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TECH NEWS
XSHIFTERXShifter can make your bike wireless, and it has launched now on Kickstarter
Just launched on Kickstarter and already racing towards its funding goal is the novel XShifter, a system that converts any mechanical groupset into a wireless electronic groupset.
Paul Gallagher has 30 years experience working for companies like SRAM but has recently set out alone to develop his own product, a system that cleverly converts any groupset into a wireless shifting groupset in minutes.
XShifter is pitched an as affordable and easy-to-install wireless gear shifting system that can be used with any front and rear derailleur.
“Companies design their products to lock you into their equipment ecosystem and I don’t think that is fair to the cyclists. With XSHIFTER you can mix and match gear sets from any brand and adjust the precision in minutes, you really can’t do that with other equipment out on the market right now,” says Paul Gallagher.
The system comprises a servo driven motor that you attach to the frame, powered by a removable battery, and it essentially pulls the cable when commanded by the separate handlebar remote lever. The system comes with the company's own flat-bar shifter, which has a tactile shifter interface and a low battery indicator. The company tells us in an email that the XShifter works with drop bar road bikes, but you still have to use the remote lever attached to the handlebar, which might limit its appeal to road cyclists with drop bar road bikes.
The XShifter system uses Bluetooth for the initial installation and indexing of gears, so the system knows how many gears there are and the outer limits. The company is claiming the battery, which is removable and USB rechargeable, is good for about 10,000 shifts.
"In addition to bringing enhanced speed and precision to any bicycle with mechanical derailleurs of any brand, the XSHIFTER system offers a range of electronic smart shifting functions," says the company. "You can use your iOS or Android smartphone to wirelessly configure the XSHIFTER for a variety of smart shifting functions. All shifting is controlled with one hand using a customizable remote that is attached to the bike’s handlebar.
"Semi-auto mode is one of three smart functions shipped with the product. The mode allows you to shift through the front and rear derailleurs with the press of a button. It is like an automatic transmission for bikes."
If you like the sound of the XShifter, you can currently get an early bird discount for $399 and delivery, to anywhere in the world, is scheduled for March 2017. Check it out here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598276649/xshifter-worlds-first-un...
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- ktache 2 hours 25 min ago
The batteries were not the easiest to find, and the brackets broke easily. The switch was far better than the D cell quick release ever readys that...
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There are people out there who will make you the belt out of your old tyre.
- chrisonabike 2 hours 53 min ago
Furry dice and an air freshener for your helmet.
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Looking at the pictures in the linked article, the bikes aren't actually inconsiderately parked. The only issue is that they're on private property...
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Ah yes, those are hopefully not the 'master craftsmen' that has constructed a wide range of shoddy Italian cars and motorbikes over the years with...
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A SuperSix is definitely not an all-rounder....
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Since most of.my clothes come.from.charity shops.or the eBay nearly for.nothing clothing section I don't tend.to.worry if they wear out, I am also...
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Just get them to walk a treadmill - or better, ride exercise bikes to power path lighting.
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So his advisers were trying to move funds around to cover losses, but in a way that needlessly created additional liabilities? It would have been...
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11 comments
Hi everybody, thanks for your comments.
We smashed our goal on Kickstarter in only 2 days and continuing to grow. I want to personally thank everyone that made a pledge on Kickstarter and supported us. We are so excited that this product will become a reality. There has been such an overwhelming response to the XSHIFTER which has given us direction to really improve the product in many ways.
With your feedback we have already:
1. Developed the remote control for Road bikes.
2. Developed a modular mounting system that really cleans up the appearance and robustness.
3. Proposed many new smart functions for the APP.
4. Configured dropper post actuation.
Thanks again to all the people that have provided their input and supported us.
Cheers.
Paul
http://bit.ly/xshifter1
I saw this a few days back. Good idea, sadly poor implementation.
It looks like it was put together by an engineer and no designers were allowed any imput into ergonomics or looks, two key things for such an item.
Meh. Unless they make it small enough that I can cram it into Ergo lever bodies, I'll wait till Campagnolo catch up to SRAM and make a wireless EPS v4. Those levers look shockingly hideous.
If all goes according to plan, you will get your wish.
there's a different remote for drop bars that sits behind the lever flat to the bars, looks ok but I guess you'd have to swap out the levers to singlespeed ones to get the full weight saving benefit.
the thing that puts me off is the noise from the servos. check out the YouTube vids.
Nice idea, but:
The servos look crude.
The remote design looks poor, the four small buttons stupidly stick out from the bar on a dumb 2 by 2 square platform, a diamond mounted on the bar would be better, the flat switches will probably require too much precision and provide poor tactile feedback for use with gloves, and will make it harder to brake while shifting; it should have had lever switches like in racing car gear change paddles and MTB trigger shifters.
I've a friend with one arm and as that one arm is his left, he has issues with gear set ups as no left hand shifter can index to the rear mech (other than older shape Campag as far as we know). This is the perfect system for him.
Its a great idea. I wish the remote was a bit better though, think more like e-tap blips or something. I think there is massive scope to improve that in version 2. I think they could also have attached the cable from road shifter to a remote, natural manual feel, but without the full cable run. Looks pretty expensive too, half that price and it makes sense.
Seems a bit weird to design an electric shifting system for flat bar bikes. Would have thought the target market would all ride drop bars?
Electronic shifting, especially with things like the semi-auto mode, have often been discussed as ideal for less performance oriented / enthusiast users. The potential simplicity of operation would seem to be a big plus for many - kids, the elderly, anyone who doesn't really want to remember whether to press a thumb-lever, the brake lever or a paddle, and how many times and how far.
I wouldn't retro fit to my aero bike due to aesthetics...but seems a decent idea and I suppose might find a wide(ish) target market...