Tech trends for 2021

Stefan Abram dusts off the Cycling Weekly crystal ball and peers into 2021 to see how many extra sprockets the new year will bring

- Stefan Abram

Despite everything, cycling tech hasn’t stood still over the last year, with a wide range of new products and developments having been released despite the lockdowns. As ever, there has been much of an emphasis on gravel and aero, while cassettes have continued to sprout sprockets. But there have also been some more novel innovations this year, of which Speeco’s reimagining of the handlebar is certainly one.

But what does the future hold as we move into 2021? The tech team at Cycling Weekly have laid the tarot cards and dusted off the crystal ball for a glimpse into what the future might hold.

New 12-speed Shimano Dura-Ace

Speculation about the next update to Shimano’s flagship road groupset, Dura-Ace, has been rife ever since its refresh way back in 2016. Having conspicuously missed the usual four-year update cycle in 2020, Shimano’s centenary in March 2021 is a good bet for the launch of the latest iteration.

Piecing together the patents, it looks like the new Dura-Ace is going to feature wireless shifters powered by either a coin cell battery or a piezo-electric component which can generate its own power from the movement of the levers – negating the need for batteries in the shifter at all.

For anyone who’s had experience of dealing with Di2 junction boxes, the move to wireless will be well received. That said, it is still unclear whether the front and rear mechs will house their own batteries or if they’ll both be connected to a single powerpack (as is currently the case) – so there may still be cables to concern yourself with.