# Shifter bearings vs bushings?



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

I snapped up a set of 10 speed 2010 Centaur carbon ergo levers before they became unobtainable. They don't have bearings like my faithful 1996 Chorus MkI levers.

What sort of performance and longevity differences exist between bearing and bushing ergo units?


----------



## ericjacobsen3 (Apr 27, 2007)

*Did you check for the bearings, '10 Centaur should have them*

My 2009 Veloce levers did not have bearings (and they worked poorly). My 2010 Veloce levers DO have bearings and work great. Of course I don't know that there is a part number change to distinguish 2009 from 2010. There could be old stock trickling out.

You cannot go by Campy literature which has referenced both bushings and bearings in lower groups. From all I have heard, ALL '10 Ultrashift levers have had bearings, though I have not looked in my '10 Athena levers that take a lot of force to push but otherwise shift ok.


----------



## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

To my knowledge, Centaur levers have never had bearings. Only Chorus and above. And given the info in all of our suppliers catalogs, 2010 Chorus has bushings, leaving only Record and Super Record with bearings. 

I have two bikes with "Ultra Shift" Centaur 10 and one with Record 8 Ti and, believe me, those old Record 8's have a much lighter feel than the Centaurs. Not to say the Centaurs don't perform very well - just more resistance to the shifting movement.


----------



## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*not so...*

You've got something wrong with your setup if any ultrashift model has a heavy feel.

It's easy to tell if your levers have bearings. Look closely at the finger lever pivot area. There's a metal bracket that rests against the ergo body. If there are bearings in the body, then you can see a sliver of the bearing OD right against the metal bracket. 

Bushings were only used briefly, in 2009 with the Centaur and lower level ultrashift levers. I have a pair (converted to 11 speed) and they work just fine. No heavy feel at all. Sometime in 2009, all levels were switched to bearings.


----------



## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

C-40, I differ with you at my peril.

But I do trust QBP, the biggest, most comprehensive supplier of bike parts. The quantity and quality of the technical information contained in their catalog and on their "dealer only" website is unparalleled.

They state that for 2010 only Super Record and Record Ergoshift levers have bearings in the movement. Chorus is listed as bushing as is every model below.

For the 2009 levers, all below Chorus are specified as bushing. 

Finally, both pairs of my 2006 Ultrashift Centaurs are bushing.


----------



## ericjacobsen3 (Apr 27, 2007)

Richard, the official "plan" was bushings for lower levers. It appears Campy started using more bearings as complaints came in about poor shifting -perhaps for a number of reasons and the bearings was one they could readily address. It could also be that they over ordered parts. From a marketing standpoint it probably is better to keep claiming a difference to maintain motivation to buy the higher groups and to avoid complaints from the guy who bought the older stock w/o bushings. 

As I mentioned before my lowly '10 Veloce lever's have bushings where '09 ,did not.

Note, cables such as Gore can make a difference so that older levers feel easy to push.


----------



## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*well...*

This is not the first discussion on this topic. I've seen pictures posted of Centaur shifters with bearings, starting in late '09. Earlier Centaur and lower level ultrashift levers have bushings, but apparently a running change was made to drop the bushing. My ultrashift levers with the bushings work just fine. I've got other Record shifters and can't tell a bit of difference.

A few people have had problems with cable end protruding enough that if rubs the ergo body and causes major problems. 

A whole lot of Campy's literature is out of date, so you really can't believe anything you read, particularly from some place like QBP.

Like I said, you can actually see a little of the bearing OD at the finger lever pivot, if you have doubts whether a shifter has bushing or bearings.


----------



## hodad200 (Mar 31, 2010)

From cc's listing for 2010 chorus shifters:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/p...1-ultra-shift-ergopower-levers-5276.36.1.html


Here's a bit of irony for you. Even though Chorus 11 sits beneath Super Record 11 and Record 11 in the Campagnolo food chain, these Chorus 11 Ultra Shift Ergopower levers are in fact the structural twin to the Record 11 Ergopower levers. Campagnolo originally intended to build these levers with bushings instead of bearings, but once they started production they chose to use the Record bearing mechanism instead. Other than the Chorus decal -- and the $50 price savings -- these are Record 11 levers.


----------



## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Yes, Campy can drive one crazy with their "literature." But I can say this.

My "bushing" Centaur brakes and levers work as smoothly as a lot of Record setups we've had come into our shop. A lot has to do with using Campy cables and housing and attention to detail in installation and adjustment.

All that being said, I still have yet to use a setup that works as smoothly, as precisely, and as effortlessly as my "ancient" Record 8 speed.


----------



## oily666 (Apr 7, 2007)

Drew Eckhardt said:


> I snapped up a set of 10 speed 2010 Centaur carbon ergo levers before they became unobtainable. They don't have bearings like my faithful 1996 Chorus MkI levers.
> 
> What sort of performance and longevity differences exist between bearing and bushing ergo units?


I have _Mirage 8 _speed on a 1996 Bianchi Eros. Even though not my only bike, not even my main bike, it's still probably got 25K on it. If this is how bushings perform, I'm all for it. It's smoother and quieter than my Chorus 10 that's had one rebuild since 04 with about the same miles. The Mirage stuff gets a quick shot of Tri-Flo once a year...that's been the extent of the maintenance. My local wrench told me, bearings just save a few grams.


----------

