Thinking about eTap? Think again
#76
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 496
Likes: 15
From: NH, CA
Bikes: road, mtb, tandem, gravel, tt
It's two small batteries; one for front and one for rear derailleur. I always carry a spare with my repair kit as they are small. If it was a reliable system then I think it would be the absolute best out there. I like the shifting pattern and I really like no wires. When it works, which is most of the time (not good enough, mind you), the shifting is flawless. I travel a lot with my bike and it's so nice to remove the rear derailleur (and quick link chain) and package them up separately. No wires or cables to have to deal with. Unfortunately, reliability is a problem.
#77
Banned.
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Hell
Bikes: Rusted Walmart bike without chain, tires or saddle, and a gold plated warped rim.
Electronic Shifting
Hello, I'm new to all this electronic stuff so bear with me. I'm planning on getting a Campy Chorus V2 EPS gruppo. As yet I've not purchased since the set although new is being sold privately and the BB has English threads where I'll need Italian for a Gios Compact Pro set-up. I'm curious if anyone has experience with this set-up (I believe that the Record/Super is essentially the same with some titanium/lighter weight components being used. Any input would be appreciated; I've never ridden any electronic systems before (very few "brifter" rides either), and I tend to be very old school (friction shift on the downtube and lugged steel) so let me have it! Thanks, Neal
#78
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 181
From: Newport Beach, CA
Bikes: S works Tarmac, Felt TK2 track
It's two small batteries; one for front and one for rear derailleur. I always carry a spare with my repair kit as they are small. If it was a reliable system then I think it would be the absolute best out there. I like the shifting pattern and I really like no wires. When it works, which is most of the time (not good enough, mind you), the shifting is flawless. I travel a lot with my bike and it's so nice to remove the rear derailleur (and quick link chain) and package them up separately. No wires or cables to have to deal with. Unfortunately, reliability is a problem.
#79
English really needs two different versions of "to be" like the latin languages. Estar vs ser. La confianza ESTA un problema AHORA. Or did we lose this nuance because it served no purpose for English speakers as we are so fragile that any transient problem ruins our whole life?
Honestly, you like the benefits of etap over di2. (There are some benefits to each and a preference for one or the other is personal... there really aren't really any wrong answers here). Get yours fixed and get on with enjoying your bike.
Serious Question: When mine froze, I was always able to reboot the thing. Stop, pull the battery for 30 seconds, put it back on, and it would start working again. Are you saying that yours freezes such that a battery off reboot won't fix it?
I don't even carry a spare battery, as every time the battery dies, it's the back which I use 20:1 vs the front. I just swap them front to back and finish the ride big ring only.
Honestly, you like the benefits of etap over di2. (There are some benefits to each and a preference for one or the other is personal... there really aren't really any wrong answers here). Get yours fixed and get on with enjoying your bike.
Serious Question: When mine froze, I was always able to reboot the thing. Stop, pull the battery for 30 seconds, put it back on, and it would start working again. Are you saying that yours freezes such that a battery off reboot won't fix it?
I don't even carry a spare battery, as every time the battery dies, it's the back which I use 20:1 vs the front. I just swap them front to back and finish the ride big ring only.
#80
Hello, I'm new to all this electronic stuff so bear with me. I'm planning on getting a Campy Chorus V2 EPS gruppo. As yet I've not purchased since the set although new is being sold privately and the BB has English threads where I'll need Italian for a Gios Compact Pro set-up. I'm curious if anyone has experience with this set-up (I believe that the Record/Super is essentially the same with some titanium/lighter weight components being used. Any input would be appreciated; I've never ridden any electronic systems before (very few "brifter" rides either), and I tend to be very old school (friction shift on the downtube and lugged steel) so let me have it! Thanks, Neal
Just an anecdote. I'm don't know what the problem was or what it may mean in any larger context.
#81
Erect member since 1953
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,000
Likes: 38
From: Antioch, CA (SF Bay Area)
Bikes: Trek 520 Grando, Roubaix Expert, Motobecane Ti Century Elite turned commuter, Some old French thing gone fixie
Well, after 1000s of miles my eTap has had no issues at all, and it works super well. And it's so clean on the bike. I always had Shimano before, but this stuff is a new level of wonderful. Sorry you're having issues.
#82
Full Member

Joined: May 2017
Posts: 293
Likes: 15
From: Central Pa.
Bikes: Domane SLR 9 Fuji Gran Fondo 2.3 1978 Mercian
This. Have eTap on one of my bikes for about 3,000 miles and no problems at all, aside from a front derailer that took some tweaking.
#83
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 595
Likes: 125
From: Southern California
Bikes: Bianchi Oltre XR4 Celeste, De Rosa SK Pininfarina, Giant TCR SL, Giant Revolt Advanced Revolt 0 Gravel Bike, Trek Madone SLR, Cervelo R5 Disk
I ride with a large group where three of the riders have e-tap equipped bikes. Every single one has had multiple issues with the rear derailleur. Having said that, I will consider the new upcoming 12-speed e-tap expected to be introduced in early 2019. I assume, and hope, they have addressed the issue.
#84
your god hates me



Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,917
Likes: 3,755
Bikes: 2026 Crumpton T5, 2016 Richard Sachs, 2010 Carl Strong, 2006 Cannondale Synapse
In fairness, it's four: There's a small CR3025 (?) coin-type battery in each of the levers.
#85
Sunshine
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 18,756
Likes: 10,316
From: Des Moines, IA
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
I kid, i kid.
Its great that after almost 20 years of working on e shifting, Campy was able to release something. I look forward to the first time I see it on someone's bike.
#86
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,433
Likes: 413
That could be seen as Campy taking extra time to further test and ensure it works perfectly, or it could be seen as Campy needed extra time to work out all their bugs due to the smaller R&D team compared to Shimano and SRAM.
I kid, i kid.
Its great that after almost 20 years of working on e shifting, Campy was able to release something. I look forward to the first time I see it on someone's bike.
I kid, i kid.
Its great that after almost 20 years of working on e shifting, Campy was able to release something. I look forward to the first time I see it on someone's bike.
#87
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 496
Likes: 15
From: NH, CA
Bikes: road, mtb, tandem, gravel, tt
Just back from my 600 mile CA adventure down the coast, wildfire smoke and all, with my ORIGINAL etap derailleur. No problems at all. Stopped by my frame manufacturer to ask if they could drill for Di2 (answer: yes, but not simple and the safest option would require repainting my bike because the right way to do the drilling would mean weld reinforcement of the new holes ...)
This week I'll install the replacement derailleur again ...
This week I'll install the replacement derailleur again ...
#88
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 9,563
Likes: 736
From: Melbourne, Oz
Bikes: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152015&p=1404231
My favorite aspect was the gotcha about Athena being incompatible with the Chorus/Record gear.





