You'll have to bear with me, as I'm completely new to the cycling world, but I had a question about how campy brake / shifter levers worked, fundamentally.

My main bike is a fixie, but since soon here I'm going to start training seriously, and ride with groups come spring with the hopes of racing eventually, I'm gonna need to get some ... you know, gears.

The geared bike that I have (doesn't fit me well at all, so no good for serious rides anyhow) is equipped with 7-speed Sora stuff. I don't like using it very well; The levers feel 'mushy,' and when I try to shift the 'lever pull' direction, I often end up missing the shift, or shifting AND braking. This has led to me doing some ugly things, like kicking off the chain while 'panic braking.' It's part of what drove me to a fixie!

I understand that Campy levers work a little differently -- I am inferring from a lot of the posts I read that, on a campy 'Ergopower' creation, there are THREE devices - an 'upshifter,' a 'downshifter,' and a 'brake,' just situated close together? I'd love it if my brake levers didn't go back n' forth.

You'll have to bear with me, as I'm completely new to the cycling world, but I had a question about how campy brake / shifter levers worked, fundamentally.

My main bike is a fixie, but since soon here I'm going to start training seriously, and ride with groups come spring with the hopes of racing eventually, I'm gonna need to get some ... you know, gears.

The geared bike that I have (doesn't fit me well at all, so no good for serious rides anyhow) is equipped with 7-speed Sora stuff. I don't like using it very well; The levers feel 'mushy,' and when I try to shift the 'lever pull' direction, I often end up missing the shift, or shifting AND braking. This has led to me doing some ugly things, like kicking off the chain while 'panic braking.' It's part of what drove me to a fixie!

I understand that Campy levers work a little differently -- I am inferring from a lot of the posts I read that, on a campy 'Ergopower' creation, there are THREE devices - an 'upshifter,' a 'downshifter,' and a 'brake,' just situated close together? I'd love it if my brake levers didn't go back n' forth.

yup...the brake is separate--just like the brakes of old. There is a button for downshifting and a lever that moves to the side (like the whole shifter does for Shimano) for upshifting. Brakes are not affected by shifting as sometimes they can be with the Shimano system in my experience. I've sometimes accidentally hit the brake when trying to get into the big ring on DA systems I've ridden. Suppose you do get used to it though.

Great, thanks. Love the quote. It's quite -- appropriate -- to our geopolitical situation, no? ;)

yup...the brake is separate--just like the brakes of old. There is a button for downshifting and a lever that moves to the side (like the whole shifter does for Shimano) for upshifting. Brakes are not affected by shifting as sometimes they can be with the Shimano system in my experience. I've sometimes accidentally hit the brake when trying to get into the big ring on DA systems I've ridden. Suppose you do get used to it though.

the 3 parts being seperate, but the button is for UPshifting, and the paddle for DOWNshifting, not the way you have described it. when you UPshift, you are shifting to a HIGHER gear, and DOWNshifting is of course the opposite. you're probably talking about shifting up and down the cogset...

Another point since you said that you were new to cycling: with Ergo, you can make 9 shifts (basically allowing you to shift from the biggest ring/cog to the smallest ring/cog) on your thumb shifter. You can similarly make multiple shifts using the paddle (from small to big). So when you're rear-shifting you can go from your biggest cog to your smallest one. Very convenient when compensating after shifting the front rings, and for quick changes in speed/cadence.

For front-shifting, the Ergo is double- and triple-chainring compatible. I'm hooked on these conveniences, and I love the crispness that I get from Campy. Shimano detractors often flaunt the quietness of their shifting, but that quietness seems only lasts a month's worth of serious riding (upon observing my roommate/teammate's Shimano-equipped bike) and afterwards they get clunky. So I guess I'm hooked on Campagnolo for life. Bless Uncle Tulio's soul. *sniff sniff*