Shimergo still viable?

[aflook]

I recently had my Eddison tourer stolen, which I'm sure you'll all appreciate is VERY upsetting. I had it set up with Centaur 10x3 levers, Centaur front mech, Deore rear mech with Sram 11-34 9sp and 26-38-48 Spa chainset. Hope all that is grammatically correct, or mathematically perhaps. I use a medium-sized bar bag and had TRP mini-V brakes. It all ran beautifully and I could weep at it's loss (and swear quite a bit). I want a similar range of gearing, for loaded touring but I think the new Deore mechs no longer have that slight play in the top pulley which made it all work. Is it still viable to set up Shimergo? I'd be happy to go all Shimano, but the STI's with both cables routed along the bars (105s) aren't made in a triple, nor do I really want to move to 10 speed. Any thoughts? I have a shiftmate pulley thingamajig but it's ugly, collects dirt and maybe makes the changing a bit heavy. Any suggestions appreciated.

[CREPELLO]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Regarding a new set up, you will need an old (or NOS) 9 speed mtb rear mech, to get a hubbub clamping to work with the 10 speed ergo's. I don't think that lack of play in the top jockey wheel is going to affect shifting. It needs to be spot on anyway in my experience. I use Tacx jock's with no play on a hybrid shimergo set up (both Campag rear mech's with 9 and 10 speed Shimano cassettes).

The grey area for me is front shifting, seeing as Campag triple FD's are pretty rare although not impossible to find. I have used a Shimano flat bar FD, but I needed to alter the clamping to get sweet shifting from my Ultrashifters. The other bike uses an Ultegra FD with Centuar US. People say it shouldn't work, but it works for me, but I'm not reccommending it because I have found much of setting up Shimergo components quite fickle. ie, what works on one bike, doesn't work on another.

I think that Campag 'double' Ultrashifters should work with a triple FD (They used to. 18.5mm cable pull IIRC), but Campag is a difficult beast to fathom, so I won't make any sweeping statements, unless somebody else can back them up.

[beardy]

These triples have the cables routed along the bars.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... lsrc=aw.ds

I am not sure about the nine speeds though.

[bryce]

I ran a 9 speed Shimano cassette using last years Chorus 11 speed shifters. Details are here. It worked well, and didn't involve any no-standard cable shifting. My shifters have more than enough cable pull to move a flat bar (mountain style) Shimano front mech. Front shifting is better with Shimergo than it was with matching Sora shifters and mechs.

There's reports of running 10 speed Campagnolo shifters with 9 speed Shimano cassettes and mechs.

[hondated]

I recently had my Eddison tourer stolen, which I'm sure you'll all appreciate is VERY upsetting. I had it set up with Centaur 10x3 levers, Centaur front mech, Deore rear mech with Sram 11-34 9sp and 26-38-48 Spa chainset. Hope all that is grammatically correct, or mathematically perhaps. I use a medium-sized bar bag and had TRP mini-V brakes. It all ran beautifully and I could weep at it's loss (and swear quite a bit). I want a similar range of gearing, for loaded touring but I think the new Deore mechs no longer have that slight play in the top pulley which made it all work. Is it still viable to set up Shimergo? I'd be happy to go all Shimano, but the STI's with both cables routed along the bars (105s) aren't made in a triple, nor do I really want to move to 10 speed. Any thoughts? I have a shiftmate pulley thingamajig but it's ugly, collects dirt and maybe makes the changing a bit heavy. Any suggestions appreciated.

There are far wiser people on here to offer you the advice you need but I just want to say I feel gutted to learn its been stolen. Sadly as well the B who stole it will never be caught.

[cycleruk]

Sorry to hear about the bike theft.
I would be surprised if the Deore RD didn't still have the play in the top jockey wheel.
105 (10 speed) does come in a triple version as I have 2 bikes with it on.
But new current 105 is now 11 speed.
As mentioned above 11 speed Campag' runs 9 speed Shimano rear mech' with no shiftmate required.
Don't know about the left shifter and working a triple front mech' though.

[Deako]

I recently (as in last week) did this.

I went for Veloce 2014 as I think the 2015 version is double (4 rather than 6 clicks?) only, with hubbub routing to an XT shadow 9 speed rear dérailleur. Front changer is an old Shimano 600 Arabesque. The Athena (11 speed) seems to come with a triple option still, but I couldn't work out if this was old stock. I wanted silver levers and cheapest (that I could find) Athena triple in silver was near twice the price of the Veloce.

Anyway this shifts faultlessly at the moment while everything is new and shiny - brakes are miles better from the hoods as well. Front shifting works surprisingly well too with my set-up.

Greg

[aflook]

Hey what a brilliant set of replies - all the advice is very much appreciated. Crepello - I didn't find the front too much of a problem, and on my winter bike run a Taigra mech with Veloce levers. But then,

what works on one bike, doesn't work on another.

. Interesting that Bryce uses the 11 speed Chorus - I hadn't considered that and will look into it. I'm reluctant to move to a 10 speed cassette as I think the chain is less reliable when loaded touring (I do have issues about over packing, but I CANNOT leave the espresso pot behind....). I will check out the Deore mechs, too: I don't know why I assumed they were no longer designed without the play in the top jockey. Thanks again, folks - you've all helped me look on the bright side. Can't wait to get it all sorted, though no doubt wherever I get a new frame built I'll be lucky to get it running before the summer.

[willcee]

halfords had deore rear 9 mecks on offer at a tenner late last year.. i bought one.. they may even still have some left, ask the dudes in your local branch to search their system .. will

[aflook]

Good shout - thanks, will check it out.

[bryce]

I really like the Chorus shifters with a Shimergo triple set up.

It provides the option to run 9, 10, or 11 speed cassettes. I've run both 9 and 10 and will assume that 11 will run too. 10 can be run with either Shimano or Campagnolo rear mechs, Shimano is cheaper and can run 10 by changing the cable routing, Campagnolo runs 10 and 11 with the same cable position.

It also provides plenty of flexibility for front shifting by using Shimano flat bar or mountain front mechs so a matching mech should be available for any chainset.

[aflook]

It provides the option to run 9, 10, or 11 speed cassettes. I've run both 9 and 10 and will assume that 11 will run too. 10 can be run with either Shimano or Campagnolo rear mechs, Shimano is cheaper and can run 10 by changing the cable routing, Campagnolo runs 10 and 11 with the same cable position.

I'm getting confused here (but I am old). My understanding is the difference in pull of the different shifters. Is the spacing the same for 9, 10 or 11 cassettes? So - is the pull of the 11 speed Campag the same as the 9 speed Shimano? I want to stick with the 9 speed Shimano (or Sram) cassette 'cause it's cheap and available in wider ranges and the chain is a bit tougher. Which Campag lever is best match? The Ergo levers are more comfortable, lighter and more repairable than Shimano but the cable issue as regards a bar bag is according to Spa not a problem. Ho hum. Mebbe I should just lean down with a wire and hook it across like the first derailleur systems demanded...

[Brucey]

there are all kinds of setups that work well enough to keep some folk happy, even if they are not quite perfect per se.

I think you can find a way of using a shimergo setup but it may require a little tinkering with the cable mount position on the rear mech.

Unfortunately of the three main reasons for choosing campag ergos over shimano shifters, only one remains a compelling difference;

1) cable routing for bar-bag; you don't have to have washing lines on shimano shifters any more, (and even if you do there are usually ways around it)

2) non-indexed front shifting; yep, shimano still require indexed front shifting which is fine when it works OK but a PITA when it doesn't.

3) repairability of campag ergos; not any more. The current models can (they say) only be repaired by buying large subassemblies, which cost about as much as a whole new lever.

In recent years campag have done their best to confuse everyone with several variations in how the front shifting works, and have also varied the preferred range of spring tensions etc that the shifters will manage without premature wear. Whilst spare parts remain available you are arguably better off with an older set of campag ergos if you value the repairability.

cheers

[aflook]

Thanks again, Brucey. I'll make a decision eventually. Of course the reason neither of us have mentioned for choosing Ergos is comfort - the Centaurs really seemed to fit my hands somehow and breaking from the hoods was (or at least felt) easier. Plus I had reliability issues with some Tiagras, which is why I swapped. I was using 10 speed Ergos with 9 speed Shimano cassette and mech. Are 11 speed Ergos going to be a better match for the Shimano 9 speed? Have they changed the front shifting?
Cheers
Adrian

[CREPELLO]

Here is the Shimergo compatibility chart, if you haven't already seen it http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bicycles/M ... Dimensions (half way down the page. Sorry I don't know where the CJ's own article on Shimergo is). From that, it shows that Campag 11 speed shifters are a cloe match to Shimano 9 speed cassette spacing. You will get better shifting if you realign the clamp at the mech though. Be warned though that this can be fiddly to do well and ideally benefits from a new clamping washer (such as pilfered from a Shimano mech) with a new groove filed in it.

I think the main reason for opting for the Ultrashift ergo's is that they have more clicks in the LH lever, allowing more control over the front mech. It may be possible with contemporary Powershift ergos, but you'll need someone else to confirm that.