Originally Posted by
oldschoolbike
Maybe they are fine, it's hard to know for sure since any degradation would have been slow and over 5 seasons, and it's my only indexed bike so nothing to compare to. That's why I prefer a minimal approach. The sloppy shifting on my last ride will probably turn out to be the bottom bracket cable guide getting gunked up. It almost always does.
If I can't make them do something wrong on the stand, should I just leave them alone? Are they that well lubed at the factory?
deteriorating shifting can sneak up on you indeed. I had a pair of shifters on the go for 16 years before I sent them in for an overhaul, mainly because I thought they were probably due some TLC rather than for any specific problem. I couldn’t believe how good they were when they came back (in other words, how bad they had gradually become over the years). Still, unless they’ve spent a lot of time in crappy conditions, Campag shifters should be good for more than 6 years. Unless there’s something specific wrong with the shifters, IME 90% of shifting problems are cable-related. After I do anything to the drivetrain, I put it through its paces on the stand. In general, if it behaves on the stand, it’s good to go on the road.