The 'Un-Official' Campagnolo Ekar thread

[jpw]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Carbon fiber, machined 1-piece steel cassettes and technology/design costs money. If you think about the $2k price, hell, it's barely mid-range. It's almost on the bottom of the mid-range. With SR12/EPS, DA Di2 and SRAM Red AXS, that really pushes the range limits down.

It's 'get real' pricing in the epoch of Covid.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by cribbit

Everyone's talking about how well priced this is and I still can't believe a mid range group is $2k.

Pink Jersey has all of the components priced individually with a total of $1758. The cassettes are pricey at $290, compared to Chours 12 for $190.

Once full groups are readily available, the price should come down to be more like a Chorus 12 disc brake group - $1500. Campy disc groups cost a lot more than rim. Chorus 12 rim is only $1060.

[shinomaster]

Looks pretty awesome, well make not that logo on the cranks.. Can this work with rim brakes? I'd put this on my Zank cx frame if so.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by shinomaster

Looks pretty awesome, well make not that logo on the cranks.. Can this work with rim brakes? I'd put this on my Zank cx frame if so.

No. It won't work with rim brakes. Disc only kit.

[shinomaster]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

No. It won't work with rim brakes. Disc only kit.

Boooo... So why make this group 13 but the road groups 12? why not make them all 13?

[bfd]

One question I have is it looks like this group is mechanical only. Will there be an EPS version? It is comparing itself to Sram Force and Red AXS, which are both e-shifting. so people may be willing to pay more for e-shifting.

Good Luck!

[binouye]

That Bixxis looks great.
I've been running H11 on my gravel bike (the Rodeo TrailDonkey I got here from RobJ), 2x11 with Praxis 46/32 crank, and it has been great. But I have dropped the chain a couple times while riding rough singletrack. When its more widely available I think I'll switch to Ekar.

[jtakeda]

hmm.... with the flat mount only calipers ive got to figure out if I can run a flatmount caliper on my ISO frame.

Any idea of whether the RD will shift an 11 speed cassette properly? I really would just like the clutch

[yinzerniner]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

No. It won't work with rim brakes. Disc only kit.

Since Campy uses Magura tech in their hydraulic braking, is there any reason why someone couldn't use hydraulic rim brake calipers like the ones below:
https://www.bikeradar.com/news/magur...akes-released/

I know they're pretty rare and old, but so too are the bikes (and riders) that seem to frequent these halls.....

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by shinomaster

Boooo... So why make this group 13 but the road groups 12? why not make them all 13?

3t is offering ekar on their road bike.

I suspect the cassette/freehub design limits how small they can go with the largest cog making most of the cassette options larger than what many would want on a true road bike. I see people wanting 25 and 27t large cogs on 12 and with 13, you may not be able to go below 34t or so like shimano 11spd mtb. Above that and you are likely looking at a perfect application for ekar. Below that, do you need 13 cogs?

[hollowgram5]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

hmm.... with the flat mount only calipers ive got to figure out if I can run a flatmount caliper on my ISO frame.

Any idea of whether the RD will shift an 11 speed cassette properly? I really would just like the clutch

No idea about the RD, but it would be interesting if it did work with other generations.

As far as ISO frames go, there are a couple options. Magura MT8 (maybe others) calipers, Hope "Shimano" version, and as such could probably use Shimano or TRP calipers if you came across a good set. Basically you need to have a Mineral Oil caliper, that requires a similar amount of fluid displacement on pull of the lever. (Joosttx just updated his MTB from Magura MT calipers to XTR calipers)...

I am nearing completing of my Magura MT8/Potenza build, and am looking forward to getting some time on the levers, just need to get a replacement hydraulic line because the used group I bought doesn't have enough length.

Originally Posted by yinzerniner

Since Campy uses Magura tech in their hydraulic braking, is there any reason why someone couldn't use hydraulic rim brake calipers like the ones below:
https://www.bikeradar.com/news/magur...akes-released/

I know they're pretty rare and old, but so too are the bikes (and riders) that seem to frequent these halls.....

So, I've wanted to go down this path for a while, as I have a set of eTap HRD levers plumbed to Red22 Hydro Rim brakes on my Holland.

The biggest problem you'll see with the Magura version (and the Campy levers) is that they don't have a brake release built into the caliper like most mechanical brakes do (the Campy levers don't have the release button we love either), requiring the user to deflate the tires to install or remove them. I had stumbled across a Di2 hydro bike using the above Magura Calipers. User

I think I have a solution, but its a bit convoluted and isn't an inexpensive route.

If you (or anyone) really are interested in what I'm thinking about, send me a PM. I'd be happy to walk through my idea and how I think it will work.....

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by shinomaster

Boooo... So why make this group 13 but the road groups 12? why not make them all 13?

I’m sure that’s coming.

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by weiwentg

Some minor comments.

I don't like the look of the thumb paddle. But I bet it's really functional! And frankly, if it's functional, the look will probably grow on people.

James Huang's vid for CT showed a quick link!

I'm pretty small. I don't expect everyone to need road Q-factors, but I like that they maintained the crank's Q-factor at 145.5mm. I haven't tried GRX (151mm), but I suspect it might feel slightly off to me (but maybe I'd adapt to it, and maybe I'd get the XTR pedals with the -3mm spindles).

The RD comes stock with 12t top and 14t bottom pulleys. I think SRAM has 12t for both pulleys on its AXS groups, and Shimano has 11t for both pulleys right now.

Just aesthetically, I like the RD, the crank, and the logos.

Also, Huang said that Specialized is going to offer some bikes with Ekar. So, it's not just the European brands (Pinarello, Wilier, Ridley, and maybe 3T if you consider them Euro). It's a major US brand.

I've already said that I have a theoretical objection to 9t cogs. For the sort of gravel riding I do, if I were getting one of these groups, I think I'd do a 42t ring with the 10-44 cassette.

And for Mark McM: the initial reviews said that Ekar will offer a 165mm crank as well as the 3 170, 172.5, and 175mm. As we discussed, this doesn't mean it's going to be easy to find power meters for them, but at least they have short cranks!

Also! The YT vid didn't show it, but Huang's written article said that

But on the plus side, the controls are adjustable for reach, and the range of adjustment is much more amenable to people with smaller hands than anything Campagnolo has offered to date.

This is excellent. Here, I have to say that Campy has been relatively late at catching up with SRAM, then Shimano at lever adjustability. After going from Campy 10 to current Ultegra, I would not consider a groupset whose levers weren't adjustable at all. It's a relatively small thing, but when the other two manufacturers offer it, and there are a lot of small female riders who really need this, it was always a major negative in my mind.

Anyway, I haven't seen anything more specific than that.

[pottshead]

I just bought GRX di2 with Easton 46/30 adventure rings and an 11-40 cassette, so I’m good, but this group set looks dope. Definitely makes sense if you are considering mechanical/hydro 1x. I hope this ends up being a commercial success for Campy so that they can keep innovating.

[jpw]

What's the max gearing range % for Ekar?