Wanted: Opinions of Campy mech users who tried electronic

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maggierose
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by maggierose

Please do not post if you are not a mechanical Campy user who has tried Di2 or EPS.

Caveat aside...

I have too many bikes and I have a preference for Campagnolo with mechanical drive-trains. I have 4 Campy mechanical bikes + a TT bike, close to 50,000k w/Campy.

I also have an EPS bike and an Ultegra Di2 1 * 10 bike.

I do not prefer the e-bikes over the mechanical. Shimano levers are hard to differentiate between up & down shifting. EPS is better in this regard.

I acknowledge the front shifting is better on e-bikes. But...

Are there any Campy mechanical users who have transitioned to e and like it better? I do believe e-bikes may shift better but I prefer the tactile sensation on the mechanical.

Thanks.

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spdntrxi
Posts: 5795
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:11 pm

by spdntrxi

I currently use Campy SR11 mech on my Look695 and have tried EPS on a Cento1 Air.. I liked it, but I was a very brief ride. I agree the FD shifting was superior. I am currently building my wife a new bike ..Trek Madone SIX with 9070 Di2 and I'll be able to log some good miles with that ride. I like what Shimano has done with seat post battery, charging options and sat switches.. Campy is in my heart though so when it comes time, I'll probably go EPS on my own bike, but am in no rush.

Everyone tell me the more you use Electric the more you want it...
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russianbear
Posts: 683
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:40 am

by russianbear

I briefly rode SR EPS during a bike demo. It was great shifting wise, I couldn't do anything to confuse the gears. It felt like pushing a button on a remote though, I prefer the mechanical shifting of campy.

solarider
Posts: 578
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2010 9:08 pm

by solarider

I have 3 bikes now. 2 have SR EPS and one has SR mechanical. I had one of the first groupsets available when they first launched, and recently changed the battery to V2, so I have quite a few miles under my belt.

When EPS first came out, I just thought it was different rather than better. But I have since changed my mind. My mechanical bike is rarely used. Not because it is mechanical, but because it is my 'third' bike, meant for wet weather. I recently rode it for the first time in a few months.

After having ridden EPS for a long time now, it did feel surprisingly like a step back and I have changed my mind. It is definitely better, not just different. The slights delay and cable pull, particularly for the front mech feels like quite a delayed and cumbersome response now compared to EPS. It feels analogue in a digital world. I know it sounds weedy, but the effort required to shift mechanical gears now feels like a chore compared to EPS.

To the extent that I am now changing even my third bike to EPS. I won't be going back.

I am still not convinced that it is worth the price premium over mechanical, but it is certainly worth the very slight weight premium.

Causidicus
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:20 am

by Causidicus

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Last edited by Causidicus on Wed Jun 18, 2014 12:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

audiojan
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Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:38 pm
Location: New Hampshire

by audiojan

I have Record mechanical on my Parlee Z5 and Record EPS on my NeilPryde Bura SL. Albeit only a handful of rides on the EPS so far, I really prefer the rear shifting of the EPS but I prefer the front derailleur shifting of the mechanical. It's as simple as I ride Q-rings on all my bikes and I like having the trim option on the mechanical… basically, I can set up the F/D with a slight over shift and still have enough travel to clear the small chain ring. With the EPS, this is just not possible. It's a slight rub, you can chose to rub inner/large cog or outer/small cog.
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Butcher
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Posts: 1926
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

I got back into riding after 30 years. I still have my Tom Ritchey built frame [from 1977] with Campy SR. I haven't used Shimano/SRAM in close to 40 years.

My first bike from that Ritchey bike, is a SW Tarmac. I built it with the first generation SR11. Loved it! Such an improvement from the older 30+ year old bike. The major issue was the finicky rear shifting. Every day, the shifting was different. It also seemed to change even on one long ride.

I did purchase a rain bike [Tarmac] and installed Chorus 11 on that. That seemed to be the same as the SR11. Since that bike was used in the harshest of weather, I could understand the issues [cable drag, lube, etc]. Virtually everything was the same except it had Campy cables.

When EPS came out, the good bike was updated to the EPS SR with the v1 Power Unit. I had one of the early junk Power Units so I had some issues with the system 'crashing'. After I received a good unit, the shifting was amazing. Push a lever and it shifts. No wondering if it will down shift, up shift, no nothing. Being a mechanic, I also hate it when I hear the chain 'between gears' and making noises. The EPS has no issues at all [except for the big bulky v1 Power Unit on the saddle].

So now the rain bike was updated to Athena EPS with the v2 Power Unit. That was perfect, no wires, no shifting issues, just perfect. I am now building a new bike with SR EPS with v2 Power Unit [SW Tarmac SL3], again with hidden wires. I expect the same shifting as the other EPS equipped bikes I have had, perfect shifting, no delay, and no effort.

Would I go back? No, not by choice.

LionelB
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by LionelB

Butcher wrote: The major issue was the finicky rear shifting. Every day, the shifting was different. It also seemed to change even on one long ride.

The setup was obviously screwed up. SR11 works perfectly and never need any adjustment if setup properly.

Butcher
Shop Owner
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by Butcher

Obviously. But Google search and you will find that the original SR11 had shifting issues. Newer shifters, stronger rear derailleur spring, cassette spacing, cable guide bushing, and a few minor tweaks made it better.

So, maybe it was screwed up, but I was in good company. Never wanted to invest more money when I knew electric shifting was coming out. The Chorus 11 was an early version too.

The main thing is that everything had to be perfect for it to work great. With the EPS, as long as the battery is charged, there are no issues what so ever [except the engine sucks lately, but that is a different issue even Campy can't fix].
Last edited by Butcher on Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

LionelB
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Location: Aix en Provence

by LionelB

Butcher wrote:Obviously. But Google search and you will find that the original SR11 had shifting issues. Newer shifters, stronger rear derailleur spring, and a few minor tweaks made it better.

So, maybe it was screwed up, but I was in good company. Never wanted to invest more money when I knew electric shifting was coming out. The Chorus 11 was an early version too.


I have a 2009 SR11, never needed any adjustment whatsoever. Same with my 2010, 2011, 2012. They have a firmer feel starting somewhere mid 2010 but that's it.

c50jim
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Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:42 am
Location: Calgary

by c50jim

I'll weigh in on the opposite side of most posts here. I've ridden Campy exclusively since 1995. All levels from Mirage (remember that one) to SR EPS. When EPS became available, my LBS ordered one for me. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a C59 frame so put it on a Wilier Cento Uno. I rode the bike almost every day the first summer because I liked the bike and the shifting was OK. I found that I had a tendency to overshift on the rear the first few shifts after riding mechanical but was able to correct myself within 15-20 km.

So, why do I now favour mechanical? Battery life. I put the WIlier away in September 2012 and rode various Colnagos until spring. When the weather and roads finally improved here in June, I took the Wilier for a ride. Battery had been charged about a month before and the bike had gone for almost three months the previous year without a charge so off I went. Of course, half way through the ride, the battery went flat. Painful ride home, charged the battery, left the bike a week, took it off the hook and the battery was flat. Charged it again, got half way through a ride. In late August, I took the bike to my LBS (not really Campy specialists but a really big shop and the mechanic I use deals directly with Campy). Unfortunately, my mechanic left the shop after getting Campy to agree to give me a new battery ... when they had one in stock. Nothing happened there. Shop now says they can't find anything wrong with the battery so I have a useless $10,000 bike sitting in my closet.

Mechanical may not always work but it can be fixed by a lot of people.

Oh, and the Di2 Pinarello that I bought in 2010, crashed the second ride and couldn't face any more is still going strong.

afalts
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:20 pm

by afalts

I thought I was going to miss the 'tactile' sensation and feel of mechanical when first building up my SR EPS in the stand compared to mech SR. But as soon as I actually hit the road that thought quickly disappeared. Maybe if I was riding a perfectly smooth road at recovery pace all the time it would be more noticeable, but as soon as you add in wind, rough roads, intervals, etc, the minimal force to shift is awesome for me.

My favourite part is the lesser maintenance it requires. I ride all weather conditions. I have had it for 2 seasons and done ~31000 km on it now. In the past I replaced shift housing and cables at least once a month due to gumming up. Haven't had to touch the shifting in the past 2 seasons other than I replaced the pulley wheels when I installed new rings, cassette and chain.

Nejmann
Posts: 635
Joined: Mon May 06, 2013 6:25 pm

by Nejmann

1000 km on EPS and oh dear I love how the FM works.. Any one felt a difference between V1 and V2 battery/Interface?

RussellS
Posts: 916
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:31 am

by RussellS

I have three bikes with Ergo 9 mechanical. One bike with Ergo 10 mechanical. Two bikes with SIS 10 mechanical. One bike with Di2 ten 7970. I prefer Campagnolo shifters. Having a solid brake lever that does not move, unlike SIS mechanical, is superior. Shifting with your thumb is also superior. But all the mechanical shifters work well. Even SIS amazingly. The Di2 works well too. Front shifting is amazing with Di2. My shifting is always perfect, never needing adjustment. Not sure why people are writing about their shifters not working. I suppose there are many incompetent mechanics in the world. If I was building a new bike, I would probably go with Shimano mechanical 11. It has a 32 rear cog. Maybe bigger now. The mechanical is simpler than the electronic. Simpler is good. I personally do not shift much. Its fairly flat where I live, and I don't shift much. I just put it in a gear and pedal, no matter what the road does.

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Madone69
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:33 pm
Location: Cape Town - South Africa

by Madone69

c50jim wrote:I'll weigh in on the opposite side of most posts here. I've ridden Campy exclusively since 1995. All levels from Mirage (remember that one) to SR EPS. When EPS became available, my LBS ordered one for me. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a C59 frame so put it on a Wilier Cento Uno. I rode the bike almost every day the first summer because I liked the bike and the shifting was OK. I found that I had a tendency to overshift on the rear the first few shifts after riding mechanical but was able to correct myself within 15-20 km.

So, why do I now favour mechanical? Battery life. I put the WIlier away in September 2012 and rode various Colnagos until spring. When the weather and roads finally improved here in June, I took the Wilier for a ride. Battery had been charged about a month before and the bike had gone for almost three months the previous year without a charge so off I went. Of course, half way through the ride, the battery went flat. Painful ride home, charged the battery, left the bike a week, took it off the hook and the battery was flat. Charged it again, got half way through a ride. In late August, I took the bike to my LBS (not really Campy specialists but a really big shop and the mechanic I use deals directly with Campy). Unfortunately, my mechanic left the shop after getting Campy to agree to give me a new battery ... when they had one in stock. Nothing happened there. Shop now says they can't find anything wrong with the battery so I have a useless $10,000 bike sitting in my closet.

Mechanical may not always work but it can be fixed by a lot of people.

Oh, and the Di2 Pinarello that I bought in 2010, crashed the second ride and couldn't face any more is still going strong.


i suggest you get a new bike shop / get to work on it yourself.not all mechanics like the Campy way of doing things...
i have record 11, super record 11 and super record eps. eps definitely the bomb from a function point of view - just effortless and no issues. mechanical have given me very little grieve besides the odd cable adjustment from time to time ( wear and tear ) :thumbup:

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