I largely agree with the article, but... > Well understood mechanical bike shifting transitions to electronic shifting which requires you to pay more and charg

I largely agree with the article, but... > Well understood mechanical bike shifting transitions to electronic shifting which requires you to pay more and charge your pedal bike This has been on my mind lately. I own a bike with mechanical cable shifters and derailleurs. I've talked to friends who had to maintain these parts over the years, and even seen one maintenance session personally. Namely, you have to change the steel cable every so often because water and dirt enter through the ends and contaminate the cable. And after every few cable changes, you need to change the housing as well. Ask anyone who has ridden over 10 000 km, and they will tell you that they've changed the cable and/or housing during that operational period. Also, cables stretch and shift over time, and even without changing the cable or housing, you have to constantly re-tune the cable tension to ensure crisp shifting and not get stuck between gears - you probably have to do this every 1000 km. Electronic (wireless) shifters/derailleurs don't have this particular failure mode because there is no mechanical cable. Sure, the derailleur needs lubrication and occasional maintenance, and you need to charge/change the batteries, and of course you need to make sure you don't destroy any electrical cables. But I believe the maintenance of as electronic shifting system requires far less labor. Electronic shifting isn't just a cash-cow gimmick; it offers real advantages. Another point is that some cargo bikes with a long distance between the rider and the derailleur(s) use electronic shifting instead of running a long cable, which again reduces maintenance and failure modes.