thumbs down on Campagnolo shifter....

In article <[email hidden]>,

Callistus Valerius said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down. Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike. What I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one, but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature? Well I guess I'm stuck, and I do like the
clicking, and I guess I'll to ride on the hoods in the traditional way, but
now I want to perfect the FD. I left the shimano 600 double fd on (it's an
ultegra triple crankset), and it kind of works, but you have to do a lot of
trimming up front, as you move up and down on the cassette. I tried an
ultegra triple fd, that I had, but I couldn't get the low setting low
enough, because it would hit the seat tube. Now if a bought a mirage triple
fd, would that solve the trimming, and low setting problem?

Hey Callistus, are you serious about your dissatisfaction with the
Mirage 9s? Because if so, I am ready to relieve you of this problem on
reasonably generous terms!

No, seriously, I'll buy your shifters. My email address is real, call me
[makes that phone-pantomime gesture].

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

On May 23, 7:42 pm, "Callistus Valerius" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down. Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike. What I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one, but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature?

Why didn't you go look at a bike with Campag shifters first?

Well I guess I'm stuck, and I do like the

Quoted message said:

clicking, and I guess I'll to ride on the hoods in the traditional way, but
now I want to perfect the FD. I left the shimano 600 double fd on (it's an
ultegra triple crankset), and it kind of works, but you have to do a lot of
trimming up front, as you move up and down on the cassette. I tried an
ultegra triple fd, that I had, but I couldn't get the low setting low
enough, because it would hit the seat tube. Now if a bought a mirage triple
fd, would that solve the trimming, and low setting problem?

The inner travel problem certainly. Put the things on ebay and be done
with it. I'm sure you can get some shimano shifters...for lots more
money, sure, and maybe they will fail, but they sure feel nice.

"Callistus Valerius" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down. Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike. What
I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one,
but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and
wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage
is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature?

I ride ergos with the palm on the hood, fingers over the top - sems fine to
me :-)

cheers,
clive

On May 24, 7:42 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]> wrote,
in part:

Quoted message said:

I'm sure you can get some shimano shifters...for lots more
money, sure, and maybe they will fail, but they sure feel nice.

Maybe feel nice to some... gave up on Shimano due to comfort issues
(and the extremely poor triple shifting with second gen 105 - what POS
those were)....

D'ohBoy

Callistus Valerius said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down. Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike. What I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one, but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature?

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu (http://www.nb.nu)

Lou Holtman said:

Callistus Valerius said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down. Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike. What I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one, but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature?

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Hmmm.....there seems to be a kind of dividing line on this aspect of
the STI v Ergo issue. Many of us (n.b., "many", not all) who were
riding prior to the brifter era were already used to conventionally
sized brake hoods and find the STIs lumpy, bulbous, too large, weird,
etc. OTOH, newer riders never really had experience with old style
hoods; many of them find the STI approach more comfortable and find
the Ergos too small, uncomfortable, etc.

Personally, if I ever use brifters (the week after the first blizzard
in Hades!), they will be something more like Ergos, due to the shape
and size.

Quoted message said:

I ride ergos with the palm on the hood, fingers over the top - sems fine

to

Quoted message said:

me :-)

cheers,
clive

------------
I just found that position, with the little bump in the middle of the
palm, and the fingers draped over the front. That gives you a different
position, but it still isn't as good as the Shimano. I'd love to get a hold
of some of the new shimanos, levers as big as rulers, huge platforms to put
your hands on, they're awesome.

"Clive George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Callistus Valerius" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due
to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down.
Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike.
What I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one,
but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and
wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage
is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature?

I ride ergos with the palm on the hood, fingers over the top - sems fine
to me :-)

cheers,
clive

Me too. I find using bars such as the Deda Newton help matters. They make
for a nice transition from bar to Ergo. The Dura-Ace ones always made my
hands go numb.

Tim McTeague

Quoted message said:

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Lou

-----------
I've only seen a few bikes with campy shifters, and I live in a cycling
community, and I have ridden with zillions of riders. So not much
opportunity to test them out. The few I did spot, it was because of the
thumb shifter. I brought it up one time, with some riders, and they all
advised me that the thumb shifter was yesterday stuff. To be fair and
balanced, I've ridden it a couple of days now, and I like the thumb shifter,
it's simpler in a way. I like the solid way it feels, and the Shimano kind
of feels mushy now. But my suspicion on the small hood size has something
to do with campy cutting weight out of it.

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Ozark Bicycle said:

Lou Holtman said:

Callistus Valerius said:

I thought I would give it a try, with the Mirage 9 shifters, and due to
idiosyncratic way that I ride, I have to give them two thumbs down. Isn't
it funny you don't notice something till you actually ride the bike. What I
noticed is there isn't anything to hold on to. I can't be the only one, but
I do a lot of my riding with the heel of my palm against the hood, and wrap
my fingers around the top of a shimano shifter, but guess what the Mirage is
just a bump on the handlebar. Then I saw the new shimano shifters, and
they've grown even bigger, really something to hold on to. Why didn't
someone warn me of this feature?

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Hmmm.....there seems to be a kind of dividing line on this aspect of
the STI v Ergo issue. Many of us (n.b., "many", not all) who were
riding prior to the brifter era were already used to conventionally
sized brake hoods and find the STIs lumpy, bulbous, too large, weird,
etc. OTOH, newer riders never really had experience with old style
hoods; many of them find the STI approach more comfortable and find
the Ergos too small, uncomfortable, etc.

Personally, if I ever use brifters (the week after the first blizzard
in Hades!), they will be something more like Ergos, due to the shape
and size.

I traded out some old narrow banana cutter brake levers for some
big fat Tektro aero levers, and am much happier with them. My
hands are about average length and width. My weight on the narrow
body was not comfortable. The fatter body means my fingers do not
wrap around as much when I have to grip and pull under heavy
pedaling.

--
Michael Press

Callistus Valerius said:

Quoted message said:

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Lou

-----------
I've only seen a few bikes with campy shifters, and I live in a cycling
community, and I have ridden with zillions of riders. So not much
opportunity to test them out. The few I did spot, it was because of the
thumb shifter. I brought it up one time, with some riders, and they all
advised me that the thumb shifter was yesterday stuff. To be fair and
balanced, I've ridden it a couple of days now, and I like the thumb shifter,
it's simpler in a way. I like the solid way it feels, and the Shimano kind
of feels mushy now. But my suspicion on the small hood size has something
to do with campy cutting weight out of it.

I don't thing so. They are comfortable for the position the are designed
for. With your palm on the hoods is a position that has to be
discouraged IMO. You can't reach the brakes, you can't shift and in case
of a unsuspected pothole you can slip over the bar. I always get [censored]
when someone is riding in that position in front of me in a paceline.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu (http://www.nb.nu)

Lou Holtman said:

Callistus Valerius said:

Quoted message said:

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Lou

-----------
I've only seen a few bikes with campy shifters, and I live in a cycling
community, and I have ridden with zillions of riders. So not much
opportunity to test them out. The few I did spot, it was because of the
thumb shifter. I brought it up one time, with some riders, and they all
advised me that the thumb shifter was yesterday stuff. To be fair and
balanced, I've ridden it a couple of days now, and I like the thumb shifter,
it's simpler in a way. I like the solid way it feels, and the Shimano kind
of feels mushy now. But my suspicion on the small hood size has something
to do with campy cutting weight out of it.

I don't thing so. They are comfortable for the position the are designed
for. With your palm on the hoods is a position that has to be
discouraged IMO. You can't reach the brakes, you can't shift and in case
of a unsuspected pothole you can slip over the bar. I always get [censored]
when someone is riding in that position in front of me in a paceline.

But that is a position that STI levers, especially the newer designs,
seem to encourage.

Ozark Bicycle said:

Lou Holtman said:

Callistus Valerius said:

> One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
> handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
> check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
> Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
> and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
> the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.
> Lou
-----------
I've only seen a few bikes with campy shifters, and I live in a cycling
community, and I have ridden with zillions of riders. So not much
opportunity to test them out. The few I did spot, it was because of the
thumb shifter. I brought it up one time, with some riders, and they all
advised me that the thumb shifter was yesterday stuff. To be fair and
balanced, I've ridden it a couple of days now, and I like the thumb shifter,
it's simpler in a way. I like the solid way it feels, and the Shimano kind
of feels mushy now. But my suspicion on the small hood size has something
to do with campy cutting weight out of it.

I don't thing so. They are comfortable for the position the are designed
for. With your palm on the hoods is a position that has to be
discouraged IMO. You can't reach the brakes, you can't shift and in case
of a unsuspected pothole you can slip over the bar. I always get [censored]
when someone is riding in that position in front of me in a paceline.

But that is a position that STI levers, especially the newer designs,
seem to encourage.

Maybe. They make those lumps so wide that someone with small hands gets
problems in the normal position on the hoods. I test rode a bike I build
up for a friend and within 15 minutes I got cramps in my hands. I have
small hands.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu (http://www.nb.nu)

On May 24, 6:08 pm, "Callistus Valerius" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One important issue for choosing Shimano or Campy is whether your
handposition is comfortable on the hoods. You were dumb enough not to
check this before buying them. You are the only one to blame, not the
Ergo's/Campy or anybody else. I'm glad Campy didn't take your unusual
and dangerous handposition in consideration when designing the hoods, by
the way. Then I/we were stuck with lumpy and ugly Shimano clones.

Quoted message said:

Lou

-----------
I've only seen a few bikes with campy shifters, and I live in a cycling
community, and I have ridden with zillions of riders. So not much
opportunity to test them out. The few I did spot, it was because of the
thumb shifter. I brought it up one time, with some riders, and they all
advised me that the thumb shifter was yesterday stuff. To be fair and
balanced, I've ridden it a couple of days now, and I like the thumb shifter,
it's simpler in a way. I like the solid way it feels, and the Shimano kind
of feels mushy now. But my suspicion on the small hood size has something
to do with campy cutting weight out of it.

Dear CV

Where do you live? I live in the San Francisco Bay Area & I would
guess that 40% or so of the bikes I see w/ dropped bars are Campy
equipped. Although quite a few have down tube shifters.

Regards, John

Quoted message said:

Maybe. They make those lumps so wide that someone with small hands gets
problems in the normal position on the hoods. I test rode a bike I build
up for a friend and within 15 minutes I got cramps in my hands. I have
small hands.

Lou

----------
this is how you do it, heel of the palm against the platform, cup your
fingers around the top of the shimano shifter.

Quoted message said:

Dear CV

Where do you live? I live in the San Francisco Bay Area & I would
guess that 40% or so of the bikes I see w/ dropped bars are Campy
equipped. Although quite a few have down tube shifters.

Regards, John

-------------
Arizona. Nothin' but Shimano for as far as the eye can see.

On May 25, 4:34 pm, "Crescentius Vespasianus" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Maybe. They make those lumps so wide that someone with small hands gets
problems in the normal position on the hoods. I test rode a bike I build
up for a friend and within 15 minutes I got cramps in my hands. I have
small hands.

Quoted message said:

Lou

----------
this is how you do it, heel of the palm against the platform, cup your
fingers around the top of the shimano shifter.

Not everyone finds that position comfortable.

On Fri, 25 May 2007 01:51:44 GMT, Michael Press <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I traded out some old narrow banana cutter brake levers for some
big fat Tektro aero levers, and am much happier with them. My
hands are about average length and width. My weight on the narrow
body was not comfortable. The fatter body means my fingers do not
wrap around as much when I have to grip and pull under heavy
pedaling.

But the rubber on the Tektro levers is awful and rolls around the
lever and thins fast. I do not know if replacement rubber is
available.

Paul Kopit said:

On Fri, 25 May 2007 01:51:44 GMT, Michael Press <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I traded out some old narrow banana cutter brake levers for some
big fat Tektro aero levers, and am much happier with them. My
hands are about average length and width. My weight on the narrow
body was not comfortable. The fatter body means my fingers do not
wrap around as much when I have to grip and pull under heavy
pedaling.

But the rubber on the Tektro levers is awful and rolls around the
lever and thins fast. I do not know if replacement rubber is
available.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=16063

$11 at Nashbar, in Gum or Black.