News that the new Luxembourg based Pro Team for 2011 will be racing on Trek bikes with the Shimano Durace Di2 electronic gears must mark the final acceptance of these gears as the way of the future. The guaranteed precision changes and continuous automatic adjustment of the drive chain sounds like every cyclists dream.One of the riders using the system on this year's Giro rode the entire journey on a single (taking less than one hour) recharge. This seems to back up Shimano's claim that once a month would be an adequate for even the most heavy bike usage.
The top photo I came across when looking for exactly where the battery could be stored. Other examples were simply strapped to the bottom bracket of the bike frame. A lot less elegant.
So what's the down side? Up to 50grams extra weight on the lightest possible mechanical system...and the small matter of about $A3500 for the system.
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