Shimano, the Japanese bicycle parts company, is introducing an electronic shifting system that it claims will improve performance and reduce maintenance for high-end bikes, Wired reports. "By replacing the conventional levers that pull wound-steel cables through protective housings with solid-state switches and rubber-coated wires, there's no chance for road gunk to clog things up and interfere with shifting," the report said.

The system, called Di2, will hit bicycle shops in January 2009 and actually weighs 67 grams less than the Dura-Ace 7800, a current high-end shifting mechanism. The report said that Shimano plans to offer the electronic setup as an upgrade option within the 7900 group—which is available for pre-order for $2,600—so parts such as the two-tone cranks and brakes will be the same. The Di2 system is composed of two brake-and-shift levers, two derailleurs with servo-motors in lieu of springs, a 7.4-volt lithium-ion battery pack, and a wiring harness, according to the article.