Campy Record ergo failure

[JZWest]

In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed.

The cost for this recent repair was $78.

So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
to last about a year or less?

 

[res09c5t]

Mine have lasted a lot longer. I ride about 3000 miles/year. I have a set
of Athenas that are probably five years old and are getting ready for a
rebuild due to weak springs.

"JZWest" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
> This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
> once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed.
>
> The cost for this recent repair was $78.
>
> So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
> to last about a year or less?

 

[Kenny Lee]

JZWest wrote:
> In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
> This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
> once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed.
>
> The cost for this recent repair was $78.
>
> So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
> to last about a year or less?
I don't know what you mean by "failure", but my right Ergo didn't need a
rebuild until the 20,000k mark after which they shift like knew again.

Kenny Lee

 

[JZWest]

Sorry, I should have provided more detail. It's usually been the
springs going weak. But on two occasions its been an additional part.
I forgot to retrieve the parts this time but it looked like a barrel
of some sort that had broken. I'll ask the tech for a breakdown of the
replacement parts.

I ride 200 to 275 a week and the terrain is undulating. I wish I could
have a counter mounted to the shifter as it would be interesting to
know the frequency. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, but the
rides are very aggressive and often I'll need to ratchet many shifts
at once. I don't know, maybe it's just bad luck.

I do remember the old days when we used down tube friction shifters
and over the same terrain I'd be so cooked at times that I didn't have
the extra energy to move my hand from the drops to the shifter and
just grunt over the hill. The average speed these days on the training
rides and races are much higher now because it so easy to click the
optimal gear.

 

[Peter Cole]

"JZWest" <[email protected]> wrote

> The average speed these days on the training
> rides and races are much higher now because it so easy to click the
> optimal gear.

Ride a fixer for a while, that might change your perspective.

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

JZwest-<< In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed. >><BR><BR>

What 'failed'..just ERGO springs? These are $5 each from us, plus $25 for the
ØVH...$35...not sure what you mean.

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

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

JZWest-<< Sorry, I should have provided more detail. It's usually been the
springs going weak. >><BR><BR>

Ahhh, not really 'failure' at all, more like when a car needs a tuneup, and
needs say new spark plugs. I guess that isn't an engine 'failure'...

If ya use ERGO a lot, they need maintenance...At least they are rebuidable. If
the lever from another company truely 'failed', shell out $150-$200, if you can
find one.

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

 

[Bill K.]

My old 8 speed Chorus Ergolevers have yet to fail in anyway.
I'm not sure why having Ergolevers or STI would make you faster. I
seem to remember that with downtube shifters, you had to just be a
little smarter, and pay attention a little closer, to what everybody
else was doing at the moment.

 

[Tom Paterson]

>From: [email protected] (JZWest)

>I do remember the old days when we used down tube friction shifters
>and over the same terrain I'd be so cooked at times that I didn't have
>the extra energy to move my hand from the drops to the shifter and
>just grunt over the hill. The average speed these days on the training
>rides and races are much higher now because it so easy to click the
>optimal gear.

This reminds me of the Puzzler show on Car Talk. The one about Uncle Frank's
(or George or...) lawnmower. How come he had to fill it up more and more often
even though he kept it tuned and the blade sharp, and the lawn stayed the same
size.

I've noticed the rides getting faster, too. --TP

 

[Ronald]

> If ya use ERGO a lot, they need maintenance...At least they are
rebuidable. If
> the lever from another company truely 'failed', shell out $150-$200,
if you can
> find one.

Do the springs in Shimano shifters have the same live expectancy as
the Ergo's? So that with the same amount of use a Shimano shifter will
have to be replaced when an Ergo needs new springs, or do the springs
in Shimano last longer? If it's comparable i wonder how Shimano gets
away with it.


"Qui si parla Campagnolo " <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> JZWest-<< Sorry, I should have provided more detail. It's usually
been the
> springs going weak. >><BR><BR>
>
> Ahhh, not really 'failure' at all, more like when a car needs a
tuneup, and
> needs say new spark plugs. I guess that isn't an engine 'failure'...
>
> If ya use ERGO a lot, they need maintenance...At least they are
rebuidable. If
> the lever from another company truely 'failed', shell out $150-$200,
if you can
> find one.
>
> Peter Chisholm
> Vecchio's Bicicletteria
> 1833 Pearl St.
> Boulder, CO, 80302
> (303)440-3535
> http://www.vecchios.com
> "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Paul Kopit]

On 28 Apr 2004 15:38:18 -0700, [email protected] (JZWest) wrote:

>In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
>This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
>once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed.
>
>The cost for this recent repair was $78.
>
>So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
>to last about a year or less?

It's unusual for them to fail for no reason. The warantee is 2 years
so you can get replaced of repaired free. Wear of the indexing
springs is normal but not in such a short period.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Bill K.) wrote:

> My old 8 speed Chorus Ergolevers have yet to fail in anyway.
> I'm not sure why having Ergolevers or STI would make you faster. I
> seem to remember that with downtube shifters, you had to just be a
> little smarter, and pay attention a little closer, to what everybody
> else was doing at the moment.

Yes, but if you're like me (and here I'm thinking mainly of racing)
there are important parts of the race where you're so anaerobic or the
race is so busy that being that smart isn't likely.

Also, with brifteurs, you can shift in a sprint or while standing,
giving you a speed advantage there.

For touring or even fast-paced club rides where nobody gets dropped, I
don't think there's any notable disadvantage to DT or barcon shifters. I
happily ride a 12-speed friction DT bike to work, on winter training,
pretty much anywhere. But for the races, I break out the brifteur-bike
with slightly taller gearing (50x14 on the commuter, 53x13 on the racer).

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine/wiredcola/
President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

 

[A Muzi]

JZWest wrote:

> In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
> This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
> once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed.
>
> The cost for this recent repair was $78.
>
> So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
> to last about a year or less?

No, that doesn't sound normal.

What did you get for your $78? How new is "new"?

Normal rebuild is a pair of G-springs ($10) and often a
spring carrier ( $5), $25 to do the job, usual interval 3-5K
miles. Maybe plus tape and cables.
What was done inside?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

paul-<< It's unusual for them to fail for no reason. The warantee is 2 years
so you can get replaced of repaired free. >><BR><BR>

3 years....

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

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

ronald-<< Do the springs in Shimano shifters have the same live expectancy as
the Ergo's? So that with the same amount of use a Shimano shifter will
have to be replaced when an Ergo needs new springs, or do the springs
in Shimano last longer? If it's comparable i wonder how Shimano gets
away with it. >><BR><BR>

Kinda depends...I just warrantied a left 7703 STI with 500 miles on it. And I
sent back one of Connie Carpenters right lever that didn't work outta the
box...

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

 

[John Everett]

On 30 Apr 2004 13:29:27 GMT, [email protected] (Qui si parla
Campagnolo ) wrote:

>ronald-<< Do the springs in Shimano shifters have the same live expectancy as
>the Ergo's? So that with the same amount of use a Shimano shifter will
>have to be replaced when an Ergo needs new springs, or do the springs
>in Shimano last longer? If it's comparable i wonder how Shimano gets
>away with it. >><BR><BR>
>
>Kinda depends...I just warrantied a left 7703 STI with 500 miles on it. And I
>sent back one of Connie Carpenters right lever that didn't work outta the
>box...

As peter says, it kind of depends. My 7400 STI levers are still going
strong after 12 years, 50K+ miles, and two bikes. My 7700 levers have
been trouble free for about four years now, and my girlfriend's (no
name-dropping) 3300 levers (okay, here's some name-dropping; purchased
from Sheldon) have given three years of trouble-free service. YMMV


jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 02:46:56 -0500, A Muzi <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Normal rebuild is a pair of G-springs ($10) and often a
>spring carrier ( $5), $25 to do the job, usual interval 3-5K
>miles.

I think that I get much more than 3-5k miles out of a set of springs.
That might be because I live in SoCal. I think I get at least double
that. I keep a spring carrier as a spare but have only had to install
one since '99. That was before they reinforced the base of the post.

I ride with hands on the hoods and a pair of rubber hoods needs
replacement about every 8,000 mi. That costs about the same as the
springs, carrier, cables, housing and tape. I'd probably wear the STI
rubber as quickly but it costs ½ the price.

A set of Mirage levers used for parts doesn't cost much more than the
normal wear parts. I'm thinking rubber,G springs (2 pair), spring
carrier, thumb lever, watch spring and thumb lever spring.

 

[JZWest]

I seem to remember that with downtube shifters, you had to just be a
little smarter, and pay attention a little closer, to what everybody
else was doing at the moment.



Ah yes, looks good on paper. Tell you what, my experience towards the
end of the line with using down tube shifters was back when Huber,
Gaggioli and other 1's and 2's were terrorizing our local training
rides. I can still remember the horrific pain of just trying to hang
on and the frustration of trying to go around any of these guys for a
sprint.

Some of us still talk about those times and it's funny now to admit to
lugging over the rollers in the wrong gear because one is reduced to
brain stem only activity. So when those ergo's came out, I was first
in line. Made a big difference. Just like Ryan said, shift while
standing and sprinting and no reason for lugging.

paul-<< It's unusual for them to fail for no reason. The warantee is
2 years
so you can get replaced of repaired free. >><BR><BR>

3 years....

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

I took the bike in to a popular shop and I asked about the relatively
sudden failure. The tech said "yeah this stuff happens". He never said
anything about a warranty, even though I kinda press the issue. When I
went to the front desk to pay the bill I asked the same questioned.
This guy mentioned nothing of a warranty. Should I contact Campy USA?
I have the receipt for the ergo purchase.


> In less than one year of use my rear ergo (right shifter) has failed.
> This one is the new ten speed. I have had this failure occur 4 times,
> once with this 10 speed, a 9 speed and twice with an 8 speed.
>
> The cost for this recent repair was $78.
>
> So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
> to last about a year or less?

No, that doesn't sound normal.

What did you get for your $78? How new is "new"?

Normal rebuild is a pair of G-springs ($10) and often a
spring carrier ( $5), $25 to do the job, usual interval 3-5K
miles. Maybe plus tape and cables.
What was done inside?

Yeah for $78 that included tape and cables in addition to the springs
and carrier. This model is the 2003. I trained on rain bikes over the
winter so this kit was used less than a year.

 

[Pete Biggs]

JZWest wrote:
> So, the big question is; is it reasonable to expect the ergo shifters
> to last about a year or less?

I've also worn the springs out in less than a year. It all depends on how
many times you've changed gear. Time and number of miles is hardly
relevant. Obviously cyclists less shifty than us make their Ergos last
longer.

~PB

 

[Mike Latondresse]

"Pete Biggs" <pclemantine{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I've also worn the springs out in less than a year. It all
> depends on how many times you've changed gear. Time and number of
> miles is hardly relevant. Obviously cyclists less shifty than us
> make their Ergos last longer.
>
I am about as shifty as they come and my 1999 Ergos have been across
Canada, around BC, down the west coast to CA and to the Alps twice with
no rebuilds and still shift fine. I am retired by the by.