Ergo lever seized

debeli

My son was on the Turbo and swapping chainring when suddenly nothing happened.

The thumb button of the left Ergo-lever (Veloce, maybe 2008 vintage) has seized. The finger-lever seems OK, but as the chain is now stuck on the big ring, I cannot be sure. The brake lever is fine, It looks as if it's just the thumb button (downchanger). I'd like to have a poggle with it myself, but it looks complex.

Are these Veloce items (not that high in the Campag rankings) repair items or 'chuck away and replace'.

If the former, is there a good guide out there on how to free them up and get them working?

In case I attract derision for letting things come to this, I should add that I am lazy and not great when it comes to regular maintenance, but not completely mechanically illiterate. I gather that some Campag (posher stuff) can be rebuilt and the cheaper end cannot.

Any pointers on good advice or where to find it would be most welcome. Apologies for my ignorance, but that's why I'm asking.

ugo.santalucia

Yes, it can be repaired

here is the people you need to talk to

http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/index.shtml

ju5t1n

There are some very good maintenance videos on YouTube. I had a Centaur lever fail on me earlier this year – so I took it apart and reassembled it following the instructions in the film. It worked fine afterwards

blackpoolkev

Sending an old unit to be repaired can be expensive.My Athena ergo lever failed - parts,labour,P+P(x2) -£65.
I've seen a brand new pair for under £100.

rolf_f

blackpoolkev wrote:

Sending an old unit to be repaired can be expensive.My Athena ergo lever failed - parts,labour,P+P(x2) -£65.
I've seen a brand new pair for under £100.

Fine as long as you aren't replacing an ultrashift lever with a powershift one. £65 to get your ultrashift lever repaired is better value than a new pair of powershift Athenas.

ugo.santalucia

blackpoolkev wrote:

Sending an old unit to be repaired can be expensive.My Athena ergo lever failed - parts,labour,P+P(x2) -£65.
I've seen a brand new pair for under £100.

If you don't feel emotionally attached to your own shifters to the point of wanting to get them repaired, you deserve a SRAM groupset!!

debeli

Many thanks for all the advice. Happy news in the end... the thumb button was seized because the threaded stop-adjustor was bent and had jammed the cable.

I didn't find out until it was all in pieces, but I'll know what to check next time.

The worst of the cost? My son wants it put back together with red bar tape on the left (port) and green on the right (starboard). He seems not to care about my budget - but I so hate bartape conformity that I have to give in to his request.

Very many thanks for all the helpful guidance. Velotech looks a good place to turn to next time, when I'm not so lucky.

stoobydale

I quite agree. Not as much traffic in the shipping lanes. Surface is a bit tough going though.

debeli

I fitted water wheels. It goes through water like a knife through butter off a duck's back.

But really... I'm so happy he wanted daft colours that don't go with the frame, saddle or wheels. All I see being ridden these days are posho carbilux wanktastico featherweights where the full team kit of the rider matches the bar tape, the bidon, the saddle, the frame and the dust caps.

rolf_f

Debeli wrote:

I fitted water wheels. It goes through water like a knife through butter off a duck's back.

But really... I'm so happy he wanted daft colours that don't go with the frame, saddle or wheels. All I see being ridden these days are posho carbilux wanktastico featherweights where the full team kit of the rider matches the bar tape, the bidon, the saddle, the frame and the dust caps.

Maybe you spend too much time riding with pro teams. I can remember once in the last couple of years seeing someone who was riding bike and gear fully matched. Inferiority complexes aren't pretty.