# Campy Athena EPS chain dropping problem



## torgian (Mar 21, 2013)

Hey everyone. First time poster to see if anyone has an answer for me.

I recently got a Moots with Campy Athena EPS. And I have a very frustrating problem.

The front derailleur keeps dropping the chain when I shift. This is not something that happens 100% of the time, more like 50% of the time. I shift, and sometimes the chain gets sucked completely off the big ring onto my pedals, and sometimes when I shift down to the little ring, it drops down between the ring and the frame.

It's starting to scare the hell out of me. I've already tried trimming the front derailleur and also took the bike back to the shop a couple times to get it fixed. It's quite disconcerting.

I'm considering seeing about getting a refund on the EPS system and going back to mechanical, but I want to see if I can't fix this problem first. I really love the electronic shifting, but if I can't be confident that it'll work correctly every time I shift, then I'm gonna go back to mechanical.


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## Tumppi (Sep 26, 2005)

I have used EPS an year now and I have not had issues as you described.
Buy a Campagnolo chain catcher and try to trim FD a way that it only just lift chain to bigger ring in. Do you have Campagnolo crankset and rings? I have stronglight ct2 rings on by bike and my wife has Campagnolo Athena 11sp crankset.


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## orange_julius (Jan 24, 2003)

torgian said:


> Hey everyone. First time poster to see if anyone has an answer for me.
> 
> I recently got a Moots with Campy Athena EPS. And I have a very frustrating problem.
> 
> The front derailleur keeps dropping the chain when I shift. This is not something that happens 100% of the time, more like 50% of the time. I shift, and sometimes the chain gets sucked completely off the big ring onto my pedals, ...


Did you check the outer limit of the FD? 



torgian said:


> ... and sometimes when I shift down to the little ring, it drops down between the ring and the frame.


It is also possible the chain is too long. 



torgian said:


> It's starting to scare the hell out of me. I've already tried trimming the front derailleur and also took the bike back to the shop a couple times to get it fixed. It's quite disconcerting.


Did they check the height of the FD? 

Can you take a side-view pic to show the height of the FD when on the big ring? Can you take a top-view pic of the same? 

Can you take a side-view pic of the whole bike when in small-small config? 

Seems to me fairly routine adjustment problems that have nothing to do with the exact drivetrain, be it mechanical or electric. 

Stay with us and we'll help you troubleshoot. 

What has the shop said about the problems?


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## cathyandrob (Jun 15, 2006)

I have similar problems, not as bad as the OP.

To answer orange hulius, there is no outer limit for the FD, you adjust the inner limit so there is 0.5mm clearance in the small ring/big cog position and the FD is supposed to know where the outer ring is.

Im using all Athena EPS on the bike, had more problems failing to go to the big ring than dropping the chain, but there is no way it will shift to the big ring if I am pushing hard on the pedals.

I will fine tune and hope to contribute if I have some definitive answers.

Rob


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## big cat (Jan 20, 2010)

which crankset has been assembled on the bike? 53x39, 52x36 or 50x34 Campy, Sram, FSA?


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## b4ssy (Nov 26, 2012)

I too have had the same problem when shifting to the large ring ( 50-34 ). I mentioned this when I dropped the bike in ( Bianchi Infinito ) for it's initial check over ( 200 miles ).

I got a call later in the day to say they had been unable to rectify the problem and that they would be contacting Campagnolo on Monday ( 6th May ).

I will report back when I hear from my LBS.


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## primov8 (Dec 16, 2012)

There is no outer limit on the FD, but it can be adjusted accordingly if you're constantly throwing the chain off the big/outer ring. The same can be said if you're dropping the chain off the inner ring and onto the frameset. Just remember to do so while in rider setting mode and not in reset/zero setting mode. 

Even with my non-Campagnolo drivetrain (Rotor 3D+, Praxis Works rings, Recon cassette, KMC X11SL chain), the SR11-EPS on my Noah Pro has been flawless. No dropped chains on either rings and shifting has been on point.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

you should definitely get the campy chain catcher. When I first got EPS I dropped the chain a couple of times...probably user error trying to move both shifters at the same time. do you have any error lights? have you used the magnet to reset the system?


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## cathyandrob (Jun 15, 2006)

Had a few issues with sloppy shifting with Athena EPS and Campy compact, buy I put the standard cranks back on and the shifting is much better. Seems to suit the bigger rings better, maybe that's why the pro tour teams seem not to have had these problems. Maybe!


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## cathyandrob (Jun 15, 2006)

Furthermore, I believe I have some movement in the FD mount. 

I am using the Campy EPS specific band mount/braze on adapter.

If I try to wiggle the FD, it is easy to get some movement, which will translate to some loss of shift.

This is most evident when i tighten the braze on nut that secures the FD to the mount. The mount has a hinge, and there seems to be movement there,
I might try one of those carbon mounts that have a large contact area with the seat tube and no hinge, might make the shifts a bit more snappy.
Rob


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## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Just installed EPS Record on my bike and it thru the chain off the big ring, readjusted with zero setting and no problems. Also had to do rider adjustment which works very well to make the perfect adjustment. One thing I did notice when doing the zero setting for the front derailleur is the directions says .5mm between chain and inner cage. Well after trying to get that exactly right by measuring I notice when turning crank slowly as the chain keeps moving during different parts of chain that gap would increase or the chain would rub the cage. So, after using the .5mm distance where again it changed as chain went by the chain got thrown of the top ring. To me the cage needed to be backed off did that a couple of times never minding measuring and it works properly now. So, even thou directions are great sometimes just getting it to work properly is the only way to do things. Chain going over big ring I would back off cage a little at a time probably with the rider setting because the movements a constant with each press as opposed to zero setting where the cage moves in relation to the length of the press. Also, what kind of frame is it and also like you said if the derailleur is moving because of a weak attachment to frame you will never get the thing to work probably the force used to move chain is be deflected else where.


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## b4ssy (Nov 26, 2012)

My bike has been in and out of the workshop for the past 3 weeks. All the zero settings have been checked and the front cage has been replaced due to the previous one getting slightly bent as a result of the chain jamming.

The problem of the chain being thrown off the big ring has always returned after a short spell of riding.

Today, campy have said that there is a known fault with the software in the main battery unit. They are going to replace this part for me in the next few days and I will report back with my findings.


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## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Good luck, it sucks I know. My Record EPS went south after 200 miles solid green and yellow light had to send back to retailer where purchased. Right now 1 week and a few days and they will not say anything. The weather is 94 here hating it and having second thoughts should have went cable. Hope everything works out for you and it works properly.

mar


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## b4ssy (Nov 26, 2012)

The bike is still in workshop. Campag want all the parts back for testing now. They have backtracked on their promise of a new main unit.

Anyway, LBS have offered me a mechanical record groupset as a replacement.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

this is what I get for reading this thread!

mine just had a little $15 dollar part fall off the FD which caused it to drop the chain when shifting to the big ring (only when on the smallest 5 or so rear cogs). Im sorry but I cant find my receipt. I think they said something about a bumpen insert bumper

found it- FD was missing a plastic bumper insert (to prevent carbon cage wear). this allowed a gap large enough for chain to drop outside big ring


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## goodboyr (Apr 19, 2006)

gofast2wheeler said:


> Good luck, it sucks I know. My Record EPS went south after 200 miles solid green and yellow light had to send back to retailer where purchased. Right now 1 week and a few days and they will not say anything. The weather is 94 here hating it and having second thoughts should have went SHIMANO. Hope everything works out for you and it works properly.
> 
> mar


There....I fixed it for you.


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## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Hey, I did not write that post to include Shimano. Ha, ha funny. Kidding aside they swapped out brain everything is working just fine now. I will say I did notice the directions say .5 mm from front cage when doing the zero setting. If you follow this the chain will fly over big ring, etc. I noticed that when I adjusted everything. Made the space bigger everything worked fine. To OP, did you get it figured out yet. b4ssy,Personally I would wait for it to get sorted out it will be worth it. 

Mar


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## flatlander_48 (Nov 16, 2005)

goodboyr said:


> There....I fixed it for you.


Bogus.


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## david tibbits (Sep 17, 2013)

hello, i have superrecord eps on a dogma for 3 months and exp the same pblm recently, what i discovered is that if u look closely at the interior of the cage there is a small tab/guide positioned hi. i was first bothered by an annoying vibration which i thought was chainwear or a hub body issue but while first changing the chain i still noticed the vibration(only big ring) i studied the frnt der cage more closely and obs that the chain was rubbing on this nub/guide, as such that subtle vibration provokes the trim mechanism to push the der outward,normal, but in this case its not desired as the parameters are or should b correct, so as u have exp the chain falls off the rt side as u exp. i raised position of the der higher and it solved the pblm totally. i will consult the mechano to c if the position will not damage the carbon part, but it appears to b not a pblm. and dont give up on eps, in the early stages u must make many adj during the breakin period as with various wear, the parameters need to b recalibrated. bon courage from toulouse


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## flatlander_48 (Nov 16, 2005)

This is not Twitter. Please use words, punctuation and capitalization.


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