Campagnolo vs gravel/cross

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stormur
Posts: 1173
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:50 pm
Location: FIN

by stormur

I wonder, it's just my bad luck or others experience is same (?).

I saw many "cross" bikes equipped with Campagnolo groupsets here. My experience says that shifters will unevitably brake on first ( any, even slightest ) contact with ground ( lever brake shifter body ) to not mention extremely fragile clear coat on brake levers.

So where's the point ? Or is something telling me "go Sram" ? ;)
Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Mark Twain


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jmaccyd
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2015 4:12 pm

by jmaccyd

I have run Camapg and did break one of the paddles behind the main brake lever once. The levers where quite old though and so maybe had reached the end of their life and just broke anyway. Still running Camapg 10 speed Centaur with no real problems for several years. I will actually be going over to SRAM but mainly because of the x1 groupset and clutch rear mech rather than lever problems.

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mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

Most of the guys I know who race cross stuck with aluminum bladed shifter/brakes as long as they could.

Not sure if campag make any these days?

stormur
Posts: 1173
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:50 pm
Location: FIN

by stormur

I wasn't precise ... again :) I mean brake lever brakes shifter body, never had broken lever itself tough, just scratched.
Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Mark Twain


I can be wrong, and have plenty of examples for that ;)

Birdman
Posts: 283
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:03 pm
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

by Birdman

My Campy bike tipped over and hit the pavement right on the brake lever, only clear coat chipped off. The entire shifter rotated inward slightly on the handle bar though. It was a 11 speed Super Record mechanical lever.
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stormur
Posts: 1173
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:50 pm
Location: FIN

by stormur

take rubber off of the shifter top and search for body crack - I bet it's there ;) . 3 fails, 3 levers broken ( Centaur, 2xChorus ).
Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Mark Twain


I can be wrong, and have plenty of examples for that ;)

Birdman
Posts: 283
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:03 pm
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

by Birdman

I didn't pull the hood completely off, but I did peel it back. Nothing unusual. The pivot pins look fine, pivot joints look fine. That was nearly 2 years ago. Maybe I'll look again just in case if I missed anything.
Cervelo R3 MUD ~ viewtopic.php?f=10&t=136544
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RussellS
Posts: 916
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:31 am

by RussellS

Do you think Campagnolo shifters are more likely to break because the brake lever is fixed side to side? Only the inside shift lever pivots. I guess with Shimano and SRAM the entire lever or two levers can pivot and move in many directions. No fixed lever like Campagnolo. Personally I've always thought Campagnolo was less likely to break because it had the fixed big strong brake lever to protect the delicate shift lever. Unlike Shimano and SRAM where the delicate shift levers take all the force of any hit. Not protected by a fixed lever.

stormur
Posts: 1173
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:50 pm
Location: FIN

by stormur

I think it's because pin gets off enough to not hold brake lever in place, allow for its further side movement and that brakes shifter body. If pin would be "fixed", possibly scratches could e the only damages.

Apparently Sram & Shimano (Di2) have stronger shifter bodys. Non Di2 Shimano is other story : swinging arm ... worse what can happened is shift by gear or two. With Campy shifters story was same every single time : brake levers basically split top of the shifter body into 2 pieces ; it's just about 2 cm, but enough... . For 2011-14 I could buy just body ( for 70-ish € ), for 2015 there's not such option (yet? ). Levers are sold in pairs, in my case it's Record... 250-280€ after every touch down isn't funny at all :( .
Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Mark Twain


I can be wrong, and have plenty of examples for that ;)

kgbianchi
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:12 am

by kgbianchi

I have been racing Cyclocross for almost 15 years, at least 10 of which are with carbon blades. My experience is that the Carbon blades are very durable. I have only seen some minor clear coat chipping. On the other hand I have seen many Sram shifter body and blades been destroyed in a crash.

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wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

Crashed on ice, funny enough first right then left. Both 785 got bruised, but only at the sides. Shifters completely undamaged (except the scratches on shifters sides).
Helmet cracked glasses to. But that was actually the only thing that was severaly damaged.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

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