🔥Exclusive🔥 I think Shimano is finally developing a bicycle gearbox! 💥😱🕺

Jack_Luke

Death of the derailleur? Shimano has patented a bicycle gearbox and we are extremely excited about it

I've been doing some digging and have found a really, really juicy patent that, I think, suggests Shimano is pretty far down the line developing its own bicycle gearbox.

I know this is something many riders have been calling out for and I think it's got the potential to be a pretty revolutionary thing for bicycle design.

Let me know what you think!

david7m

Bulky and heavy it's my first thought

joe_totale-2

"I know this is something many riders have been calling out for"

Really? I can't think of a single rider I've ever spoken to who wants something like this.

I'd envisage it being used on e-bikes given that they're already bulky and heavy.

levolon

It'll be the internal combustion engine next, you mark my words

primoz.resman

I literally thought about a gearbox like this last saturday and posted it on a local, Slovenian forum last sunday, less than a week ago. I read somewhere that public knowledge of an idea could be used as a grounds to prevent a patent from being filed? Anyone know anything about this?

figbat

The patent was filed in July 2017, over 2 years before you had your idea. Plus, the general concept of a gearbox is not new, it’s the specifics of how it is achieved that is patentable. To be patented an idea must be inventive - in other words non-obvious. There’s a lot of detail and scope in the patent in terms of how they achieve ratio changes, how it is lubricated and so on.

I agree that this looks like it is facilitated by the growing e-bike adoption. I like that it is simply different. Also, companies file patents all the time for stuff that never gets commercialised. Sometimes it is as much about preventing someone else doing it as it is about doing it yourself. Or you can licence the idea for someone else to produce. Or it will be buried and never seen again. Or it might even fly.

tom_howard

joe_totale-2 said:

"I know this is something many riders have been calling out for"

Really? I can't think of a single rider I've ever spoken to who wants something like this.

I'd envisage it being used on e-bikes given that they're already bulky and heavy.

I did, I’ve had 2. It’s not perfect, but the effect it has on suspension performance is incredible. For trail bikes, currently derailleurs are better, but for enduro/DH nothing come close.

The Rookie

joe_totale-2 said:

I'd envisage it being used on e-bikes given that they're already bulky and heavy.

The problem is the current gearbox designs can't be used with a midmount motor as the gearbox is also midmount, leaving you using a hub motor (not great on an MTB).
Whether someone will do a combi midmount and gearbox remains to be seen, otherwise if you want the to use a midmount e-motor without a derailleur you'll need to use a hub gear like Alfine or Rohloff.

mark~p

A lot depends on the internals. If it is like the hub gearboxes from Shimano or Rolhoff they are simply not man enough for the job. There is insufficient room to get gears that can take the load.
The Pinion boxes are different as they gears that are larger, have come from the auot industry and are designed for higher loads. The problem is that they occupy the space a motor would fit in.
In terms of simplicity, servicing and durability a derailleur is hard to beat.
I have an Alfine 8 on my commuting bike and whilst it is trouble free, I am aware that it needs handling with care. On the mountain bike unless you do something really stupid, you don't get that feeling.