hellawatters

Hello!

I’m planning out a mixed drive train (shimergo) build and can’t quite figure out the differences between campy’s front shifters- I heard that earlier ones functioned had a lot of different micro-indexed positions but it sounds that the newer powershift levers don’t have this functionality? Am mostly curious- can all modern 10 or 11 speed campy levers shift a triple or are some of them set up like shimano (2 chainring positions with trim positions)

SJX426 

@hellawatters - Are you talking about the Ergos or the DT shifters?
The second gen, post 1998, do have interchangeable parts that can be changed to support at least 9 and 10 speed. Finding them and accepting the cost is another issue. They are out of production. If you are lucky, you can find non-functioning Ergos of the two different speeds and rebuilt and swap the parts. I recently did this to get from 10 to 9 speed. The 9 speed Ergo purchased had a broken body but all the parts. I already had a 10 speed set. Between Chorus and Record, the parts are the same except the label on the body and the lever.
P1050430 on Flickr

If I am not mistaken you need two parts. The index on the shift lever and the one in the body controlled by the thumb shifters. the tooth count determines cable travel in both directions.

Russ Roth

My current campy shifters, 12sp chorus, doesn't quite microshift the way my old, 1st gen 10sp levers did but there's at least 4 stops from what I just checked and they seem evenly spaced. But the other issue is shimano now has different leverage systems for their front ders as well so not certain on compatibility.

hellawatters

Awesome thank you both!

SJX426 asking about the ergo shifters not the down tube shifters. I guess trying to figure out which generations have specific models for double and triple chainrings. 4 positions sounds like it would be finicky to set-up with a triple. I’ve been eyeing 10 speed and 11 speed shifters particularly- but can’t seem to figure out the differences between front shifter action and capabilities.

HillRider

I had a bike in 2006 with a 10-speed Campy Chorus group and the front shifter had 7 positions that covered the triple crank very well. I'd be surprised if four positions would work adequately. Campy and Shimano both seem to have abandoned triple cranks and SRAM never had them. I find that unfortunate as triples allow a very wide gear range without having huge gaps in the cassette gearing.

hellawatters

Awesome thank you all for the responses!

Litespud

you just need one “ratchet” ring, which is operated by both the shift and thumb levers. I converted my ~’99 9sp Chorus Ergos to 10sp when I was overhauling the Ergos

hellawatters

That’s interesting- do you know if those parts are cross-compatible between lever body designs? Did the mechanics change as well and is it easy to find these small mechanical parts?

SJX426 

I have read that the springs are the same between 1st and 2nd gen. No first hand knowledge. I will be taking 2st gen apart over xmas.