SRAM 12 vs CAMPAG 13 speed. Which is best? Battle of the 1x groupsets!

I've pitched SRAM Red/Eagle AXS eTap against Campagnolo's brand new Ekar. Which comes out on top? Which would you buy?

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[alecsadewhite]

"If you're on a budget, Campy is the clear choice..." Said nobody ever!

[EdwardTBurke-pvqr]

I purchased the Pinarello Grevel frameset when it first came out and had my LBS build it up with SRAM Force One. I have always run Campagnolo on my bikes since buying a steel Eddy Merckx in Belgium in 1985 and having it built with Neuvo Record, but Ekar had not yet been introduced until several months after I had gone SRAM on the Pinarello. So I rode the SRAM for over a year and I disliked the single blade shift lever controlling both up and down, and the brakes needing bleeding too often and not modulating very well. I eventually stripped off all the SRAM and replaced it with Campagnolo Ekar. Now I am happy! The Campagnolo Ergo with separate thumb lever to go to a smaller sprocket and finger lever to shift to a larger sprocket are what I have been used to since the 8 speed Ergoshift era. The Ekar brakes are the same as on the Record/SuperRecord road disk brakes. Superb in every respect! I have the 9-42 cassette on Fulcrum wheels, (an off-brand of Campagnolo), Vittoria Terrano Dry 650 x 47 tubeless tyres, and switch between 38, 40 & 42 tooth chainrings depending on where I will be riding. Now, I have the cycling equivalent of a Ferrari! Cost is not a factor for me, the Campagnolo Ekar is just better. That's just my opinion after riding both the SRAM and the Campagnolo on the same bike.

[IhGoogleandApple]

It’s amazing how much better your reviews are than GCN. Once people find out about your channel they will spend more time watching your reviews.

[jimthebikeguy]

That ekar cassette is just a work of genius. Close ratios plus range. Everyone should be doing that.

[yiwen]

Very underrated channel. Information is straight forward, detailed, and honest. Hope your channel grows quickly.

[williamroberts]

I've been riding Ekar for 4 months now and on the road I forget I'm riding a gravel bike, and I can get up pretty much any trail that my fitness (and genetics) allows. Braking is extremely smooth and quiet. I hope Campagnolo adds some flat bar levers to their range so I can use it on my MTB.

[GS-pkrd]

Not into gravel but that Ekar with a 40t 9-36 and 13 gears could tempt me into a 1x road set up..

[jonburnell]

The closer ratios and much cheaper price has me on Campys side. For me, SRAMs shift style is the only benefit to their system.

[douglasbracken]

Looks like I am going with Campagnolo. I have been waiting for a sram 2x electronic for 3 months. I have opted for the Campy 38 crank with a 10 to 44 rear meg. Thanks for your information, really good!

[NihilisticHedonism]

One man content creator, GCN Ain't got nothing on you!

[davidbest]

The Ekar groupset is geared at gravel, while the SRAM with the Eagle cassette is essentially a MTB setup. When fitted with the 10-44 rather than the 9-42 cassette, Ekar is practically on par with the Eagle 10-50 setup when it comes to the lowest gears. It’s the high gears where there is a difference, but arguably a bike used to climb a 30% dirt trail will not be used to sprint at 60 kph. Ekar makes much more sense as a gravel groupset.

[dardman]

My new sub 7 kg Gravel machine (Open U.P.P.E.R. with Beast 700C wheels and components) will be fitted with the Campagnolo Ekar group set featuring the 38t chainring and 9-42 cassette. I am considering to add a 650C wheel set with the 10-44 cassette and knobby tires for hard core off-road use. Can’t wait!

[jamesrossi]

Don't forget the Ekar does also have a 9-42 and 10-44 cassette along with the 9-36. I'm looking at the 10-44 since I have a Sram 10-42 now in an 11 speed with a 40 front chain ring. I can always go to a 38 front ring and go 9-42 which will give me more speed. I like the idea of 13 speeds and shorter increments for shifting. I agree with many that have said an electronic 1x is overkill and cost is expensive for the Sram.

[johnc]

I have SRAM Force ETap on my Diverge Pro Carbon 42cr 10-50 cassette. I don't know the individual group set price as it was part of the package. The exact same functionality without the bling finish. I love the crisp, fast, solid shifting and the range, not to mention the cool servo motor sound. I live near the Niagara Escarpment and have called upon the lowest gear a few times. I tapped out at 57kpm on this setup. David is right; the brakes are wonderful.

[ashleyhouse]

That price for SRAM Red is just mental

[artemisxo]

that campy setup is what id want on both a road and gravel bike

[sureshchinnappa]

Thanks Dave this has been extremely helpful!

[garagesale]

Campagnolo wears in, Shimano wears out. Clunk is good!

[Andy_ATB]

I've had two Sram 1x systems (one on a MTB, the other a CX) - and they're fine. However, for me, there is a downside; the jumps between gears. Not as much as a problem off road, but on road it's a nuisance - sometimes you can go from spinning to grinding.
Really interested in Ekar for my Gravel bike, which I haven't yet bought.

[maximilianmann]

Hi David, thank you so much for your videos, I really enjoy how well produced and informative they are. I drive a specialized Diverge 2021 with GRX Di2 (40/11-42), and I am looking into switching to Campas Ekar (38/10-44). Firstly I would get a better gear ration i.e. „Granny gear“ and secondly I would have a much better „spacing“ in the „heavy“ gears. Would you recommend the switch?