1x Campagnolo Ekar drivetrain

[gwerziou]

Good point! Although if you're going 2x, you don't need a 9-44 cassette any more.

If it was my bike, I wouldn't - that's a lot of extra work and extra complexity (and maybe extra weight), for a small benefit. But some people will think differently, especially if they want very close gear ratios

yes thats a good point. what about an ekar rear D with a 2x 12 speed setup like chorus?

Ekar works only with 1x, and is not compatible with Campy 2 x 12 shifters.

[gravelginger77]

Good point! Although if you're going 2x, you don't need a 9-44 cassette any more.

If it was my bike, I wouldn't - that's a lot of extra work and extra complexity (and maybe extra weight), for a small benefit. But some people will think differently, especially if they want very close gear ratios

yes thats a good point. what about an ekar rear D with a 2x 12 speed setup like chorus?

Ekar works only with 1x, and is not compatible with Campy 2 x 12 shifters.

why is that the case? the spring tension? if the limit screws are set correctly for 12 speed then it should be cable and spring tension right?

[gwerziou]

No, not at all. 1) The cable pull and deralleur movement per click is specific to the Ekar shifters 1 x 13 drivetrain. Absolutely not compatible with any other drivetrain. 2) The derailleur design is fundamentally different, specifically only for 1x systems, similar to SRAM's mtb and cx mechanical drivetrains. It will not work with a 2x system.

[uspspro]

Anyone been running their Ekar for a while? I've got maybe 150-200mi on mine, and just recently swtiched from the 40t chainring to the 38t.

Anyway, I've been noticing some "crunchy" kind of noises under high torque. It was the same for both chainrings. It sounds a bit like when you have a worn chainring, and it's hooking the chain a bit too much. It's mostly quiet under light loads.

The derailleur adjustment is spot-on. The upper distance is 3mm from the largest cog, when in the penultimate cog. The lateral adjustment is the just right so both upshifts and downshifts are fast, and visually lines up with the cog.

I'm just curious if anyone else has this? Is it just a noisy drivetrain?

[gwerziou]

duplicate post, oops

[eins4eins]

Is there really still no aftermarket solution to use powermeter cranks with ekar?! I want to run this group so bad and can't understand why no one would make a compatible chainring. Whats so different to other manufacturers?

And no hacks as well. Nobody tried if the ekar chain works with any 11/12spd chainring?

[gwerziou]

There have been some attempts around the net to use Ekar with 11/12 speed chainrings - all have reported failure that I have seen. It's quite different evidently. I can't recall if a SRAM 'flat-top' chain/chainrings have been tried though, that might be the closest.

[eurperg]

First ride with my Ekar bike today. I was surprised how perfect the shifting was, because I read some not so positive review about it from Gran Fondo magazine for example. Mine is set up with full-length 13 speed housing. I've got 42t with 9-42 and the range feels huge.

The groupset feels very Campagnolo IMO, that familiar ka-klunk and even the occasional mysterious Campagnolo PENG! sound that is possibly triggered from Vicenza headqurters with a remote control happened a couple times.

Initial drivtrain friction is a bit higher because of 1x derailleur spring tension, but it's the same with SRAM 1x also.
The ergopower ergonomics are excellent otherwise, but the transition from hoods to bars has a slight bulge when compared to 11s mechanical.

Very positive feeling overall, and I usually ride Ultegra R8000 disc and 2015 Record mechanical.

[bobrayner]

There have been some attempts around the net to use Ekar with 11/12 speed chainrings - all have reported failure that I have seen. It's quite different evidently. I can't recall if a SRAM 'flat-top' chain/chainrings have been tried though, that might be the closest.

I think SRAM flat-top isn't designed to work with narrow-wide chainrings. Maybe there would be better cross-compatibility with parts from a different narrow-wide groupset?

Gerard Vroomen says "All our 12-speed Torno chainrings also work on EKAR (not 100% as smooth as the Campagnolo chainring but no problems) and in a few months we will have chainrings made by Campagnolo for the Torno."

I think Torno is very cool, but it's expensive. Harder to justify an upgrade if your starting position is already a sleek, semi-aero, carbon-fibre Ekar crankset.

[OnTheRivet]

First ride with my Ekar bike today. I was surprised how perfect the shifting was, because I read some not so positive review about it from Gran Fondo magazine for example. Mine is set up with full-length 13 speed housing. I've got 42t with 9-42 and the range feels huge.

The groupset feels very Campagnolo IMO, that familiar ka-klunk and even the occasional mysterious Campagnolo PENG! sound that is possibly triggered from Vicenza headqurters with a remote control happened a couple times.

Initial drivtrain friction is a bit higher because of 1x derailleur spring tension, but it's the same with SRAM 1x also.
The ergopower ergonomics are excellent otherwise, but the transition from hoods to bars has a slight bulge when compared to 11s mechanical.

Very positive feeling overall, and I usually ride Ultegra R8000 disc and 2015 Record mechanical.

I find Gran Fondo to be a not very relaible source. They said things about a bike that I later purchased and for the life of me could not understand their complaint. Pretty sure their reviews reflect ad space. I really, really wanted to go Ekar but availability has been limited and I'm at the point were I like my REd/Force AXS 1x setup. I do wish for the Campy 13 speed cassette with those great ratios.

[gwerziou]

Gran Fondo is kind of an odd joke... nice photography though. This review was pretty interesting: https://www.gravelcyclist.com/videos/ca ... -groupset/

[eurperg]

My 140mm Ekar rear rotor has begun rattling.

There is play between the carrier and rotor, and the rivets shake and sound like a loose bolt when riding over pavement seams. The 160mm front rotor is silent and does not have play.

Can this be considered as normal, or is it a faulty rotor?

[bikewithnoname]

Not normal

[eurperg]

^ I did some research online and found a tip for solving the rattle issue: Superglue.

I just applied one drop for each rivet, and now the rotor is silent…

[usr]

Superglue.

There goes my romantic mental image of a disc brake generation cyclist punching the rivets wider in some village blacksmith workshop beneath the Peyresourde