The Cruciality of Good Design and Planning in all matters Great or Small

Given the paucity of information I could find myself, and with a view to aiding my fellow cyclists and sustainable mobility enthusiasts seeking an unbiased perspective based on actual experience (which I wish I could have had prior to purchase), this is a review and sharing about #Standards, #GoodDesign, #CustomerCentricity, regarding the latest Campagnolo Super Record EPS v4 system ( which I shall refer to hence as the Campy). ?I hope this may benefit those seeking some helpful insights online regarding the use of this system that I failed to find myself.?I’ve chosen to share this on LinkedIn as several business lessons many be inferred from the Design to the Customer Service aspect as well.?

First, the good:?the system looks amazing; with sleek, shining carbon in as many places as possible for the optimal balance of weight, strength and durability. Shifting was smooth, whilst there was charge in the batteries.?

Next, the bad and ugly: It was delicate enough that it had to be set up again as it had both pinched shifter cables and disconnected brake cables when it came with the bike.?

So, when the bicycle was returned in working order after new parts had been installed with a supposed full charge by a supporting workshop in Singapore, I was hoping it would work smoothly, which it did for about 15 rides averaging 50 kms each (ie, 750 kms), after which the battery showed it needed charging. This was odd, as it was claimed to have a much longer mileage before any next charge, especially with the magnetic charge retainer strap I applied after every ride.?

What was supposed to be a simple exercise of just plugging in the changing cable proved excruciating. Unlike the USB-based systems of its rivals SRAM and Shimano (shown me by my mates with these systems) , the Campy charging system relied on 4 tiny, delicate pinheads. Not only did you have to align these perfectly, one had to Ensure a tight connection by turning the charging cable metal fastener which led to the risk of Twisting the tiny pinheads either clockwise or counterclockwise putting them on or off; this had to be done with surgical precision therefore.?

Nonetheless, having made the match with the help of magnifying glasses in good light, the charger proceeded to light-up rather convincingly. The manual or anything online did little to advise if it was charging properly.?I was not counting on having to decipher lights flashing in various configurations over different times not clearly described in any info-sheet.?After more than 24 hours of a green light you might imagine indicated charging, the battery level actually fell from low to …?Zero. There was simply no reaction when the charge-level button was pressed in the end. Trying to charge the system again for another 24 hrs did not work, this time with the lights behaving differently?but still leading to no charge.?

The basic need of any cyclist is just to get on the bike and ride, with no drama. In a chilling realisation, my bike was now a Fixie no thanks to a charging system that seemed designed to frustrate and fail from the start, despite being a highly-touted top-of-the-line system. Being unique should be done so in a way that benefits the Customer, and certainly not simply for the sake of differentiation if this does not benefit the customer. Clearly, the choice of components is almost as essential as the bike frame itself, if not more important.?

There was no review I had read prior that would have advised me against ordering this gearset for this reason. What you won’t find easily online is an updated image of the v4 charging interface; what you find online is either a side view or an older image/video (from about 2017) which you might imagine has been improved upon - it has not.?

Having a following built on champion-rider endorsements and sleek ads featuring shiny parts alone is just part of brand-building.?For business success, the products simply must work, and work well, and issues addressed quickly to maintain faith.?Being unique (and the charging system certainly is) should be because it benefits the Customer, and not simply for the sake of differentiation.?

Perhaps having electronic groupsets is over-engineering the solution simply to shift gears; I’m certainly not the only one amongst cyclist friends?who’ve had electronic group sets of of various brands to wish they’d stayed mechanical, a tried, tested and robust solution. This in itself is a lesson about efficiency vs?excess, avoiding undue resources to achieve any given aim, which in this case, was just to change gears in the most reliable way possible. I’m afraid I was taken in by the hype and cheers of fellow cyclists sold on the latest and greatest.?

I hope this article helps others seeking inputs into setting up a new bike, and to consider that the least considered factors may turn out to be quite crucial. Purchasing your bike from a local dealer with proven longevity?should really help reduce any future woes too, though I was assured of bike support for what was obviously a global clientele.?

It’s been weeks and I’m still awaiting a clear answer on next steps as of this time of writing. Having purchased it from Italy does complicate matters , though I had little choice as the bike only had the option of coming as a completed build.?

What hopes next? Having the system fixed of course without further cost to self (and am still waiting to hear after weeks from customer service), but also that a more robust changing system could be created by Campagnolo to do justice to its otherwise beautiful group-set.?

Whilst some have decided the future of groupsets is Electronic, I hope manufacturers keep improving on Mechanical versions that do not depend on power sources, especially with chipset shortages worldwide. There is decided reliability in that, especially with long distance riding.

To anyone new to the wonderful world of cycling, simplicity may simply be best, so you may more fully enjoy the joy and benefits of actually cycling,?and spend less time on trouble-shooting and money in the process. This may naturally be counter to what the marketing machinery will be telling you but at least you’ve been given an alternative and first-hand perspective here…. (unless you’re racing in the Tour de France perhaps, but even those racers are sponsored)…. as long as you Keep On Riding!

PS: In lieu of my “super bike”?awaiting repairs, I’ve been getting fresh air on my old-faithful mechanical bike for the past several rides. Look me up on Strava, and perhaps we could ride together sometime!?

#Cycling #health?#Simplicity #reliability #electronicvsmechanical ? Campagnolo