Silver alloy Campagnolo 11spd Ultra-shift levers?

[Mark McM]

I'm looking to move from Campagnolo 10spd to 11spd, and I'd prefer the shifters to be Ultra-Shift instead of Power-shift (I like to keep the ability to do do multiple shifts in both directions). However, I'd like the levers to be silver alloy, instead of black carbon. So, I have a few questions:

Is it true that the only silver alloy 11spd Ultra-shift levers Campagnolo has ever made were the 2010 Athena levers?

Campagnolo has made to silver alloy Power-shift shifters. Can the lever blades from these levers be retrofitted onto Ultra-shift shifters?


Apart from aesthetics, one of the reasons I'd like to use alloy lever blades is due to poor experiences with the durability of 10spd carbon shifter levers (particularly the downshift lever blade behind the brake lever, which was easily snapped off). Has the durability of the 11-spd Ultra-Shift lever blades improved over the 10spd versions?

[Black Dog]

Blades interchangeable. You will need to buy chorus shifters and put the Athena blades on them. There is no issue with durability on the 11 speed stuff that I know of. Been running 11 speed chorus for 5 years with zero issues.

[choke]

Campy never made silver 11sp Ultrashift levers.

You can use the silver Powershift blades\levers on an Ultrashift body - I did that to a set of Chorus bodies.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Blades interchangeable. You will need to buy chorus shifters and put the Athena blades on them. There is no issue with durability on the 11 speed stuff that I know of. Been running 11 speed chorus for 5 years with zero issues.

Brake and shift lever blades the same, Powershift and UltraShift btw

[Mark McM]

Great, this is good information, thanks everyone!

Now 2 follow up questions:

As I understand it, in 2015 the Ultra-shift groups (Chorus, Record, Super Record) got a new generation of shifters/derailleurs, which are officially incompatible with the previous 11spd shifters/derailleurs. At the same time, the Power-shift groups (Athena and below) retained the original generation 11spd designs. So, my questions are these:

- How incompatible are the 2 11spd shifter/derailleur generations actually? Does a mis-matched set mostly work, partially work, or not work at all?

- Does the new Potenza group use the original generation 11spd design, or the new generation 11spd design?

Obviously, the answer to these questions will determine which generation Ultra-shift shifters I would use as base if I were to swap lever blades, and which models of derailleurs they would be compatible with.

[mwynne]

Pre- and post-2015 generations are not compatible.
Offhand, not sure about Potenza though.

Originally Posted by Mark McM

- How incompatible are the 2 11spd shifter/derailleur generations actually? Does a mis-matched set mostly work, partially work, or not work at all?

- Does the new Potenza group use the original generation 11spd design, or the new generation 11spd design?

Obviously, the answer to these questions will determine which generation Ultra-shift shifters I would use as base if I were to swap lever blades, and which models of derailleurs they would be compatible with.

[zank]

Potenza is Power-Shift for the latest generation 11s.

[mistermo]

Campy DID make a silver ultrashift Centaur 10s for a couple years. I think it was 2009 and 2010. But no 11 unless you do the lever swap as mentioned.

[buldogge]

...or, buy a right (rear) 11s shifter assembly/body and create a new silver set using the 10s left shifter and silver blade from the 10s right shifter.

-Mark in St. Louis

Originally Posted by mistermo

Campy DID make a silver ultrashift Centaur 10s for a couple years. I think it was 2009 and 2010. But no 11 unless you do the lever swap as mentioned.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Great, this is good information, thanks everyone!

Now 2 follow up questions:

As I understand it, in 2015 the Ultra-shift groups (Chorus, Record, Super Record) got a new generation of shifters/derailleurs, which are officially incompatible with the previous 11spd shifters/derailleurs. At the same time, the Power-shift groups (Athena and below) retained the original generation 11spd designs. So, my questions are these:

- How incompatible are the 2 11spd shifter/derailleur generations actually? Does a mis-matched set mostly work, partially work, or not work at all?

- Does the new Potenza group use the original generation 11spd design, or the new generation 11spd design?

Obviously, the answer to these questions will determine which generation Ultra-shift shifters I would use as base if I were to swap lever blades, and which models of derailleurs they would be compatible with.

The only thing that changed is the takeup spool in the back for 2015. The LH lever has a stop that prevents the thumb button from going past the last 'click' to prevent throwing the chain. Front ders(UltraShft) are cross compatible altho the 2015 with a longer arm, works better. I have 'heard' that rears are too altho I haven't tried this myself. Any of you shop goons have a chance to try this..please do and report.

Powershift for 2015 became much more durable but ders remained the same(droopy thumb button is the 2015+ characteristic). 2015 Potenza is essentially 2015 Athena with new graphics.

To 'make' silver 11s Ultrashift..get Centaur silver brake and shift lever blades and swap..I can do it for you if you wish.

Picture of 2014 and 2015 backs. Far right, 2015, center, 2014, left Centaur 10s US.

[zank]

Peter, you've said that a few times about Potenza being essentially 2015 Athena but with new graphics. What do you mean by that? Seems to me that everything about Potenza is different than Athena.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by zank

Peter, you've said that a few times about Potenza being essentially 2015 Athena but with new graphics. What do you mean by that? Seems to me that everything about Potenza is different than Athena.

Shifters are re-labeled Athena, guts, etc. Mainly talking about the shifters. Potenza is double only, Athena triple only..

[zank]

Ahh...gotcha. Thanks.

[Mark McM]

Thanks everyone, I think I've got an understanding now.

So, my plan is as follows:

I'll start with a set of used pre-'15 Chorus or Record Ultra-Shift shifters. Alternatively, new '09-'12 Chorus/Record Ultra-Shift body assemblies can be gotten for about $190 a set, so I may use those as a base instead.

I'll acquire a set of Athena silver Power-Shift shifters, and use these for the lever blades, and perhaps also for the pieces missing from the Ultra-Shift body assemblies (primarily the mounting clamps).

For the derailleur I'll get an Athena silver derailleur. The standard short cage should just cover my maximum intended gearing range (12/29 cassette, 50/34 compact crank).

If I start with new body assemblies, the only pieces missing should be Ultra-Shift hoods; In which case, I'd use Far And Near replacement hoods so I can have blue hoods to match my bike.

I'm already using 11 spd cranks on my 10spd bike, and theoretically the 10spd front deralleur should work with the Ultra-Shift shifters. Of course, I'll need an 11spd cassette (which should fit on my 10spd hubs) and an 11spd chain.

[R3awak3n]

you could always just get chorus levers and then buy athena blades in silver ($50 each). Your shift button would still be black though but would definitely be cheaper.