LTWOO ER9 & ERX - Electronic groepsets

[lantz]

Just add it to the list of sensors and then make sure you add the gear to one of your profiles. Its pretty straightforward.

For some reason my Karoo wasn't seeing it as a sensor! This was like 6 months ago, so I'll try again!

[SillyMochi]

I plan to order a higher quality set of batteries just in-case.

Absolutely. Can't stress enough the importance of good rechargeable batteries.

[zerstorer]

For some reason my Karoo wasn't seeing it as a sensor! This was like 6 months ago, so I'll try again!

I have been using mine for about 5mths. I saw your post then and got worried, but when I installed it, it paired with no issues.

[jonathanf2]

Absolutely. Can't stress enough the importance of good rechargeable batteries.

It was weird. It would die if I flipped the bike around, but if I placed the charging cable on the RD, it'd wake up. Though after swapping the batteries out, the problem disappeared. I did 34km and 640m of climbing today and the issue disappeared.

I think besides weather proofing, the other areas of weakness are loose cables and batteries. I think if issues do arise with the ER9/ERX, I'd definitely go down the problem checklist to troubleshoot any problems that do occur.

[jonathanf2]

If anyone needs a replacement ER9 rear derailleur (or backup) 80 Design Store said they'd be willing to sell a replacement. Just message them.

[kenderu]

So I had an issue with the charging cable not charging properly.  Plug it in, app shows it's charging but after a few hours battery percentage remained the same.  I realized I needed to plug it in and the USB light on the usb plug side had to turn red to charge.  Something was stuck inside the charging attachment part and I couldn't get it to charge properly.  At least it works now, but only in certain angles.

[ktsan]

Hi guys my ER9 RD (s/n 250123x) also died after going through a very short patch of uneven pavement at ~ 25 mph a week ago. The same problem that it makes sound but is stuck at the smallest cog. I contacted both 80 designers store (the seller) and ltwoo. Heard nothing from ltwoo and 80 designers is dragging their feet with responding. Only one reply from 3 days ago so far and it was for asking me for a video. They've been ignoring me since.

I was just about to order one more set for another build and this happened. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and get the 105 DI2.

[lantz]

I have been using mine for about 5mths. I saw your post then and got worried, but when I installed it, it paired with no issues.

Sure as shit, went in to add it and it showed immediately, thanks for nudging me to try again!

[Serge_K]

Hi guys my ER9 RD (s/n 250123x) also died after going through a very short patch of uneven pavement at ~ 25 mph a week ago. The same problem that it makes sound but is stuck at the smallest cog. I contacted both 80 designers store (the seller) and ltwoo. Heard nothing from ltwoo and 80 designers is dragging their feet with responding. Only one reply from 3 days ago so far and it was for asking me for a video. They've been ignoring me since.

I was just about to order one more set for another build and this happened. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and get the 105 DI2.

Welcome to the club. Providing a video is step 1, that's only fair. What happened to you happened to me as well (bad asphalt downhill, dead er9 RD at the bottom of the descent), and another 2 er9 RD died for no reason (literally just riding in the dry, flat... just died. In all 3 instances, the RD goes into the smallest cog, doesn't shift up, and makes a "broken" noise, like the gearbox is broken or something. I've had 2 replaced, I re-installed them a few days ago. The 3rd one i'm still battling with Ltwoo via my reseller. The 4th group (I ordered 5 and installed 5 in total) after 4000+ km is causing serious problems with charging. I've asked that i receive 3 spares, with the assumption that given the odds, the 5th will die as well. It's been in limbo for several weeks now, ltwoo is basically ghosting my reseller, it seems.

From what you explain, you will get a replacement. You can even say you know that how your RD died is a known / common problem. Just email them every day and stay on top of them.

[jonathanf2]

For those that have your ER9 RDs die, have you tried replacing the batteries and rechecking all the cable connectors?

That's exactly what happened to mine over the weekend with a fast high speed bumpy descent and it completely died. FD even made weird sounds like a malfunctioning computer. I systematically restored the settings to default, re-synced both shifters and double checked all connectors. Even once it started working again, every time I flipped the bike over it would die again!

It was only after I swapped out the batteries, that it started working properly again. Because of that I have another set of batteries on order. It's also a good idea to write down your fine tune # adjustments, just in case you need restore everything to default.

Honestly I don't love electronic shifting that much to invest in Di2 or AXS. My other road bike is running Ultegra R8020 mechanical and it's bulletproof. My gravel bike is running a mix of GRX and Ultegra RX800 mechanical and that bike shifts like butter.

[mirphak]

In summary, in your opinion... Is it worth it?

[jonathanf2]

In summary, in your opinion... Is it worth it?

Depends. The ER9 is the cheapest gateway "drug" into Chinese electronic groupsets, just be ready to troubleshoot your own issues. Not to mention it's still a 1st gen product and LTwoo doesn't seem all that great as a company. Wheeltop actually seems more serious (like opening a US office) and Magene has a lot to gain creating full integration with an electronic groupset with their computers and power meters.

For all out reliability and affordable cost, I'd stick with mechanical.  For simplifying a fully internal bike build, electronic will make your life easier. If you want the ability to try different cassette speeds, Chinese electronic groupsets are the only options that allow you to do that.

[amacal1]

In summary, in your opinion... Is it worth it?

That depends on a lot of things.

In my case, I went with the eGR, not eR9. I put it on my Poseidon gravel bike that came with Microshift Advent X. I really liked the frame, and once I got some of the fit pieces dialed in (bar, stem, and seat) and a decent pair of wheels, I was really very happy. People with these bikes sometimes swap to Microshift Sword parts for better looking brifters and more options for cassettes. But, you're still spending $160+ for brifters alone, and you're still stuck with mechanical brakes and a 10sp setup. The Advent X RD is not bad, but it does start to get less precise after a while and will need to be replaced sooner rather than later ($75+).

When the eGR went on sale for about $370 (I think is what I paid), I judged it to be worth a try. I get full hydraulic brakes, electronic shifting, better brifters with MUCH cleaner and easier routing, and I could slap it on my current 10sp setup and still have the option to easily transition to 11 or 12 speed in the near future. WORTH IT. About 500mi later and it's proven to have been a good buy. Brakes are excellent, routing is clean and nice looking, shifting is precise and fast (and still exactly as precise and fast at the 500mi mark as it was on the 1mi mark, which was not the case with Advent X), and I've had zero problems (so far). What's not to like? If it craps out on me and I can still claim a warranty and get a replacement RD, then I'll judge it still worth it. If I get to 1000mi or more and it craps out on me and I have to eat the cost of another RD, then I won't be super happy, but I won't be super upset, either. If it lasts me significantly more than 1000+ miles then it's all gravy, baby. Only time will tell from this point forward.

At 1.5x to 2x the cost of what I paid ($500 and up), my expectations would probably be different. What it's worth to you and what your expectations are for the price are yours to judge.

Wheeltop actually seems more serious (like opening a US office)...

Interesting. I didn't realize Wheeltop had targeted the US market. In fact, I thought they were specifically avoiding the US market and only selling in Europe and Asia.
I'm hopeful that Ltwoo will do okay. I noticed that Ltwoo is now providing OEM groupsets for all Walmart bikes. That's got to bring a pretty good influx of capital and a requirement for a certain base level of organization and supply chain management. Also, they've been more careful about avoiding patent infringements, whereas Wheeltop just decided to infringe on whatever they want and avoid the US market so as not to have to deal with that (at least, as far as I had previously heard).

[jonathanf2]

Interesting. I didn't realize Wheeltop had targeted the US market. In fact, I thought they were specifically avoiding the US market and only selling in Europe and Asia.

There was mention in the Wheeltop thread that they just opened some sort of distribution base or office location in Portland, OR. I'm not sure how Wheeltop is navigating around SRAM and Shimano patents. I even browsed some of SRAM's patents on battery attached electronic derailleurs and they even have interns filing patents! If anyone does something similar, they cry wolf and play victim of IP theft!

I work in another industry that has to deal with stupid lawsuits, so I really have no love for patent trolling.

[Tijoe]

There was mention in the Wheeltop thread that they just opened some sort of distribution base or office location in Portland, OR. I'm not sure how Wheeltop is navigating around SRAM and Shimano patents. I even browsed some of SRAM's patents on battery attached electronic derailleurs and they even have interns filing patents! If anyone does something similar, they cry wolf and play victim of IP theft!

I work in another industry that has to deal with stupid lawsuits, so I really have no love for patent trolling.

The main patent that Wheeltop initially violated was the removable battery.  Wheeltop is now selling derailleurs with a fixed battery. (That problem solved.)  There were also concerns about SRAM's  "wireless" patents, but this appears to be a non-issue.  All the main companies have wireless patents of some sort.   As I understand it, there are many ways of getting around the SRAM, Shimano and Campy patent's.   In the world of Bluetooth and ANT, a lot of these communication protocols are open source.   Nothing unique about adding a Bluetooth or ANT Transceiver to a mechanism and making the mechanism's function be wireless.