Rohloff Electronic Shifting..

[vik]

I have no experience with this - just posting for interest sake:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330458078660&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

[wheezy]

Brilliant. Completely mad.

Wonder how far you'd get on a 1000 changes?

[Andre Jute]

Actually I'm more inclined to take this guy seriously. I already have a full automatic electronic-shifting bike, with electronic adaptive suspension, in my Cyber Nexus Trek, which works well.   http://members.multimania.co.uk/fiultra/BICYCLE%20Trek%20Navigator%20L700%20Smover.html
 Of course, unlike the cut-down Dura-Ace version of the Di2, the gearshift on mine isn't battery-driven, it is driven by the hub dynamo.

My Rohloff bike has a SON hub dynamo that came as standard and the cost of which I resent (I think the Shimano hub dynamos are brilliant for the money), so it would be great to find something really life-enhancing for the SON to do.

I've written to Edsan asking for a spec sheet and electrical power requirements to see whether the shifter can be driven off a dynamo, or the dynamo can be used to charge the battery on the bike as one rides, perhaps through a Busch und Muller dynamo-driven charger.

Personally, I think it was a marketing blunder to design an electronic gearshift for the Rohloff gearbox first for recumbents and then for road bikes. Those must be mickey mouse fringe markets of miniscule invisibility. But, once it comes out of that cupboard, I think it might do well enough, as a Rohloff owner is almost by definition both well-heeled and a gearhead (hey, I was going to say "technofreak" but this Wednesday, my day for being nice).

Hobbes

[Andre Jute]

I've now heard from Edwin Sochen of Edsan Automation Systems, makers of the SHIFTEZY PushButton Rohloff Speedhub Gear Shift:

***

"It's quite a coincidence that you mention  a dynamo. It so happens that we are working on a dynamo regulator/inverter/charger for our system which should be available within the next few weeks. We are trialling our unit with a Schmitt SON delux but any dynamo with a 6v AC output will do.
As you probably know, there is a unit out of Germany (e-Werk) but it is a bit expensive.

"The ShiftEzy system uses a 12v Lithium-Ion  1800mAh battery. With no gear change, the system draws 16.5 mA. On a gear change about 708 mA (0.2 sec).

"Strictly speaking, I suppose our system would work without the battery but obviously you won't be able to change gears whilst at standstill unless you have a huge capacitor in the system."

***

Now we're getting into the real world of Rohloff users!

By the way, it has just occurred to me that the big attraction of the SHIFTEZY for many will be the ability to use drop handles with your Rohloff gearbox... And for many of them the SHIFTEZY in the battery version already on offer will be fine, because they are used to charging commuting lights.

***
Getting back to using the SHIFTEZY with a hub dynamo rather than the supplied wallwart charger.

I like the big capacitor better than a battery, simply because the cap will be smaller if not necessarily lighter, and caps are always less trouble than batteries.

Anyone who wants to use a hub dynamo with a SHIFTEZY and doesn't want to wait until Edsan has their regulator/inverter/charger ready could buy a SHIFTEZY now, buy BUMM's E-Werk, and be ready to go. The E-Werk is likely to be more versatile than the dedicated but (promised to be) cheaper versions for the SHIFTEZY.

Andre Jute
 The rest is magic hidden in the hub.
For rare hub gear bikes, visit Jute on Bicycles at
 http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/fiultra/BICYCLE%20%26%20CYCLING.html
 
PS Like Vik, I have no connection Edsan Automation Systems; I'm just a gearhead.