Do I really "need" Sram Etap?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by simonov

Well, it wouldn't make much sense to have to pull a button away from the lever. Using your logic Shimano isn't useful either because the little paddle goes towards the frame to move the chain away from the frame. I've said this in pretty much every thread about eTap where people argue that it doesn't make sense...I switch between eTap, sram mechanical, campy mechanical and shimano mechanical almost every day. eTap is the only one that doesn't require any thought after riding something else.

Shimano- big lever bigger cog or CR, smaller lever smaller cog or chainring.

Guess you missed the

[simonov]

Originally Posted by kramnnim

After the aforementioned years of Campy, my brain is programmed to "hit right paddle for relief" when I need a lower gear. So when I try to ride my bike with eTap, I end up with a harder gear and it sucks. lol. If SRAM would just let us reprogram it with the currently useless USB stick, I'd be so pleased.

I'm pretty sure my campy doesn't work by hitting the left shifter to go harder and the right shifter to go easier. It's a totally different paradigm. But that's cool if you don't want to use it. It's not required. There are no absolutes with this stuff. The only reason I have a campy bike is because after giving it a shot and finding it the least ergonomic group of the big 3, I'm too lazy to strip down that bike. To each his own and all that...

[R3awak3n]

here we gooooo again...



I love double paddles to shift the front, its very satisfying. Also the opposite shifting, first it bothered me, then I adapted since I am a human, we are highly inteligent and able to adapt to things like this within instants.

[simonov]

To me it's not opposite shifting. But, yes, as advanced apes who can do things like drive cars with a whole variety of transmission systems, the two buttons eTap uses are pretty easy to learn.

Anyway, to the original poster, there are many happy people on eTap and for most it's a very slick group that works great. There's a good chance you'll like it or love it. And a small chance you'll think it's backwards.

[woolly]

Oh hell yes. Totally.

And, those unused shifter bosses will drive you crazy - get a new Moots to go with the eTap.


(don't listen to me, I'm a struggling/recovering bikeaholic, now seeking to live vicariously through the acquisitions of others).

p.s. Campy rules

[stien]

Meh. I'll be the voice of dissent.

It's not that good. I've had just about everything except the current crop of 11s Shimano and EPS. If you're like me and worry about losing a battery during a ride/race (seen it happen, twice) you won't be able to put it out of your mind. The shift speed isn't there, also. In the end it's just a group. I'm currently riding 6603, Shimergo (Veloce ergos), Red 22, Suntour XCD bar-end 3x7 and can say the only group I have that doesn't beat than Etap in speed is the Shimergo, likely because it's using an ancient mtb RD. Di2 is much faster as well, which I currently don't have but my wife does on her race bike.

[ergott]

Di2 is slightly faster than etap. I ride the two back to back frequently. I wouldn't say the difference is huge

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by stien

Meh. I'll be the voice of dissent.

It's not that good. I've had just about everything except the current crop of 11s Shimano and EPS. If you're like me and worry about losing a battery during a ride/race (seen it happen, twice) you won't be able to put it out of your mind. The shift speed isn't there, also. In the end it's just a group. I'm currently riding 6603, Shimergo (Veloce ergos), Red 22, Suntour XCD bar-end 3x7 and can say the only group I have that doesn't beat than Etap in speed is the Shimergo, likely because it's using an ancient mtb RD. Di2 is much faster as well, which I currently don't have but my wife does on her race bike.

thats the great thing about replaceable batteries. Keep one in your saddle bag.

[andrewsuzuki]

Originally Posted by ergott

Di2 is slightly faster than etap. I ride the two back to back frequently. I wouldn't say the difference is huge

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Specifically, etap is between 13-50% slower than shimano depending on what kind of shift it is (rear upshifts are 52% slower, but front downshifts are 13% for example). https://youtu.be/BqTsxsly3pA

[choke]

I don't imagine that anyone here "needs" more than DT shifters and 7sp freewheel in the back.

But if you want it, go for it.

[SpeedyChix]

I've been riding both for some time now. eTap on the bike the doubles as road and travel, Di2 on road/gravel/do it all bike. eTap is really sweet for a travel bike and makes that really easy.

They both work great. eTap is easy to install and with a spare der. battery and a 2032 or two in your pocket/pack you are good to go.

[Salty]

Originally Posted by Hakkalugi

You don’t need it. I didn’t need it either, but when my wife wasn’t paying attention I put it on a bike.

I didn’t need it on my other bike, but I traded out for another eTap shift kit (no cranks, I had to draw the line somwhere). I also never mentioned that to my wife, because I’m not as stupid as I look.

I also didn’t need it on my breakaway travel bike, but it saves valuable seconds in assembly time. And it’s so much easier to get the bars into the case, so clearly, it’s a good decision. This makes it easy to put together while she’s distracted.

So, no, there’s no valid reason why you need eTap. But, you’re an adult, and if you put some effort into it, you can justify anything. Just get off the fence and work up a good excuse. Your old grouppo can go on the rain bike you’ve been thinking about, clearly saving you some money. See? Easy.

I like the cut of your jib.

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by andrewsuzuki

Specifically, etap is between 13-50% slower than shimano depending on what kind of shift it is (rear upshifts are 52% slower, but front downshifts are 13% for example). https://youtu.be/BqTsxsly3pA

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showp...&postcount=100

And I was roundly ridiculed

[kramnnim]

Originally Posted by simonov

the two buttons eTap uses are pretty easy to learn.

I'm sure it would be easy for someone just learning how to shift. I'm having a hard time overwriting muscle memory.

Considering how SRAM included a USB adapter with eTap kits from the beginning, it seems reasonable to think that at least one firmware update should have been made available in the last 2+ years. But maybe adding the ability to configure the buttons would be too complicated.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by stien

Meh. I'll be the voice of dissent.

It's not that good. I've had just about everything except the current crop of 11s Shimano and EPS. If you're like me and worry about losing a battery during a ride/race (seen it happen, twice) you won't be able to put it out of your mind. The shift speed isn't there, also. In the end it's just a group. I'm currently riding 6603, Shimergo (Veloce ergos), Red 22, Suntour XCD bar-end 3x7 and can say the only group I have that doesn't beat than Etap in speed is the Shimergo, likely because it's using an ancient mtb RD. Di2 is much faster as well, which I currently don't have but my wife does on her race bike.

HERESY!! STRING HIS BIKE UP!!

Used to be, maybe still, that bad mouthing anything Campag made for gen-u-ine entertainment(how DARE you!!)..now it seems bad mouthing etap in any way sends ya into the corner for a time out...