SRAM Red Etap reliability - cracked battery
#26
Banned.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 82
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
5 Posts
When batteries crack / break during normal use there is a problem - there is no wild speculation there. Otherwise my bike or my riding must be at fault - though I find that harder to believe.
Why is it so hard to imagine that it works for many / most but there is still a problem? Poor design doesn't mean a design that never works. It can be just "Good enough for many / most" yet problematic.
Why is it so hard to imagine that it works for many / most but there is still a problem? Poor design doesn't mean a design that never works. It can be just "Good enough for many / most" yet problematic.
The fact is that your battery may have broken due to issues during manufacturing, which is a completely different failure mode than the "bad design"/"my riding broke my battery" that you are speculating about.
#28
Member
I just purchased a Specialized Diverge Comp and I am thinking about having the SRAM eTap installed. First of all, does that makes sense, or am I putting Ferrari Wheels on a Lexus? In addition, if it is a good idea to upgrade to eTap, any thoughts on AXS versus Red?
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
Whichever it may be - it doesn't matter.
42$ battery should do better - or if you (Sram) can't assure the quality of a 42$ battery, then have a decent design where batteries don't break like this; account for the fact that cheap plastic can break. With the current ETap it's possible to lose a battery while riding. This is a poor design, no speculation there. I will have to carry a spare battery and make sure it's always charged. Didn't expect this. I don't think Dura Ace Di2 customers carry batteries with them.
Last edited by Boerd; 05-12-19 at 11:16 PM.
#30
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,434 Times
in
1,187 Posts
Also you shift the rear way more than the front so they won't run down the same.
#31
Banned.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 82
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
5 Posts
Summit, North Gate, and South Gate aren't rough roads. Maybe you should descend Morgan Territory heading North, or better yet, skip NG or SG and descend off the mountain via Mitchell Canyon, BBQ Terrace, Wall Point, Pine Canyon, etc. as they are much more harsh (and those high speed descents haven't had any effect on my eTap batteries...).
So yeah, you got a defective battery or ham fisted it. Its failure had nothing to do with your riding. As expected.
"I will have to carry a spare battery and make sure it's always charged." So much fear. That's sad.
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Fremont, CA
Posts: 238
Bikes: 2015 Spec Roubaix Expert, 2016 Spec Diverge Expert X1, 2018 Allez Sprint eTap
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 63 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Is it possible the battery case cracked after it was accidentally hit by something? I guess it could still speak to a poor design, but I'm just throwing this out there as a possibility Mine has luckily been solid so far.
Geoff
Geoff
#34
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
Maybe I didn't clip it in correctly or I forced it; that is a possibility (I like to believe I clipped in correctly but...).
Last edited by Boerd; 05-13-19 at 10:53 PM.
#35
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
Update: took the battery to the local Sports Basement and they contacted SRAM. No hassle - the replacement battery is coming next week. SRAM customer service seems fine.
#36
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
Another battery is broken. 55$ batteries and they are cheap and crappy. I will try to see if SRAM replaces it.
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 8,030
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7082 Post(s)
Liked 11,180 Times
in
4,775 Posts
I guess this is an advantage of the Shimano system: you don’t remove the battery to charge it. Just plug in the charger to a port.
#39
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,434 Times
in
1,187 Posts
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 8,030
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7082 Post(s)
Liked 11,180 Times
in
4,775 Posts
The charge level is easily checked even without bt...But with the bt, I get a battery readout right on my cycle computer. It's kind of hard to miss when the battery level gets low.
I do like the SRAM system, too, as it makes for a cleaner install with no wires. But with Di2, you're really not ever going to have a mid-ride battery problem unless you forget to check it for 1000+ miles.
#41
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,434 Times
in
1,187 Posts
You're apparently not familiar with Di2. I probably use more battery power than most Di2 users, as I live in a very hilly area (lots of shifting) and I have the bluetooth feature (which draws a small amount of additional power.) After 500-600 miles, my battery might be down to 50% charge, so I plug it in and it's back to 100% in about ninety minutes. With that much capacity, there's not much chance of running out of power.
The charge level is easily checked even without bt...But with the bt, I get a battery readout right on my cycle computer. It's kind of hard to miss when the battery level gets low.
I do like the SRAM system, too, as it makes for a cleaner install with no wires. But with Di2, you're really not ever going to have a mid-ride battery problem unless you forget to check it for 1000+ miles.
The charge level is easily checked even without bt...But with the bt, I get a battery readout right on my cycle computer. It's kind of hard to miss when the battery level gets low.
I do like the SRAM system, too, as it makes for a cleaner install with no wires. But with Di2, you're really not ever going to have a mid-ride battery problem unless you forget to check it for 1000+ miles.
I got 700-800 miles per charge on the rear. I bet if I swap them i can easily get over 1000 total.
#42
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 38
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I was getting about 800 miles per charge and it went down to about half.
I do not carry a spare. The LEDs indicate battery level. Green is good, red is below 25% and flashing red is below15%. Then since they are the same you can always swap them since the front is used a lot less than the rear.
I do not carry a spare. The LEDs indicate battery level. Green is good, red is below 25% and flashing red is below15%. Then since they are the same you can always swap them since the front is used a lot less than the rear.
#43
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,434 Times
in
1,187 Posts
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 8,030
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7082 Post(s)
Liked 11,180 Times
in
4,775 Posts
Sram has a LED that shows green, red and blinking red. As long as it's not blinking you're still good to go on a 100 mile ride. If you don't check the lights, you have no one to blame.
I got 700-800 miles per charge on the rear. I bet if I swap them i can easily get over 1000 total.
I got 700-800 miles per charge on the rear. I bet if I swap them i can easily get over 1000 total.
Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. With Shimano, you only have to charge one battery, and infrequently. With Sram, you don’t need a ported frame and you don’t need a bunch of wires running along it and through it, but you do have to keep track of the charge level in more than one battery. I couldn’t really say which is superior… Only that it is good to have choices in the marketplace.
#45
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
For a bit I thought maybe I should go mechanical again... but electronic shifting is so addictive. I just have to put up with these batteries breaking down on me
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Fremont, CA
Posts: 238
Bikes: 2015 Spec Roubaix Expert, 2016 Spec Diverge Expert X1, 2018 Allez Sprint eTap
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 63 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Dang, truly puzzled! 2 broken batteries now? How did the second one break? Is it breaking when you remove it, or does it break while being attached? From personal experience, I've seen no stressing force applied to the battery, so I'm just not sure how this would ever happen
By the way, I finally was hit with a dead RD battery, of course due to my stupidity in forgetting to charge it So I suppose it was nice to be able to swap the 2 batteries, or else that 5000ft+ climb would have been a wee-bit painful
Geoff
By the way, I finally was hit with a dead RD battery, of course due to my stupidity in forgetting to charge it So I suppose it was nice to be able to swap the 2 batteries, or else that 5000ft+ climb would have been a wee-bit painful
Geoff
#48
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
Update: as expected, Sram sent me a replacement. At least they stand by their product.
#49
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
Dang, truly puzzled! 2 broken batteries now? How did the second one break? Is it breaking when you remove it, or does it break while being attached? From personal experience, I've seen no stressing force applied to the battery, so I'm just not sure how this would ever happen
By the way, I finally was hit with a dead RD battery, of course due to my stupidity in forgetting to charge it So I suppose it was nice to be able to swap the 2 batteries, or else that 5000ft+ climb would have been a wee-bit painful
Geoff
By the way, I finally was hit with a dead RD battery, of course due to my stupidity in forgetting to charge it So I suppose it was nice to be able to swap the 2 batteries, or else that 5000ft+ climb would have been a wee-bit painful
Geoff
Last edited by Boerd; 12-14-19 at 03:45 PM.
#50
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Norcal
Posts: 207
Bikes: Moots Vamoots RSL 2018, Passoni Titanio 2020
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
8 Posts
It's been some time - I rode quite a few miles and no more broken batteries. Just had to set the record straight. If that was it (the 2 broken batteries) - I am fine with Sram. Knock on wood.