New Centaur, what the beef?

heavymental
heavymental Posts: 2,091
edited January 2008 in Workshop
Quite often when I see reference to the new Centaur shifters I notice somebody will usually pipe up saying the previous model was sooo much better. Are they right?

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    It's something to do with the ability to only shift from one sprocket to the next one rather than being able to shift across multiple sprockets. Isn't it?
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  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,091
    Yeh I think I read that somewhere. Is that the only problem though? With my current 105 I can shift about 3 in a go up the block...small to big cog...but only one at a time the other way so I'm wondering if I'll be frustrated or wether its just a case that...."It used to be better...grumble grumble" and that in operation its actually just fine.
  • stevec205gti
    stevec205gti Posts: 366
    I believe the LH shifter was trimable (i think i've just invented a word there) so could be moved in small increments up and down it's entire range. This meant it could be used with any front mech set up and was popular with tourers as it meant that the gear cable could be run out the way of a bar bag, but any gear set up used.

    The '07 lever is more of a quick shift system like the Shimano set up with a big jump between rings but some small amount of trimability (another new one!) around each ring. I believe that this lever needs the Campag quickshift front mech.

    On both levers shifting up can be done in 3's, whereas shifting down is one at a time as per Shimano. I don't know if you could shift down more than one in a go with the old ones as i've got the '07 set up - though I think the main benefit is for the front mech change.
    Has the head wind picked up or the tail wind dropped off???
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    stevec205gti wrote:
    I believe the LH shifter was trimable (i think i've just invented a word there) so could be moved in small increments up and down it's entire range. This meant it could be used with any front mech set up and was popular with tourers as it meant that the gear cable could be run out the way of a bar bag, but any gear set up used.

    The '07 lever is more of a quick shift system like the Shimano set up with a big jump between rings but some small amount of trimability (another new one!) around each ring. I believe that this lever needs the Campag quickshift front mech.
    It doesn't.

    I first used my QS with an early 90's 105 mech, changed to a QS mech and there is sod all difference. With the latest rear shifter you can still shift 3 at a time to the large sprockets, but only one the other way.
  • stevec205gti
    stevec205gti Posts: 366
    In that case then it's the other way round - the QS front mech needs the '07 lever - pretty sure one of them's specific to the other
    Has the head wind picked up or the tail wind dropped off???
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    stevec205gti wrote:
    In that case then it's the other way round - the QS front mech needs the '07 lever - pretty sure one of them's specific to the other
    Possibly Steve, but my money would be on the new mech working with a non-QS shifter. Both Campag and Shimano do like you to put your hand deep in your pocket on the grounds of so-called incompatability between old and new systems. My nine speed rear mech is running faultlessly on a ten speed system despite Campag saying it wont.
  • stevec205gti
    stevec205gti Posts: 366
    yeah, probably. The most important thing is that some of the QS front mech is black so it goes with the carbon/alloy rear mech!!!! :lol:
    Has the head wind picked up or the tail wind dropped off???
  • Rob Sallnow
    Rob Sallnow Posts: 6,279
    Heavymental wrote:
    Quite often when I see reference to the new Centaur shifters I notice somebody will usually pipe up saying the previous model was sooo much better. Are they right?

    Yes and no.

    The Centaur and lower Ergos have inherited the inner workings first seen in the Xenon Ergos. This mechanism has been called Escape....after escapement movements in mechanical watches.

    The good news is that they are a lot cheaper to buy, lighter weight and no longer have G springs that need replacing after 10-15,000 miles.

    The bad news is they have a restriction in the amount of trim available in the front mech...on a triple it's limited to the middle ring only....on the rear you used to be able to go from the largest to smallest sprocket with one deep movement of the thumb button but now it's one gear per movement...you can still go up three sprockets in one go though. Also it would appear that you now can't mod them to work with 8 or 9 gear transmissions by swapping internal bits.
    I'd rather walk than use Shimano
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,091
    Pah, doesn't sound too bad. I'm off to price up a set of Centaur mechs and Ergos.

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