Campagnolo levers -- buttons too strong, springs too weak?

I recently purchased a pair Campagnolo of ergopower levers, and have
found that the thumb-operated buttons are almost impossible to depress
-- they require a huge amount of force. Is there any way to adjust this?

Secondly, the return springs on these units are very weak. I am afraid
that, when installed, there will not be sufficent force to fully close
my bartop cross levers. The cross levers tend to open on their own due
to leverage from the cable housing. Is there any way I can increase the
spring tension or otherwise keep the cross levers closed?

Thanks,
-Mike

If they are new levers they will be stiff. Campy's wear in overtime. I will
have gone exclusively to Record gear on all road bikes. This is just my
preference. Why? because the shifting is very positive and crisp. After time
it gets easier but never mushy. I am not familiar with the other levers and
their compatibility with Campy. Sounds like the application may not be
correct. I mean that the Campy internals were not designed to operate
through another mechanism.

--
I never submitted the whole system of my
opinions to the creed of any party of men
whatever in religion, in philosophy, in
politics, or in anything else where I was
capable of thinking for myself. Such an
addiction is the last degradation of a free
and moral agent.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Hopkinson, March 13, 1789

"none" wrote in message news:_f1Ue.446$Ef2.152@trndny04...
I recently purchased a pair Campagnolo of ergopower levers, and have found
that the thumb-operated buttons are almost impossible to depress -- they
require a huge amount of force. Is there any way to adjust this?

Secondly, the return springs on these units are very weak. I am afraid
that, when installed, there will not be sufficent force to fully close my
bartop cross levers. The cross levers tend to open on their own due to
leverage from the cable housing. Is there any way I can increase the
spring tension or otherwise keep the cross levers closed?

Thanks,
-Mike

none wrote:

I recently purchased a pair Campagnolo of ergopower levers, and have
found that the thumb-operated buttons are almost impossible to depress
-- they require a huge amount of force. Is there any way to adjust this?

Secondly, the return springs on these units are very weak. I am afraid
that, when installed, there will not be sufficent force to fully close
my bartop cross levers. The cross levers tend to open on their own due
to leverage from the cable housing. Is there any way I can increase the
spring tension or otherwise keep the cross levers closed?

I was confused until I read the "when installed" (as in "future
tense"). You've obviously got the levers into "ergo lock" - you're
NOT supposed to be playing with 'em until they're hooked up to the
cable - they can get good and locked up (and apparently have).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Mark Hickey wrote:
I was confused until I read the "when installed" (as in "future
tense"). You've obviously got the levers into "ergo lock" - you're
NOT supposed to be playing with 'em until they're hooked up to the
cable - they can get good and locked up (and apparently have).

Ahh, crap -- there was nothing whatsoever about that in the instruction
manual. They are not locked, but the thumb levers are very hard to push.
Have I screwed them for good and, if so, how can I fix them?

-Mike

none wrote:

Mark Hickey wrote:
I was confused until I read the "when installed" (as in "future
tense"). You've obviously got the levers into "ergo lock" - you're
NOT supposed to be playing with 'em until they're hooked up to the
cable - they can get good and locked up (and apparently have).

Ahh, crap -- there was nothing whatsoever about that in the instruction
manual. They are not locked, but the thumb levers are very hard to push.
Have I screwed them for good and, if so, how can I fix them?

I've never gotten a set in "lockup mode", but you should just install
'em and see if they work with a little fiddling. Or you could try
posting to rec.bicycles.tech - there are lots o' Campy experts over
there who I know know the answer.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame