Front Shimergo

[drossall]

I've got Veloce 10 Ergos with 105 9 derailleurs and a Shiftmate, plus a Stronglight chainset. This works well at the back - I like it better than all-Ultegra-9 on another bike.

The front is OK, but shifting up has always been relatively hard work moving the lever, and on my last ride the chain dropped off from outer to middle a few times. This made me wonder whether the difficulty of shifting has caused wear in the lever.

Any thoughts on Ergos with a 105 front? Would you have stuck with Campag on the front, for example? I thought the point was that the Ergos had continual adjustment, so any front derailleur would work?

Or have I just mucked up the set-up and got the cable running poorly?

[pigman]

depending who you talk to, some reckon post 2006 lower end ergos are indexed on the left lever. Perhaps this is where your problems lie. Mine are pre 2006 chorus and I have no problems with a stronglight double chainset and ultegra mechs.

[epa611]

I Shimergo'd my 2004 Dawes Galaxy. Its standard Deore all through (fr + rr mech) with Velcoe 10sp Ergos on the fron. No shiftmate and works well. Can be a bit stiff shifting up, but Ive got used to it over the years.

[fatboy]

Warning: Campag advice from a Shimano user!

Isn't there a spring in the Ergo shifter that when it's weak the gears shift by themselves. It can be changed I think.

[Cyclenut]

depending who you talk to, some

i.e. those who have actually used the stuff or read a recent Campag catalogue (as opposed to those who insist that nice Signor Campagnolo wouldn't change anything without letting them know!)

... reckon post 2006 lower end ergos are indexed on the left lever. Perhaps this is where your problems lie. Mine are pre 2006 chorus and I have no problems with a stronglight double chainset and ultegra mechs.

[drossall]

Thanks, but it's not the recent (QS) Ergo problem. I know about that.

[Mick F]

I think CJ is referring to me!
I'm keeping my trap shut, as I know very little about Shimergo - let alone on the front.

One day I'll meet someone on the road who reckons that Campag index their front triples, and can demonstrate it to me that the middle ring is truly indexed. Then I'll be convinced.
Until then, I'll believe it's advertising blurb.

[PW]

On the pre-2006 stuff we have one bike with a Deore mech, one with a 105 triple, one Ultegra triple, a 2006 Chorus triple and my old tourer with a Suntour (I think)XC Sport. Subject to the chainring sizes being right there are no problems with any of them. The Chorus bike has 2006 Chorus shifters, all the others are slightly older Centaur.
My only Ergo problem is with a right hand lever which had the cable disintegrate inside it, but I think that will turn out to be a bit of wire inside the front cable casing when I find time to strip it down.

[Edwards]

I have just bought a set of Xenon shifters, so got them out pf the box to check.
When changing up there is six clicks of the upshift lever. When changing down there is two.
The total amount of cable pulled is 18mm. This was measured with a digital vernier and insulation tape stuck to the cable. 17mm is an average of 5 tests.
It is possible to over shift and pull more cable.

[rjb]

i have also just bought Xenon QS 10 speed shifters and tried these with shimano 105 mechs (originally 7 speed) but now using with 8 speed. I found the front changer very stiff and eventually changed it for a Xenon front which requires considerably less force to change rings (stronglight 80/100 with 34/48 rings). Took considerable time to set up the front shifting and i had to remove the plastic insert from the xenon front mech cage. (probably due to the width of the 8 speed chain)