Problem with bar end shifters

[jools182]

I've got some old campagnolo bar end shifters

Just installed them but not having much luck making them work properly

The cables seems really stiff and both front and rear mech won't spring back when I shift the levers

I used jagwire cables, the coating on them seems pretty shit, most of it came off when installing them

For the routing I just copied it from some previous pics of my bike, This is how it was done when the previous owner had it

 

[originalshinkicker]

If the mechs won't return on their spring (and they do work normally under their own tension) and you are sure that the cables are good then it's the cable routing. To be honest, to keep the bar end shifters in the same style as the bike, you need to let the cables exit correctly and let the cables route to the cable stops as they should.

You may be able to get this current setup to work if you used longer lengths of outer cable. That's based on your second pic, as the cable seems to have a sharp angle as it exits the bar tape near the stem to move down to the cable stops, if you used longer outer then your outer wouldn't have a what looks like a sharp bend

 

[hamster]

With bar-ends it's often better to have the cable outers exit the bar tape at the 7 o'clock position on the hooks, and then flat to the frame stops.

To slacken the curves (a originalshinkicker sensibly advises) you could also fit the cables to the opposite sides on the stops (front right, rear left). Then cross the cables under the down tube.

 

[Tel]

 

[velomaniac]

Bar ends cables always exit the bar tape as per lower picture in my experience from the world of touring bikes. Never seen them remain under the cork tape all the way to the top. The more corners you need to curve around the greater the static friction.

 

[seaneee]

You should also check how tightly the screws that hold the levers in place are. Just like downtube shifters, how smooth they shift depends on how tight the screw is.

 

[keithglos]

The original Campagnolo inner wires were an extremely flexible 49 strand wire. In the original controls the lever had 2 holes to thread the cable, and it was strictly neccessary to thread them one hole then pull the cable right through, them do the second hole. If you threaded both holes then pulled the cable through you would have a cable of small circles, and it would never work.
Campagnolo were also helped by the stainless steel outer.
I was a H/B control user from 1950 to our last 1980 Italian team bikes in 1980, specially made with H/B controls.

 

[JimNicho]

Sorry to hijack, but it is a related question, and it saves a new topic. I have NEVER taped bars before so that is a bit of a daunting prospect in itself, but the thing that's puzzling me is... how do you fit the bard ends with the housings under the tape AND use them to hold the tape in the end of the bars?

 

[hamster]

You don't! I fit the levers, wrap the tape a full turn in exactly the right place and then continue as normal.

 

[David B]

The Fibrax braided stainless cables seem quite good with plenty of "give" when it comes to tight corners. I'd agree with the previous comments about bar-ends and tourers; however I've run cables for bar-ends all the way under the tape in the past for 'cross without any bother (for that bike I used the deluxe Clarks index-comaptible inners & outers, but that was about 10 years ago when Clarks were Clarks and still made in Brum....).

David