Campag Ergo Wear

[Mick F]

My RH Ergo on the Mercian was feeling very "quiet" and "non-clicky", and I suspected the G springs or even a broken spring carrier.

I finally got round to stripping it down this afternoon, but found nothing broken ............... just very very worn.
The G springs look weak, the main ratchet unit is polished and blunted teeth, and the paddle ratchet similar.
Looks like I need a full set of parts.

I gave everything a good cleaning, and then reassembled it with fresh dobs of grease, and put it back on the 'bars. I've yet to set up the indexing, but I'll be out riding Mercian later this week. No doubt it'll be fine for some time yet.

I wonder how much this is going to cost to refurbish? Should I refurbish the LH one as well??

2006 Chorus Ergos .......... non QS, non Escape, non anything, just bare normal Ergos ........... are wonderful marvellous things, and I should keep them going as long as the spare parts are still available.

I love them.

[Brian1946]

Keep them working. I bought some Veloce ergos off ebay a couple of years ago. I took them straight to Mercian in Derby and had them serviced put new rubber hoods on and they're as good as new and will last another ten years by which time they'll be vintage and probably sought after
..

[robc02]

I wonder how long the spares will be easily available, given that the newer models have different internals? It might be a case of get them while you can!

I've got some of the last 9 speed Chorus - very well used. I've been wondering about rebuilding them as 10 speed. I'd be interested to know what he parts cost.

[Mick F]

I'm probably going to give Mercian in Derby a ring armed with the part numbers I'll need.

The way I see it, I need the following as a bare minimum for the RH Ergo:
RE061 main ratchet
RE209 G springs
RE062 paddle ratchet

[Gattonero]

My RH Ergo on the Mercian was feeling very "quiet" and "non-clicky", and I suspected the G springs or even a broken spring carrier.

I finally got round to stripping it down this afternoon, but found nothing broken ............... just very very worn.
The G springs look weak, the main ratchet unit is polished and blunted teeth, and the paddle ratchet similar.
Looks like I need a full set of parts.

I gave everything a good cleaning, and then reassembled it with fresh dobs of grease, and put it back on the 'bars. I've yet to set up the indexing, but I'll be out riding Mercian later this week. No doubt it'll be fine for some time yet.

I wonder how much this is going to cost to refurbish? Should I refurbish the LH one as well??

2006 Chorus Ergos .......... non QS, non Escape, non anything, just bare normal Ergos ........... are wonderful marvellous things, and I should keep them going as long as the spare parts are still available.

I love them.

You may still find the bare body, and I would advise to stock at least one for each side.
AFAIK, Campagnolo has reduced a lot the parts available, so grab some index springs+carrier (is always a good idea to replace both, given that the carrier costs a couple of pounds!), and if you can afford, both the front and rear ratchet rings.

[Graham]

. . . . I need the following as a bare minimum for the RH Ergo:
RE061 main ratchet
RE209 G springs
RE062 paddle ratchet

Yes. I think that is all you will need to get going again. Not very expensive at all . . . unless you discover further worn parts/springs.

OT ( heretical) : Yesterday I was riding a bike with Shimano STX 7-speed brifters . .. something like 20-years old.
Having purged them of globs of semi-solid grease & clag, they are working as smoothly and sweetly as new.
This is very heartening.

[mig]

10 speed?! 10 speed?! my sunday best ergos are record 8s!! given the above comments re. spares then i suppose spares for those have long gone.

[hamster]

The G springs and carriers are still the same, fortunately, between 1st and 2nd generation Ergos. So 8 speeds are still rebuildable.

[tatanab]

record 8s

I have Record 8s on my summer hack. 1992 I reckon, so 25 years old and smooth and solid to use. 2010 10s Centaur on my most recent machine. also smooth but somehow different.

[123malford]

I had gained the impression that the R061 was now no longer made available as a spare from Campagnolo, although it is clearly still made - for the Record 10sp Ergolevers.

[mig]

record 8s

I have Record 8s on my summer hack. 1992 I reckon, so 25 years old and smooth and solid to use. 2010 10s Centaur on my most recent machine. also smooth but somehow different.

as early as that eh? i think mine are 1996 and now on a frame made in 1997. they have had plenty of use (on a road racing bike) and have yet to miss a beat. they'll come back into use when the weather and clocks change and when all the road salt has been washed away.

[Mick F]

I had gained the impression that the R061 was now no longer made available as a spare from Campagnolo, although it is clearly still made - for the Record 10sp Ergolevers.

Just been Googling.
Many places have them non-available, but I have found them in Brazil!
http://www.albertobicicletas.com.br/loj ... a=ec-re061

I'll be giving Mercian a ring this afternoon.
http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/contact-us/

[Graham]

Would it cost a lot to set up a business to manufacture the Ergo parts which are no longer available ?

If so, I think I will be reverting to downtube shifters.

[Mick F]

I've said all along, that if my beloved Chorus Ergos become beyond repair, I'll be reverting to DT shifters.
I have a pair of Campag Victory levers circa 1986, and it's an easy step to take.

I did away with the (awful) Tiagra STIs from my Moulton, and fitted Shimano Dura Ace indexed DT shifters. Absolutely excellent!

If I do go back to DT shifting on Mercian, I'll be investigating the Shimano DT route. This would either mean some sort of device to go from Shim to Camp, or fitting a Shimano freewheel unit and cassette.
I have a Miche Racing Box hub these days on Mercian, and the freewheel body is available for them I have no doubt.

[mig]

sadly my 1997 frame only has cable guides on the head tube then a straight run of cable straight down to the BB. if the ergos give up then i'm not sure what i'll do. sounds like a new rear mech, new BB, new chainset and new shifters. that lot won't be cheap for a summer bike!