I’m a lifelong cyclist. In fact, cycling—mountain biking in particular—was my first love, long before I ever got into motorcycling. And so, you could probably guess that I’m pretty abreast when it comes to the developments in the cycling industry.
Over the past few years, bicycles have sort of lost their charm—at least for me. I’m a firm believer that bicycles are meant to be simple. They were there long before any motorized means of mobility was ever invented, and I’m willing to bet that they’ll outlive any and all vehicles, be it gas-powered or electric.
But one thing that I’ve been finding annoying lately is all this seemingly useless tech which, at best, takes away the simplicity of riding a bike, and at worst, breeds a lazy next generation of cyclists. I’m talking about AI-powered rider assistance systems on bikes and e-bikes, brake-by-wire tech, and this odd self-adjusting bike pedal from Shimano.
It’s a new piece of tech from a company that pretty much brought cycling where it is today. And yes, I’m a huge Shimano fan, with six out of seven of my bicycles rocking straight Shimano componentry. But even I think that Shimano’s self-adjusting cleats are a bit excessive, if not completely useless.
You see, like many things in life, it’s different strokes for different folks when it comes to riding bikes. Personally, I use Shimano’s SPD clipless pedal system pretty much every time I ride, and I find that it works perfectly. You can adjust the firmness of the cleat via an adjustment screw on the pedal, allowing you to have just the right amount of movement when your shoe is engaged on the pedal.
And so this wireless, self-adjusting cleat system strikes me as something that’s needlessly complex, and yet another thing that could break and leave me stuck out on the trails.
According to Shimano, its self-adjusting system is able to sense the rider’s need for optimal foot positioning via sensors on the shoe and pedal. It can sense changes in pedal input power, cadence, and even terrain, automatically moving your foot fore and aft for better ergonomic efficiency.
Uhm… why not just do all this yourself, right?
And what happens if and when the battery on your pedal runs out? Well, you’re either stuck with a regular clipless pedal system or worse, you might be unable to unclip your shoe from the pedal potentially resulting in a crash.
Now I get it: ergonomic efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to cycling. But these tiny, nuanced adjustments are things cyclists learn over time. They become second-nature movements to folks who really ride, and for beginners, serve as clear markers that proper skills are being developed.
But if we look beyond just cycling, could technology like this possibly be useful on motorcycles, too? Our feet play a big role in providing us with the leverage we need when tackling corners, negotiating challenging terrain, and generally staying in control of the bike. What if there was a device that could ensure we have proper footing on the bike when we needed it?
It could be useful in endurance racing or off-road riding, especially when it comes to preserving the rider’s energy. But then again, if something like this was really viable, chances are it would’ve already been invented and put to mainstream use.
So yeah, clearly, I’m not too hot about tech developments like this. As I said earlier, I prefer my two-wheelers—both motorized and otherwise—as simple as possible. But hey, that’s just me. What do you think? Would you slap on Shimano’s new self-adjusting pedals to your bike? Let us know in the comments.
