Moving from 7700 to Chorus . . . a few questions

[exapkib]

Thanks to a great deal from our very own forums, I'm moving into the world of Campagnolo for the first time.

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_9324_zpsn6op76ak.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_9324_zpsn6op76ak.jpg.html)

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_9327_zpstojw5wqf.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_9327_zpstojw5wqf.jpg.html)

Pretty excited, but I have a couple of questions:

1. Of the following options, which would you advise me to pursue:

--Sell my wheels and buy new wheels.
--Swap the freehub on my WI H3 rear wheel, redish, and ride away.
--Use a Shiftmate to keep using the wheels that I have
--Keep using 9-speed Shimano cassettes with the 10-speed Chorus group? Is this really a possibility?

2. What cables/housing do you use? What source do you prefer?

Thanks in advance--I sure appreciate having a resource like this for asking these kinds of questions!

(Apologies for the quality of photos above. I will work hard to make sure that the amount and quality of the photos I post once the switch is finished is equal to the help that I've received here.)

[v531xc]

Nice! that group is gonna look great on that bike.

1. I'd swap the freehub. White Industries makes nice hubs, why not keep it going?

2. anything compressionless. I like Jagwire PRO stuff because all LBS around me have them in stock. There is one specific for Campy shift cables.

[Elefantino]

Once Campy, never back.

Enjoy. I'd get a new hub/FW/wheel BTW.

[AngryScientist]

Nice! that group is gonna look great on that bike.

1. I'd swap the freehub. White Industries makes nice hubs, why not keep it going?

2. anything compressionless. I like Jagwire PRO stuff because all LBS around me have them in stock. There is one specific for Campy shift cables.

agree. swap the freehub, any of the other options (other than new wheels) results in sub-optimal shifting.

[hollowgram5]

Welcome to the Campy party!

I have had decent success in the past using Miche cassettes that are Campag-spaced, Shimano splined. But a freehub swap and proper cassette yields excellent results. Not sure on their current availability, as it was a few years back. I also used to run 10s Campag-splined Miche cassettes because they were reasonably priced for the shop lackey that I used to be.

[Look585]

Definitely* swap the freehub and redish.

*shameless self promotion, I have one listed in the classifieds.

edit: also, get rid of those crappy generic crank bolts. Buy my WIH3 C9/10/11 FHB and I'll toss in a pair of real Campy crankbolts, gratis.

[ColonelJLloyd]

First thing you do is get a sleeker stem to match that gorgeous frame! It deserves some fillet brazed goodness.

[icepick_trotsky]

I used Jagwire cables in addition to Campy ones and neither has caused by bicycle to explode.

If using non-Campy cables, grease the brake cable ends so they don't get stuck.

[Black Dog]

The 10 speed campy will shift perfectly with the 9 speed Shimano cassette.

[ultraman6970]

If the only cables you can find around your area are shimano jagwires or shimano cables just dremel the head to fit the cable spooler and good to go, FD and Rd... brake cables are the same so nothing to do to those.

[exapkib]

Thanks for the quick responses!

As for the wheel dilemma, you can see where the confusion comes in--many people report that 9-speed Shimano cassettes work great with 10-speed Campagnolo shifters. Many other people report that this is nonsense. It's enough to remind one of certain election seasons . . .

Look585--watch for a PM from me in the next little bit.

[exapkib]

First thing you do is get a sleeker stem to match that gorgeous frame! It deserves some fillet brazed goodness.

Good eye! I actually just threw this one on to quickly mock up the shifters.

Here's a shot with the stem I'm actually running these days:

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_8313_zpsx8wxyl6h.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_8313_zpsx8wxyl6h.jpg.html)

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_8516_zps2g89ydx9.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_8516_zps2g89ydx9.jpg.html)

A little rough, but I couldn't say no (and there's always the option of refinishing . . . )

[weisan]

Eapkib pal, I am a shimano die-hard so can't really help but don't worry you are in right place.

I have just one question. What forces.. er, I mean, motivates you to make the switch from shimano to campy? A traumatic experience?

[exapkib]

Nothing traumatic. Mostly an opportunistic move fueled by curiosity and peer pressure. I took a ride on a buddy's Campy equipped bike, and that was enough to motivate me to watch for a reasonably priced silver groupset.

When the appearance of such a group coincided with the cables giving out on my current setup, I figured that was the universe giving me a sign.

I'll let you know how the experiment goes!




Eapkib pal, I am a shimano die-hard so can't really help but don't worry you are in right place.

I have just one question. What forces.. er, I mean, motivates you to make the switch from shimano to campy? A traumatic experience?

[Pi Guy]

Sweet! I really like the super positive feel of Campy 10 speed. It's almost like shooting a gun, "BAM!" and you are in the next gear. I also really like being able to dump a bunch of gears instead of having to do the rapid fire thing with Shimano. Campy 11 is great too but I would say it is a little more Shimano like...smooth, less crisp.

You can definitely do a Shimano 9 speed cassette and chain with Campy 10 shifters and derailleurs. It really does work well you just have one empty shift. This is probably my fave bike hack of all time. It's spot on. If you already have the parts I say go for it.

P.S. Awesome Yamaguchi by the way!

[oldpotatoe]

Thanks for the quick responses!

As for the wheel dilemma, you can see where the confusion comes in--many people report that 9-speed Shimano cassettes work great with 10-speed Campagnolo shifters. Many other people report that this is nonsense. It's enough to remind one of certain election seasons . . .

Look585--watch for a PM from me in the next little bit.

Shimano 9s cogset and chain works great with Campag 10s, I've done this many times, when Campag 10s was brand new(2000) and on a bunch of tour rigs with people that wanted ERGO...m
Get a Campag FH body and Jagwire is great stuff.

[weisan]

I'll let you know how the experiment goes!

Awesome!
I like the adventurous attitude. I have also tried it in the past with Campy ergo 9. I have a set of Veloce sitting in the drawer. The part that I like the most with campy is the multiple downshift with the thumb, that was simply genius! :hello:

[steveoz]

Wheels manufacturing makes a Campy 10 speed conversion cassette that fits on the Shimano hub...oh look! I just happen to have one laying in my box of parts! :D

[exapkib]

Thanks for all of the great information! The place never disappoints. (I especially appreciate the responses that involve items available in the classified section. ;))

I'm going to give the 9-speed cassette a try before I try to convince the committee that I need to spend any more money.

Happy New Year, everybody!

[vqdriver]

Ill put this out there only because this is your first foray into campy, and i went down that road too...... twice
I would do the minimum to make it shift well. Maybe not perfect, but good enough. If that just using your 9sp cassette, great.
Then ride it as your primary bike. Functionally campy was fine. It has its own idiosyncrasies just like shimano and sram, but the one thing i never ever got used to was that thumb paddle.
I really wanted to like campy, and tried it for 2 years. Then tried again when they changed the hood shape. Ultimately it just isnt for me. I would decide that before you start messing with the wheels.