Originally Posted by
EngrJack
Hi bike friends!
I’m considering options for building a NOS Italian road/racing frame. I’ve ridden bikes with grip shifters, thumb shifters, and bar end shifters. I’m unfamiliar with Campy Chorus 10s Ergo Shifters (I’m interested in them) and know nothing about how they work and feel. I’ve many options on what to build the bare frame with, including hubs and wheels. All I know is that for a mid nineties road frame, higher end campy and Italian made parts would make a cool bike. I do trust higher end Shimano....and Dia Compe and Suntour—before they lost the race with Shimano. Do any of you Road Bike guys have any suggestions?
—EngrJack
10sp “round top” Ergos are the best looking shifters, IMO - they’re also super comfortable in hand, and I like having the brake levers move in only one plane. I also really like silver/Al components. I started with 9sp Chorus ~1999, retrofitted them to 10sp ~2003 (required only a 10sp “ratchet”), had them overhauled last year with ~50,000 miles on them. I sent them to Branford in Seattle, where they determined that, rather than replace worn parts a la carte, it was more cost-efficient to replace the RHS shifter with a “Pro Pack” - essentially a new shifter body minus the rubber hood, brake lever and handlebar clamp, with the missing parts transplanted from the old shifter. They shift like new and are probably good for at least another 10 years. Setup is also really easy - the LHS shifter allows easy trimming and the RHS allows multi shifts up or down. I’m making somewhat of an investment in 10sp, and will likely run 10sp until/when/if Campag come up with a wireless electronic groupset (not interested in replacing my Litespeed nor drilling holes in it for a wired drivetrain). I have 2-3 cassettes, a couple of 135mm BCD chainrings and a compact crankset in reserve, and 10sp chains aren’t going anywhere. I think 10sp stuff might start getting more scarce as Campag stop making it, but NOS is going to be around for a while. I recently bought a pair of Campag Zondas - reasonably light, very pretty G3 lacing, and rock solid ~6000 miles in. Cost ~$350/
pr. C17 rim width gives my 25mm tires an effective width of 26-27mm, allowing me to drop the tire pressure a bit.
As far as the frame, as others have said, be realistic about how much you want to spend on a project centered around an old frame. At some point, it might be more cost-efficient to buy a newer bike that will give modern conveniences like wider tire clearance and disc brakes. That being said, 23/25mm tires and rim brakes have worked fine forever and will continue to do so, and the aesthetics of a classic frame and groupset shouldn’t be downplayed. Even 20 years in, my old Litespeed with C10 still makes me think “damn, that’s a good looking bike...” 😀👍