Thinking about going ergo...

[David B.]

All the Campagnolo advocacy on this group has got me thinking...

I've got a DA 7700 bike that's got maybe 30k miles on it, and of course
the levers have lost their stiff, notchy feel that I like. I'm
thinking about going the ergo + shiftmate route and had a few
questions.

First, what's the service life of a well-maintained DA rear derailleur?
Rear shifting is still good, but it seems a waste of money to buy a
shiftmate if the rear der is going to start to go within a season or
two.

Two, how's the shifting of a ergo/shiftmate/shimano mix compared to an
all-campy system?

Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
ratchet, right? Any other parts or special tools required?
Thanks for the help, guys!

 

[Sheldon Brown]

David B. wrote:

> I've got a DA 7700 bike that's got maybe 30k miles on it, and of course
> the levers have lost their stiff, notchy feel that I like. I'm
> thinking about going the ergo + shiftmate route and had a few
> questions.
>
> First, what's the service life of a well-maintained DA rear derailleur?

A looooooooong time.

> Rear shifting is still good, but it seems a waste of money to buy a
> shiftmate if the rear der is going to start to go within a season or
> two.
>
> Two, how's the shifting of a ergo/shiftmate/shimano mix compared to an
> all-campy system?

I suspect that it's better. I think Shimano cassettes have more
sophisticated ramps/gates.

> Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
> available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
> ratchet, right?

No, if you buy the #2 Shift Mate it will mate Campagnolo 10-speed
shifters to a 9-speed Shimano system.

This is what I have on my "Brown" and it works great.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/shiftmate

Sheldon "http://sheldonbrown.org/brown" Brown
+---------------------------------------------+
| If your bike has drop handlebars, but you |
| rarely or never ride on the drops, it’s a |
| sure sign that your bike is not properly |
| fitted or is not properly adjusted! |
| See: http://sheldonbrown.com/handsup |
+---------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[David B.]

>> Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
>> available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
>> ratchet, right?

>No, if you buy the #2 Shift Mate it will mate Campagnolo 10-speed
>shifters to a 9-speed Shimano system.

Thanks very much for the helpful info, Sheldon.

Just one clarifying question though...Am I correct that 10-speed ergos
with a 9-speed cassette and rear der will have an extra click?

 

[Mark Janeba]

David B. wrote:

> Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
> available only in 10-speed?

I got a new set of 9-speed Chorus levers about 15 months ago, years
after Campy began marketing Chorus-10; I would expect you could still
hunt down a Centaur-9 today. I know Campy still *promotes* Veloce-9 in
their 2005 product "pamphlet."

Good luck, you *won't* regret going Ergo.

Mark Janeba

 

[Kyle.B.H.]

David B. wrote:

>>>Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
>>>available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
>>>ratchet, right?
>
>
>>No, if you buy the #2 Shift Mate it will mate Campagnolo 10-speed
>>shifters to a 9-speed Shimano system.
>
>
> Thanks very much for the helpful info, Sheldon.
>
> Just one clarifying question though...Am I correct that 10-speed ergos
> with a 9-speed cassette and rear der will have an extra click?
>

Yes, and no. If that extra click is on the low gear big cog end, the
derailer will be up against its limit screw, and you won't be able to
click it. If the extra click is at the high gear small cog end, you'll
be able to click once more, but the derailer again won't move because it
will be resting on its other limit screw. The cable will show some
slack however. I'm not sure if there is a convention, but the former
seems preferable as you'll never get confused by clicking the extra click.

Kyle

 

[Sheldon Brown]

David B. wrote:

>>>Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
>>>available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
>>>ratchet, right?
>
>
>>No, if you buy the #2 Shift Mate it will mate Campagnolo 10-speed
>>shifters to a 9-speed Shimano system.
>
>
> Thanks very much for the helpful info, Sheldon.
>
> Just one clarifying question though...Am I correct that 10-speed ergos
> with a 9-speed cassette and rear der will have an extra click?

Not if the limit screws on the rear derailer are adjusted properly.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment

Sheldon "Nein: Nine" Brown
+--------------------------------------------------+
| The less you bet, the more you lose if you win |
| --Alan Rudolph (_Trixie_) |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Tim McTeague]

"David B." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> First, what's the service life of a well-maintained DA rear derailleur?
> Rear shifting is still good, but it seems a waste of money to buy a
> shiftmate if the rear der is going to start to go within a season or
> two.
>
> Two, how's the shifting of a ergo/shiftmate/shimano mix compared to an
> all-campy system?
>

I picked up a Shiftmate when I decided to dump my DA 9 speed shifters as my
hands kept going numb. I tried endless changes in setup and many pairs of
gloves. With the Campy 10 speed Ergos I have no more numbness. They have a
much flatter top than Shimano. Each type has it advocates but the Campy is
perfect for me, wish I had tried them long ago. With the Shiftmate,
shifting is actually better than before but maybe that is partly due to the
Ergo. I thought the "mouse ears" might feel funny but they are no problem
at all. Front shifting is really improved as you can gradually, click by
click, move the chain off the big ring. No slamming it over as with
Shimano. However, with a compact crank it sometimes falls off the inner
ring just as it did with my all Shimano setup. Maybe one of Campagnolo's
new CT front derailleurs is the ticket.

Tim McTeague

 

[Paul Kopit]

On 11 Jan 2005 16:01:20 -0800, "David B." <[email protected]> wrote:

>Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
>available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
>ratchet, right? Any other parts or special tools required?
>Thanks for the help, guys!

I believe that if you get 10sp ergo and just use your DA 7700 rear
derailleur, you will shift Shimano 9 without a special adapter.
Buying a Veloce rear derailleur with the Ergo 10 will permit you to
shift your Shimano 9, 10 and Campy 10.

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 17:32:14 -0800, Mark Janeba
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I got a new set of 9-speed Chorus levers about 15 months ago, years
>after Campy began marketing Chorus-10; I would expect you could still
>hunt down a Centaur-9 today.

I'd be happy to make a Centaur 10 into a 9 for someone by putting in a
new 9sp shift disk and cam. I could use the 10 sp parts.

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

David B-<< All the Campagnolo advocacy on this group has got me thinking...
>><BR><BR>
<< I've got a DA 7700 bike that's got maybe 30k miles on it, and of course
the levers have lost their stiff, notchy feel that I like. I'm
thinking about going the ergo + shiftmate route and had a few
questions. >><BR><BR>
<< First, what's the service life of a well-maintained DA rear derailleur?
>><BR><BR>

I answer number 1-
It will last for a lomng time But I recemmend getting a low end Campagnolo rear
der instead of the shiftmate thing. About the same price.

<< Two, how's the shifting of a ergo/shiftmate/shimano mix compared to an
all-campy system? >><BR><BR>

Get a Campagnolo rear der-

<< Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
ratchet, right? Any other parts or special tools required? >><BR><BR>


Nope, just get the 10s levers. They shift shimano 9s cogset well, w/o any
modification as the 10s Campagnolo spacing is very close to shimano 9s spacing.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[cyclintom]

David B. wrote:

> I've got a DA 7700 bike that's got maybe 30k miles on it, and of course
> the levers have lost their stiff, notchy feel that I like. I'm
> thinking about going the ergo + shiftmate route and had a few
> questions.
>
> First, what's the service life of a well-maintained DA rear derailleur?

A looooooooong time.

> Rear shifting is still good, but it seems a waste of money to buy a
> shiftmate if the rear der is going to start to go within a season or
> two.
>
> Two, how's the shifting of a ergo/shiftmate/shimano mix compared to an
> all-campy system?

I suspect that it's better. I think Shimano cassettes have more
sophisticated ramps/gates.

> Lastly (assuming I keep it 9-speed in back), Centaur levers are
> available only in 10-speed? This means I'll have to buy the 9-speed
> ratchet, right?

No, if you buy the #2 Shift Mate it will mate Campagnolo 10-speed
shifters to a 9-speed Shimano system.

This is what I have on my "Brown" and it works great.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/shiftmate

Sheldon "http://sheldonbrown.org/brown" Brown
+---------------------------------------------+
| If your bike has drop handlebars, but you |
| rarely or never ride on the drops, it’s a |
| sure sign that your bike is not properly |
| fitted or is not properly adjusted! |
| See: http://sheldonbrown.com/handsup |
+---------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

This is why we miss Sheldon. All of the new Shimano Dura Ace is electronic. But the shifting is FAR better than manual shifting. Shimano indeed has more sophisticated shifting than Campagnolo or SRAM and were I going electronic I would most certainly go Shimano. I had three or four Di2 bikes but just couldn't get over having to plug them in. This doesn't bother most people and Di2 shifts very well.