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Designer in Vancouver, Canada. Secretary of the 221A Artist Run Centre, member of Fieldwork design collective, and former exhibit designer at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and the Vancouver Aquarium. Graduate of Emily Carr and University of Victoria, and worked in the Philippines, Indonesia and the Netherlands. Cycling advocate and race on the Garneau Evolution team.

Sports, April 24, 2005 7:26 PM 4 comments

Where's my wireless shifting?

And other bike technology we've been waiting years for?

Come on, chains on bikes? Cogs? They were using chains in Ancient Egypt. Alistair just realized road bikes have 20 speeds. We agree that's still slow progress. Where's our infinite-gearing, internal-shifting rear hubs?

Bicycle Technology We Should Have By Now:

• Single belt drive
• Wireless electronic shifting control
• Only one shifter, on right side of bars, integrated in tops and hoods like Shimano's current Flight Deck computer control, i.e. two buttons
• No wait, since the gearing would be infinite, buttons incorrectly assume fixed, finite positions. Shifting would be a slider control—no, an iPod-like control wheel to increase/decrease gearing
• That internal, infinite hub of course makes most of this possible
• Oh that'd be funny if racers started hacking into competitor's shifting systems
• Hmm, while we're at it, how about magnetic braking or something, too. Magnetic drive train?

Add your own gripe and/or wish in the comments.