|
|
FEATURES: CAMPAGNOLO EPS ROLL-OUT, PT. 2
Zap
November 15, 2011
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
When it finally came to ride the new EPS drivetrain, 35 or so journos from around the globe jumped into a tour bus which drove us from the beach hotel in Taormina, Sicily to a golf resort located about a a third of the way up the side of Mt. Etna in the town of Lingualossa.
For more info: Campagnolo.
When we got off the bus we were greeted by a fleet of similarly painted Pinarello Dogmas lined up ready to be ridden - nice!
Even Mr. Campagnolo himself (r) was there to lend a hand in setting up the bikes. Of all the new product roll-outs in Campy history, Valentino said the EPS media launch was the most important in company history. After the ride, he would insist that each editor "be honest" with him in recounting their first EPS experience.
Okay, let's first talk about the brakes and carbon Bora wheels. With possible rainy conditions, I was a tad sketched about dealing with wet weather braking with carbon wheels. For that matter I was tad unsure about their dry weather braking performance. In the end, I dealt with both wet and dry riding and the new pad compound worked awesomely. Some riders complained of brake squeal, but there was none heard on my bike.
Campagnolo says the EPS system is so waterproof that it can continue making shifts even if submerged one meter deep in water. Further evidence of their waterproof nature was given by the Movistar riders who told of their team mechanics not being shy in pointing a jet wash directly on the derailleurs and brain with no adverse effects.
One key difference between Campy's EPS and Shimano's Di2 is that the battery/brain for the former cannot be removed from the bike for charging - meaning either the bike goes in the living room to get re-charged or you might need an extension cord in the garage. However, Campy also claims a longer run time with each charge than Shimano with a full charge coming in 1.5 hours.
Similar to Shimano's Di2, the EPS front derailleur has over-shift capacity (Automatic Position Correction system) which is audibly evident with each shift as the derailleur moved a bit too far to ensure the chain makes it up on the big ring. It also has an auto trim feature so that the derailleur finds the optimum chain line to accommodate whichever rear cog the chain is on. Campy claims the EPS front derailleur can make a shift with up to 70% more load than the mechanical version. Don't worry, the inner guide plate on the derailleur is steel and not carbon.
Super beautiful to look out, the rear derailleur also has an "uncoupling" feature that allows it to be "disconnected" from the shift actuator in the event of an impact. Reconnecting it is a simple procedure to get all the gears back. Not to knock Italian electronics, but knowing that the gear box used for
both derailleurs was co-developed with a Swiss company that produces
electric components for space missions was reassuring. Similarly, in the event that the battery loses its charge because you forgot to recharge it, you can manually "uncouple" the derailleur to utilize what Campy calls the "Ride Back Home" feature - pick an optimum gear and single speed it home!
One (good) push on the shifters will give you a full run of the gears (versus the mechanical shifters best effort at three gears with each down shift and five with each up-shift. Campy says the 11 gear jump (in both directions) takes 1.5 seconds which seemed a bit optimistic although not by much. On the road, I kept finding a clunky shift under load about 3 cogs down from the top, but only when downshifting. Going back up, the shifts were always there and always smooth.
The Super Record rear derailleur is full of carbon. Th EPS drivetrain uses the same chain and cogs as the mechanical version. And as much as mankind should roll-over and let all decisions be made by
the computers, it’s nice to see that even with all the auto adjust
features of the derailleur there is still a manual B-tension and hi-lo
limit adjust screw to make an exact adjustment.
Campy's ErgoPower shifters retain the same superb ergonomics of the mechanical levers and hoods, except the location of the inside shifter has been lowered for better reach in the drops. There's no mistaking that the shifting performance between Campy and Shimano is different and it can be equating to the same difference in shift "feel" as that found between the two company's mechanical parts. Both derailleurs can be adjusted while you ride by first pushing the Mode key (note the circular indentation in the brake hood just behind the shifter) which can also indicate how much battery power is left in the system.
Like the mechanical system, the rear shifter on the EPS shifter can be pulled backwards for optimum reach. Unlike Shimano's Di2, the lever actually uses a skooch of throw to it to make the shift. With the completely separate shift levers, there is never a chance to miss-identify the lever/shift you're looking for. This is a boon for anyone, but especially those who may run with long fingered gloves (which can be problematic with Shimano).
And after getting settled with bottles and proper seat heights, off we rode.
Our 50 km course used some of the same sections of road that were used in this year's Giro d'Italia. The Sicilian scenery (with Mt. Etna looming over us) made for a great backdrop. The Pinarello Dogmas mounted with the Campy Bora wheels and Continental tubulars made for a ride nothing less than sublime.
Some of us got a good reminder why it's always a good thing to bring a multi-tool on every ride. After the seat bolts loosened and fell off, I did my best impersonation of a Mexican Inspector Gadget and found discarded phone cord lying next to the train tracks that came to the rescue - that is until the front bolts eventually loosened and fell off as well. For the last few kilometers, Will Rossiter had to ride in with no saddle at all. Better him than me!
Nothing like going out for a rolling 50k ride (partially on the same course used during the Giro this year) and coming back to a delicious (and beautiful) buffet lunch in the real Italian tradition - verdura griglia!
...as well as no shortage of cheese and salami.
A classic Italian anti-pasti dish is prosciutto y melone - awesome!
IN THE END...
The bottom line is that Campagnolo's EPS drivetrain is pretty stinkin' good (imagine someone having to translate that precise language to the Campy engineers!). It is differentiated from Shimano's Di2 in a variety of set-up and riding points. As I've said about Di2, it's not the end all-be all and neither is EPS. There have been countless moments when riding either of their mechanical drivetrains that I've pedaled along in sheer wonderment at how efficient their shifting systems are. And the same goes with SRAM - wait - what about SRAM!?!?!? Despite their repeated assertions that batteries are for losers - no one, and I repeat, no one believes their repeated denials that they have anything in the works…but that’s still a discussion for another day.
Being that I'm already a fan of Campy ergos and their separate levers for separate function philosophy, the hurdle to get acquainted with the EPS lay-out, which mirrors the standard Record levers, was a low one. Better still they have repositioned the interior shifter for even easier access from the drops. Almost every rider at the camp spoke in glowing terms about the shifter design and actuation - both which made shifting much, much easier than Shimano's Di2 when it came to shifting with full-finger gloves. From their separate locations to what can only be described as a more "mechanical" feel in making shifts, the overall ride quality is plain different - in essence, Campy EPS is to Di2 what a Blackberry keyboard is to to an i-Phone keypad.
One of the most oft repeated questions of course concerned Craig Calfee and his $500 “hidden battery” frame mod for Di2 where he relegates the unsightly battery box from an exterior location to inside the seatpost. Given that the Campy Power Unit A. is not to be moved off the bike, B. houses both the battery and the system’s Digital Tech Intelligence Brain (and thus is the system’s main diagnostic center), it seems that Craig might have a bigger challenge in store if he chooses to pursue an internal Campy kit.
Without a doubt, there is a level of learning (of initial set-up) that comes with electric drivetrains that will no doubt be more challenging for the less electrically inclined. Given that the EPS group was Over 20 years in the making, Campy has had the good fortune to see and learn from Mavic Zap and Shimano Di2. They have pretty much nailed all the necessary diagnostics to ensure smooth sailing for the end user. The Switch Mode, wherein you can view battery charge level and enter the adjustment mode (while riding) is handy.
Yes, in the end, I came away saying the same thing many others did - one ride does not make a complete test. I remember last year when I first rode EPS on Fausto Pinarello's personal test rig that the thing I came away most impressed with was the ability to run all 11 gears in a single shift. After my 50k jaunt, that feature was suddenly surpassed by the performance and appreciation of the gruppo as a whole. Alas, it wasn't until the presentation was winding down that I asked about the price. The Record version we were told will be on par with Shimano DuraAce Di2 while the Super Record parts that we rode would not only be delivered later into the 2012 season than Record, but would also just plain cost a whole, whole lot more (you can just hear the 1% 'ers lickin' their chops eh?).
In case you missed part one of the Campagnolo EPS story - My Dinner With Valentino |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|