Shimano's Q'Auto automatic shifting technology touted to launch in 2025, as cycling components giant admits it "can't break Bosch's hold on e-bikes"

Shimano's plan to introduce automatic shifting appears to be progressing, with reports out of Japan suggesting the technology could be launched as soon as next year.

The concept was first aired to the public at Eurobike last year, the components giant turning heads with its stand displaying the Q'Auto automatic shifting alongside its newly announced cross-compatible CUES groupsets which will consolidate Claris, Sora and Tiagra under one name.

> Shimano hints new Cues entry-level drop bar groupset coming in "early 2025" after tech leaked in Cube gravel bike launch

At the time, we were only told that the unreleased Q'Auto concept was in development and there was no official timeline for its release, although it now appears that a date may be edging closer with Nikkei Asia reporting it is "expected to hit the market as soon as 2025", something that we have since confirmed with Shimano.

In short, automatic shifting means the bike decides when to change gear, not the rider, a technology that has already been seen in some of Shimano's e-mountain bikes that feature Auto Shift, and the company has previously disclosed an example of an auto shifting control in a US patent dating way back to the year 2000.

As our man on the ground Tom Weijand noted when the Q'Auto concept was debuted at Eurobike last year, there's a capacitor in the rear hub that stores a little bit of power derived from the wheel's rotation, and automatically shifts gears for you. This is assisted by an inclinometer that works out if you're going uphill or downhill and can adjust shifting parameters to keep cadences higher or lower as required.

"The magic of this is about bringing battery-less power to a mechanical shifting ecosystem," he concluded.

At the time, Shimano was clear there was not a definitive plan for where it was going to go, even if tiny capacitors and batteryless-powered shifts were enough to get us quite excited. We contacted Shimano for confirmation of the touted launch date and were told the reports are correct and that while the brand wishes to remain tight-lipped on exactly when, we can expect to see it on bikes at some point next year.

However, the reports coming out of Japan suggest that the Q'Auto system, which uses a shifting mechanism, an 11-speed cassette and a wheel hub containing a chip, will likely hit the market in 2025.

The reports also stress the artificial intelligence angle to the tech, as Q'Auto is to be loaded with riding patterns memorised from test ride data and able to customise activity around a rider's habits, learning from speeds and inclines to select the correct gear.

According to Nikkei Asia, Shimano will be supplying Q'Auto bundles with pedals and brakes to western and Taiwanese bike manufacturers soon, the date reported as "2025" and a hint that the tech is expected to be fitted on bikes priced "at just under 200,000 yen (£1,035)" in a bid to make them a competitor to the e-bike market.

In a somewhat surprising admission, Shimano's Deputy President Takashi Toyoshima said: "We can't break Bosch's hold on e-bikes.

"In terms of having a lightweight feel and being easy to ride, Q'Auto bikes stand a chance."

So, will the possibility of more user-friendly gearing to get you up hills thanks to Q'Auto be a more enticing prospect than getting up them quicker with a (likely more expensive) motor-assisted bike? This remains to be seen of course, but we'll be enquiring about getting a Q'Auto-equipped bike in to try as soon as they become available.