Are mechanical groupsets slowly dying?

One of the main talking points of Euro-bike this years was Sram's eTAP groupset. The wireless 11-speed groupset is the latest is electronic gearing and potentially will set the trend for other manufacturers to follow. As well as Sram, FSA (Full Speed Ahead) had their own wireless groupset on show, be it still only in prototype stage. But in a nutshell both systems utilize wireless shifting via encrypted wireless signals. No new Di2 system for Shimano this year however I'd probably expect to see something next year to compete with Sram. 

2016 Sram eTap

It won't be long till we see automatic shifting being released as this would probably be the next logical step after wireless. Baron Biosystems have been toying with this idea with their Bio Shift automated shifting system using wattage to determine the best gear to maintain a consistent power output. The great thing about their system is that you can still manually shift if you want to, so in a sense its similar to a semi-automatic car. What Baron Biosystems is doing here definitely gives us an idea of what we have to look forward to in the future.

Another groupset also on display was from Rotor in the form of the Rotor Uno. Produced in collaboration with Magura they have gone against the current trend of going electronic but opted for a hydraulic system that we could see in the peloton next year. Pictures have emerged of the drivetrain already on the bike of an MTN-Quebeka rider during a training ride. In my opinion this is more an evolution on mechanical gearing as hydraulic does not have the disadvantage of cable friction which to many can affect shifting performance. Whether this advantage will outweigh the potential nightmare of set-up or servicing remains to be seen. In this sense for the commuter sticking with reliable mechanical drivetrains is more practical and possibly cheaper too. I believe its to early to say if hydraulic shifting will catch on, we'll have to wait till probably next year in that respect to see if there's a future for hydraulic systems. 

So given the examples mentioned, I do certainly feel mechanical groupsets will slowly die out. At the moment a Sram eTap groupset will set you back the best part of $3,000 and Shimano's cheapest electronic groupset around $1,200. However given the constant advancements in technology it would be no surprise that manufacturing costs would decrease allowing the likes of Shimano or even Campagnolo to provide much more affordable versions aimed at the mass market. 

I feel that many cyclists have come around to the idea that electronic has a practical place to the everyday cyclist, even I was a skeptic when Shimano released its first electronic groupset believing like most it wasn't necessary. Although now I'm a supporter of electronic groupsets and now believe if you're in the market for a new high end road bike or hybrid it may be worth considering purchasing a bike with an electronic system.