I am thinking about adding eTap to my 2008 Orbea Onyx. I like the frame and the fit so I am not in the market for a new bike, but I would enjoy the benefit of wireless. Do I need it? No as my current 10sp Ultegra SL works just fine.
I am leaning towards eTap as I do not want to futz around with external wiring/battery pack/connector to get my Wahoo workings/etc… The eTap just seems like it would be a much smoother and easier “upgrade”. I am wondering though if anyone can help with a few questions as I consider trying to pick it up over the winter before next Spring.
I believe I can keep my current Shimano crankset - I do not want to buy a new power meter to do this and I run a 4iiii left crank. This can be done, right? Also keeping crankset = keeping cost down.
It seems like the new Force and Red stuff is 12 speed and would require a new hub. I am riding older Ksyrium Elites and not sure about hub changes, etc… Is it possible to do the switch to eTap keeping my current hub (which I think would be fine with 11sp). If this involves new wheels I would not do it.
Anything else I need to look at and think about? I am a bike maintenance noob and will learn as I go on this. I could take it into the shop if needed, but figure I should be able to do this myself.
Unpopular opinion.
You have an old frame. I know you love it, but if it is carbon fiber, then maybe its time to get a new one.
Another thing to consider: eTap is VERY expensive. I know you can get mech Utegra groups for less than 500, but you are talking more than 1k here. Do you want to spend that amount of money and keep and older frame? Is it worth it?
IDK. i dont think is worth to keep an older frame around, unless is AL.
Yes - the cassette - good call - you can use either Shimano or Sram 11 speed cassettes
Briftors - you would need Sram Etap (just clairifying) but for the brake calipers you could use what you got, or switch to Sram, or any other cable brake brand.
I have a 2008 Cervelo R3 Team that I love - but I would like less cables on the bike and some sweet new shifting, but I don’t want a new frame (I do but I don’t, if I did then I have to switch to disc brake and then even more $$$ for wheels - essentially a whole new bike)
This right here. I do need/want disc brakes. I like my current frame and have no desire to upgrade/buy new (well I do, but if I can get by with $1k instead of $3-4k it is a win win) And if I ever upgrade to a new bike I can swamp the eTap over to it saving some money by buying mechanical.
Agreed - this train of thought runs daily through my brain
Drop 1K USD on my current bike and ride it for say 5 more years
or
Drop 5-6K USD (which would really strain the budget right now) on a new bike that I ride for who knows many years till the next big breakthrough
dang it - I feel like my bike is the Blackberry phone
I want to switch…then i see i can get a new canyon that would fit better (smaller than the one i have) and its like…nah i get the new bike… So i am holding.
If you’re thinking of spending a fair lump of money on a 12 year old bike, before pulling the trigger I might just look what you could put together second-hand for not much more money.
Ok, it’s not quite a like for like comparison, but for c. £500, you could source something like a 2018 CAAD/Emonda SL frame, the same amount for new Ultegra or Potenza (rim brake), and £200-300 for a 1400g set of year oldg mid-level alloy wheels. You could pull the existing seatpost, saddle, stem and bars from your old bike, and have a c.7kg bike with almost new kit for about 1.5k, potentially even slightly less if you don’t need to change freehubs, bbs etc.
Having gone through this process myself lately, I cannot see myself buying another bike new off the shelf. If you’re not fussed about real premium stuff like top notch carbon wheels or electronic shifting, and are prepared to be a bit flexible on exact spec in terms of what is available 2nd hand or heavily reduced online, you can get something pretty special for c. 50% of the cost of a new bike. It’s a nice halfway house between upgrading an old model and buying new.
Of course, this doesn’t answer your question, but it is something to think about.
You would also be able to sell the finished bike at little to no loss if you decide it’s not for you. If you buy new and decide it’s a no in 3 months, you’re losing 25-30%. You’ll also see next to nothing back on investing a grand on a 12 year old bike.
What would be a mid-level alloy wheel set that you would recommend? Looking to upgrade my alloy wheel set (entry level Bontrager TLR) after denting the rear rim on my Emonda S5!
I picked up some very lightly used Hunt Sprint Aero alloys for £220. I think the bearing quality is so-so, but at that money, who’s complaining? I think new they are about double that.
Of course, everyone’s idea of mid-level is different, and whether you’re buying new or 2nd hand makes a big difference.
Dt Swiss dicut pr1400s are probably about £800 a pair (new), and they are decent wheels.
Equally, I’ve heard very good reports about Borg wheels, and if you’re in the UK, you could get a hand–made set, brand new, for less than £400. I suspect the £300-400 ones will be more like 1600g than 1400, but that may or may not matter to you. Road rim brake wheelsets | The Cycle Clinic
In general, you can usually find a local-ish wheelbuilder who will build you something surprisingly decent for less than you might imagine.
Let me know where you find the 11 speed version of etap
Ive been looking for one, and now i remember why i didnt do it earlier in the year.
I coulnd’t find it.
You can get the force etap 12 speed (2x) for about 1400 (road shifters).
But if you go that route, it can get expensive quick. You still need the cassette and either new wheels or modify yours to take the 12 speed…
If you know where to get 11, please let me know… this conversation have me rethinking about the situation
eBay listings 1 and 2 for used stuff. Good luck finding new, I got my 11 speed eTap just as AXS was coming out. Came out of Canada (into US) and that was about the last new groupset I could find then.
I briefly looked at AXS but that dream faded quickly when I found it’d cost me about $4100 to replace the 11 speed with Red AXS. About the only thing one can re-use is the HRD (and rim?) calipers, which come with the shifters anyhow.
I had trouble finding new when I did some quick searches throughout the weekend. That is what led me to think it was not available anymore new in the 10(?) or 11 speed versions. And then most used I saw was pretty beat up.
This whole thing might be a pipe dream that never happens, but I will keep looking. Gives me something to look at and for besides new bikes at $4k+… I am in no rush at this point because outside riding is close to done for me in MN between work and chilly mornings. Maybe I can piece together or find a new set prior to next spring.
If I find something I will jump back into this thread for sure.
10 speed Ultegra SL was a sweet shifting groupset!
11 Speed eTap would be a simple switch (rather than di2, which may require drilling etc), just a 11 speed cassette, front and rear derailleur and shifters and you would have fancy new (and lighter) shifting.
Brakes should work ok, as it’s not the updated shimano cable pull, but you might want to change brakes, and then maybe change the cranks…
Plenty of people have newer groupsets on older bikes/frames.
I have Sram Force 1 on a 2002 Alloy Principia, and Sram eTap on a older Ritchey Titanium cross bike. Older frames can benefit from sweeter shifting too!
