# "Soft Shifting" in 2009 Campy Centaur Ergos



## sjpitts (Nov 16, 2009)

I got a pretty specific campy question-- and you guys seem to be the expert.

I purchase a 90's vintage Olmo Leader a while back, and I have been planning on building it with Campy 10 speed.

The big expense here is the Ergo shifters. Velomine has some nice looking NOS Centaur shifters, both in the 2009 Alloy version, and the 2010 Carbon version. 

My preference is really for the Alloy shfters, as I think they would fit the look of the bike better. 

But I have read in several places that that the early 2009 Centaur Ergos suffered from "soft shifting". I read that there was at one time a repair kit to fix the problem (part number EC-CE110). And I also read that Campy fixed the problem some time in 2009. So presumably late 2009 and 2010 Centaur ergo's don't have the issue.

My questions are--is there any way to tell if the 2009 Ergo's are late enough to have the problem? Can you tell visually? The guy at Velomine said there was a date code and a bar code on the box. Any way to tell from that?

Or maybe this just really isn't that big an issue, and I shouldn't worry about it?

Or maybe I should just go with the Carbon 2010 version?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Jared

Pics of Olmo as I got it (because every thread needs pictures, and I have not been able to find anyone else who has this bike)


----------



## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Having gone thru the experience with the '09 Centaurs, I did several writeups in early '09. can't find them all now. one is here https://campyonly.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2032

Even when assembled correctly there is next to no "feel" on downshifts. with the upgrade there is some improvement, but still nothing like the previous generation. the kit is no longer available - it is said. exactly when the factory changed the internals - i've never seen a specific date mentioned - just late '09.

If you want a nicer look IMO go for the earlier chorus alloys - tho getting expensive now - like on my Coppi.


----------



## sjpitts (Nov 16, 2009)

Thanks much.

I really like the look of the new style shifters, and I read that they had some significant improvements. So I haven't looked to much at anything else.

It sounds like the safe bet is the 2010 carbon centaurs. I think they will look ok, just not as good.

But maybe you can do a visual inspection and tell if the 2009 alloys are upgraded? Any difference that is easily identified? How about the shift body with bearings instead of bushings? Is that visible without taking it apart?

Thanks for the help, and nice Coppi.


----------



## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

No, no external clues, though if you have both 2010 and original 2009 versions in your hands, I think you would feel a difference in the feel of the downshift (up to a bigger sprocket) finger lever.

As for improvements, yes there are some, but not enough that I would want to ditch my collection of classic levers. There is a slight amount of extra finger room, and braking from the hoods is better. On the downside, the "action" of the newer lever is less positive, and I think they look big & clunky next to the older ones.

So, in weighing the improvements against the negatives I come down firmly on the side of meh.


----------



## ultraman6970 (Aug 1, 2010)

Get the 2010 but not the escape one, get the ultrashift 2010 model. It is like 200 bucks in velomine. Those can shift multiple cogs and dont have problems mentioned. I have a set of the 2010 ultrashift ones. Good stuff.

If you go with the brifters u need to change the whole drive train just in case, non of the parts u have in that olmo will work... well maybe the FD and the brake set, all the other stuff must go. I did something similar to what u want to do with an italian made lemond, sold all the record C stuff and put everything new. The bike looks great and you get consistency with the other bikes in the stable.

Good luck.


----------



## sjpitts (Nov 16, 2009)

So to close out this thread, I went ahead and ordered new 2010 Centaur Ergo's from Velo Mine. These are the later carbon version.

I really wanted to get the 2009 aluminum version, as I think they would look better on my Olmo. But in the end I took your advice and went with the version that is more likely to shift better. The 2010 presumably shift better, and are still Ultra Shift. 

Now I just need to figure out what I am going to do about a wheelset.


----------



## jpdigital (Dec 1, 2006)

*You made the right choice.*



sjpitts said:


> So to close out this thread, I went ahead and ordered new 2010 Centaur Ergo's from Velo Mine. These are the later carbon version.
> 
> I really wanted to get the 2009 aluminum version, as I think they would look better on my Olmo. But in the end I took your advice and went with the version that is more likely to shift better. The 2010 presumably shift better, and are still Ultra Shift.
> 
> Now I just need to figure out what I am going to do about a wheelset.


I had a set early-run 2009 alloy Centaur Ultra Shifts; I tried everything imaginable to improve the shifting. By the time I looked for the fix kit, it was no longer availabe. So I was able to get a set of carbon 2010 Centaurs. The difference is night and day. I'm not sure how an 09 set w/ fix kit would compare, but the shifting on the 2010's is perfect.


----------

