Bearing in mind that I'm new to modern bicycling...how does one get started with using Campagnolo parts? Can I take an existing bicycle and convert to Campagnolo parts? Or is a custom built bicycle needed?
Thanks a ton
Bob
Thanks a ton
Bob
How Do You Get Started With Campagnolo?
- Thread starter BobCochran
- Start date
While there may well be some oddball configurations out there, frames are RARELY brand-specific that way.
But bike parts are a lot more expensive when bought piecemeal compared to when bought as a complete bike.
So depending on your bargain hunting skills it may well be cheaper to buy a complete Campy-equipped bike instead of transforming an existing bike. Some parts - like a bottom bracket - might be needed to complete the transplant.
Maybe even do a 2-way swap, and then sell the donor bike on, with your discarded parts on it.
But bike parts are a lot more expensive when bought piecemeal compared to when bought as a complete bike.
So depending on your bargain hunting skills it may well be cheaper to buy a complete Campy-equipped bike instead of transforming an existing bike. Some parts - like a bottom bracket - might be needed to complete the transplant.
Maybe even do a 2-way swap, and then sell the donor bike on, with your discarded parts on it.
All my riding life I've wanted a Campy equiped bike!
Over the years I could've afforded one but then my next bike would be Shimano.....sigh :huh:
Finally last year I got a secondhand Pinarello in Carbon with full 10 speed Record
Its nice (apart from the seatpost clamp breaking - though I still ride it) but I have to say that the Shimano levers (the smaller ones) perform a lot better (less pressure needed and easier to operate from the drops) than the Campag ones.
Also I bought a 50 to replace the 53 and the cost shocked me compared with Shimano. I went for good secondhand.
Its cool to have something that isn't Shimano though so happy hunting.
Over the years I could've afforded one but then my next bike would be Shimano.....sigh :huh:
Finally last year I got a secondhand Pinarello in Carbon with full 10 speed Record
Its nice (apart from the seatpost clamp breaking - though I still ride it) but I have to say that the Shimano levers (the smaller ones) perform a lot better (less pressure needed and easier to operate from the drops) than the Campag ones.
Also I bought a 50 to replace the 53 and the cost shocked me compared with Shimano. I went for good secondhand.
Its cool to have something that isn't Shimano though
so happy hunting.
1. Price check all the English and American web dealers of Campy groups for price.
2. Go for Record/Super Record if you can afford it, if you are building your dream bike for every use except racing.
3. Buy Chorus if you are on a budget or are going racing. Yeah, you'll trash it, but even beat to **** Campy looks better than shiny new shitmaNO.
4. Mechanical or EPS, both shift with speed and accuracy.
5. KNOW your frame's mounting and cable/wiring requirements. Will it accept EPS? Seat tube diameter and clamp-on front derailleur or mounting tab?
6. Go with a double-pivot rear brake caliper. Trust me on this.
7. Even though they're almost all made in communist China, buy an Eyetalian frame, use Campagnolo wheels and Eyetalian tubulars. Assemble with Eyetalian bar, stem and seatpost. Use Campagnolo ProFit pedals (even though they are really Look pedals that are made in France). Wrap bars in Eyetalian bar tape. Mount Eyetalian water bottle cages and Eyetalian bottles. And for God's sake, bolt on an Eyetalian saddle!
8. Keep a ShamWow! handy to wipe the shitmaNO users' drool off your bike.
9. SHAVE YOUR ****ING LEGS, DAMNIT!
10. Eat gelato and only order espresso (I'm drinking a double right now) at the coffee shop.
11. Wear only Eyetalian clothing and shoes. You'll look more handsome and be 3 MPH faster.
There...that's a good start. Life is too short to ride ugly bikes.
2. Go for Record/Super Record if you can afford it, if you are building your dream bike for every use except racing.
3. Buy Chorus if you are on a budget or are going racing. Yeah, you'll trash it, but even beat to **** Campy looks better than shiny new shitmaNO.
4. Mechanical or EPS, both shift with speed and accuracy.
5. KNOW your frame's mounting and cable/wiring requirements. Will it accept EPS? Seat tube diameter and clamp-on front derailleur or mounting tab?
6. Go with a double-pivot rear brake caliper. Trust me on this.
7. Even though they're almost all made in communist China, buy an Eyetalian frame, use Campagnolo wheels and Eyetalian tubulars. Assemble with Eyetalian bar, stem and seatpost. Use Campagnolo ProFit pedals (even though they are really Look pedals that are made in France). Wrap bars in Eyetalian bar tape. Mount Eyetalian water bottle cages and Eyetalian bottles. And for God's sake, bolt on an Eyetalian saddle!
8. Keep a ShamWow! handy to wipe the shitmaNO users' drool off your bike.
9. SHAVE YOUR ****ING LEGS, DAMNIT!
10. Eat gelato and only order espresso (I'm drinking a double right now) at the coffee shop.
11. Wear only Eyetalian clothing and shoes. You'll look more handsome and be 3 MPH faster.
There...that's a good start. Life is too short to ride ugly bikes.
Bob, I can't stress too much that the difference between Campy and Shimano or SRAM is reliability and repair-ability and not ease of use.
Also for a first time user I would suggest the LOWER end groups and not the Record or Chorus. The lower end groups usually have adjustments via the levers so that you can center the front derailleur though the rear must be perfectly aligned as in the other manufacturers.
Shimano has the most irritating necessity to have absolutely perfect alignment and only a single shift spot so if the cable stretches in the middle of a ride you have the irritating and effort sapping dragging of a chain on the derailleur. This is also true of the upper end Campy.
Also Shimano parts are not repairable and must be replaced whereas Campy has a rebuild kit for their lever for a VERY reasonable cost. Of course it requires Houdini to assemble it but it is available.
I use Shimano on my cross bikes and Campy on my large selection of road Colnagoes. The latest Shimano levers with both cables going through the handlebar are very nice but I still prefer Campy. Since I'm not a racer whenever I bought Record I was dissatisfied with the cost vs increased performance over Athena or lower groupsets.
The roads around here are more like gravel beds and we have a lot of climbing as much or more than 12% so the Compact double is very welcome. I also fit a chain thumb so that I don't get the chain thrown off to the inside and mark the frame.
Also for a first time user I would suggest the LOWER end groups and not the Record or Chorus. The lower end groups usually have adjustments via the levers so that you can center the front derailleur though the rear must be perfectly aligned as in the other manufacturers.
Shimano has the most irritating necessity to have absolutely perfect alignment and only a single shift spot so if the cable stretches in the middle of a ride you have the irritating and effort sapping dragging of a chain on the derailleur. This is also true of the upper end Campy.
Also Shimano parts are not repairable and must be replaced whereas Campy has a rebuild kit for their lever for a VERY reasonable cost. Of course it requires Houdini to assemble it but it is available.
I use Shimano on my cross bikes and Campy on my large selection of road Colnagoes. The latest Shimano levers with both cables going through the handlebar are very nice but I still prefer Campy. Since I'm not a racer whenever I bought Record I was dissatisfied with the cost vs increased performance over Athena or lower groupsets.
The roads around here are more like gravel beds and we have a lot of climbing as much or more than 12% so the Compact double is very welcome. I also fit a chain thumb so that I don't get the chain thrown off to the inside and mark the frame.
FWIW. There are definitely reasons to use non-Campagnolo brand of components ...BobCochran said:
First, I love Shimano, but I am amongst the riders who populate this Forum who prefer-and-advocate-for the use of Campagnolo SHIFTERS vs. Shimano or the other brands ...
Excluding dabac's wisdom & Bigbananabike's go-for-it encouragment & CAMPYBOB's tongue-in-cheek suggestion, the short answer is that YOU really only need to pony up as little as $100 (okay, maybe $150 would be a wiser/easier initial "investment") for a pair of 10-speed Campagnolo Shifters which are unintentionally universal for almost ALL 8-to-10-speed drivetrains ... I will say that 11-speed Campagnolo Shifters are an even better choice (unless you hate how they look) ...
The long answer depends on how strong your Leisure-Suit-Larry aesthetics are with regard to MATCHING the components (I definitely know ONE person who could be the "poster child" for THAT collective -- for said person, while not true in the distant past, now everything has-to-be Dura Ace OR Red ... or, Record ...) vs. functionality ...
FYI. A truth of 20+ years ago which has become an invalid myth is that indexed components need to be matched-by-the-manufacturer to work properly ...
At the turnofthecentury, when I had full Ultegra 6500 (9-speed) groups on a couple of Road bikes (what was I thinking?!?), I was told-by-everyone to avoid mixing-and-matching OTHER Shimano components with what I had. Well, I just couldn't get over the 27t limitation on the Cassette when "touring" rear derailleurs could easily handle a 34t Freewheel in the past. With an XTR 950 (8-/9-speed) rear derailleur in hand, I decided it was worth the 15 minutes to swap the one for the other & see if the Ultegra shifters could index the derailleur properly. It did. ith that knowledge, both bikes were subsequently outfitted with XTR rear derailleurs & MTB Cassettes ... but, a never-ending problem was that Shimano's Road shifters did NOT consistently execute a clean downshift to a larger Cog (regardless of whether it was an "authorized" Shimano Road Cassette or a Shimano MTB Cassette) OR from the inner chainring(s) to a larger chainring!
I was a couple of weeks away from reverting to downtube shifers for at least one those two bikes ...
Concurrently, I was getting ready to measure a 10-speed Campagnolo shifter's cable pull ... the easiest frame on hand had an XT 750 rear derailleur & an "old" (unramped cogs) 8-speed XT Cassette ...
To MY surprise, the 10-speed Campagnolo shifter indexed perfectly (!) with the 8-speed Shimano Cassette ...
I didn't bother making the planned measurement ...
I subsequently learned (via SANTANA TANDEMS) that Campagnolo 10-speed shifters + a hubbub'd rear derailleur cable connection on a Shimano rear derailleur equaled 9-speed Shimano indexing ...
And, later I learned that Chris Juden had developed an extensive mix-and-match compatibility Matrix ...
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:296]
I also determined that thanks to the RAMPED COGS which Shimano developed to compensate for their dodgy design, Campagnolo shifters REALLY DON'T CARE what the Cog spacing is with the caveat being that mismatched indexing will result in one, intermediate Cog being passed over ... a 9-speed Campagnolo shifter which is theoretically NOT compatible with anything other than a 9-speed Campagnolo Cassette w/ a Campagnolo rear derailleur will work with Shimano "stuff" but only find 8-of-the-9 Cogs of a 9-speed Shimano Cassette.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the responses. I live close to Washington, D.C. in the United States. In my locality, the nearest Campagnolo dealer is Revolution Cycles which has a number of branch stores. Their cheapest Campagnolo crankset is the Veloce CT for USD $289.99. And only 3 Campagnolo cranksets are listed on the shop's website. I see that both SRAM and Shimano offer a whole lot of cranksets, more than 40, at various price points under USD $600. The Capagnolo Super Record is over $1,200, and that is just the crankset.
I don't have the experience or background to know whether that sort of investment is going to yield much for me. I'm just a baby in cycling. I'll tell you this. Today I think the training effort I've been making for 3 weeks now is starting to work. I was able to get up two little hills -- very little hills -- which were previously torture for me, and I felt pretty good after cresting them. I felt ready for the next hill and getting stronger. Am I ever excited. I have an errand to do tonight and after that I want to get in some more miles riding.
These same hills would make the rest of you howl with laughter at what a beginner I am.
Maybe I can pony up the $150 for Campy shifters like alfeng suggests, and brag that I have a Campy-equipped bike.
More discussion is totally welcome.
Thanks a ton
Bob
I don't have the experience or background to know whether that sort of investment is going to yield much for me. I'm just a baby in cycling. I'll tell you this. Today I think the training effort I've been making for 3 weeks now is starting to work. I was able to get up two little hills -- very little hills -- which were previously torture for me, and I felt pretty good after cresting them. I felt ready for the next hill and getting stronger. Am I ever excited. I have an errand to do tonight and after that I want to get in some more miles riding.
These same hills would make the rest of you howl with laughter at what a beginner I am.
Maybe I can pony up the $150 for Campy shifters like alfeng suggests, and brag that I have a Campy-equipped bike.
More discussion is totally welcome.
Thanks a ton
Bob
BTW. I should add that not only does a Shimano REAR derailleur function better with Campagnolo shifters (due to the ramping on Cogs on most post-2000 Cassettes), I subsequently wanted to test whether-or-not there were benefits to the FRONT derailleur's shifting when using Campagnolo shifters ...
And, there was!
It was definitely Win-Win, IMO.
Rather than going back in time with successively early generations of chainrings, I went straight for a pair of comparatively THIN, un-ramped & un-pinned (6-/7-speed?) Shimano chainrings ... and, the shift was nice and "clean" ... no skating ... no hesitation.
It could be suggested that my observation was echoed in Campagnolo's choice to belatedly ramp-and-pin its Record-and-lesser chainrings.
NB/FYI. The newer Campagnolo shifters require a T25 driver with a 4"-or-longer shaft to tighten the handlebar clamp ... the older shifters use a 5mm Allen Wrench which has a 4"-or-longer shaft.
SOME of the current Campagnolo shifters use a derailleur cable whose diecast end is ridiculously proprietary (about the diameter of a spoke nipple) ... the standard diecast end can be filed-to-fit, if necessary.
The brake cable's diecast end is smaller in diameter by less than 0.1mm ... obviously, it can be reduced-to-fit, too.
These may-or-may-not be minor details/inconveniences.
FWIW. Here's an old MTB frame which I configured with 700c wheels + 700c Road fork ... shown with an Ultegra 6500 rear derailleur & an XT 759 front derailleur ... FSA ISIS spindle crankset ... and, Campagnolo shifers ....
And, there was!
It was definitely Win-Win, IMO.
Rather than going back in time with successively early generations of chainrings, I went straight for a pair of comparatively THIN, un-ramped & un-pinned (6-/7-speed?) Shimano chainrings ... and, the shift was nice and "clean" ... no skating ... no hesitation.
It could be suggested that my observation was echoed in Campagnolo's choice to belatedly ramp-and-pin its Record-and-lesser chainrings.
NB/FYI. The newer Campagnolo shifters require a T25 driver with a 4"-or-longer shaft to tighten the handlebar clamp ... the older shifters use a 5mm Allen Wrench which has a 4"-or-longer shaft.
SOME of the current Campagnolo shifters use a derailleur cable whose diecast end is ridiculously proprietary (about the diameter of a spoke nipple) ... the standard diecast end can be filed-to-fit, if necessary.
The brake cable's diecast end is smaller in diameter by less than 0.1mm ... obviously, it can be reduced-to-fit, too.
These may-or-may-not be minor details/inconveniences.
FWIW. Here's an old MTB frame which I configured with 700c wheels + 700c Road fork ... shown with an Ultegra 6500 rear derailleur & an XT 759 front derailleur ... FSA ISIS spindle crankset ... and, Campagnolo shifers ....
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:15134]
Quote by cyclintom:
"Shimano has the most irritating necessity to have absolutely perfect alignment and only a single shift spot so if the cable stretches in the middle of a ride you have the irritating and effort sapping dragging of a chain on the derailleur. This is also true of the upper end Campy."
All it takes is a fast twist of the frame-mounted adjusting barrel and all irritation is vanquished, regardless of the manufacturer. I'm not Nibali and the support vehicle must be mile behind the caravan...
ShitmaNO also has a nasty habit of eating inner cable wires. Ever since they did away with the bug antennae wires, they can't seem to figure out cable routing and gnaw through steel like it was slurpy noodles sold at a Tokyo tourist trap with raw fish that glows in the dark.
I have to say you are spot on with Campy rebuild. A friend crashed his Super Record EPS bike and trashed a lever. $80 later he was back in the game and the lever assembly looks new again.
"Of course it requires Houdini to assemble it but it is available."
You got that right! The hands of a rocket surgeon! The nerves of national level target shooter! The vision of a fighter pilot! And all the cool tools Vicenza can sell us! Even then, you got to know all the tricks and traps NOT discussed or pictured in the arcane tech docs. You must be a man...a myth...a legend! A God among mortals when you wrench on Campagnolo! Hold your Holy T-Wrench high and scan the internet for videos!
"Also for a first time user I would suggest the LOWER end groups and not the Record or Chorus."
While we all agree that even a 1980's Triomphe group has more panache and soul than 2015 Dura-Ass DoItyourself2, I always tell newbs to reach for the stars! Or at least a Chain Reaction shipping box full of the latest Chorus or Record goodness.
Athena EPS might be a nice start, but it's the Ferrari Dino 246 of the line. And while a FIAT in shark's attire is definitely sweet, riding the Boxer Berlinetta has benefits far beyond what the price tag buys one.
But, I digress...
The REAL reason I use Campagnolo is to further distinguish myself from the masses and put the shitmaNO proletariat in their place...serving espresso and gelato to me. After properly dropping them on a long, steep climb, of course.
"Oh, Ultegra. Would you be so kind as to bring us a round of Fat Tire Ale?"
"Shimano has the most irritating necessity to have absolutely perfect alignment and only a single shift spot so if the cable stretches in the middle of a ride you have the irritating and effort sapping dragging of a chain on the derailleur. This is also true of the upper end Campy."
All it takes is a fast twist of the frame-mounted adjusting barrel and all irritation is vanquished, regardless of the manufacturer. I'm not Nibali and the support vehicle must be mile behind the caravan...
ShitmaNO also has a nasty habit of eating inner cable wires. Ever since they did away with the bug antennae wires, they can't seem to figure out cable routing and gnaw through steel like it was slurpy noodles sold at a Tokyo tourist trap with raw fish that glows in the dark.
I have to say you are spot on with Campy rebuild. A friend crashed his Super Record EPS bike and trashed a lever. $80 later he was back in the game and the lever assembly looks new again.
"Of course it requires Houdini to assemble it but it is available."
You got that right! The hands of a rocket surgeon! The nerves of national level target shooter! The vision of a fighter pilot! And all the cool tools Vicenza can sell us! Even then, you got to know all the tricks and traps NOT discussed or pictured in the arcane tech docs. You must be a man...a myth...a legend! A God among mortals when you wrench on Campagnolo! Hold your Holy T-Wrench high and scan the internet for videos!
"Also for a first time user I would suggest the LOWER end groups and not the Record or Chorus."
While we all agree that even a 1980's Triomphe group has more panache and soul than 2015 Dura-Ass DoItyourself2, I always tell newbs to reach for the stars! Or at least a Chain Reaction shipping box full of the latest Chorus or Record goodness.
Athena EPS might be a nice start, but it's the Ferrari Dino 246 of the line. And while a FIAT in shark's attire is definitely sweet, riding the Boxer Berlinetta has benefits far beyond what the price tag buys one.
But, I digress...
The REAL reason I use Campagnolo is to further distinguish myself from the masses and put the shitmaNO proletariat in their place...serving espresso and gelato to me. After properly dropping them on a long, steep climb, of course.
"Oh, Ultegra. Would you be so kind as to bring us a round of Fat Tire Ale?"
During 5 years of Dura Ace 7900 use and 4 years of 7800 use prior to that I have never had a gear cable break - then again some people can't install a $1200 set of Campag-NO-lo cranks without them clicking or requiring delrin shims from an old washing machine...
Quote by Swami:
"During 5 years of Dura Ace 7900 use and 4 years of 7800 use prior to that I have never had a gear cable break"
And those were 200 of the most brutal miles ever put on a bike!
"or requiring delrin shims from an old washing machine..."
Dude, it was an Eyetalian washing machine. A Miele!
"During 5 years of Dura Ace 7900 use and 4 years of 7800 use prior to that I have never had a gear cable break"
And those were 200 of the most brutal miles ever put on a bike!
"or requiring delrin shims from an old washing machine..."
Dude, it was an Eyetalian washing machine. A Miele!
Ew!!! Maybe it's filtered and purified?
Don't let California see this - the green leaning politicians will make it mandatory that your washing machine fill from your bathtub, dishwasher, and toilet.
Don't let California see this - the green leaning politicians will make it mandatory that your washing machine fill from your bathtub, dishwasher, and toilet.
I'm going to ask a dear friend about this bath water stuff -- she served in the Air Force and was posted to Japan. I'm not too sure how this relates to getting started with Campagnolo, but it sure is good for a laugh!
Bob
Bob
I've never had a cable break since 1971! And I keep my cables on for several seasons, not one season like most of you, I have bikes now with cables that are 6 years old going strong, my main bike, the 2013 Lynskey with Shimano Dura Ace 9000 cables is in it's 3rd season with no signs of wear. I know I'm not playing with fire, I know how to check my cables for signs of wear, which is why I never broke one since 71.swampy1970 said:
As far as Campy goes, my newest bike with Campy is a 2007 Mercian, I got the Campy stuff because for some reason Mercian is able to get huge discounts, it was cheaper to go with Campy then it was to go with Shimano in the UK! The big question is, is it better than Shimano? I honestly don't know, I don't ride the Mercian much, I do know that the Campy stuff looks a lot nicer, more polished and unique, it seems to shift quieter and smoother than Shimano, but Shimano makes really nice fishing reels and Campy does not. The only reason I went with Shimano instead of Campy on my 2013 Lynskey was because of price in America.
I wish I could give you a more definitive answer but I can't other than to say that the older 9 speed Campy Athena with the skeleton brakes looks super nice and the whole groupset is polished to a shine instead of a dull flat look of the Shimano.
Quote by Froze:
"...I know how to check my cables for signs of wear..."
You do? I guess I do, too...but, I never inspect them unless there is an obvious sign they are failing.
Usually, the first sign of cable failure is a D going out of adjustment for no known reason and then refusing to stay in adjustment. I don't know how buried shitmaNO cables are, but Campy D inner wires are a ***** to inspect. The time span from first noticing anything to total failure can be as little a few shifts to maybe a handful of rides.
Frankly, I've never know anyone to inspect their shift inner wires for fraying. They just swap them out. Also a ***** of a job, but you're already half way there just doing a good inspection.
From a bike wrench that posted a response to a craptastic shitmaNO cable failure thread: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/components-wrenching/shimano-shifter-cables-fraying-288688.html
"generally you'll notice that your derailleur is not shifting correctly. you'll try to adjust it, but it just won't play nice w/ you. no matter what you do, it's never quite right. that's your clue. if you have the older shimano shifters that have the exposed shift housing you can check them pretty easily. w/ the bike in the workstand pedal it and shift up to the large cog. stop pedaling and shifter all the way to the small cog position so there's slack on the cable. now pull the housing from the stop on the chainstay. now you can pull the housing away from the shifter a bit and w/ the lever pulled in like you're applying the brake you can push the head of the cable out of the shifter to inspect it.
if you have SRAM (for whatever reason this cable fraying/breaking doesn't seem to happen as often w/ them) or the newer Shimano shifters w/ the housing under the bar tape, you pretty much have to undo the cable at the derailleur and push it back through the shifter.
if you ride a lot, and shift a lot on the those rides, i'd check your cables after about 6 months. i've seen them break in that time, but i've also seen them last 2-3 years...ymmv."
Some of us shift. A lot. Ohio's terrain in my area is a constant up & down. Banging gears and swinging levers hard constantly just kills the inner wires. My friends drop off their bikes at the local shops for busted or nearly busted inner wires more than for any other maintenance reason I can think of. They almost all ride shitmaNO stuff...and a couple ride SRAM. The replacement cable of choice is Jagwire...even though they last no longer than the OEM cables.
I have Jagwire as OEM on the Emonda and I'll be interested to see how fast the 105 shifters kill it.
And like the one guy in that thread said...don't waste your money on that PTFE coated wire ****. It cracks and falls off before the inner wire is dead.
"...I know how to check my cables for signs of wear..."
You do? I guess I do, too...but, I never inspect them unless there is an obvious sign they are failing.
Usually, the first sign of cable failure is a D going out of adjustment for no known reason and then refusing to stay in adjustment. I don't know how buried shitmaNO cables are, but Campy D inner wires are a ***** to inspect. The time span from first noticing anything to total failure can be as little a few shifts to maybe a handful of rides.
Frankly, I've never know anyone to inspect their shift inner wires for fraying. They just swap them out. Also a ***** of a job, but you're already half way there just doing a good inspection.
From a bike wrench that posted a response to a craptastic shitmaNO cable failure thread: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/components-wrenching/shimano-shifter-cables-fraying-288688.html
"generally you'll notice that your derailleur is not shifting correctly. you'll try to adjust it, but it just won't play nice w/ you. no matter what you do, it's never quite right. that's your clue. if you have the older shimano shifters that have the exposed shift housing you can check them pretty easily. w/ the bike in the workstand pedal it and shift up to the large cog. stop pedaling and shifter all the way to the small cog position so there's slack on the cable. now pull the housing from the stop on the chainstay. now you can pull the housing away from the shifter a bit and w/ the lever pulled in like you're applying the brake you can push the head of the cable out of the shifter to inspect it.
if you have SRAM (for whatever reason this cable fraying/breaking doesn't seem to happen as often w/ them) or the newer Shimano shifters w/ the housing under the bar tape, you pretty much have to undo the cable at the derailleur and push it back through the shifter.
if you ride a lot, and shift a lot on the those rides, i'd check your cables after about 6 months. i've seen them break in that time, but i've also seen them last 2-3 years...ymmv."
Some of us shift. A lot. Ohio's terrain in my area is a constant up & down. Banging gears and swinging levers hard constantly just kills the inner wires. My friends drop off their bikes at the local shops for busted or nearly busted inner wires more than for any other maintenance reason I can think of. They almost all ride shitmaNO stuff...and a couple ride SRAM. The replacement cable of choice is Jagwire...even though they last no longer than the OEM cables.
I have Jagwire as OEM on the Emonda and I'll be interested to see how fast the 105 shifters kill it.
And like the one guy in that thread said...don't waste your money on that PTFE coated wire ****. It cracks and falls off before the inner wire is dead.
Problem with checking the cables when you think there is a problem may turn up one day to be too late. Brake cables in particular a lot of the time won't give you any notice that they're about to fail, it just happens, with shifter cables the derailleur will start to act strange, I would rather skip cheking shifter cables than brake cables, though I don't skip any cable. I check the cables at the beginning and middle of every season, I may be slightly anal in that regard! I guess that's why all my vintage bikes are in good to excellent condition because I keep them clean and lubed.
Vintage? Those old, thick wires last forever.
I haven't busted a Campy brake wire on any of the new, thin wire bikes. Yet.
I don't think busted brake wires are much of an issue...liability **** and all that. AFAIK none of my buds or myself have busted a brake wire in the 45 years I've been at it. I guess it's very much a possibility that it could occur, I just can't recall seeing off the top of my head sitting here at the 'puter.
Derailleur wires were never much of a problem until the cables were reduced in diameter and the winding drum diameter on the shifters was also reduced.
The wear/flexing was increased while the material was reduced AND the number of gears and shifts more than doubled over the years. That's a combination designed to increase failure rates.
I did a quick Google over lunch and shitmaNO lead the results of shifter failure hits with 102,000. Campy was low man with something like 62,100 hits. SRAM was in the middle with (going from memory) 96,000 hits or something like that...right in the middle of C and S. Those results mirror everything I know about shifter wire failures...just another area shitmaNO sucks at.
Like I said, I'll let you guys know when and if my Emonda/105 fails. It's a low miles bike and a winter beater, but I keep it as clean and lubricated and my Eyetalian stuff.
I haven't busted a Campy brake wire on any of the new, thin wire bikes. Yet.
I don't think busted brake wires are much of an issue...liability **** and all that. AFAIK none of my buds or myself have busted a brake wire in the 45 years I've been at it. I guess it's very much a possibility that it could occur, I just can't recall seeing off the top of my head sitting here at the 'puter.
Derailleur wires were never much of a problem until the cables were reduced in diameter and the winding drum diameter on the shifters was also reduced.
The wear/flexing was increased while the material was reduced AND the number of gears and shifts more than doubled over the years. That's a combination designed to increase failure rates.
I did a quick Google over lunch and shitmaNO lead the results of shifter failure hits with 102,000. Campy was low man with something like 62,100 hits. SRAM was in the middle with (going from memory) 96,000 hits or something like that...right in the middle of C and S. Those results mirror everything I know about shifter wire failures...just another area shitmaNO sucks at.
Like I said, I'll let you guys know when and if my Emonda/105 fails. It's a low miles bike and a winter beater, but I keep it as clean and lubricated and my Eyetalian stuff.
Bob, the reason I brought up the vintage bikes is because of how I take care of them as an example, my main bike that I ride is a 2013 Lynskey with Shimano 105, but I had Shimano DA9000 cables installed when I bought it new, those are now 3 seasons old and still no signs of wear after 6800 miles, and the original chain is still good? yes it is. I also have a 2007 Mercian with Campy Athena but I rarely ride that bike, I think it has 1,200 miles on it so I can't compare Campy cables with the Shimano and probably won't be able to since I might sell that one.
I don't use my bikes in the winter because for one I hate riding below 36 degrees, and I would never ride in the snow, at 62 years of age I don't bounce when I hit the pavement like I use to, and as I've gotten older I became more allergic to pain.
I don't use my bikes in the winter because for one I hate riding below 36 degrees, and I would never ride in the snow, at 62 years of age I don't bounce when I hit the pavement like I use to, and as I've gotten older I became more allergic to pain.
Quote by Froze:
"those are now 3 seasons old and still no signs of wear after 6800 miles,"
There is the difference. A lot of us do that in a year. And like I said earlier, the type of terrain and style of riding will influence how many shifts are made. No amount of cleaning or lubrication is going to make those this shift wires last longer. Well, it would if we were complete bike slobs, but all the guys I ride with are pretty good about maintenance even if it's the local bike shop mechanics that do the work.
"and the original chain is still good? yes it is."
I have barely managed to get 3,000 miles from Campy chains and maybe 7,500 out of cassettes. Producing Watts and climbing has consequences...increased wear.
I don't use my bikes in the winter because for one I hate riding below 36 degrees, and I would never ride in the snow, at 62 years of age I don't bounce when I hit the pavement like I use to, and as I've gotten older I became more allergic to pain.
Damn...we're the same age. I'm still going at it year 'round. The falls take a LOT longer to heal up from at our age! My neighbor, a farmer, just put a bale spear through his leg. In up by the knee and out through the bottom of his foot!!!!! He's 72 and in talking with him the other day he figures it will be at least three months before he can put weight on that leg.
Look up a hay bale spear that quick attaches to a skid steer loader. About 200+ pounds...6' long and around 2" in diameter. And being a very manly man, he wrestled that steel out of his leg, HIMSELF!!! By lighting all 200+ pounds of it pretty much straight up with his leg spurting all kinds of slippery blood on his hands and the spear!
I guess if he can do **** like that at 72, I can brave the weather for a little longer.
"those are now 3 seasons old and still no signs of wear after 6800 miles,"
There is the difference. A lot of us do that in a year. And like I said earlier, the type of terrain and style of riding will influence how many shifts are made. No amount of cleaning or lubrication is going to make those this shift wires last longer. Well, it would if we were complete bike slobs, but all the guys I ride with are pretty good about maintenance even if it's the local bike shop mechanics that do the work.
"and the original chain is still good? yes it is."
I have barely managed to get 3,000 miles from Campy chains and maybe 7,500 out of cassettes. Producing Watts and climbing has consequences...increased wear.
I don't use my bikes in the winter because for one I hate riding below 36 degrees, and I would never ride in the snow, at 62 years of age I don't bounce when I hit the pavement like I use to, and as I've gotten older I became more allergic to pain.
Damn...we're the same age. I'm still going at it year 'round. The falls take a LOT longer to heal up from at our age! My neighbor, a farmer, just put a bale spear through his leg. In up by the knee and out through the bottom of his foot!!!!! He's 72 and in talking with him the other day he figures it will be at least three months before he can put weight on that leg.
Look up a hay bale spear that quick attaches to a skid steer loader. About 200+ pounds...6' long and around 2" in diameter. And being a very manly man, he wrestled that steel out of his leg, HIMSELF!!! By lighting all 200+ pounds of it pretty much straight up with his leg spurting all kinds of slippery blood on his hands and the spear!
I guess if he can do **** like that at 72, I can brave the weather for a little longer.
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