Actually, I love gadgets. That's just who I am!!
Today, I'm going to introduce the X SHIFTER/X-Shifter, an item that everyone wants!! Well, maybe not everyone, but it's something JUS recently bought and tried out, thinking, "This will be a good learning experience too!" and ended up grinning like an idiot.
Whoa!! First, the box.
The package says "WIRELESS SHIFTING KIT".
Wireless shifting!?
Yes, the X-Shifter Wireless Shifting Kit is a dream item that allows you to enjoy coveted wireless electronic shifting while keeping your existing rear derailleur as is!
When you think of wireless electronic shifting systems, many people probably think of SRAM's eTap RED, but it's really expensive... I can't afford it...
But I still admire it... I want to try using wireless electronic shifting...
That's why this X-Shifter Shifting Kit was introduced!!
Now, let's open the box.
Oh~ It's well protected.
How do I use this to make the derailleur I'm currently using wireless and electronic!?
Now, let's look at the contents of the kit.
- Mount and mount base for each size
- E-LINK main unit
- MINI POD (shift switch)
- E-LINK battery
- USB cable, zip ties, cable set
- Japanese instruction manual
That's all the contents of the kit. The Japanese instruction manual makes assembly and setup very easy to understand.
Let's take a closer look.
A:
The MINI POD shift switch is about this size. If you remove this rubber cover, there's a battery (CR1632) inside. So the MINI POD is battery-powered, not rechargeable! Depending on how often you use it, it seems to last about a year!
B :
The main unit and battery are removable, and this one is charged via USB cable.
C :
USB cable. These days, everything is USB-charged. I'm probably not the only one who has USB cables scattered all over the house.
D:
The E-LINK main unit with the battery attached. In this state, it weighs about 100g. It contains a motor and a microcomputer inside, but it's quite light.
The MINI POD also weighs about 18g, so it's definitely a viable option for lightening your bike!
This is what it looks like after installing the MINI POD and E-LINK.
The MINI POD is secured with zip ties, so it can be installed on handlebars of any diameter.
The E-LINK is screwed in with the included mount and mount base, and then zip-tied to the frame.
The mount comes in three sizes, so it can accommodate thick seat stays and chain stays on aluminum and carbon frames.
The trick is to decide whether to install the E-LINK on the chain stay side or the seat stay side based on the angle of the cable entry on the derailleur side and the shape of the frame, and to install it so that the cable line is under as little strain as possible.
Then, it's probably best to install it so that the cable is as short as possible.
Especially when installing it on the chain stay side, you have to install it in a position where the E-LINK main unit won't hit your heel when pedaling.
Now that the installation is complete, let's move on to adjusting the shifting.
Surprisingly, the shifting adjustment for this X-Shifter Wireless Shifting Kit is mainly done using the X-Shifter app installed on a smartphone. (APP, Android compatible) If you don't have a smartphone or think apps are a hassle, you can't use it.
Once you attach the E-LINK to the bike and launch the app, it pairs automatically, so there are no detailed settings at all. Once pairing is complete, the E-LINK battery level and the MINI POD battery level are displayed.
It's very reassuring to be able to check the battery level on your smartphone.
Once paired, it will only operate with the paired devices, so there's no need to worry about interference.
Now, now, the adjustment method is super easy.
Tap "E-LINK SETUP" on the app screen.
First, set how many gears you have.
You can set it from 3 to 12 gears. The derailleur I'm using this time is SRAM NX.
Since it's an 11-speed derailleur and sprocket combination for mountain bikes, I set it to "11".
And next, tap "TUNE".
Here, you can adjust the optimal derailleur position for each sprocket in 0.1mm increments.
Tap from the 11th top gear to 10, 9, 8, 7... towards the low gears, and the derailleur will move and stop at the approximate position, so carefully adjust the derailleur to a position where it doesn't make a rattling sound while turning the crank at each position, and tap "FINISH" to complete all settings.
Since it's operated from your smartphone, you need to be careful that there is about a 1.5-second time lag between tapping and the derailleur moving.
Then just check that it moves properly in conjunction with the MINI POD.
It moves surprisingly briskly and you can make detailed settings, so I think it's a very interesting item, but on the other hand, is it cool as a bicycle? Is it beautiful? Who knows...? I think it varies from person to person.
For me, who loves new things, it was interesting.