Now then!

I’m currently looking at updating my groupset to something a bit flash. Strangely this is going on my planet x (for now) as it’s my most used bike compared to Sunday best stuff.

At the moment I can buy the mechs and shifters for Etap for around £1k, or I could go full 9100 shimano mechanical (chainset, brakes, the lot) for £1100. I’m currently running Ultegra 6800 through out, but looking to gauge the opinions of those that have been running Etap for a while..whats the battery life like, has it broken yet, any major issues I should consider? Additionally this will be used for commuting so wondering how it’ll deal with the salt in winter.

I realise this will mean mixing group sets (vomit.gif), but its a Planet X for heavens sake!

I’ve got eTap HRD and I like it. Its taken a bit of settling in and adjustment to get it just right, but the action is good, and I like the left/ easier, right/ harder set up. The double push for front changing becomes second nature very quickly. I tend to charge it after a ride just to be certain, and I’ve got a set of spare batteries on order JIC…

Thanks aP, appreciated

I tend to charge it after a ride just to be certain, and I’ve got a set of spare batteries on order JIC…

This bit worries me – after every ride? Does that not screw the batteries up a bit? (Assuming that you aren’t doing 300 mile rides of course!)

the guys I know who work in shops say they think eTap is a bit ‘plasticy’…

Ultegra Di2 would be my choice, it’s faultless….

Lithium ion batteries don’t mind being topped up after only a small discharge.
What is wrong with commuting on 105 kit though 😉

See, I’ve had Ui2 before and it was pretty good, just fancied something different/flashier. I love the new 9100 cranks but I have a stages powermeter which I’m pretty sure wouldn’t fit which might make the decision easier.

Interesting they think its plasticy though, I had a Force CX1 groupset and thought the same about that..

What is wrong with commuting on 105 kit though

Ha! Nothing at all, I have other bikes with 5800 which is pretty good. This would be used for racing too, just wondered if there’s a benefit to having Etap or if I’m needlessly wasting money again..

Works great for me and the set up (mainly front mech) is nothing different in terms of difficulty versus a regular Yaw mech (ie.finnicky) but if you follow the instructions to the letter it works first time out. Set up and indexing on the rear is a joy.

Batterywise I’m charging every month at the moment doing about 1000km in that time but I’m waiting for the red light to come on before charging (which means you’ve got 250km left apparently) because I don’t like charging unnecessarily.

I’ve got the WiFli version with 32T on back and love it to bits basically.

Edit: I did forget to mention that the front mech failed intermittently (and became unbelievably noisy on upshift) soon after installation but had it replaced under warranty. This is all on the best bike too, using it in winter in all conditions?? *Shudder* 😉

Does anybody have a link to the test on youtube of eTap vs Di2 shifting speed, where the guy used a go-pro filming the gears with a microphone attached to pick up the click of the shifter and proved that for both front and rear shifting the Shimano system is a bit faster?

If you want something flashy surely the only answer is Campag?

Hahah I’m NEVER going back to Campag, ever. Personally don’t get on with the lever shape and, well…it’s campag!

Interesting Twisty, assuming you can modify the speed similar to what you can with Di2?

Currently my rides are a minimum of 4 hours and maximum of 12 per ride, I’m sure I’ll get much more relaxed with it soon.
This is with wifli rear mech mounted to a Mason Bokeh and being ridden both on road and off.

I’ve had it about 14 months now. Never missed a beat, charge every 1000km or so. Dead simple to unclip the batteries for charging.

Come with little covers for the batteries and mechs so you can take them off for flying – they spend most of the time in “sleep” and wake up on moving, so you’ll run them down if the bike is moving for a long time.

Never needed to change the shifter batteries, still showing solid green lights.

It was so easy to fit and needs zero adjustment unless I change wheels – a slightly different hub might need a slight trim (which can be done while riding).

No worries about routing Di2 cables or them pulling out/breaking (which I’ve seen a few times with other people).

SRAM say they went for a slightly slower shift speed for reliability. Honestly, I can’t say the slow shift has any impact on riding.

Ultegra Di2 would be my choice. Utterly faultless, awesome battery life. It’s never missed a shift, even in terrible conditions and with my lack of mechanical sympathy and lazy maintenance routine.

Etap would be my choice, but I’d wait it out.

I’ve never read of any issues with Etap (unlike Di2), but I reckon it must be due a reissue soon; SRAM don’t seem to have brought new groupsets out for a while now.

The new Dura Ace will probably not be much of a step up from your Ultegra TBH; it never is. The front mech has been changed though.

Currently my rides are a minimum of 4 hours and maximum of 12 per ride, I’m sure I’ll get much more relaxed with it soon.
This is with wifli rear mech mounted to a Mason Bokeh and being ridden both on road and off.

Are you running it on your Bokeh as 1×11 or 2×11?
Any clearance issues with the front or rear mech’s?

It’s set up as 2×11 with 650b wheels. But I am using a Sugino 44/30 chainset. With 2.1″ Thunder Burts there’s about 5/10mm clearance to the front mech battery case. With 38mm Compass Loup Loup Pass tyres there’s loads alround.
I have changed the pads for Swissstop sintered though as the oem pads went grindy very quickly.

Had eTap for about a month, really happy with it but can’t really compare to DA or Di2which I’ve never used.

Took a while to set up the front derailleur, thought I’d followed the instructions as well as I could but kept getting chain rub on the inner plate. Eventually took it off and started over, bang on next time around. Guess it might be a little fussy with the alignment but it was worth the perseverance, works really well once set up properly and I love the change.

Took all of 10 minutes to get used to the shifting, cleaner lines on the bike are great.

My best bike is etap and had zero issues with it. Charge it about every 300 miles but that’s just because it fits in with the bike getting its regular clean

I was given some ultegra di2 that’s on my main road bike and while it works and shifts quicker than the sram I just don’t like the buttons and the faff of fitting it neatly but you only do that bit once

New 9100 dura ace is very very slick and light action and is lighter just not electric

The Etap HRD sounds really tempting to me. Quite fancy it for my Bokeh.
It doesn’t really help when Merlin have knocked another 10% off the groupset for the BH weekend either!

got eTap on one bike – first flat battery issue last week – rear didn’t shift, then the front didn’t shift, only charged once since i got it 11 months ago though (not many miles though)

also got 9170 Dura-Ace on another (Mason Bokeh) had 9070 Dura Ace, and 7970 before that, all faultless,

toss a coin and buy one, nothing in it,

have got my 9170 setup like eTap though, right shifter down the cassette, left shifter up, i like that, of course you cannot replicate the front shifter, but the rear gets shifted more anyway

had a long cage Ultegra Di2 mech with a wide range cassette, shifts as well as the Dura-Ace – you cannot tell when on the bike