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Business Week did a story a few weeks back about the development of Shimano’s electronic shifting, which we all know resulted in the now-available Di2 Dura-Ace 7970 group. (See video of the group in action here)
With the Paris-Roubaix still fresh in our minds, it was interesting to read that over the past few years, Shimano used that grueling event to test the durability of the group, putting it on younger riders’ bikes.  When something failed, it was immediately sent back to the lab, x-rayed and tinkered with.
Some of the early concepts were using a friction hub to generate power rather than batteries and a wireless design to eliminate cables entirely.  Both were scrapped, of course, but my hunch is wireless is probably the next evolution.
The story wraps up with what Gary Fisher has forecasted in our first podcast…things will inevitably move to electronics. Read the story here.
