So I will probably go with a grizl since I’d like to do some bikepacking. I’m not sure though which one I should take.
I figured they’re quite similar (apart from the gear shifter) the discount is tempting me to go for the EKAR but I’ve heard that they’ll seize production.
Any thoughts?
by Wanja110
6 Comments
Personally I wouldn’t touch Ekar with a barge pole. You want something reliable and sturdy for bike packing.
Yes, let this be the last one
Is 1by sensible for bike packing?
Ekar is fantastic when it’s setup right, but the amount of shops that know how to work in campy is a dieing breed. Also, every bike shop on the planet has shimano kit should you break something. You’re ordering and waiting on campy. Their market share isn’t even small at this point, it’s miniscule
I‘m in the same spot. The campy looks tempting but the shimano can potentially allow for easier climbing gears through modifying the derailleur (replacing the standard cage with a larger one) and fitting the 10-51 MTB cassette.
Also, replacement parts for campy are harder to find (especially locally at bike shops) and much more expensive. You‘d also need specialised tools as campy e.g. demands their own chain checker, chain breaker (160+ bucks wtf?!), mineral oil (although it‘s said that the Magura stuff is fine) – which will all quickly diminish the initial price difference.
Kinda drawn toward the grizl cf sl 6 with sram apex axs as an affordable way to get into electronic shifting. Reviews have been decent, too, but the wider MTB eagle 10-52 cassettes require a different freehub, the XDR one instead of the included HG one. At 50 bucks for the new hub, it‘s not the end of the world price wise but a thing to consider.
Also, the supplied DT Swiss wheels are slightly worse on the sl 6 but practically said to be not too different
Ekar is a NIGHTMARE to setup and maintain