Campy Ergo and shiftmate for cyclocross

[Jack Riely]

Hi Folks,

The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.

I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
things working acceptably.

Anyway, my questions:

Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.

Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
more thing to get gummed up in the mud.

Thanks!

Jack

 

[RonSonic]

On 7 Sep 2006 06:33:53 -0700, "Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi Folks,
>
>The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
>Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
>speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
>shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
>useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>
>I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
>speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
>there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
>I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
>things working acceptably.
>
>Anyway, my questions:
>
>Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
>great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
>the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.

Ergo works fine for 'cross. Last year I ran 9s Mirage hubbubed to Shimano rear
der and 8s cassette. Shifted perfectly and was extremely easy to adjust. This
year I've kept the levers and gone to a Campy rear der running both Shimano and
Campy 9s wheelsets.

I would leave out the shiftmate unless/until you tried the alternatives and
decided you needed it. Campy 9s shifts a Shimano hub/cassette very well - is a
bit trickier to adjust, but not bad. The front der is so much easier to adjust
it more than makes up for it.

Ron

>Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
>more thing to get gummed up in the mud.

 

[Lou Holtman]

"Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Folks,
>
> The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
> Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
> speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
> shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
> useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>
> I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
> speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
> there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
> I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
> things working acceptably.
>
> Anyway, my questions:
>
> Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross?

Not at all. Ergo's are more mud resistant than STI who expose the guts
everytime you brake.

> The rebuildability would be
> great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing,

why?

> but I think
> the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.

Lou

 

[[email protected]]

Jack Riely wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
> Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
> speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
> shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
> useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>
> I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
> speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
> there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
> I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
> things working acceptably.
>
> Anyway, my questions:
>
> Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
> great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
> the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.

You cannot unwrap and rewrap your handlebar tape without destroying it?
Wow.




>
> Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
> more thing to get gummed up in the mud.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jack

 

[RonSonic]

On 7 Sep 2006 08:18:50 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>Jack Riely wrote:
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
>> Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
>> speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
>> shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
>> useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>>
>> I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
>> speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
>> there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
>> I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
>> things working acceptably.
>>
>> Anyway, my questions:
>>
>> Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
>> great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
>> the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.
>
>You cannot unwrap and rewrap your handlebar tape without destroying it?
> Wow.

Most cork and cushy tapes don't seem to take it well. Or at least not perfectly.
I don't reuse them on the bike but damn have I got some comfy garden tools. Does
a job on the lawnmower too.


Ron

 

[Jack Riely]

[email protected] wrote:

> You cannot unwrap and rewrap your handlebar tape without destroying it?
> Wow.

Thanks for the helpful reply.

I generally have bad luck with it. I find that after unwrapping and
rewrapping, the tape will start to slip, the solution to that has been
some double faced tape, but once that is on, the bar tape usually gets
torn during the next removal.

The bigger question for me is the performance of the shiftmate in the
mud. Anyone have any experience with that?

Jack

 

[Rick Holstein]

I run Campy Mirage 9sp shifters/RD with a SRAM (shimano-spaced) 12-25 9sp
cassette without the J-Tek on my cross bike and it works just fine in all
conditions. I've found that Campy 9sp shifters w/campy derailleurs and
shimano 9sp work just fine without the J-Tek . . . though they do work a tad
better with it. For CX, I'd leave it off--just something else to break.

Rick


"Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Folks,
>
> The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
> Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
> speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
> shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
> useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>
> I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
> speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
> there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
> I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
> things working acceptably.
>
> Anyway, my questions:
>
> Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
> great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
> the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.
>
> Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
> more thing to get gummed up in the mud.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jack
>

 

[Frank Drackman]

"Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Folks,
>
> The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
> Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
> speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
> shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
> useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>
> I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
> speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
> there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
> I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
> things working acceptably.
>
> Anyway, my questions:
>
> Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
> great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
> the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.
>
> Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
> more thing to get gummed up in the mud.
>
>

Last night at out weekly cross training race three people, that I know of,
crashed in the sand and broke their right Shimano lever during warm-ups.
One Dura Ace and two Ultegra. When they realized that the lever is not
rebuildable there were no happy. Actually the person with the Dura Ace is
13 years old and his only care was that he couldn't change cogs for the
race. His father was not happy with the cost of a new one.

Because of the rebuild ability alone I think that Campy could be great for
cross.

 

[Mark Hickey]

"Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross?

Nope - that's what I use on my own personal 'cross bike (9-speed
Veloce). Works great, lasts a long time.

>The rebuildability would be
>great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
>the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.

I don't think that the cable routing will really have an effect on the
tape life. Crashing will, but that's independent of the gruppo you
use.

>Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
>more thing to get gummed up in the mud.

Don't bother with it (as others have said). I get virtually perfect
shifting out of my 9-speed Campy shifters whether they're shifting a
Campy or Shimano 9-speed cassette.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Jack Riely wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
> Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
> speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
> shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
> useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>
> I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
> speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
> there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
> I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
> things working acceptably.
>
> Anyway, my questions:
>
> Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
> great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
> the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.

Why would under the tape routing be bad?...easy to pull the inner wire
out to replace or lube w/o unwrapping...
>
> Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
> more thing to get gummed up in the mud.

Why not just get an inexpensive Campag RD...and not worry about
gizmos...10s on cross is dummm...better would be Campag 8s ERGO(you can
convert any ERGO to 8s), a Campag 9s rear hub, loose Campag 9s cogs,
black 8s Campag spacers...and bob's yer uncle...
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jack

 

[Dane Buson]

RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 7 Sep 2006 08:18:50 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>You cannot unwrap and rewrap your handlebar tape without destroying it?
>> Wow.
>
> Most cork and cushy tapes don't seem to take it well. Or at least not perfectly.
> I don't reuse them on the bike but damn have I got some comfy garden tools. Does
> a job on the lawnmower too.

This sounds like a great idea, but it gives me strange images in my
noggin. I can see my pushmower with marbled red and black tape on it...
and a pair of Shimano brifters mounted firmly (but comfortably). Of
course, then we run into the problems of what sort of brakes are best
mounted on 8" wheels. Perhaps Campagnolo *would* look better...

--
Dane Buson - [email protected]
Sigh. I like to think it's just the Linux people who want to be on
the "leading edge" so bad they walk right off the precipice.
(Craig E. Groeschel)

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 7 Sep 2006 06:33:53 -0700, "Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Hi Folks,
> >
> >The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
> >Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
> >speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
> >shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
> >useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
> >
> >I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
> >speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
> >there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
> >I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
> >things working acceptably.
> >
> >Anyway, my questions:
> >
> >Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
> >great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
> >the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.
>
> Ergo works fine for 'cross. Last year I ran 9s Mirage hubbubed to Shimano
> rear
> der and 8s cassette. Shifted perfectly and was extremely easy to adjust. This
> year I've kept the levers and gone to a Campy rear der running both Shimano
> and
> Campy 9s wheelsets.
>
> I would leave out the shiftmate unless/until you tried the alternatives and
> decided you needed it. Campy 9s shifts a Shimano hub/cassette very well - is
> a
> bit trickier to adjust, but not bad. The front der is so much easier to
> adjust
> it more than makes up for it.
>
> Ron
>
> >Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
> >more thing to get gummed up in the mud.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3946

Running Dura-Ace levers on the CX bike I'm building up this year,
because that's what I found at the swap meet last year.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] 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

 

[RonSonic]

On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:08:37 -0700, Dane Buson <[email protected]> wrote:

>RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On 7 Sep 2006 08:18:50 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>>>
>>>You cannot unwrap and rewrap your handlebar tape without destroying it?
>>> Wow.
>>
>> Most cork and cushy tapes don't seem to take it well. Or at least not perfectly.
>> I don't reuse them on the bike but damn have I got some comfy garden tools. Does
>> a job on the lawnmower too.
>
>This sounds like a great idea, but it gives me strange images in my
>noggin. I can see my pushmower with marbled red and black tape on it...

I don't see anything wierd about that. I've just got the black cork pattern
Profile tape on mine.

>and a pair of Shimano brifters mounted firmly (but comfortably).

Forget the brifters, but a pair of bar-ends would look great on a mower. As long
as it doesn't have riser bars.

> Of
>course, then we run into the problems of what sort of brakes are best
>mounted on 8" wheels. Perhaps Campagnolo *would* look better...

Most mowers aren't V-brake compatible, so I'd go with canti's for clearance and
the approved retro vibe.

Ron

 

[RonSonic]

On Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:12:54 GMT, Ryan Cousineau <[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>,
> RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On 7 Sep 2006 06:33:53 -0700, "Jack Riely" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >Hi Folks,
>> >
>> >The origional sora STI levers are starting to go on my cross bike.
>> >Looking at the replacement options, most everything from shimano 10
>> >speed and expensive. I'm very hesitant to drop $300 on some 105
>> >shifters and run the risk of one good crash in the mud making them
>> >useless, and the cassettes and chains aren't exactly cheap either.
>> >
>> >I run full campy on my road bike and love it. I'm concidering some 9
>> >speed ergo levers and the jtek shiftmate for the cross rig. I know
>> >there is some debate about the necessity of the shiftmate, so I figure
>> >I'll try the setup without it and only use the shiftmate if I can't get
>> >things working acceptably.
>> >
>> >Anyway, my questions:
>> >
>> >Am I crazy to run ergo for cyclocross? The rebuildability would be
>> >great, but I wonder about the under-the-tape cable routing, but I think
>> >the longevity of the shifters will make up for the cost of the tape.
>>
>> Ergo works fine for 'cross. Last year I ran 9s Mirage hubbubed to Shimano
>> rear
>> der and 8s cassette. Shifted perfectly and was extremely easy to adjust. This
>> year I've kept the levers and gone to a Campy rear der running both Shimano
>> and
>> Campy 9s wheelsets.
>>
>> I would leave out the shiftmate unless/until you tried the alternatives and
>> decided you needed it. Campy 9s shifts a Shimano hub/cassette very well - is
>> a
>> bit trickier to adjust, but not bad. The front der is so much easier to
>> adjust
>> it more than makes up for it.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>> >Anyone using the shiftmate in muddy conditions? I worry that is one
>> >more thing to get gummed up in the mud.

Ah, the sacred text of arcane lore and knowledge. It is bold of you to share it
with these infidels and unknowing ones.

>http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3946

>Running Dura-Ace levers on the CX bike I'm building up this year,
>because that's what I found at the swap meet last year.

That sounds like a sound strategy for all bike build decisions.

Ron

 

[Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman]

RonSonic wrote:
> On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:08:37 -0700, Dane Buson <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On 7 Sep 2006 08:18:50 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
> >>>
> >>>You cannot unwrap and rewrap your handlebar tape without destroying it?
> >>> Wow.
> >>
> >> Most cork and cushy tapes don't seem to take it well. Or at least not perfectly.
> >> I don't reuse them on the bike but damn have I got some comfy garden tools. Does
> >> a job on the lawnmower too.
> >
> >This sounds like a great idea, but it gives me strange images in my
> >noggin. I can see my pushmower with marbled red and black tape on it...
>
> I don't see anything wierd about that. I've just got the black cork pattern
> Profile tape on mine.
>
> >and a pair of Shimano brifters mounted firmly (but comfortably).
>
> Forget the brifters, but a pair of bar-ends would look great on a mower. As long
> as it doesn't have riser bars....

Put your old aerobars on the mower for use on windy days.

--
Tom Sherman - Behind the Cheddar Curtain