PRESSING VS CHARGES

Mechanical shifting isn't outdated - it's still efficient, reliable and deeply satisfying. Andy Carr makes the case for keeping the faith with cables

- Andy Carr

Love it or loathe it, the bike industry is built on selling us new ideas. Let’s be honest, we lap them up - our hunger for fresh kit is driven more by desire than need. Often those innovations deliver genuine gains, however small; just as often, they serve the brands’ pursuit of efficiency and margin. Electronic shifting is a prime example. For manufacturers, removing cables simplifies setup and frame production. For riders, it means higher prices and performance benefits that are, at best, marginal. So before we turn our backs on good old mechanical shifting, perhaps we should pause and ask: what exactly are we gaining - and what might we be giving up?

Today’s leading electronic systems - such as Shimano’s Di2 and SRAM’s AXS - work exceptionally well, and we're not here to argue otherwise. But their gradual takeover, edging out mechanical groupsets, should prompt reflection about whether that is really what we want. As brilliant as electronic shifting undoubtedly is, there remains a strong case for mechanical retaining its place - and we should fight to save its name. Cable-operated shifting isn’t a relic, nor a compromise - it remains a confident, capable choice.

Electronic systems are very fashionable, of course, and in the top tiers of the bike market they're more or less compulsory. In the highly competitive £2,500-£3,500 range, many bikes remain mechanical with dependable, cable-operated groupsets such as Shimano’s 105 12-speed. Once you reach £4,000 and above, electronic shifting becomes the norm, and at that level, you're stuck with batteries for your gear changes. If you want to stay faithful to mechanical but also want a high-end bike, the custom route is the way to go (provided the frame is mechanical-compatible, of course).