With the launch of a new Ekar groupset from Campagnolo, a €1,500, alloy, cable-actuated set, it yet again has me wondering where the brand is heading. The general direction for Campagnolo has been erratic in recent years. There is now no WorldTour presence for what was once the most storied component brand out there, and besides this new Ekar (the affordability of which is up for debate), the lion’s share of new releases from the Italian componentry brand have been at the very high end.
In the words of Davide Campagnolo, grandson of founder Tullio, it’s aiming to become a ‘sports luxury’ brand, which is fine as a business model, but to my mind it makes a lot more sense for Gucci, where couture items on the catwalk sell belts and handbags on the high street, than it does for bicycle components.
The new Ekar confuses me
If you’re in the market for a fresh gravel groupset, why would you spend €1,500 on this new version of Ekar, when you could spend €200 less and get SRAM Apex XPLR. For €200 less you’re getting wireless shifting and a power meter. What are you sacrificing? Ekar comes with a wider range of chainring options, sure, but SRAM cassettes, while only 12sp rather than 13, offer a wider gear range.
Taking the very extremes of large and small chainring possibilities, Ekar can give you 24-105 gear inches, which is admittedly a solid range. Apex XPLR can only offer 25-100, but use the money you save and swap the rear end out for an Eagle setup and you can go as low as 21. You have a slightly lower top-end possibility, but in terms of sheer hill climbing, spinning ability, SRAM takes the cake.
Sure, 13 sprockets gives you more options in a single setup, but if you want more options then Shimano is out there flying the flag for the double, and doing it with aplomb. In my opinion, 2x GRX is still the gold standard for gravel groupsets.
Compared to its competitors it’s a hard sell, but oddly versus the previous carbon version of Ekar, it’s also tricky to justify. Sale prices aren’t representative, but given you can pick up a carbon Ekar groupset for under £900 currently, why would you opt for the heavier setup?
Are we due a new Ekar carbon?
The fact that the original Ekar…
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