I feel like crying - Campagnolo ergo cracking woes

You've missed my point, when I last worked at a Campagnolo service centre I had to go on regular courses covering the latest equipment, just like Shimano, Mavic etc, this issue was mentioned once for a couple of seconds. If you'd have brought it to me to install there is a chance I would have done exactly the same thing, but the liability would have been mine not your own. I reccommend you pursue a warranty claim and appeal to Chicken's goodwill, however legal action is a non starter.

If you purchase say a set of shelves which comes with installation instructions but ruin your wall drilling the holes do you sue the manufacturer of the shelves? Maybe you do, maybe you're American and sue people you run over for the damage to your car.

I'm afraid you will just have to accept my tone, I am not being aggressive it's just my personality, I'd do something about it if I gave a shit!

Sorry to come across agressive, but considering legal advice over your own mistake gets my heckles up.
No, I've never broken one of these, but I once damaged a brand new Madone 6.9ssl frame with custom paint job by dropping a ratchet on the downtube, I've also ruined a Zipp 404 by dropping it on the base of the workstand with no tyre on. Shit happens but if you pay a shop to do it you are covered against mistakes or accidents, if you do it yourself you will save some money but have to accept the liabilty yourself, it's swings and roundabouts, I'd usually encourage people to do stuff themselves but in this instance you made the wrong choice, which is only obvious with hindsight, best to just suck it up and move on.

I'm not being funny here but you say you followed the instructions supplied? In every Campag manual I've seen the second paragragh says:-

MECHANIC QUALIFICATION-Please be advised that many bicycle service
and repair tasks require specialized knowledge, tools and experience. General
mechanical aptitude may not be sufficient to properly service or repair your
bicycle. If you have any doubt whatsoever regarding your service/repair ability,
please take your bicycle to a qualified repair shop.

Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't fit stuff yourself but if you have expensive kit and decide to go ahead and fit it yourself without the specialist knowledge required you only have yourself to blame when you fuck it up. Professional mechanics make mistakes too but we have insurance so the consumer doesn't end up out of pocket if we break something. Feel free to take legal advice if you want to waste time and money, but the fact is you are unqualified to fit it and have broken it yourself with crap bodgery. take it to a Campag dealer and have it fixed and installed properly.

They are ergo compatible, but you have to do it the Campag way...

I would be going after Easton if they claim these bars are ergo compatible, because they plainly aren't

That's a choice only you can make, but my own feeling would be to accept it and move on a little bit wiser.

...and those bars are horrible anyway!

This image shows you why you've got a problem:

http://road.cc/sites/default/files/P1020490.JPG

The curve is too short so you're clamping the ergo against a straight section of bar. Campag ergos have a longer contact patch against the bar which means they are more sensitive to the bar curve, but also more rigid when mounted.

I think you need new bars.

It looks as if there isn't a single importer for Campag in the UK, but there are a number of Service centres who perhaps deal direct with Campagnolo.

I'd be tempted to try the one nearest to you, but...

I think you'll find that they will suggest that it's user error even though the design does appear to be very sensitive to placement on the bar. You can buy Ergo bodies, and you can take them to bits to repair them, but I wouldn't like to be there after you've spent time rebuilding it when you try to fix it to the bar again!

Try here: http://www.campagservice.co.uk/ergo.htm

I hate to say it, but it looks like you've a picture 10 scenario, the torque is irrelevant, the curve of those bars is distorting the shifter as you tighten down, I would have to say that I dont think they are compatable

I didn't want to say that; he's already crying...

Bit rubbish that design if you can't put them where you want!

My first port of call would be the Campagnolo dealer you bought them from, then when they inevitably fob you off, I'd be talking to the UK Campagnolo importer.

It looks very much like the combination of that bar and that lever is stressing the lower part of the lever body such that it breaks, which is something that they should be made aware of, and should sort out for you.