SHIMANO AUTO SHIFT AND FREE SHIFT

THE E-VOLUTION OF EMTB SHIFTING? NO WASTED PEDAL STROKES

Words by Drew Rohde | Photo & Video by Eric Winkler

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When it comes to mountain biking, it seems lines get drawn on what’s considered “Cheating” versus what technological advancements riders are willing to accept. For example, many die-hard riders still proclaim that eMTBs are cheating, let alone an eBike with automatic or FREE shifting technology! I often wonder if rigid single-speeders think riders who use derailleurs are cheaters? Nevertheless, we aim to keep an open mind here at The Loam Wolf, and test the latest and greatest technologies to hit the mountain and e-mountain bike market with the most impartial approach possible.

When it came to learning about and experiencing Shimano’s new Auto Shift and Free Shift systems, we were aware that it could just be the next advancement in line with dropper posts or hydraulic brakes. So, we just had to put it to the test and Dissect it for our latest feature. So, strap in to learn all about Shimano Auto Shift and Free Shift, and let us help you to decide whether it’s a system you should strive to buy with your next eMTB.

As with all of our Dissected Features, this is not intended to be a long term review or endorsement of a product but is instead a chance for our viewers and readers to get a deep dive look into some of the newest tech and products in the mountain bike space. We thank Shimano for the opportunity to create this feature and getting you some valuable beta on their new tech.

SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS SHIMANO FREE SHIFT? AND, WHAT IS SHIMANO AUTO SHIFT? AND IS SHIFTING MANUALLY REALLY THAT HARD?

Well, first off, no, it’s not that hard to press a shift lever, but that’s not the point of Shimano’s new evolution in eMTB shifting technology. We’ll get into that a bit more down below. But, to answer the original questions, Shimano Free Shift is a surprisingly useful feature that allows the bike to shift gears while you are coasting. No pedaling needed. While it was the feature I envisioned using most of the two, it was actually Shimano’s Auto Shift that really surprised me.

Shimano Auto Shift – as you may have guessed – uses a system of intelligent sensors in combination with Shimano’s LinkGlide technology to constantly monitor critical data from you and your bike. It takes almost constant readings and makes shifts according to an algorithm. You can modify this algorithm slightly based on your preferred cadence and shift points via the Shimano E-Tube app. Things like gear selection, speed, cadence and torque sensors all send information to the “brain”, as it works to keep the chain spinning at the optimal speed. Whether you’re slowing down as the terrain changes ahead or you’re gaining speed going down a hill, the derailleur will shift automatically while you coast so that when you start pedaling again, you’ll be in the right gear. It’s impressive, and surprisingly accurate.

THE BASICS

Can I still control the shifter?

Yes, absolutely. Run it as a normal “manual shift” drivetrain, or set it to the automated mode and still have the ability to override the system and manually shift for a short interval of time.

Can I remove the shifter and just pedal?

Yes, absolutely. Though it’s always nice to have the ability to make changes on the fly, Shimano is confident enough that after you fine-tune your parameters, that the system will let you ride without a shifter.

Does Free Shift work automatically or do I manually shift it?
Depending on which mode and drivetrain you have, you can have automatic shifting while coasting to match your speed, or manually controlled shifts as you see the terrain changing ahead of you.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT EITHER OF THESE FEATURES?

There’s a whole list of reasons to consider these technologies as we’ve discovered since riding the system. There were also a handful of scenarios that we imagined, and verified, as being useful out on the trail. We envisioned Free Shift being most handy on blind trails where a high-speed descent turns a corner or crosses a creek bed and abruptly turns into a steep, unexpected climb. Another place we expected to like the Free Shift feature was on very eroded trails or ones that have lots of prominent obstacles. These are great places for Free Shift, as you can shift the bike into easier or harder gears based on what’s coming up ahead, and you’ll be pedaling in your desired gear as soon as you get some clear trail to put the power down. A big take away from our testing is, no wasted pedal strokes.

This Dissected feature isn’t a sales pitch however, and we’re not trying to sell you on Shimano’s Auto Shift or Free Shift. Instead we’ll be focusing on the features, technologies and sharing our initial ride impressions at the end. If you just want to know if we changed our mind about Shimano Auto Shift with Manual Override or Shimano’s Free Shift, skip down to our Ride Report.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE SYSTEM?

As of right now, Shimano is only offering their Free Shift and Auto Shift technology to OE partners. That means if you’d like to ride it, you’ll need to find an eBike that comes spec’d with Shimano XT Di2. To further limit the waters, Free Shift is only available on EP600 and EP801 bikes with LinkGlide 11sp OR HyperGlide 12sp Di2 drivetrains. This means the bike can shift while coasting to match your speed as you increase or decrease your pace.

LinkGlide 11sp Di2 is the system that we had installed on our Yeti SB 160e. We’ve been having a great time on it ever since, and are firm believers that an 11-speed drivetrain is more than enough on an eMTB. We also welcome the more durable chains that 11-speed drivetrains bring with them.

SETTING UP AND ADJUSTING THE SYSTEM

We were lucky enough to have two of Shimano’s finest on-hand to help with our bike setup and explain the nuances of the system. Nick Murdick is Shimano’s MTB Product Manager, and Eddie “Snakepit” McDonald is Shimano’s MTB Brand Manager. We set out on a predetermined route that Nick had ridden hundreds of times and has collected a deep library of data from. Our first descent and climb were fun, flowy and filled with berms. As I exited the corner, picking up speed in each one, I noticed the gear I was in kept changing, matching the speed almost perfectly. I didn’t have to exit the turn and get a soft pedal stroke in to shift and then get power down. It was instant power and acceleration.

When we turned to head up the climb trail however, I noticed that my mind said, “Hit the shift button,” at least four times. Interestingly enough, just as I was beginning to extend my thumb to manually shift and override the Auto Shift system, the derailleur would “bzzt”. Once at the top I told my riding partners about it and we quickly opened up the E-TUBE PROJECT App on my phone.

There are three values to adjust: Shift Timing, Climb Response, and Start Gear.

Shift Timing deals with cadence, and allows the user to modify shifts based on the cadence you feel most natural. From the factory shift timing comes at 72 rpm, which is designed to work naturally with most riders. However you can tune the system from 50 rpm to 100 rpm depending on if you ride like a caveman or a jack rabbit on amphetamine.
Climbing Response adjusts the torque threshold for shifts into an easier gear. Some riders want to feel more resistance and put down more torque during a climb while others may prefer a lighter spin. You can adjust the Climbing Response mode anywhere from 1-8, with 8 being less responsive with fewer shifts and 1 being a more active system that shifts easier when it senses increased torque being applied to the pedals.
Start Gear is the final adjustment, and one we don’t envision many people modifying or playing with much. But, it’s nice to have for initial setup. As you could guess, it’s the easiest gear your bike will shift into as you come to a stop. For example, we rarely start in the easiest two gears of the cassette, as they’re reserved for the steepest climbs. As such, you wouldn’t want the bike to automatically shift into that gear as you slowed down, making acceleration a bit sketchy if it did. Instead riders may want to select third or fourth gear depending on their leg strength and how much they want to spin up quickly after a stop.

We modified Shift Timing three times on that first ride and I felt like we had it dialed in. Much like suspension bracketing, we went aggressive and then tuned into the middle and I feel like we landed on a great spot. Which coincidentally was not at all far off from the 72 rpm factory setting. I may keep playing a bit with it, but for now, I’ve settled on a Shift Time of 74 rpm for Auto Shift, a Climbing Response of 6 and a Start Gear of 5^th.

What Did I Learn? Riding the Shimano Auto Shift and Free Shift System

In short, I learned quite a bit. Which is something I love as a long-time bike journalist and tester. But, if I had to coin a phrase around this system it would be No Wasted Pedal Strokes!

While I’ve pedaled more than my share of miles, from Century rides on road bikes to completing the BC Bike Race (twice), I’m a recovering downhill racer at heart. So, my priority will always be on DH performance. I say that because one of the spots I wasn’t expecting to love this system so much was getting on the pedals out of corners. I often find myself either having to soft pedal out of a corner due to being in the wrong gear, or having lots of big obstacles in front of me, which can in actuality cut your pedaling time in half! If you exit a turn and only have time for two or maybe 3 pedal strokes, you wasted one just getting into a new gear. Not to mention the safety ramifications of a poorly timed pedal stroke while trying to shift. So far I have been nothing but impressed on how Shimano’s Free Shift technology lets you obtain the correct gear selection while speeding up and slowing down.

The next lesson learned came from the Auto Shift feature. While I was in the camp of the disbelievers at first, I realized that I very quickly embraced and enjoyed Auto Shift. It’s not that shifting manually is that hard – I’ve probably shifted hundreds of thousands of times during my 25 years of riding – but it undeniably consumes bandwidth in my brain and body. Even if it is just a little bit, I can divert that little extra energy to line choice, looking further down trail, or around the next blind corner. It means I can just ride harder….Or easier if that’s the mood I’m in, too.

After making those initial adjustments to my Shift Timing and Climbing Response, I forced myself to spend the next hour of the ride keeping my thumb off the shifter. To my surprise, the bike shifted almost exactly when and how I wanted. It was in the right gear – or very close to it – when exiting turns or facing unexpected climbs, and just let me focus on the rattlesnake filled bushes surrounding me.

I look forward to passing this bike around to other members of the test crew over the coming months as we log miles and get more input and impressions for a long term review on the Shimano Auto Shift and Free Shift functions. For now, I can say that I am a fan, and I think a lot of other riders are going to enjoy this. It will absolutely help elite level riders focus more on riding, while also being something that helps newer, or lesser-experienced riders have more fun. It’s not often the same product can help riders at both extremes of the spectrum, but I believe Shimano has done a good job here.

For more information, visit mtb.shimano.com

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