battery life of up to 1700 km.

Perhaps then, for the purist cyclist, the EPS represents a happy medium between exciting new technology and an uncompromising riding experience.

Shift SRAM AXS

SRAM is a late entrant into the world of electric shifters, and their AXS systems are comparatively a bit simpler, but simple doesn't necessarily mean worse.

There are currently AXS systems for road, mountain andgravel biking.

The derailleurs and display unit work as independent systems, each with their own batteries and base plates. They communicate wirelessly using a proprietary frequency system.

Shifts are activated by buttons that also communicate with the wireless system and can be mounted anywhere on the bike.The batteries fit into the respective units externally and are removable for easy charging.

AXS groupsets also interface with the SRAM Access app, allowing you to customize your shifting experience.

Did you find this electronic guide to bicycle changes useful? Learn more from the BikeTips experts below!