Campag EPS? Is it worth it?

Rudd

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone would be able to explain the benefits of Campagnolo EPS from the perspective of upkeep? I am one of those cyclists who is utterly mechanically inept – to the extent that most jobs I start leave the bike in a worst place than when I started – my local bike shop love me! I’m considering getting EPS not for reasons of slick shifting as I don’t race but as I have been told that there is little mechanical upkeep required – by a bike shop that won’t be named! Is this true? I can see how a self indexing front derailleur is helpful but beyond that I’m sceptical. For example the rear derailleur is indexed by pressing buttons as opposed to twisting and tightening a cable. I’d be grateful if anyone could confirm I’m on the right track?

Thanks

ugo.santalucia

Raised eyebrows...

How much you spend in the said shop for gear indexing only?
The rest of the expensive maintenance is the same. You can be sure a single set of bearings in an EPS groupset will retail close to a full Veloce groupset. Expensive groupsets are ALWAYS expensive to maintain.
If you want maintenance free, then Shimano Alfine is the way to go, rather than electronic...

mfin

He didn't mention cost at all Ugo. An EPS group isn't that expensive in the run of things if you earn good money.

ugo.santalucia

A cable setup, if it is setup correctly, should give you thousands of miles without touching any screw. If it's not set up correctly, then I would be weary of listening to the advice of the same people who can't get it to work properly.
The rest of the maintenance is the same... you will still need to clean and lubricate, replace chains and cassettes at intervals...

Basically I don't buy into their argument

Rudd

Thanks all,

I think this confirms my view, in that EPS is not some sort of magic solution to the normal day to day looking after a bike. As I thought the other bike shop were getting a bit carried away with the sales pitch.

Thankfully my LBS don’t charge me for small issues such as indexing, and one day I’ll learn to sort it out myself!

northpole

NB You may well find that your frame is not designed to take electronic groupsets - that's what I found out about mine when I started to enquire!

Peter

passout

I think no is the answer. Use muck off after every ride, clean it, lube chain, spray lube on your cables now and again and remember to change your chain sometimes. By doing this I haven't adjusted the shifiting on my bike once in the last 6/7 months and for a year before that. I run SRAM rival by the way.

Wirral_paul

I've got Chorus 11spd on one bike and Athena 11spd on another - and the only time i've ever really needed to touch the indexing / adjustment is after fitting new cables. Some go on about how 11spd constantly needs fettling - well i think that's complete cr&p to be quite honest. So long as it is kept regularly cleaned and lubricated then it's pretty trouble free - same as Shimano and SRAM groupsets of every variation tried.

Frankly i think anyone who constantly needs to fiddle with the indexing on any groupset needs to look at the basics of what they are doing with cleaning / lubrication - rather than constant adjustments of the indexing or limit screws.

If you really want EPS (and i will no doubt "upgrade" eventually) - then do it for the right reason. The right reason isnt to make up for what may well be not knowing how to clean and lube your bike properly yet. Money would be better spent on a decent bike maintenance course??

northpole

I disagree with Wirral_Paul based on my own experience. Much as I love getting out on my Cento Uno (2009 or 2010 model) the cable routing came a distant second place to the shape of the frame. This problem was compounded by the lack of spring strength in the original SR 11 speed rear derailleur. Things improved when I bit the bullet and bought a new derailleur. Now it may have been that with your frame, there would not have been the same pinch points for cable routing and the problem would not have manifested itself, but there have been problems with some frames, mine included. Diddly squat to do with keeping the chain/ transmission clean.

Peter

proto

northpole wrote:

NB You may well find that your frame is not designed to take electronic groupsets - that's what I found out about mine when I started to enquire!

Peter

Fwiw, I converted my mechanical transmission only Look 586 to take EPS myself. Fairly easy to do. Used a Dremel and carbide burr to create the cable entry holes in the head tube, down tube and chain stay. Another two holes under the down tube for rivnuts for the battery mount and another larger hole under the bb for cable entry (from the battery). Removed the down tube and chainstay cable stops. Looks very tidy indeed.

PS Ive been using super record mechanical and electronic for a while now. Both have proved to be very reliable over 1000s of miles, basicslly fit and forget. The electronic shifting though is just a joy to use, shifting is quicker and smoother. Ignoring the cost implications, I can't believe anyone would not be seduced by EPS, it's way better than mechanical.

PPS keep your eye on ebay. I bought a V1 battery for £60 (£270 new), f mech @ £210 (£500), shifters £155 (£325) etc etc

northpole

Sadly, I know my limitations!!

Peter

Bar Shaker

I fitted Di2 to my GF's Athena 11 equipped Bianchi.

It has shifted perfectly every time since, something it did on approx 50% of her rides beforehand.

Di2 worked out at a fraction of the cost of EPS and is, arguably, far less visually offensive. It works perfectly with Campag cogs.

secretsam

Bar Shaker wrote:

I fitted Di2 to my GF's Athena 11 equipped Bianchi.

It has shifted perfectly every time since, something it did on approx 50% of her rides beforehand.

Must have been something wrong with the original set up?

Bar Shaker wrote:

Di2 worked out at a fraction of the cost of EPS and is, arguably, far less visually offensive.

Presumably you didn't upgrade to the vile new Shimano 4 spoke chainsets, then!

Bar Shaker wrote:

It works perfectly with Campag cogs.

Really? You can run Shimano shifters with a Campag block?

cq20

Really? You can run Shimano shifters with a Campag block?

On 11 speed setups, yes (or as near as damn it)

jamie4759

I looked at this issue when EPS came out, but I figured that the lowest price EPS (Athena) was around £400 more expensive at the time than Record mechanical, which is possibly one of the best groupsets ever made (IMO). Value for money wise - EPS doesn't do it for me personally when you think what else you can get for the money. I run 10 speed Chorus on the winter bike and 11 speed Chorus on the summer bike, and frankly, I find the 10 speed nicer to use, but that's just me. EPS seems ok for pro teams but for most, I personally think that there are better options for the money (21st century? There was nothing wrong with the 20th century!!!!!)

Bar Shaker

SecretSam wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

I fitted Di2 to my GF's Athena 11 equipped Bianchi.

It has shifted perfectly every time since, something it did on approx 50% of her rides beforehand.

Must have been something wrong with the original set up?

Everyone says the modern incarnations are much better but we just didn't see it. Being a girl, GF soon got fed up with it. My LBS said she wasn't the first!!

SecretSam wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

Di2 worked out at a fraction of the cost of EPS and is, arguably, far less visually offensive.

Presumably you didn't upgrade to the vile new Shimano 4 spoke chainsets, then!

Definitely not. On my own bike I spec'd SRAM Force 2013 (was 2012 Red) purely for the lace like structure and naked carbon cranks. It looks very Campag. 2013 Red and Ultegra/DA are not pretty chainrings. Campag chainrings and their carbon cranks are works of art.

SecretSam wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

It works perfectly with Campag cogs.

Really? You can run Shimano shifters with a Campag block?

Yep. It works perfectly and is streets ahead of EPS in ease to customise settings and in looks. It's also shed loads cheaper.