# Campagnolo power shift



## TinM (Nov 29, 2010)

Anyone knows something or could give her impression on the new campy levers? I'm talking of the "Power-shift system" common to centaur, athena, veloce.

The only thing we've heard until know is some people wining about the loss of multiple upshift (to smaller cogs) in one move, which really seems like not so much of a problem (like, you're pushing on the same pedal around once/second and that's not a problem is it?!)

Questions are: is it effective? Is it different from the escape mechanism? For upshift, does the action take place when pressing on the mouse ear or when releasing? If it works for 11s, I'd guess that it's brilliant for 10s??


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

Shimano has been using a similar system for years. It hasn't hurt them. Actually there was a guy who won the TDF 7 times on Shimano's version. I'm thinking it's really no big deal not to have multiple up or down shifts.


----------



## Nielly (Sep 21, 2009)

not sure about new powershift but on all three version of campy I have the upshift occurs when the mouse ear is depressed. can't see why that would change.


----------



## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Nielly said:


> not sure about new powershift but on all three version of campy I have the upshift occurs when the mouse ear is depressed. can't see why that would change.


FWIW, on Escape shifters, it happens on release.


Powershift I am not sure, but my guess is on depress - I'm not sure how the multiples would work otherwise.


----------



## Fai Mao (Nov 3, 2008)

I think he is confussing terms. The new Cranks are "Power Torque" the shifting mechanism on the lower lever groups is "Escape"

Power Torque is simply a simpler, easier to manufacture version of the external bearing cranks.


----------



## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

cs1 said:


> Shimano has been using a similar system for years. It hasn't hurt them. Actually there was a guy who won the TDF 7 times on Shimano's version. I'm thinking it's really no big deal not to have multiple up or down shifts.


By the same logic, no one should have more than 6 cogs on their bike, 'cuz a guy named Eddy won just about everything there was to win back in the '70s on a bike with 6 cogs.
.


----------



## TinM (Nov 29, 2010)

I was asking about the quality/reliability/ease of use (tuning...) of powershift.
Which I'm NOT confusing with powertorque...
http://www.campagnolo.com/jsp/en/groupsetdetail/item_eropowerVE10_catid_1.jsp

Powershift is most probably an offspring of escape, but it's marketed under a different name by campagnolo -- is this just marketing? And if powershift similar, then was escape good or bad? 

So I was asking for information/impressions on the new veloce/centaur/athena mechanisms. The fact that they can upshift just one cog means they are internally different than previous shifters, so are they any good? 

Otherwise we all know sram only upshift one at a time, and that's perfectly ok.


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

SystemShock said:


> By the same logic, no one should have more than 6 cogs on their bike, 'cuz a guy named Eddy won just about everything there was to win back in the '70s on a bike with 6 cogs.
> .


That's not a bad analogy. More gears are a marketing ploy. You get closer shifts at the expense of more weight and complexity in the drivetrain.


----------



## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Powershift is like this: it's similiar to Shimano with the single upshifts. But when you've experienced better (older Ultrashift), that seemingly insignificant loss is HUGE to us Campy folks. It just doesn't feel right. 

Otherwise there is no real change -- it still adjusts the same way, it's still as robust as older systems, etc.


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

SilverStar said:


> Powershift is like this: it's similiar to Shimano with the single upshifts. But when you've experienced better (older Ultrashift), that seemingly insignificant loss is HUGE to us Campy folks. It just doesn't feel right.
> 
> Otherwise there is no real change -- it still adjusts the same way, it's still as robust as older systems, etc.


I'm using a Daytona 10 sp and like being to able to shift the entire cassette at once. But in reality I almost never do. If Escape or Power Shift were all I had it wouldn't really change anything for me.

The point I was trying to make earlier seems to have been lost. The Pro's are out winning the TDF on shifters that function like a Power Shift. So, weekend warriors are really obsessing on something that has no effect on their performance at all. It's just another case of make believe outrage.

The problem with the old Escape wasn't that it could only shift one gear at a time. It was that it only lasted a few thousand mile before it stopped working. If Campy fixed the durability problem the new Power Shift should be a fine alternative to Shimano or SRAM. The price is certainly better.


----------



## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

cs1 said:


> That's not a bad analogy. More gears are a marketing ploy. You get closer shifts at the expense of more weight and complexity in the drivetrain.


Marketing ploy? Nah. There's a lot to be said for having the right gear at hand, instead of one that's "almost".

That said there is such a thing as overkill, and we are approaching it. 
.


----------



## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

cs1 said:


> I'm using a Daytona 10 sp and like being to able to shift the entire cassette at once. But in reality I almost never do. If Escape or Power Shift were all I had it wouldn't really change anything for me.
> 
> The point I was trying to make earlier seems to have been lost. The Pro's are out winning the TDF on shifters that function like a Power Shift. So, weekend warriors are really obsessing on something that has no effect on their performance at all. It's just another case of make believe outrage.
> 
> The problem with the old Escape wasn't that it could only shift one gear at a time. It was that it only lasted a few thousand mile before it stopped working. If Campy fixed the durability problem the new Power Shift should be a fine alternative to Shimano or SRAM. The price is certainly better.


Is the Escape mechanism that "throwaway"? I've got Centaur 10 shifters (Escape) on my CX bike. To be honest, I actually prefer that shifting to the Ultrashift of the Record on my road bike. It's lighter and snappier. I know a few years ago both DiLuca and Simoni had their Record shifters rebuilt with the Escape mechanism when they were racing for Campy sponsored teams (Escape was lighter), but it's durability is suspect?


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

SystemShock said:


> Marketing ploy? Nah. There's a lot to be said for having the right gear at hand, instead of one that's "almost".
> 
> That said there is such a thing as overkill, and we are approaching it.
> .


I did say that more gears give you closer ratios. So, it is easier to get the correct gear. The trade is heavier and more expensive cassettes.


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

Mr. Scary said:


> Is the Escape mechanism that "throwaway"? I've got Centaur 10 shifters (Escape) on my CX bike. To be honest, I actually prefer that shifting to the Ultrashift of the Record on my road bike. It's lighter and snappier. I know a few years ago both DiLuca and Simoni had their Record shifters rebuilt with the Escape mechanism when they were racing for Campy sponsored teams (Escape was lighter), but it's durability is suspect?


According to the guys in the Campy subforum it's not too durable. Campy did stop making them for a while and went back to the earlier Ergo. Then they cam out with the Power Shift. One can only suspect the Power Shift is a product improved Escape. There aren't too many reviews out on the Power Shift yet. I for one would like to see dome.


----------



## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

cs1 said:


> According to the guys in the Campy subforum it's not too durable. Campy did stop making them for a while and went back to the earlier Ergo. Then they cam out with the Power Shift. One can only suspect the Power Shift is a product improved Escape. There aren't too many reviews out on the Power Shift yet. I for one would like to see dome.


odd that they have been on the market for 3 months, and we cannot get a single review by an actual user.


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

bikerjulio said:


> odd that they have been on the market for 3 months, and we cannot get a single review by an actual user.


Agreed. Maybe I should buy a set.


----------



## masi85 (Feb 20, 2007)

I have a 2011 Veloce group with the Power Shift and it works perfectly fine to me. The rear shifting is super fast and light up or down. I believe the British magazine Cycling did a recent test between midlevel Shimano, Sram and Campy groups and the Campy Power Shift came out as having the fastest shifting amongst the three groups. I would say the front shifting is almost as good as the newest Shimano groups. If you set up the front derailleur as suggested with 3 clicks I never seem to have trim the front when on the big chainring to get all the rear sprockets without scraping. You can microclick the front derailleur back towards the small chainring by pushing the shift paddle in while pushing down on the shifting ear.


----------

