I always liked the idea of smart glasses because they're like a comfortable GoPro that could also provide an Iron Man-like HUD/dashboard of data. Still too bulky & expensive for me to get into as is, but I'm certain it's only a matter of time. There's a lot of potential with augmented reality.
I was also really excited about the Ceramic Speed bike. I thought back in 2018 that they were blazing a path to the future! Glad to hear an update from that project, even if it was a little disappointing.
This development in shifting and gearing would be a game-changer with the e-bike such as Specialized Turbo Creo SL. This is the type of forward progression that will keep the sport of cycling very very bright indeed!!!
There has been a lot of advancement in the smartglasses arena. Engo Eyewear has created a set of smartglasses for cycling that look just like a regular pair of sunglasses. All the electronics are housed in a tiny module that sits on top of the nose bridge. It uses a transparent display that doesn't obstruct your field of view.
100% agree with your thoughts on the importance of disruptive innovation. Without what we might think crazy now, we will be riding last century tech in the next century.
I saw one guy wearing those Recon smart glasses when they first came out. I was on a group ride and he was a solo rider we passed. I've never known anyone personally who tired them. They just seemed like a bad idea. I did ride with a guy who had the Rotor groupset. He liked it and said it took some getting used to for the reasons you stated. He said muscle memory was the key. He used it for about two years and then went to Shimano Di2.
I still use the Garmin Varia Vision. Whilst you would be ard push to call it a “smart glass” being able to have selective metrics visible to you at all times without looking down is very useful. The one downside is that given only Garmin supports it and I suspect new generation cycle computers won’t support these going forward when mine dies that will be the end of a brave and innovative but ultimately niche gadget
I thought the Rotor groupset had some promise. Certainly the 1x13 system. The idea of modular was very clever with it being adaptable to gravel,MTB or road (I never saw a MTB shifter though!) I know Francis Cade was using it successfully till earlier this year until he put on a AliExpress groupset for testing purposes.
I could definitely see ceramic speed working well for road, but I don't see it working well for mountain biking. There is too much jarring on mtb for me to see it working well, plus if it was a carbon fiber shaft, it would be expensive to replace if a crash were to happen and the arm to break off (even though I know biking is not a cheap sport as I'm well aware.).
i drive the rotor 13 speed group on my 3t exloro…. but it never worked… just 11 speeds. the rear derailleur gets too offset to reach the inner first gears properly. i was in contact with german importeur, but there was never found a solution in terms of technical understanding and in terms of support…
the Drivn system really should have focused on specific track events demanding high efficiency, without high torque. The Hour Record seems like an ideal application if you could make it aero enough
I have a pair of ski goggles with the Recon technology. The battery died this year so that’s it for them, but they were fantastic. Skiing, you don’t have a head unit as we do on our bikes, so the Recon HUD gave me what I have on my bike. It’s a terrible pity that intel shut the technology down. When I skied with the goggles, I could see my speed, altitude, vertical m. They measure jumps. I could use the gps and maps to work out where I was. I got a Strava-type record of my ski day. They could even control my GoPro. It was a fantastic product. Refined, it could have been great for cycling.
What about the Shimano 12-speed cassette for Dura Ace 9200/Ultegra 8100. The cassette was announced last year, but now it's not even on the official Shimano website.
Good video. And I also believe that new ideas should always come out. Garmin, wahoo and similar companies charge us a lot for a not that evolved technology…..they are not delivering enough
Smart glasses seem like the next evolutionary step in tech. We’re already spending all our time looking at our phone screens. Why not just attach the screens to our faces? Scary, but true?
The main problem is the loading point... try propelling a bike with your finger at the top of the gear cassette then move round in 45° intervals till you reach the lowest point. Resistance to motion increases till at the bottom, where it is impossible to produce rotational motion. They may have more success if the shaft made a more upward angle with respect to the rear drive ring instead of downward as on the demonstration prototype.
This development in shifting and gearing would be a game-changer with the e-bike such as Specialized Turbo Creo SL. This is the type of forward progression that will keep the sport of cycling very very bright indeed!!!
ceramicspeed drivn isn't a TECH fail. it was a technical success, and very interesting. like all things from ceramicspeed, it was a marketing fail however.
I always liked the idea of smart glasses because they're like a comfortable GoPro that could also provide an Iron Man-like HUD/dashboard of data. Still too bulky & expensive for me to get into as is, but I'm certain it's only a matter of time. There's a lot of potential with augmented reality.
I was also really excited about the Ceramic Speed bike. I thought back in 2018 that they were blazing a path to the future! Glad to hear an update from that project, even if it was a little disappointing.
This development in shifting and gearing would be a game-changer with the e-bike such as Specialized Turbo Creo SL. This is the type of forward progression that will keep the sport of cycling very very bright indeed!!!
There has been a lot of advancement in the smartglasses arena. Engo Eyewear has created a set of smartglasses for cycling that look just like a regular pair of sunglasses. All the electronics are housed in a tiny module that sits on top of the nose bridge. It uses a transparent display that doesn't obstruct your field of view.
100% agree with your thoughts on the importance of disruptive innovation. Without what we might think crazy now, we will be riding last century tech in the next century.
I saw one guy wearing those Recon smart glasses when they first came out. I was on a group ride and he was a solo rider we passed. I've never known anyone personally who tired them. They just seemed like a bad idea.
I did ride with a guy who had the Rotor groupset. He liked it and said it took some getting used to for the reasons you stated. He said muscle memory was the key. He used it for about two years and then went to Shimano Di2.
I still use the Garmin Varia Vision. Whilst you would be ard push to call it a “smart glass” being able to have selective metrics visible to you at all times without looking down is very useful.
The one downside is that given only Garmin supports it and I suspect new generation cycle computers won’t support these going forward when mine dies that will be the end of a brave and innovative but ultimately niche gadget
Smart glasses will eventually catch on. I’m pretty sure. Someday!
I thought the Rotor groupset had some promise.
Certainly the 1x13 system.
The idea of modular was very clever with it being adaptable to gravel,MTB or road (I never saw a MTB shifter though!)
I know Francis Cade was using it successfully till earlier this year until he put on a AliExpress groupset for testing purposes.
I could definitely see ceramic speed working well for road, but I don't see it working well for mountain biking. There is too much jarring on mtb for me to see it working well, plus if it was a carbon fiber shaft, it would be expensive to replace if a crash were to happen and the arm to break off (even though I know biking is not a cheap sport as I'm well aware.).
i drive the rotor 13 speed group on my 3t exloro…. but it never worked… just 11 speeds. the rear derailleur gets too offset to reach the inner first gears properly. i was in contact with german importeur, but there was never found a solution in terms of technical understanding and in terms of support…
the Drivn system really should have focused on specific track events demanding high efficiency, without high torque. The Hour Record seems like an ideal application if you could make it aero enough
I have a pair of ski goggles with the Recon technology. The battery died this year so that’s it for them, but they were fantastic. Skiing, you don’t have a head unit as we do on our bikes, so the Recon HUD gave me what I have on my bike. It’s a terrible pity that intel shut the technology down. When I skied with the goggles, I could see my speed, altitude, vertical m. They measure jumps. I could use the gps and maps to work out where I was. I got a Strava-type record of my ski day. They could even control my GoPro. It was a fantastic product. Refined, it could have been great for cycling.
What about the Shimano 12-speed cassette for Dura Ace 9200/Ultegra 8100. The cassette was announced last year, but now it's not even on the official Shimano website.
Good video. And I also believe that new ideas should always come out. Garmin, wahoo and similar companies charge us a lot for a not that evolved technology…..they are not delivering enough
Very amusing video. Well done.
I was about to say that ceramic speed chain less groupset was only last year.... wow did not realise it was 4 years ago 😳
Alan Millyard build a downhill bike with an internal gear box , pretty impressive machine
Shame about the Rotor gears they look so cool.
You want to see internal gears?
Do you mean like Rohloff gear hubs!?!?!?!?!😁
Smart glasses seem like the next evolutionary step in tech. We’re already spending all our time looking at our phone screens. Why not just attach the screens to our faces? Scary, but true?
The CS drivetrain has change of direction of rotation which has a loss of energy.
The main problem is the loading point... try propelling a bike with your finger at the top of the gear cassette then move round in 45° intervals till you reach the lowest point. Resistance to motion increases till at the bottom, where it is impossible to produce rotational motion. They may have more success if the shaft made a more upward angle with respect to the rear drive ring instead of downward as on the demonstration prototype.
Gear driven drivetrain was a stupid idea that would never work. Such a drivetrain would have to be completely sealed and lubricated.
This development in shifting and gearing would be a game-changer with the e-bike such as Specialized Turbo Creo SL. This is the type of forward progression that will keep the sport of cycling very very bright indeed!!!
Old manual 105 or other after market
The founders of Recon turned into form swim googles
So why did the bike need a front chain ring?
The front chainring on a bike is necessary to transfer the force from the cranks to the chain.
ceramicspeed drivn isn't a TECH fail. it was a technical success, and very interesting.
like all things from ceramicspeed, it was a marketing fail however.
If it is a success even only technical why not a single bike is sold with drivn drive?
Podium ha! Cool LBL T….
Hi I'm
First. Give me a medal haha