The 'Un-Official' Campagnolo Ekar thread

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

The bike parts company is very sound. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Campagnolo IS Bike Parts. Them closing or selling the bike division would be like Yozo Shimano selling his families bike division. Shozaburo Shimano and Tullio Campagnolo would roll over in their graves if that ever happened. I would suspect even worse for Campy as it's still family owned and run. A family trust controls it and all their holdings. Shimano is publicly traded. The family won't sell or get rid of Campy. They don't need to.

I didn't say they were closing.....but you keep saying "they're fine they own a lot of real estate" here and in past threads. And all I said was just because someone owns a business and they own a lot of real estate that the business is doing great. That's all.

I hope they are doing great and I think this group looks pretty cool and might do well for them I don't know. Personally I think I am done with 1X except for maybe a mountain bike. If I had to choose between GRX and EKAR I think I'd go GRX 2x but not 100% sure. It would also depend on where I lived.

I think the OEM bikes are a good sign and could certainly help things, no doubt. I wouldn't hope for soft goods to drive hard goods but they did indeed put a good package together to tell the story and market the stuff. I still think that thumb shifter looks like it's and inch and a half wide but photos are funny.

Campy has a small market share compared to SRAM and Shimano and people have often wondered about the health of the company. People have written articles for years. People root for them but people are also realistic. It's hard to get real data and numbers sometimes from family owned enterprises like this. Man, Leica cameras come to mind before they finally went public with it all.

I wish them well and hope they sell a lot of it.

[Velocipede]

OK. Some notes on questions that've been thrown around.

1) So the shifting. Yes, it's 3 to 5 up the cogs to the largest and 1 down to the smallest.
They were noticing in testing that dumping them down, because the chain was so thin, they didn't want to worry about miss shifts. This method helps avoid it.

2) the new chain tool. Yes, you need the new chain tool IF you are NOT USING the C-Link. BUT, every single chain they've sold has been a C-Link equipped one. They don't even have the 13 speed pins in-stock. They have the 400 tool in-stock but it's crazy expensive but of course like all Campy tools, brilliantly made.

3) C-Link. The C-Link is a 1 Time use style. They did it because they wanted to have a trail serviceable option. They will have the C-Links in-stock soon. None at the moment.

4) C-Link for 11 and 12 speed drivetrains. NO! They are not offering a C-Link for those. WHY? Cause they don't want to and feel it's best on a gravel bike where the chance of a chain breaking is greater.

5) accessories. I have no idea pricing yet. No one has any in stock. Not sure how some are claiming otherwise especially since those places buy from Campy USA and Campy USA has nothing. Who knows. Anyways, as soon as I have pricing, I will let you know. NOTE THO:, Campy NA isn't planning on stocking the accessories! It would be a special order and be about 3 weeks. So again, how some online places are claiming they have things, got me.

6) stock. Campy NA is already sold out. They have more coming in. No other US distributors have it right now. A few have it one the way. Overseas Online retailers, Campy put a 30 hold on them selling it. They have sold a bunch of kits. If you want one, get on the list quick cause they went fast and supply is limited over the next couple shipments.

[thirdgenbird]

Great info.

Happen to know the MSRP of the 400 tool? Will it close chains other than 13 or is it 13 only?

[morrisond]

What about the other other new rumoured Groupset that was supposed to launch about now? Something to replace polished Potenza?

Polished Chorus with a Polished Aluminum crank would be great.

EKAR is nice but as someone else pointed out above until we get to 15 or 16 in the rear its still too gappy.

48-32 11-34 Chorus has about the same range and has about 17 distinct different ratios - the gaps are smaller. It's only 16 grams heavier and the street price in Europe is 1070 Euros vs 1300 Euros for EKAR

[thirdgenbird]

It’s still less “gappy” than other 1x systems and those are selling well. A full 2 cog advantage over other mechanical systems.

I see the two groups being used by different people or at least in different applications. Chorus will be for all-road riders who value tight spacing for mixed terrain. Ekar will be for primarily loose surfaces where people are willing to trade tight spacing for simplicity and chain retention.

It will be fun to watch where they go next.

[Miller76]

Thanks @Velocipede for all the info




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[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

Great info.

Happen to know the MSRP of the 400 tool? Will it close chains other than 13 or is it 13 only?

Not sure. No one I know of has used it yet. At least not for connecting a chain with a master pin. Everyone has just used the C-Link. I know Campy has the tool in the US. I haven't gotten mine yet so I haven't tried it. Price, retail is $275.

Originally Posted by morrisond

What about the other other new rumoured Groupset that was supposed to launch about now? Something to replace polished Potenza?

Polished Chorus with a Polished Aluminum crank would be great.

EKAR is nice but as someone else pointed out above until we get to 15 or 16 in the rear its still too gappy.

48-32 11-34 Chorus has about the same range and has about 17 distinct different ratios - the gaps are smaller. It's only 16 grams heavier and the street price in Europe is 1070 Euros vs 1300 Euros for EKAR

Centaur is replacing Potenza. It will only be available in black.

[jpw]

Originally Posted by Miller76

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Where's the down tube's external underside cable routing gone? Has Ben been listening?

[jpw]

Originally Posted by yinzerniner

I guess you better look behind you for some scales and slime, cause the calls are coming from inside YOUR OWN HOUSE!!!!
Attachment 1698009515
https://cyclingtips.libsyn.com/13-sp...-froome-debate
(55:35 "I will go on record now and say if this is a complete failure Campagnolo is DONE")

It won't be a complete failure. I expect it will be at a minimum a qualified success. The writer has inserted his 'get out' clause to protect a reputation as some sort of cycling futurologist?

[jpw]

By how many degrees does the gear change lever (the one behind the right hand brake lever) have to pivot to complete the chain's move from one cog to the next?

Why is there a corresponding gear change lever behind the left hand brake lever?, as in this photo on the Campagnolo website?;
https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/Mec...s/ekar/gravel2
Or, is this a photo with two right hand levers? Why have two in the photo?

[jpw]

Originally Posted by dzxc

Forgive me if someone has mentioned it, but that Mosaic GT-1 is ������. I've been in the market for a Moots Routt for a while contemplating just purchasing new from Moots, enjoying the anodized Moots logos, but this GT-1 in the article is stunning. I wasn't into it at first, but by the end of the AC review of the Ektar, I was hooked on that bike.

Is there something innovative and different about Mosaic frames?

This is not having a go at your revised choice of Mosaic over Moots, but when I look at the frames from a number of the newer boutique makers I'm not seeing anything that's innovative. I'm seeing a lot of what I call the gilding of the lily, with flashy paint schemes and intricate anodisation designs, but when I try to look beyond this attention grabbing peripheral bling and focus on the 'hardware' I'm not seeing anything that's moving the state of the art forward.

[nighthawk]

Originally Posted by jpw

By how many degrees does the gear change lever (the one behind the right hand brake lever) have to pivot to complete the chain's move from one cog to the next?

Why is there a corresponding gear change lever behind the left hand brake lever?, as in this photo on the Campagnolo website?;
https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/Mec...s/ekar/gravel2
Or is this a photo with two right hand levers? Why do that?

No shifting on left lever.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

All types of riding benefit from being able to grab more than one gear at a time, for bicycles designed to ride over dynamic terrain this is even more important. One gear at a time is an inferior solution for any bike but more so for a gravel bike.

Copy to shimano and sram..

Me. If I use multiple shift capability everyday on the road, why would I not need it off road? I don't see your argument. Are you implying gravel is flatter and slower?

What kinda of components do you have on your gravel bike??

1) So the shifting. Yes, it's 3 to 5 up the cogs to the largest and 1 down to the smallest.
They were noticing in testing that dumping them down, because the chain was so thin, they didn't want to worry about miss shifts. This method helps avoid it.

Yup, 'pretty sure' they could have designed the lever to do multiple upshifts but chose not to..well, because they TESTED it and just didn't throw it at the market, like another bike component group maker does, wait for complaints and/or failures, then change it via warranty.

[jpw]

Originally Posted by nighthawk

No shifting on left lever.

Being 1x I thought so, but what's that second lever (doing) in the Campagnolo photo? That's two right levers in the photo, right?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by jpw

Being 1x I thought so, but what's that second lever (doing) in the Campagnolo photo? That's two right levers in the photo, right?

Nope..left and right lever..probably should have turned the RH one over, or both for the photo. Look at the cut outs behind the brake blade..2 different levers.