Campagnolo ergo setup help?
 

This is my first time working with Campagnolo (or any really) integrated shifter/brake levers. I was trying to run the cables last night, but there was something the instructions wasn't clear on. Do I need to put ferrules on the ends of the housing that I insert into the shifter? The instructions just said to make sure to cut the housing perpendicular (the housing end cut from the manufacturer looked good, so I figured I'd only cut the cable stop end), but I think it specifically said not ferrules weren't needed for the brake housing (if I remember right, it's not in front of me), but didn't say that for the shift housing. So can I go without? I think I'm going to have to redo it anyway because I somehow managed to put a big kink in the brake cable that makes the housing kink and I can't get out, but want to make sure I do it right when I do it.

Also, I managed to put a small tear in the hood of one of the levers. Is that tear going to grown over time and should I replace the hood now before I get everything installed, or is it likely to stay small and a replacement would be for cosmetics only?

thanks so much.

I'm pretty sure you can do without ferrules. What you don't want to do is jam a slightly too-large ferrule in there which may shift over time.

As for the tear, bummer. Depends where it is.

I just ordered some replacement 9s Ergo hoods... $50. Didn't like the Hudz I bought; found em thin and cheap next to the originals.

Tear is on the outside of the right lever at the corner where it's a 90 degree angle from the bit that goes around the whole body to the bit that goes up toward the top. I decided to try pulling the top back to adjust the screw to move the lever rather than flipping the hood up from the bottom as it made it a lot easier to see the screw. Even easier once I made the half centimeter tear in that corner. I see them for about $30 for ones that fit my 2011 Centaurs, so I might try to replace them. I was more bummed about screwing up the cable and having to buy a new $50 cable set. Not sure what I was doing with my eyes whether they'd crossed or what, but I managed to run the brake cable through where the shifter cable was supposed to go. It fit, but I got a nasty kink in the cable and probably screwed up the housing of that shifter cable by forcing the fatter brake cable down there. So yeah, yesterday was an $80 oopsie. Almost cheaper to buy a new set of veloce shifters from one of the british online shops than fixing this mistake.

As a rule of thumb for anything cable related on a bicycle, if you can get a ferrule in there, by all means, if you can't, don't force it.

I overhauled some first generation chorus ergos this past weekend and both cables had [stepped] ferrules. I believe both housings were 4mm- they must have been, I've had trouble getting my bulk 5mm jagwire housing to seat in second gen ergos with a ferrule in the past.

Stepped ferrules? I think there was one of those that came with my housing. Wasn't sure why there was only one. I figured it must be for the rear cable stop or something, but didn't try to see if it'd fit. Was I supposed to have 2?

Stepped ferrule is for OLLLLD steel frames that didn't have a slotted housing stop on the chain stay. Many older frames had an closed stop w/ a hole that was smaller than 4mm, so it needed a stepped ferrule. Campy keeps supplying one w/ their cable kits.
10 speed Ergo shifters use a ferrule at the shifter end of the shift housing. 11 speed levers do not.

OK, mine are 10 speed, so I'll give them a try then. Just for shift housing and not break, right? The frame I'm using is a late 80's/early 90's Concorde Aquila and I don't think there's a slot in the stop, so I'll check to see which ferrule fits best. Just so I'm clear with what you're saying, the cable set for 10 and 11 speed from current era ergos is the same, it's just the shape of the shifters themselves that require ferrule for 10 speed and not 11?

There are some very very minor differences in the cable sets, but yes...ferrules for 10speed shifters, no ferrules for 11speed. No ferrules on the brake housing in either 10 or 11. You may need the stepped ferrule on the chain stay or not, you'll know as soon as you look at it.

I just checked the manual that came with my 10sp Record QS shifters and can confirm that a ferrule is needed on the shifter housing at the ergo lever...this was pre-installed on the shifter housing that came standard with these shifters. No ferrule is used on the brake housing at the ergo lever.

I also checked the tech docs on campy's website to check on later model ergo levers and for 2010 it mentions that the shifter housing is 4.1mm but does not mention using a ferrule on the end inserted in the ergo lever like it specifically does in the manual for the 10sp QS ergos that I have. The 2010 tech doc specifically mentions that the Ultra Shift levers do not require brake casing end at the ergo lever. It also infers that no casing end (ferrule) is needed at the caliper either.

-j

Ultrashift and Powershift levers don't take ferrules regardless of cog count.

First generation ergo levers (pointed hoods) do. I couldn't speak to the second generation levers (original rounded shape) which I skipped over.

If you'll keep the Ergos until they die, you should probably grab a second pair. NOS is spendy.

Whoops, just noticed that those hoods are for ultra shift levers and I'm pretty sure Centaurs are power shift. Anybody know if ultrashift hoods will work on powershift levers? Are the bodies the same and just the ability to drop multiple gears different, or is there a different body shape too?

thanks so much

Those cable sets come with washers in addition to ferrules. If you don't use a ferrule at the shifter end, then use a washer. Make sure you have an awesome seat between the cable housing and the washer - the cut has to be clean and 90 degrees. I get super low friction with this approach.

Don't remember seeing any washers in my cable set.

they're in the bag wit hthe ferrules. they are tiny.

My 10-speed Record shifters have never had ferrules on the housings at the shifter ends.

YMMV - I ran for years without ferrules, then with ferrules, and finally with the washers (no ferrules). The washers gave me the smoothest shifting. I want all my other miles back!

OK, I'll definitely hunt those washers down then.