Tuning a Campy cassette....

[Joe Bob]

I have a slip on style Campagnolo 8 speed cassette and it is real close ratio.....11/19. Climbing a hill is a bit of a strain with a rear 19.

Is it possible to replace just the 19 tooth with a 23+ cog and if so by how much?

The current cassette on the bike has a 29 tooth cog so the chain and derailleur have room for a larger cog.....reason I ask is that I just saw a Shimano MTB that had a first gear that was 8 teeth different from "second" gear.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/shimano1380152217.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads22/cass1380151873.jpg

[oliver1850]

I've never tried it, mostly due to lack of big C8 cogs at my house. Lots of Shimano and SunTour freewheels have a bail out cog. I see no reason it wouldn't work, as long as you stay within the capacity of the RD and your chain is the right length.

8 speed RDs were rated for 26 total capacity and a 28 large cog. So if you have a 42/52, you could go as big as 26 and stay withing the spec. If you have a 39/53, a 23 is the theoretical limit. You might push the limits a bit, depending....

Do you need the 11? The 13-26 cassette isn't hard to find, I just bought a new one. I'm guessing the 13-28 is harder to find, since I've never latched onto one.

[Joe Bob]

Do I "need" the 11? Down hill with the wind....yeah. The issue is climbing. The 19 can be a bear.....I like the one tooth differential (2-8) on the flats.

I'm simply wondering if the big drop from 1st to 2nd has been done before with a Campy gearset and if there are any BTDT problems.

The other problem is finding a single 23+ ring/cog that isn't priced the same as a complete cassette.

[Joe Bob]

ALSO...the current clincher/wheel/cassette combo is Shimano and this is the last of the conversion BACK to full Campagnolo.

The 11/19 Campagnolo cassette was oem on the bike with tubulars that got bent when my idiot nephew road it with flat tires. :bike:

[Columbus SLX]

I've never tried it but I'm pretty sure a jump of more than 2-3 teeth will cause the ramps to not work and shifting will suck.

I have some random campy 8 cogs - I can send you a few to "build up" to 23 or better. Such as a 21 and 23 so you can run: 11-12-13-15-17-19-21-23

I had a 13-28 once, sold it recently for a mint. Pretty rare I guess.

[Roger M]

I have a bike with 8 speed chorus/record parts and 53/39 and 12-25 cassette. No issues at all with it. There's a link somewhere online that shows how someone altered the big cog from a 10 speed Campagnolo cassette to work on an 8 speed cassette.

I might try the same thing if I can locate a 28 tooth cog, and I think it will work fine as long as I don't cross chain(big-big).

Edit: here is the link

http://www.lesliewong.us/blog/2013/01/16/modifying-a-campagnolo-cog/

[oliver1850]

I have a SunTour freewheel on a bike that goes from a 25 to a 32 cog, and doesn't have any ramps. I don't recall ever having a problem shifting into the 32. Shimano's MegaRange freewheels go from a 24 to a 34, but the 34 is ramped. Seems like 17 to 23 or 19 to 26 ought to work.

[Joe Bob]

Sounds reasonable.

Any idea where to find orphan 23 and/or a 26 Campy compatible cog(s)?

[oliver1850]

Columbus SLX seems to have what you need to get to 23. Perhaps you can line up a take off cassette at a bike shop. The large cog isn't likely to be worn too badly, even if several other cogs are shot.

[Ralph]

Plenty of individual campy cogs on E Bay. Especially Miche ones for campy. If not for 8 speed, then for 9.

[thwart]

I think I have a 26 at home... returning Saturday. PM me if that's something you are interested in.

[Joe Bob]

Thanks for the input and offers. Debating direction and looking for a set of wheels.

Will get back after a little more research.