Taking a ride on Bill Keller's custom Cyfac Absolu EPS the first notable experience is the actual tactile feeling inside the
shift levers. It's not just like
pushing a button on your TV; the Campy EPS has the feel and sound of real
shift. During the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to
build bikes with all three of the available Electronic shifting
gruppos: Ultegra Di2, installed on my new Ridley Noah; Dura Ace Di2, installed on an
Independent Fabrication TI factory lightweight; and most recently, Campagnolo's new flagship, EPS Record, on Keller's custom Cyfac Absolu. 
I have come to love Shimano's electric set up, and whether
you are dealing with the Ultegra or Dura Ace versions, it is a pleasure to
install and operate.
Shimano has taken their tried and true product, and improved it
drastically. Up until the Campy EPS Record it was hard to imagine how a modern, 10-sp or
11-speed drivetrain could realistically be better.
Before I dive into the sea of boxes and packing materials,
one of my favorite parts of a new bike build is taking a moment to notice
the complete gruppo as it comes from the factory. It is interesting to note how each company packages
their product; the size and shape of the box, the labeling and designs used, and
the colors and images on the outside.
These things all say something about the product inside. Staring at the the glossy black boxes on my bench I feel an anticipation akin to Christmas morning. I read the words RECORD 11EPS; this build I am an elf and Bill Keller is the awestruck kid, and
Campy Dan is Santa Clause.
Bill is a long-time
Campagnolo user. His previous 10
speed has lasted a decade, and he has come to love and appreciate the things
that make a Campy bike special.
Like all of us, he knew in theory what was coming for him. But the
reality was, none of us really knew how this bike was going to turn out. The combination of a fully custom bike,
with the installation of one of the first EPS groups in the country, made for a
nervous shop, myself in particular.
Cyfac, the custom and production frame
manufacturer from France, did an excellent job following the fairly
ridged guidelines from Campy concerning frame dimensions and internal wiring. The installation was fluid, and in no more time that it
takes to build a cabled bike, I had the derailleurs and shifters connected and
working. The initial set up is
what Campy calls "Zero
Settings". This is a process
where you actually tell the system to "learn" the reference position
of the chain on the sprockets and chain rings. In other words, this system is constantly communicating with
its different components throughout the ride. There are hundreds of different positions each derailleur
can be in at any given time. This
allows for gear combinations that would not be optimal on a mechanical
system.
One of the most
impressive things about the Shimano system is the power of the front
derailleur. I was
particularly impressed to see that the EPS system really embraced the value of
solid, reliable shifts. The EPS front derailleur produces in the neighborhood
of 50 nm of force -- a good
thing to be aware of, because when you press the button, the thing will shift
through. It is enough to really
yank the crank arm down.
A highlight for me is you have the option to cycle though the entire
cassette by holding the lever down as well. Meanwhile, every shift you make, is
being calculated by the Digital Tech Intelligence brain/battery. The front derailleur always knows where
to go. Shifts are instant, but
the overshift feature, and trim feature come just after, perhaps to eliminate
preemptive corrections.
The whole system
is so refined and finished. Each
piece looks like it might be the only one in the world. There is something about the gruppo
that is unquantifiable. I can
answer the question "why is electronic shifting better?" all day
long. I can talk about the
benefits of no cables, no housing, precise shifts, blah, blah. But when you ask what is so special
about the Campy set up? Well just
come take a look at Keller's bike, that's a question we think you won't need to
ask again.
“It fits like a glove,” said Tyler Comann as he tightened
his new Rapha Grand Tour shoe. “It is amazing the feel of a real leather shoe.”
The Grand Tour Shoes boast exclusive hand cut uppers made of Yak leather and
are truly unique in their fit. Like the Yaks they come from, the leather has the
qualities necessary to survive in harsh conditions: competitive water
resistance, outstanding tensile strength and breathability.
