1x Campagnolo Ekar drivetrain

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simbikotic
Posts: 154
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:52 am

by simbikotic

In stock at Wiggle right now:
https://www.wiggle.com/campagnolo-c-lin ... ector-link

I got one from Colorado cyclist, but they seem to have run down stock. Have to search around a bit, but they can be found.


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JensNL
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 8:04 pm

by JensNL

simbikotic wrote:
Fri Mar 18, 2022 8:55 pm
In stock at Wiggle right now:
https://www.wiggle.com/campagnolo-c-lin ... ector-link

I got one from Colorado cyclist, but they seem to have run down stock. Have to search around a bit, but they can be found.
That’s expensive, a new chain comes with two links and that for a bit more.

Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

Anyone find any aftermarket pulley wheels? I was hoping Campy would have increased the durability for a gravel specific groupset but they're just as crummy as my old 11s Chorus but without aftermarket options.

JensNL
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 8:04 pm

by JensNL

Volsung wrote:
Sat Mar 19, 2022 4:05 pm
Anyone find any aftermarket pulley wheels? I was hoping Campy would have increased the durability for a gravel specific groupset but they're just as crummy as my old 11s Chorus but without aftermarket options.
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/campa ... try_id=150

kervelo
Posts: 866
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:58 am
Location: Finland

by kervelo

Volsung wrote:
Sat Mar 19, 2022 4:05 pm
Anyone find any aftermarket pulley wheels? I was hoping Campy would have increased the durability for a gravel specific groupset but they're just as crummy as my old 11s Chorus but without aftermarket options.
C-bear seems to make them for Ekar too.
https://www.c-bear.com/en/products/pull ... campagnolo

AC0
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:33 am

by AC0

A few notes on my Ekar build.

Disc install when very smoothly. Was quite aprehensive as I had not dealt with hydraulics before. Followed the official documentation, video and this post by Gutsyfungus
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=150738&p=1628411&#p1628411

For step 7, I tighten until the hose started twisting, rotated the caliper 180* before the final tightening.
For step 8, I used a open ended wrench for initial tightening and a 1/4 turn after rotating the caliper. Used a slotted nut driver with a torque wrench for the last ~ 1/4 turn.

Did not have to bleed post install.

Protech cups install similar to Ultratorque cups but are not interchangable.
1. The seals on the bearings are attached to the outside circumference of the bearing and the Protech cups have space for the seal (Ultratorque don't).
2. There is a full inner sleave between the two cups and no seperate inner seal on the cups (like Ultratorque SR)

Installed the chain with an older (11 speed) BBB BTL-55 chaintool. I had to file down the guides to fit between the links on the chain. No issues with peening the pin. I cleaned and waxed the chain before install and I'm planning to rewax the chain without removing it (take in off the chainring and dip half of the chain at a time in the wax). Would have prefered using the C-link but it wasn't available when I ordered. I test fitted a SRAM Flattop/AXS powerlink (narrowest 12s link) but it is a bit too wide. I'll keep it as an emergency spare until I can get a spare C-link.

Adjusting the rear derailleur was pretty straightforward except I found the shift from 1st (largest cog) to 2nd sometimes missed and ended on the 3rd cog (and then tried to change back to the 2nd). This has only happened in the stand and not riding. Adjusting cable tension and pully wheel distance didn't make any noticable improvement. I think it may be due to the lack of chain tension in the stand, never happened outside or on rollers.

Shifting in real life is excellent, no problem shifting when you get caught on a steeper section than expected.

The transition from the hoods to the bar is not as 'smooth' as on 11 speed mechanical. There is a bit of a ridge/dropoff from the hoods to the bar so I built up the gap with a few layers of foam tape.

The extended thumb lever is very easy to use but out of habit I keep reaching my thumb up to the top (regular) part of the lever. I'm sure over time I'll get used to it. The lack of multiple shifts to smaller cogs will also take some time to get used to. A few times I have kept pressing on the lever expecting a second shift. Overall the limitation of a single shift makes sense on rough terrain.

I'm using a 40T x 9-42 and gearing jumps are excellent for gravel/off road. Would probably prefer the 38T chainring but it wasn't available when I ordered. For pure road, I would expect the 9-36 would work well, a hypothetical 10-36 (slightly tigher gaps) would be even better if you can live without the biggest gear (great for winter/off season).

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eurperg
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Finland

by eurperg

eurperg wrote:
Thu Oct 28, 2021 1:43 pm
By using a fish scale and a piece of string, I measured how much tension is needed to pull the derailleur cage from the smallest cog position to 90°(perpendicular) position and keep it there:

Ekar: 3,44 kg
Sram XX1: 2,62 kg
Ultegra RX: 1,84 kg
Record 11: 1,3 kg

So Ekar definitely has the stiffest spring and is consequently causing more drivetrain friction, which can also be felt by rotating the cranks by hand. The difference must be several watts and it’s hella annoying.
I just spent an hour and shaved the Ekar deraillur spring with a dremel to make it thinner and have less tension, and now the drivertrain spins a lot easier, woo hoo! The measured spring tension went down from 3,44 kg to 1,55 kg. It would be interesting to know how many watts that equals. By hand, the difference in drivetrain friction is really big. If I encounter chain drops after the mod, I'll just have to get a new derailleur and shave the spring more conservatively next time.

Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

kervelo wrote:
Sat Mar 19, 2022 6:26 pm
Volsung wrote:
Sat Mar 19, 2022 4:05 pm
Anyone find any aftermarket pulley wheels? I was hoping Campy would have increased the durability for a gravel specific groupset but they're just as crummy as my old 11s Chorus but without aftermarket options.
C-bear seems to make them for Ekar too.
https://www.c-bear.com/en/products/pull ... campagnolo
Thanks for the heads up. I have some on order now.

henryz4
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2021 10:15 am

by henryz4

eurperg wrote:
Thu Apr 07, 2022 8:36 am
I just spent an hour and shaved the Ekar deraillur spring with a dremel to make it thinner and have less tension, and now the drivertrain spins a lot easier, woo hoo! The measured spring tension went down from 3,44 kg to 1,55 kg. It would be interesting to know how many watts that equals. By hand, the difference in drivetrain friction is really big. If I encounter chain drops after the mod, I'll just have to get a new derailleur and shave the spring more conservatively next time.
Grat job! have you found some benefits in terms of resistance of the transmission? are you able to feel it?
Thanks

DrimeOser
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:35 pm

by DrimeOser

RyanH wrote:
Sat Nov 06, 2021 1:44 pm
Wolf Tooth works most of the time without modification, but if it needs to be modified, it only takes 5 minutes with a file.
Did you try the regular Drop Stop or the newer Drop Stop B?

RyanH
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by RyanH

The newer one

DrimeOser
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:35 pm

by DrimeOser

I just got an Ekar chain and tried it on my older Wolftooth chain ring: fits perfectly! No need to file off any of the teeth.

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eurperg
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Finland

by eurperg

henryz4 wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 1:37 pm

Grat job! have you found some benefits in terms of resistance of the transmission? are you able to feel it?
Thanks
You can test the difference in drivetrain friction by pushing the derailleur cage forward to ease the back spring tension, and then spin the cranks backward. Or pull the cage backwards to increase tension, and then do the same. It's very noticeable. More tension = more friction.

The design of Ekar clutch is bad, because there is lots of back spring tension. A well designed clutch derailleur only has a heavy forward clutch force. Here's a good read: https://cyclingtips.com/2019/01/do-clut ... -friction/

I haven't noticed any chain slap after making the spring modification. Shift lever action is also now a bit lighter. I recommend this mod to anyone who cares about drivetrain friction and saving watts.

by Weenie


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Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

Haven't ridden the C-Bear jockey wheels yet due to some brake rub issues but did notice they're both 13 tooth instead of 12/14 like the stock ones. Not sure how this will play out but seems fine in the stand.

Also they spin normally, not like those fidget spinner ones that will go forever.

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