Campag Centaur: what might cause the front shifter to jam?

barrybridges

I wonder if anyone could help me.

I've got a 2010 Wilier Izoard with Campag Centaur 10 speed. It's great and I love it.

The problem comes when shifting from the small ring to the big ring.

Sometimes - maybe 1 in 5 times I'd estimate - I go to shift up and the shifter is jammed (the best way I can describe it) - I can't shift it up at all and the shifter just won't budge.

If I shift up/down at the back using the other lever and then try the front ring, sometimes it works, but often you need to go up/down the gears a few times before it works. I'm not sure that changing the back ring really is unjamming the front, or whether it's just co-incidence.

I'm not hugely bothered by it, but I'd like to fix it if I can. Does anyone know what might be causing it?

Monty Dog

Check the height and alignment of the mech cage, if too high, the chain can jam between the chainring and the cage.

g00se

Before worrying about the shifter internals, I would suggest settling up the front mech from scratch - following the campag technical docs word for word - they're on the campag website.

barrybridges

Thanks for this - very useful. Looks like I'll be spending the week re-assembling the front mech to see if that solves things!

sunburntknees

Clean it off and then spray some WD40 on it.

rolf_f

I've occasionally had a stuck upshift. Happens when my thumb is resting on the thumb shifter and being pressing on it very slightly

Monty Dog

Also check that lever hoods / bar tape aren't fouling the lever internals.
To check whether the shifter is working correctly, disconnect the cable and hold the end of the cable firmly between your fingers whilst actuating the lever - the pull should be firm and progressive. If you can feel any 'give' then it's likely that the shifter need servicing. Most front mech problems are down to first, poor alignment IME, then cables, then knackered mech and shifter last.

cycleclinic

I get this sometimes on my veloce but in reverse from big to small. I have yet to find a solution.

smidsy

thecycleclinic wrote:

I get this sometimes on my veloce but in reverse from big to small. I have yet to find a solution.

Shimano Groupset is THE solution

cycleclinic

I can't stand using shimano shifters or SRAM either. Record 10 speed shifter are the solution, so much nicer to use.