Campy 8spd Ergo group - keep it?

[d_douglas]

I have recently come across a used, full first gen 8spd Chorus group that I snapped up to put on an early 90's Cinelli SC frame that my wife bought me as a wedding gift. The frame is one of those keepers that will stay in my stable until it dies, because it is a classic steel frame but mostly because of sentimental value.

While the Chorus group is more or less period-correct for the frame (the frame might be JUST pre ergo, but who cares!?) I have grown used to modern 10spd Campy stuff like what I use on my Serotta.

I have a friend who is begging me for the group, for no real reason other than he needs a group for his first road bike, and he has good taste. As i could not afford a Record or Chorus 10spd group for my Cinelli, I have been pondering selling the 8spd stuff to my buddy and buying a used 10spd Daytona or Veloce group to use on the Cinelli and satisfy my need for modern shifting.

What do you think? The eight spd stuff is stylish, clunky and suited to the frame. It is in good (not great) shape and seems as though it will shift no problem.

Or, should I abandon the cool factor of the old Campy and buy cheap new Campy that will likely perform better and be much easier to get parts for?

The vintage group might require a new cassette sometime soon (not sure, but a guess) and the hoods on the ergo are shiny and just starting to tear on the sides, so they will need replacing. I should be able to find this stuff without much problem, but one never knows?! The hubs need an overhaul, but that is just some bearings and grease, so no problem...



SO, to recap: modern vs vintage? Form vs function? Paid and sitting in storage vs need to find and likely spend more money?

Opinions?

My heart says stay vintage, but.....



BY THE WAY, if consensus say that I should keep this stuff, does anyone have an extra set of pointy hoods and/or a 12-26 type 8spd cassette??

[Vancouverdave]

Keep it. It can still be maintained; springs and hoods are available for the shifters, Miche makes cassettes that fit the hub, many 8 speed chains are available and it's a pretty omnivorous shifting system that way. If Campy quits the 135mm chainring pattern, Vuelta and Stronglight will probably continue to take up that slack. It's a good working, lower maintainance group than current stuff.

[97CSI]

Damn.......tough decision. I am riding a 9-speed Athena group and would make life easier to go to 10-speed as I could then share all the wheels, cassettes, etc. But, I think the Athena with the name stamped into the fronts of the brake levers is the nicest looking of the non-carbon Ergo brifters. I vote for the 8-speed, unless you need 10 (does anyone really need 10?).

Branford Bikes used to have about every repair part needed. I would buy up and hoard the internals of the Ergos (spings, cam, etc.) as they are becoming less and less common. Same with cassettes, chains and chainrings. Although you can always use 9/10 speed if the spacing on the cassette is correct. There are a few other places for parts, like Vecchio's in Boulder. And, of course, eBay.

It is nice to have options.

[chrisroph]

I had a C-8 set come to me and I gave it to a friend who was getting back into riding. He gets more use out of it than I ever would have.