SRAM Etap. Six months in, how you getting on?

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JackRussellRacing
Posts: 243
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 4:32 pm
Location: USA

by JackRussellRacing

Just a data-point for people who continue to follow this thread. This weekend I needed to change the CR2032 batteries in my shifters for the first time since eTap installation. According to my logs, this particular bike has about 390 hours on it during that time (outdoor miles are about 7500. Indoor miles are unknown, as the rollers don't clock distance.) I recharge the FD and RD batteries perhaps every 30 days, simply out of habit but not because of any specific displayed warning or LED light.

I'm glad the CR2032 lasts so long in the shifters, because installation of those batteries behind the tight hoods is a hassle.

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sp3000
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by sp3000

Thanks for the info Jack, very handy to know! And yes, not looking forward to squeezing in behind the hoods when the time comes. Did you get a low battery warning or do they just die?

Discodan
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by Discodan

quick question which I've not been able to find an answer to elsewhere: does etap allow for compensatory shifts when changing to the little ring like Di2 does? By this I mean that when I go to the little ring on the Di2 I hit the button to change up a gear on the RD at the same time to reduce the gap in ratios, it's very simple and smooth to hit both buttons at once and it's a feature I rely on a lot. How do you do the equivalent on etap, I've heard you can just hold the 'up' shifter for a bit longer after you release the 'down' shifter but not had it confirmed. How does it work in the real world? thanks in advance

sp3000
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by sp3000

Discodan wrote:quick question which I've not been able to find an answer to elsewhere: does etap allow for compensatory shifts when changing to the little ring like Di2 does? By this I mean that when I go to the little ring on the Di2 I hit the button to change up a gear on the RD at the same time to reduce the gap in ratios, it's very simple and smooth to hit both buttons at once and it's a feature I rely on a lot. How do you do the equivalent on etap, I've heard you can just hold the 'up' shifter for a bit longer after you release the 'down' shifter but not had it confirmed. How does it work in the real world? thanks in advance


Works fine, just as you say, hold the one for rear and tap the other to have the FD shift at the same time.

JackRussellRacing
Posts: 243
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 4:32 pm
Location: USA

by JackRussellRacing

sp3000 wrote:Thanks for the info Jack, very handy to know! And yes, not looking forward to squeezing in behind the hoods when the time comes. Did you get a low battery warning or do they just die?



My Wahoo BOLT gave a warning yesterday during a 70 mile ride. SRAM says the warning displays when there is < 1 month capacity remaining on the battery. Of course, it probably depends on each riders shifting characteristics. I love my paddles, and usually execute about 700-800 shifts in a 70 mile ride. The point is, those little CR2032 batteries last a nice long time and the system gives plenty of advance warning. Here are two different rides shifting data:

Pokey Sunday Ride (when the warning displayed)
Image



A bit more spirited ride last week:

Image


p.s. The HR data 'max' is incorrect; my Polar HRM takes a while to stabilize at the beginning of each ride.

JackRussellRacing
Posts: 243
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 4:32 pm
Location: USA

by JackRussellRacing

Discodan wrote:quick question which I've not been able to find an answer to elsewhere: does etap allow for compensatory shifts when changing to the little ring like Di2 does? By this I mean that when I go to the little ring on the Di2 I hit the button to change up a gear on the RD at the same time to reduce the gap in ratios, it's very simple and smooth to hit both buttons at once and it's a feature I rely on a lot. How do you do the equivalent on etap, I've heard you can just hold the 'up' shifter for a bit longer after you release the 'down' shifter but not had it confirmed. How does it work in the real world? thanks in advance



indeed, it does work fine. I have a Di2 bike and an eTap bike. Truth be told, Di2 shifts are faster -- but eTap is much much more enjoyable to ride.

morganb
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Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017 5:30 pm

by morganb

Has anyone else ran into interference issues? I thought something was wrong or one of my shifter batteries had died on a ride, but I kept pedaling and eventually it shifted again. I chalked it up to a glitch, but then I was riding on the same road and the same thing happened, and went back again and couldn't shift for about a 2 blocks. I haven't seen this happening anywhere else and am not sure what can be jamming the signal but it doesn't happen anywhere else.

PinaF8
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:05 am

by PinaF8

JackRussellRacing wrote:
Discodan wrote:quick question which I've not been able to find an answer to elsewhere: does etap allow for compensatory shifts when changing to the little ring like Di2 does? By this I mean that when I go to the little ring on the Di2 I hit the button to change up a gear on the RD at the same time to reduce the gap in ratios, it's very simple and smooth to hit both buttons at once and it's a feature I rely on a lot. How do you do the equivalent on etap, I've heard you can just hold the 'up' shifter for a bit longer after you release the 'down' shifter but not had it confirmed. How does it work in the real world? thanks in advance



indeed, it does work fine. I have a Di2 bike and an eTap bike. Truth be told, Di2 shifts are faster -- but eTap is much much more enjoyable to ride.



How is it more enjoyable?
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LiquidCooled
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by LiquidCooled

JackRussellRacing wrote:

indeed, it does work fine. I have a Di2 bike and an eTap bike. Truth be told, Di2 shifts are faster -- but eTap is much much more enjoyable to ride.


Can you elaborate on what is more enjoyable about etap?
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sp3000
Posts: 180
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:12 am
Location: Sydney

by sp3000

PinaF8 wrote:How is it more enjoyable?


For me the tactile feel and simplicity of use is a joy. The paddle size means sprint shifters are not required, they are very easy to reach from the drops and when riding in the drops very confident to hit the right button to shift. It also just feels cool to hit both buttons simultaneously to execute a front shift!

JackRussellRacing
Posts: 243
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 4:32 pm
Location: USA

by JackRussellRacing

PinaF8 wrote:How is it more enjoyable?


With eTap, I find the shifting methodology more initiative and the single button per lever feels more 'direct'. I fully appreciate in my small-sample size (2 bikes) that Di2 is faster to execute gear changes, but I suspect the split second of Di2 fingering to 'feel' the large button vs. the small button makes the two systems near identical in real-world use. The clean cockpit and lack of FD/RD wires with eTap also gives me some enjoyment.

sungod
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Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:37 pm

by sungod

morganb wrote:Has anyone else ran into interference issues? I thought something was wrong or one of my shifter batteries had died on a ride, but I kept pedaling and eventually it shifted again. I chalked it up to a glitch, but then I was riding on the same road and the same thing happened, and went back again and couldn't shift for about a 2 blocks. I haven't seen this happening anywhere else and am not sure what can be jamming the signal but it doesn't happen anywhere else.


it may be radar, traffic (speed) radar can 'blackout' ant+ devices even though it's not in the same band, high signal strength simply overloads receiver circuits, if you were near an airport that'd be another source

aerozy
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by aerozy

morganb wrote:Has anyone else ran into interference issues? I thought something was wrong or one of my shifter batteries had died on a ride, but I kept pedaling and eventually it shifted again. I chalked it up to a glitch, but then I was riding on the same road and the same thing happened, and went back again and couldn't shift for about a 2 blocks. I haven't seen this happening anywhere else and am not sure what can be jamming the signal but it doesn't happen anywhere else.


I went on a 2h ride and this happened twice. Strange thing is that only the RD freezes (the RD freeze lasts between 30s to 60s) while the FD continues to work. If it were interference wouldnt both be affected? From what I can tell we have had now 3 people on this forum complaining about the same problem, and always with the RD. Are we on to something? Has anyone reported this problem to SRAM?
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morganb
Posts: 732
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017 5:30 pm

by morganb

I didn't try to shift the FD so I can't comment on if only my RD was affected. I did realize that the area where it is happening is where Uber's autonomous car research division is located though.

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kauphy
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:38 am

by kauphy

First ride on etap wifli. First impressions are very good. I thought I was very careful with adjusting the FD but I still got a bit of rub - I guess I have a bit more fiddling to do before I get zero rub assuming a zero-rub setup is not impossible.

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