# Campy Electric Group - Any chance they get it right?



## natedg200202 (Sep 2, 2008)

I'm very interested in the development of electronic shifting groups and as a fan of Campy, I hope they can pull together a group to compete with Shimano. 

It seems like a tall order to come out with a groupset as good as Di2 as Shimano seems to have done an excellent job on testing and making a reliable setup. 

Specifically, I hope that Campy can make the ergonomics of the shift buttons work well. With electronic shifting, there is no need to hold to convention and have the shift buttons in the same place as mechanical levers. This is one area of criticism for Di2 in that the shift paddles mirror (somewhat) what was done with the mechanical group and limits their effectiveness. 

Here is the latest prototypes I could find on the web. 










I hope they can come up with useful location(s) for the shift buttons and I'm not encouraged by the photos in this article. 

Where do you think shift buttons would be effective? Any thoughts on what will make/break an electric group for Campy?

I'm interested in seeing discussion on these topics and I hope we can refrain from debating the need of an electric group - plenty of other threads on that.


----------



## Guest (Dec 8, 2009)

I think you have to maintain some form of button on the levers so you can shift from the drops. You could use a design like the shimano TT kit and allow for multiple options but to me the baseline design has to facilitate shifting while on hoods or in the drops. Adding stuff like the bar tops etc. would be nice to have if it doesn't get to complicated, I don't know that I want it at the cost of more wires. If I was going to go electronic I'd rather see less wires than now instead of more.


----------



## natbrown (Oct 7, 2005)

some kind of up/down toggle underneath the hoods. Could be reached from the drops, and the hoods????? It's a really difficult design problem. 
Maybe it needs to mirror the mechanical setup to aid familiarity and acceptance with riders?


----------



## jpdigital (Dec 1, 2006)

natedg200202 said:


> I hope they can come up with useful location(s) for the shift buttons and I'm not encouraged by the photos in this article.
> 
> Where do you think shift buttons would be effective? Any thoughts on what will make/break an electric group for Campy?


I think a good position for an upshift button would be _just underneath_ where the hood covers end on the drop of the bar (sorry, I can't figure out how to post a pic w/ an arrow pointing to where I'm talking about). A button located there will be easily accessable on the hoods _and_ in the drops. IMO the upshift paddle is fine where it is.

Currently the only thing holding back a Campag Electric gruppo is 11 speed, IMO. I think it'd be interesting of they did a 1/2 mechanical/ 1/2 electric shifting package, i.e. mechanical RD w/ electric FD (from what I've heard the FD shifting is where Di2 really sparkles, well, that and TT setups).


----------



## natedg200202 (Sep 2, 2008)

Well, we are seeing updated pictures of the new 2012 Campy E-Group. Unfortunately, they are sticking with the antiquated circa 1992 thumb shift levers. 










OK, I have to admit, there might be hope in the updated thumb button in the picture above. The strange shape curves down and may make shifting from the drops more manageable. From the hoods, you can tap the new thumb button higher up where it exits the body. 

I still don't believe that this is optimal from an ergonomic standpoint. With electronic shifting, the possibilities are endless for the location, type, and even the number of shift actuator(s). Sticking with the same ole' shift button that they dreamed up in 1992 seems a little uninspired.


----------



## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Now what if the thumb button on the last picture reacts both on thumb downstroke (like on the mechanical versions) AND on the upstroke? I'd like that.


----------



## strathconaman (Jul 3, 2003)

The "Killer App" for electronic shifting is sequential shifting that has only two buttons "up" and "down". There is no need for the end user to shift the front or rear, only for more gear inches or less.

Curse me if you want, but the DI2 is so good you don't have to worry about what ring you are in when you start to climb or sprint, it will shift between rings under full power.


----------



## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

This one goes to eleven:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/campagnolo-shows-off-its-new-electronic-gear-system


----------



## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I was excited to see the new design, also +1 if it goes up and down. 

.. and I've never had any problem shifting Campy from the drops, even while standing and sprinting.


----------



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

strathconaman said:


> The "Killer App" for electronic shifting is sequential shifting that has only two buttons "up" and "down". There is no need for the end user to shift the front or rear, only for more gear inches or less.


Having gone over the handle bars when I got an unexpected downshift from my big ring whilst standing and accelerating I agree that's a "killer" ap.


----------

