Ergopower rebuilding, accident.

[student]

Yesterday I was commuting home after school in the usual Friday afternoon rush hour. Then someone decided to open the car door in front of me when I was beside the car. Ended up with bent thumbie button on my Record Titanium 8speed ergopower, which I unfortunately bought for 49pounds in perfect shape-strong clicks and nice shaped hoods. The brake levers and anything else seem to be intact, though with some scrateches on the body..

But the thumb button "came out" from the ratchet ring. here are the pictures:





Although the release button of the later 10speed ergos will fit fine (ie:: EC-RE204, http://branfordbike.com/product/campagn ... de-543.htm )

It's a disgrace, cause the driver behaved like a spoiled swine. Was shouting and swearing all over the street, even insulting the witnesses who were trying to calm him. After all, I haven't broken the rules.

The ergos now will need a rebuild. Is there anyone who know what parts will I need most likely? The thumb button seems to be a "must have", and probably a retainer spring also. A bike shop offered me a crashed 10speed ergopower with good internals as a donor for free. Will the thumbie button and the retainer will be compatible with my 1996 ergopower?

i'm running an all-out 8speed campa gruppo on that bike with Record Ergos, Athena derailleurs and Chorus-Athena hubs, in very great shape.. Not to mention, that the bike got a new paintjob-cables-hb tape and chain 3 weeks ago..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97878439@N ... 374775884/
(sorry, but I love this bike, much more than my alloy one).

Or is it even possible that the release button can be "bend back" to the correct shape? it's from stainless steel after all (rostfreiii). I'll never buy 8speed Record ergos in perfect shape again for 49 pounds :'( (nobody bid on that on ebay, only me..)

[Mick F]

I'm very familiar with standard 9sp and 10sp Ergos, but not 8sp.

If it were me, I'd take up the offer from the bike shop for the 10sp version and strip it down and see if the bits you require for your 8sp would fit.

Watch this video for a good demonstration of 10sp/9sp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OocYpHXJ3Y

[Brucey]

rotten luck having a prang like that.

I guess you are going to have to spend hours poring over the parts listings or (probably simpler) just take them apart. Just remember that the RH ergos usually have a left threaded bolt in them.

Once you get them apart you have nothing to lose by trying to straighten bent parts.

One fundamental objection to ergos is that they do tend to get broken in a crash. No-one plans it but some folk are more likely to go down than others.

cheers

[student]

After all I decided to buy a decent Veloce 8spd right hand lever as a backup and donor source for internals. I'll get it posted next week and I'll also see the record ergos tomorrow (currently out of town).

Th:)