Campagnolo ErgoBrain Computer

Price Paid:  $129.00 at Total Cycling

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere flat!

Bike Setup:
Custom Seven Alaris, Full Chorus with Proton wheels and Speedplay Zero pedals.

Summary:
I switched to Campy this year and did not plan on going to the Ergobrain based on price and reviews. However, I was a die-hard lover of the Shimano Flight Deck (see my review there) and after 3 rides decided I had to have the gear display. I shopped around, and since I also needed the OS bar clamp (Campy, please go the Shimano route and ship both with the product!) I ended up buying from Total Cycling in Ireland. (If you haven't shopped there, do it. They have great deals on Campy parts and ship fast. www.totalcycling.com)

Now the review...

First off, it is NOT a Shimano Flight Deck. Not even in the same class. If you don't need the gear display or operation from the hoods there are much cheaper alternatives. Also, this is a wired computer, while Shimano has a wireless option. This is also surprising since this is actually made by Cateye, who are pretty good with wireless.

Installation is not hard, but you have to take the shifters off the bike to do it. Make sure and mark the location or you will be trying to get them realligned again when you reinstall. You also have to install the little press in switch that mates to the ratchet on the levers. Bottom line: Anyone can install the Shimano, but the Campy needs someone who is semi-comfortable with a wrench.

Setup is a little confusing, especially with the "self learn" feature. Personally I don't like this. I did like the pre-programmed cassete sizes, however this does not work if you have the cadence option installed.

For functionality, I rate it on par with Shimano. At first I did not like the flashing gear display, but after a few rides it has grown on me. Otherwise, the overall functions are pretty close. I also find that the buttons I thought were a little kludgy are actually a bit easier to operate and more precise than Shimano. I also like that it will auto-start, compared to Shimano needing to be reset manually before it will start up. A nit, but I am sometimes forgetful.

Overall I am happy with the product, but not overwhelmed considering my normal expectations of Campy.

Strengths:
Style - it is sleeker and has a bit more panache than the Shimano
Flashing gear display - annoying at first, but grows on you
Buttons on hoods are easier to operate than Shimano

Weaknesses:
Setup - not impossible, but takes a little skill
Wired only - get with it Campy!

Similar Products Used:
Shimano Flight Deck

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Flandria frame, carb on forks, seatpost and £T Biomorphe bars. Campy chorus/centaur groupset, Campy Zonda wheels.

Summary:
Expensive for an unreliable peice of kit which is hard to set up and has flaky components (particularly the handlebar button contacts)

Strengths:
Great when it works. Gears, cadence and all the usual stuff.

Weaknesses:
Lots of wires. Links to handlebar buttons weak (my 1st set broke) then operate with difficulty through lever plastic surrounds). Gear selection lost after changing bars. Hard to get Ergobrain to set chainring - "error" messages too common.

Similar Products Used:
Cateye HRM
Basic cateye

Price Paid:  $0.00 at -

Favorite Ride:
Any

Bike Setup:
LOOK carbon frame, Campy Record gruppo, Campy Neutron wheels.

Summary:
All in all a decent enough computer that seems to do most things (once you get your head around how to operate all the various functions) but given the price it's nothing better than "OK". I'd expect a bit more in terms of ease of use and though it hasn't packed up on me - it's all a bit flimsy for my liking. I lost one of the screws holding it on within a week due to vibration and couldn't get a spare in the right size. (I ended up glueing it all together permanently).

Strengths:
Great display, easy to read and it mounts in a good position. There's faultless control from the buttons on the brake hoods which is nice and it looks like a smart bit of kit!

Weaknesses:
The mounting and setting up is fiddly. It takes ages to fathom out exactly what it can do and the bracket and rest of the gubbins all seem a bit flimsy. (And don't expect to source spares - I was told to get a new one for all the hassle it would be.)

Similar Products Used:
Various Cat-Eye computers from bog standard up to fiarly decent ones.

Price Paid:  $125.00 at online

Favorite Ride:
western MA

Bike Setup:
Serrota legend ti, with campy centaur/chorus

Summary:
very hard to install. the computer stopped accurately computing, and Campy made me go through my shop (although i bought it online) which was embarrassing. It occassionally worked, and did when they reset it, but it stopped accurately computing. I have heard others complain aboutthis. Tech support was completely unavailable. Flight Deck has the same features, and ishalf the price. I would never recommend this overpriced piece of junk to anyone I like.

Strengths:
good location on the bike

Weaknesses:
poor computer. useless tech support

Similar Products Used:
flight deck, cat eye and about to replace my ergobrain with a vetta