There are some interesting new (to me) electronic shifting features announced recently by LTWOO
Firstly, a fully configurable electronic rear derailleur allows each gear to be individually programmed. The benefits here are that:
- Compatibility between 11-speed and 12-speed setups helps those of us with several bikes and not quite ready to replace all of them in one go with 12-speed.
- Individual gears can compensate for a bent derailleur or frame hanger that moves on closing (thank you, Cervelo)
I know I’d benefit from precise gear indexing to cover swaps of bikes onto various wheel and smart trainer options.
The same company then adds USB-C charging. That’s no biggie in itself other than being handy. However, when my partner recently got a credit card-sized emergency battery charger for their iPhone, imagine a smaller one that you could tape or otherwise fasten to a depleted derailleur battery to get you home. Currently, my Shimano Di2 disables front changing to give me 100 rear changes to get home, and I have some friends who are not necessarily keen to carry a spare SRAM battery.
Thoughts
It seems that some of the Asian cycling brands are becoming quite competent in many areas, ranging between trainers, power meters, smart trainers and now electronic gears. It will be interesting to see where this aspect of the cycling market is in 5 year’s time. Can the likes of LTWOO ever become mainstream?
Don’t forget that Shimano is still innovating and has awesome shift-performance. We recently saw the Front Shift Next feature, where a Di2 button can be assigned to change the front ring to the other front ring, freeing up your front shifters for something else.
More: ltwoo.com
Last Updated on 3 October 2026 by the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
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- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
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Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
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- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
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Home and indoor training
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- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
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Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
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- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
