1x Campagnolo Ekar drivetrain

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eugenefirestone
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 12:34 am

by eugenefirestone

Has Anyone tried tuning the Ekar group? Will carbon blades from SR brakes fit? RD from SR or some kind of mod here? Will it work to run MY2015 SR with Ekar chain ring? Maybe chainline issues and not sure of weight gain.

Playitagainsam
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:57 pm

by Playitagainsam

I am about to build up my first gravel bike and am intending to use Ekar. Just wondering what other tools I might need to install it coming from Shimano? Different cassette tool and BB (BSA) tool? anything else? Also first disc brake bike, very behind the times. Sorry if this has been asked before.

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Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

I think that's it for special tools. A lot of stuff isn't proprietary, just... different. More torx than usual.

If you get a chain without a c-link the campy pin setting tool is the price of another groupset. You can break the chain with any ol thing.

Also if your BB bearings come smashed on like mine did you need a special tool for that.

Vespasianus
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Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2020 10:15 pm

by Vespasianus

Playitagainsam wrote:
Sat Oct 22, 2022 9:29 am
I am about to build up my first gravel bike and am intending to use Ekar. Just wondering what other tools I might need to install it coming from Shimano? Different cassette tool and BB (BSA) tool? anything else? Also first disc brake bike, very behind the times. Sorry if this has been asked before.
You will need the campag disc brake bleed kit. The video’s are good. If you don’t have it, I also recommend a good driver for the olive and a set of cutters for the brake hoses.

Second, for the levers, if you don't have it, the shifter clamps use a 5mm torx screw, so a nice long torx screwdriver or driver is of value.

The other thing is that the crank bolt is a 10mm hex key that must be torqued to ~40 nm, which is really tight. It is best to use a torque wrench, but you can also just make sure it is very tight.

Also, the cassette lock ring is campag specific thing. The 9 tooth has the lock ring attached but I believe you need something specific for the campag lock ring.
Cinelli Superstar - Campagnolo H11
Tommasini Custom X-Fire gravel - EKAR

yinzerniner
Posts: 206
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:54 pm

by yinzerniner

evildead wrote:
Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:30 pm
Has anyone tried running an Ekar chain on a 11-speed or 12-speed cassette? Any issues related to excessive noise or poor shifting? I was thinking of using my trainer with my gravel bike from time to time, so just trying to understand if this will destroy the chain....
Wait, how would this work? If you're using the Ekar chain then it would be driven by the chainrings on the bike, but if that's the case then the shifters and rear deraileur would also be 13speed, so how would the 13s shifters and derailleurs work with an 11 or 12 speed cassette on the trainer?

This kind of makes no sense. If you plan on using the gravel bike on the trainer you should just transfer the casette over from the wheel to the trainer unless you have another cassette

kervelo
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Location: Finland

by kervelo

yinzerniner wrote:
Sun Oct 23, 2022 3:44 am
Wait, how would this work? If you're using the Ekar chain then it would be driven by the chainrings on the bike, but if that's the case then the shifters and rear deraileur would also be 13speed, so how would the 13s shifters and derailleurs work with an 11 or 12 speed cassette on the trainer?

This kind of makes no sense. If you plan on using the gravel bike on the trainer you should just transfer the casette over from the wheel to the trainer unless you have another cassette
That may be true, if you use the rear derailleur during the trainer rides. That is not always necessary when using a smart trainer, however. I don't have experience of the proposed chain/cassette combination, but it may be possible to find a gear that runs silently, although the trainer cassette and the bike groupset are not "compatible".

Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

You'd probably want an old, worn cassette too so thr chain doesn't just sit on top of the teeth. Sounds like a big hassle.

evildead
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2021 10:43 pm

by evildead

kervelo wrote:
Sun Oct 23, 2022 7:27 am
yinzerniner wrote:
Sun Oct 23, 2022 3:44 am
Wait, how would this work? If you're using the Ekar chain then it would be driven by the chainrings on the bike, but if that's the case then the shifters and rear deraileur would also be 13speed, so how would the 13s shifters and derailleurs work with an 11 or 12 speed cassette on the trainer?

This kind of makes no sense. If you plan on using the gravel bike on the trainer you should just transfer the casette over from the wheel to the trainer unless you have another cassette
That may be true, if you use the rear derailleur during the trainer rides. That is not always necessary when using a smart trainer, however. I don't have experience of the proposed chain/cassette combination, but it may be possible to find a gear that runs silently, although the trainer cassette and the bike groupset are not "compatible".
This would be the idea. I don't know of any direct drive smart trainer where you can install an Ekar cassette, so it's basically this or using a different kind of trainer (like wheel-on, far from ideal with gravel tires...)

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ultimobici
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by ultimobici

A rotor cassette might work?


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satanas
Posts: 315
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by satanas

The Rotor cassettes use 12 speed spacing and a wider freehub body to accommodate the extra cog, available on Boost hubs only. (You can buy 12 speed versions of the Rotor cassettes, minus the 10T cogs.) As I understand it, Ekar uses <12 speed spacing, so it's not likely to play nicely together. :-(

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ultimobici
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by ultimobici

satanas wrote:The Rotor cassettes use 12 speed spacing and a wider freehub body to accommodate the extra cog, available on Boost hubs only. (You can buy 12 speed versions of the Rotor cassettes, minus the 10T cogs.) As I understand it, Ekar uses <12 speed spacing, so it's not likely to play nicely together. :-(
Ah! Thanks


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eurperg
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Location: Finland

by eurperg

What kind of mileage are you getting from your Ekar cassettes? After 7000 km / 4300 miles, I noticed mine skips on the most used gear under load, if I'm using my newest chain. My riding is probably 70% gravel and 30% paved. I have rotated 3-4 chains and all of them are still in good condition.

MauriceBrocco
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:38 am

by MauriceBrocco

Hi everyone. New to the forum. I've been following this thread while I was swapping my SRAM Rival 1X drivetrain with mech disc brakes (TRP Spyre) out for Ekar on my custom steel gravel bike.
I bought the parts used from various sources and I got the brifters cheaply with no calipers. Since it is common knowledge that Magura supplied parts at least for Gen1 of Campags disc brake system, I thought I'd attempt a Campigura setup.

At least in Germany where I live, Magura components are quite easy to find used, Magura being a German company. I got a set of their MT8 SL flatmount calipers. The pads are identical with Campags Gen1 brakes. Both systems also use the magnetic pad retention. I don't know whether the caliper pistons are actually identical but I measured them and they seem to be the same 22mm that Campy states for theirs. Also, Magura barbs and olives are identical to Campy disc brakes.
I actually think these calipers at least on paper are superior to Campy's because they're one piece and they're lighter at 96g per caliper.

Now using these requires a banjo fitting on the caliper which means in this setup you have a banjo fitting on both ends of the brake line. I've never seen that before on bicycle disc brakes so I wasn't sure whether the flow rate would still be good enough. But I can now safely say that it works absolutely great. The bite point is very refined, easy lever action, great modulation and plenty of power.
Rotors are Formula Monolithic 160mm. which I had been using with my TRP Spyres before. I'm currently riding this bike in the Bohemian forests and mountains and I've been riding down some pretty steep descents whilst having to keep dragging the brakes to negotiate rocks and roots. I also did high speed road descents. Pad retraction is great. I get no rubbing and no disc warping, so I'm pretty happy. Maybe this info helps other people out there.

Here's some pics:

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Also, I kept my SRAM Red crankset (because I might add a power meter at some point) and bought the 13speed compatible chainring by Ratio components. I can report that it works great. Seems like a quality product.

Image

MauriceBrocco
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:38 am

by MauriceBrocco

Oh, and I forgot to add: Campy Gen1 disc brakes use Maguras Royal Blood mineral oil, so I've been using that despite the fact that Campy now sells an Ekar specific (red) oil. After all, most of the system is Magura anyway and I don't think it'll hurt the Ekar levers. Also, from what I've seen the part no for the master cilynder in the Ekar levers is still identical with Campag's road disc levers. So if you ask me, I don't think they changed anything about the Ekar braking system apart from the mineral oil's color.

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Miller
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by Miller

I have some Ekar components to install. Has anyone got experience in running full gear outer through an integrated handlebar, like, will the mechanical shifting be ok with that?

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