Campagnolo Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions that we are frequently asked with regard to Campagnolo matters. Please check these before sending us an email or calling us:

:: Warranty

Q: What is the proper Campagnolo Warranty Procedure?

A: The correct procedure depends on who you are, and how you came to own your Campagnolo parts. If you:

• Are an end-user ... You can return parts to us at Velotech Cycling Ltd by recorded or registered post. The part needs to be accompanied by a valid proof of purchase of less than 3 years' age (or 4 years in the case of a registered 11 speed part, 3 years if it is unregistered) and a description of the fault, plus a fully completed warranty returns form including contact details so that we can contact you to acknowledge receipt and give you a schedule for return. Alternatively you can return it to your dealer.
• Are a retailer ... if the part is aftermarket, the part needs to go back to the supplying wholesaler, following their returns proceedure, and with a valid proof of purchase and warranty claim form as set out above. They will either warranty it themselves, or will refer it to us, or very, very occasionally, Campagnolo in Italy.
  If the part is OEM, it can come straight back to us, but again we must have a valid proof of purchase and the warranty claim form mentioned above.
• Are an OEM ... please return the part to us as if you were an end user.

Please note:

• We will only process parts for warranty if we have a valid proof of purchase or copy of the same. No PoP = no warranty. This is not our rule, but Campagnolo's. Without it, we don't get paid, so won't do the work.
• We ask for parts to be sent recorded or registered post or carrier because we have had cases where parts sent us have not arrived. If parts are not sent by trackable, signed-for carriage, we will not accept any liability for their loss in transit. For the same reason, this is the only way we will usually return parts, unless otherwise requested in writing, or unless a return by hand is arranged.

Q: What is the proper Campagnolo Warranty Procedure for parts bought abroad?

A: The Campagnolo warranty requires that a part that may be subject to a Warranty claim must go back to the country from which it was bought - so an item bought mail order by, say, an Australian customer from a UK retailer must return it to that UK retailer for warranty.

:: Ergopower, general

Q: I am having real problems getting my Ergopower index to work.

A: In many cases we find that this problem is quite easily resolved. Ergopower is easy to set up provided that you follow the basic rules that are as true for every other index system as they are for Campagnolo Ergopower :

• Ensure compatibility of your frame (generally a good idea prior to purchase) by checking Campagnolo's Technical Manual - you can download it here or obtian it from Velotech Cycling Ltd, or ask your dealer if he has or can obtain a copy - all the wholesalers that import Campagnolo into the UK receive a number of copies with each consignment they import.
• Ensure that the hanger fixing bolt is adequately tight. The rear gear hanger must also be accurately aligned - even new hangers can be considerably "out". This is generally a job for your Campagnolo ProShop or other competent, suitably-equipped and trained dealer.
• Make sure that all the parts that you have are compatible with each other - all Campagnolo 10 speed parts will work with each other, all Campagnolo 9 speed parts will work with each other, and the 9 and the 10 speed rear gears are mechanically similar - the only difference being the width of the jockey wheels in some versions - checking the width can be done easily & quickly with a vernier and appropriate spares can be ordered from us ...
• Make sure that chain length is correct and that you are using an appropriate front and rear gear for the range of gears that you are trying to fit.
• Only use genuine Campagnolo inners and outers with Ergopower or other Campagnolo index levers. Other manufacturer's products may not work correctly as they may have different specifications for compressibility, elongation, etc. and may have different nipple sizes to Campagnolo.
• Make sure that if you are fitting new cables, you have trimmed from the end with the Campagnolo logos and without the fixed end ferrule fitted (where it is present) - the cables are pre-lubricated in the "blank" end and won't require further lubrication for many months in normal conditions. We generally advise that the factory-trimmed end of the gear or brake cable should be fitted into the lever.
• Once the cables are trimmed, check to ensure that they are cut at 90 degrees across the cable, and that you have returned them to a round external profile, and that the inners move cleanly and with minimal friction through the outers.
• In general it is not necessary to trim the short length of gear outer that fits between the frame and rear gear.
• Where cables, gear or brake are trimmed, ensure that adequate length remains for smooth cable paths and no impediment to steering.
• Make sure that the low-friction cable guides under the bottom bracket are Campagnolo items, and that they are firmly attached to the frame, and conform accurately to the shape of the bottom bracket shell.
• Follow the set-up as described in the instructions or on the Campagnolo website exactly - don't skip stages.

:: Ergopower conversions

Q: Can I convert a 10sp lever to an 11sp?

A: Yes and no - all the 2009/10/11 UltraShift levers, 10 and 11 speed, have a totally new design of internal that bears no real relation to the previous versions. We can, however, place UltraShift 10 speed internals into Ultrashift 11 speed levers - so customers who have 10 speed Record and Chorus, systems, for example, who wish to upgrade to the new-shape lever but don't want to upgrade the full transmission to 11 speed, can do so. It therefore follows that we "could" put 11 speed internals into the Centaur UltraShift Alloy 10 speed lever for those who want an 11 speed system but prefer, say, alloy to Carbon brake levers.

Q: Can I convert an 9sp Ergolever to 10sp?

A: Depending on the model, this can often be done. Version 1 Ergopower levers, identified by the "pointy" style hoods (EC-RE500) from model years 1997, 98 and 99 can usually be converted, but only by re-machining some of the internal parts. Whilst it is possible, it is also costly. We generally need to see the levers to be sure as there were a number of running changes to the internal design at this time. Version 2 levers from 1999 onwards, specifically Record and Chorus 1999 - 2008, Daytona / Centaur, Veloce, Mirage 1999 - 2005 all share enough internal similarities to allow conversions between 9 and 10 speed. We can undertake this work, at £27.50 - £45.00 (in the case of Version 1 levers) inc VAT per lever plus parts (normally about £35.00 at the time of writing for 9 to 10 speed, 8 to 9 or 10 speed, POA).

Q: Can you "pimp my levers"?

A: Depending on the model, we can often change inner lever blades, brake lever blades, P spring carriers, handlebar clamp bolts and some of the internals to make levers lighter or more durable. In the 'cross season, we are often asked to change the composite inner lever for alloy - see the notes below in the FAQs for some points where that operation is concerned.

:: Known Issues

Q: I've heard that there were some early issues with UltraShift 10 and 11s. Is this true?

A: Yes. The things that it is advisable to check are:

• That with 10s you have a compatible rear derailleur. Derailleurs designed to work with the "Escape" type shifters (Xenon, Mirage 2006 - present, Veloce, Centaur 2006-2008) may not work correctly. In some cases they are fine, in other cases it will be possible to get good indexing in one direction, but not in the other.
• Make sure that you are using genuine Campagnolo gear cables of the type recommended for your shift lever - there is a difference between in the outer cable diameter for UltraShift and earlier cable sets.
• Some earlier versions of the UltraShift lever had internal differences which in service can give shifting issues. If you detach the lever from the handlebar and look at it from the back, if the cable bush (the disc that the gear cable is threaded through at the lever end) is off-white, you may have an early production lever. in this case, and if the lever is not shifting accurately, please email us at camapgnoloasc"at"aim"dot"com for further advice.
• Some detail changes have been made to the return spring on the rear derailleur, as some frames have cable routing that generates a higher-than-normal friction in the rear gear cable. If cables are routed through the handlebars, or have to follow particularly tight curves, you may benefit from a more recent rear derailleur. In the vast majority of installations, this is not a problem.

Q: I have a composite-type upshift lever on my left-hand 9 or 10s Ergopower / downshift lever on my right-hand Ergopower ... can I change these for alloy items? I have had failures of the composite items.

A: These levers can be changed for alloy parts. Some users have had problems with these levers failing. The things that it is advisable to check before asking us to change this part (or doing it yourself) are:

• All your cable runs are smooth and not prone to the cable sticking - this is particularly a problem with left-hand levers and front derailleurs, often on winter bikes / training bikes / commuting bikes where the front gear can seize, or cables become corroded due to lack of regular cleaning combined with damp, road salt and in some cases we have seen, solidified enerrgy drink!. Lever failure can often be traced to too much force needing to be applied due to corrosion / "stickiness" issues.
• Make sure that your derailleurs are fully and correctly adjusted - failure of the inner lever is often attributable to repeated, over-violent shifts to get the chain up from the smallest chairing to the biggest, or up onto the biggest sprocket at the rear.
• Once the metal lever is in place, bear in mind that this can cause a knock-on effect in the "Escape" type shifters - Xenon, Mirage, Veloce & Centaur "QS", model year 2006 on. The problem can also affect you with a composite inner lever - that is that repeated, overly strong up-or down-shifts with either lever strain the pivots inside the lever body that the "Escape" mechanism revolves around, and can lead to the chain failing to stay on the big chainring / larger sprockets at the rear, or shifting all the way to top gear at the rear from the bigger sprockets when only a 1 gear shift is required. The fix for this is a complete Ergopower shifter body.
• An occasional problem that leads to inner lever failure in Chorus and Record 10s levers is that the thumb-lever jams in engagement with the ratchet that it drives - usually due to corrosion of the pivot - keep this area clean of sweat (a common problem on bikes used a lot on turbo trainers) and lubricate with a drop of Weldtite TF2 or similar thin teflon lubrricant on a regualr basis. When re-taping the handlebars, pay attention to not allowing the tape, or the hood when refitted, to foul the action of the thumb lever. Jamming the thumb lever in engagement with the ratchet will stop the inner lever from being able to turn the mechanism inside the lever and so will overstrain the inner lever.

Once you have checked the above, we can change the inner levers for a silver alloy replacement for as long as these are available from Campagnolo.

Costs are approximately (per lever, retail) £22.50 for parts and £30.00 labour & return of lever to you by 1st class recorded post. Normally, if the lever is of the Record / Chorus or pre 2006 type of the other ranges' lever, which have broadly similar internals, we would also advise changing the P-springs at the same time as a precaution. Cost for this is an additional £4.40

:: Compatibilities

Q: What is the compatibility between 10speed and 11speed?

A: When Campagnolo started down the path of developing 11 speed, they looked at virtually every part of the transmission and redesigned it to cope with the extra demands of 11 speed. Hence, the cranks and cassette bodies are the same, but 11 speed requires new chainrings, sprockets, chain, front and rear gears and Ergopower levers. In practical terms for the moment this means a new chainset as replacement rings are not yet readily available, and a stock needs to be maintained for those unfortunate enough to damage chainrings in a crash. The chain is narrower and MUST be joined with the new UT-CT300 chaintool.

Q: Which Ergo Levers are Ergobrain compatible?

A: The current 10s levers that are, are Record & Chorus 10s 2006-2010 and use a right hand Ergo body EC-RE631 and left-hand Ergo body EC-RE532.

Some previous versions on Veloce and Centaur up to the 2006 model year either were, or could be made so by swapping the body of the Ergolever itself for the part numbers above, as was also true of late Mirage 10s levers, again up until model year 2006. Some other internal parts also require changing, as EC-RE631-based levers have some dimension differences in the central pivot around which all the other parts rotate.

The versions of Ergopower that either are, or can be made, Ergobrain compatible are identified by having a thumb lever that allows multiple shifts (rather than the later "Escape" type, post model year 2006 in Xenon, Mirage, Veloce, Veloce Infinity and Centaur).

Also required is the drilling through the body of the lever at the top left of the right hand lever to accommodate the mode shift buttons of the system, and top right of the left hand lever. It is to gain these drillings that the bodies of these mid-range ergolevers need to be changed for the Record / Chorus items.

The internal workings of the Escape type levers (which use bodies EC-CE031 & 032) are very different from earlier versions and there is no cross-compatibility between these Ergopower bodies with the previous types. Apart from the brake lever sub-assembly itself, the inner lever sub-assembly behind the brake lever, and the lever clip, there are no interchangeable parts.

Q: Can I mix Campagnolo and "Brand X" components - will it work?

A: Whilst there are many occasions when a variety of vendors will mix Campagnolo and other manufacturer's parts, Campagnolo are quite specific in their advice that all Campagnolo parts are designed to work as an integrated system. Mixing other manufacturer's components may void warranty and will (almost) certainly lead to a degradation in performance. We can't advise on the mixing of other manufacturer's parts with Campagnolo components. All the information that we offer has to fall withing Campanolo's technical specification and published advice.

:: About us

Q: Are you part of Campagnolo?

A: No, we are an independent company which provides a warranty and servicing function to the UK market on behalf of Campagnolo SRL. We are contracted to provide this service. Whilst we work very closely with Campagnolo, and in particular with their service department, this means that we can only really answer queries with a direct bearing on the technical aspects of Campagnolo product.

Q: Do you sell groupsets or complete assemblies?

A: No, we concern ourselves with servicing and the small parts required to complete servicing jobs - for groupsets and complete assemblies we would refer the trade to one of the Campagnolo-appointed wholesalers in the UK, and members of the public to their local Campagnolo stockist. There is a slight grey area, insofar as we do supply commonly needed items such as brake blocks, lever hoods and complete cable sets ... but for a complete chainset, rear gear, Ergopower lever, etc., we'd refer you to one of the channels mentioned above.

Q: Are you qualified?

A: Yes. Prior to appointment, we were invited to Campagnolo in Vicenza and our basic competencies checked by the service department there. We carry out all proceedures in accordance with the methods laid down by Campagnolo, and work within the tolerances specified by them.

Q: Can I gain a qualification?

A: If you are employed in the cycle trade, yes, you can, provided that your basic competencies are sufficient - see the notes on "training" above.

Q: Do you supply old Campagnolo spares?

A: We can supply spares dating back some time, providing that Camapgnolo still make them. In general, the older the part, the less likely it is that we'll be able to order it from Camapgnolo, which is what you might expect. We are often asked for parts dating back to the late 1990s or earlier - these we can only very seldom help with - Ergopower brake hoods, brake blocks and some other spares are available, but in general there are third-party suppliers in a much better position to supply older parts than us.

:: Literature

Q: Is there a manual available with 2012 Campagnolo Technical information in it?

A: Yes, there is. It can be downloaded as a (rather big, at 9.7MB) PDF from here , or we can supply it either on CD-ROM (£2.50 + P and P) or on paper (£6.50 + P and P)

Q: Does the 2012 manual include information on EPS?

A: Not at this time. Campagnolo are still in the process of making all of the ProShops and their distributors worldwide aware of all of the technical features, requirements and service points with regard to EPS.