Campy 9 speed - time to stockpile?

[Eric E]

Our family has 3 bikes with a mix of campy Chorus, Veloce and Centaur 9 speed components. I recently had a brifter break, which luckily could be rebuilt. In the process of looking into options, however, I noted that it was difficult to find 9 speed Campy components now.

I'm quite happy with these components and see some durability issues in current 10 speed chains and partly carbonized components. I am worried about availability, however, particularly since Branford went up in flames. Questions:

Is now the time to stockpile 9 speed shifting components or will these continue to be available for years to come?

Is it necessary to get 9 speed chain rings or are the current 10 speed chain rings just as good running a 9 speed chain?

Thanks, Eric

[atmo]

Our family has 3 bikes with a mix of campy Chorus, Veloce and Centaur 9 speed components. I recently had a brifter break, which luckily could be rebuilt. In the process of looking into options, however, I noted that it was difficult to find 9 speed Campy components now.

I'm quite happy with these components and see some durability issues in current 10 speed chains and partly carbonized components. I am worried about availability, however, particularly since Branford went up in flames. Questions:

Is now the time to stockpile 9 speed shifting components or will these continue to be available for years to come?

Is it necessary to get 9 speed chain rings or are the current 10 speed chain rings just as good running a 9 speed chain?

Thanks, Eric
fwiw i have centaur 9sp on my 'cross setup
and use a 9sp dura ace cassette and a campag
10sp chain atmo.

[Louis]

This is a game that we can't win, but I too have been stockpiling 9-spd components (both Campy and Shimano) for a while.

Bottom line - eventually, when the least bit of something in the drivetrain fails, we'll have to replace the whole darn thing. Don't you get a new car when the ash tray / glove compartment is full, or one of the tires needs air?

Three cheers for Friction Shifters !!!

Louis

[Dave]

in the spring of 2000, right after 10 speed came out. Absolutely no regrets after nearly 7 seasons. I like to have all the cogs I can get.

[Vancouverdave]

IRD and Miche make good, Campy freehub compatible 9 speed cog sets. Any 9 speed chain will work well on a Campy 9 system--a Campy C9 chain is about the worst, in fact. There are SO many 9 speed bikes of both persuasions on the road that chains should be available for an extremely long time.

[Grant McLean]

Is it necessary to get 9 speed chain rings or are the current 10 speed chain rings just as good running a 9 speed chain?

Thanks, Eric


If you have a 39T inner, it's the same ring in 9 or 10.

The outer rings are different, the 9sp is thicker, but as was pointed out above,
you could run 10speed rings and chain, with a 9sp cassette.

The only thing you really "need" to keep going in 9 mode is the shifter,
rear derailleur and cogs.

From there, it just becomes a question of how much you care about having
what looks to be "original" parts on your bike. My RichardSachs is all
9speed record, and I want to keep it that way, so i've stockpiled a bunch
of replacement parts in their packages. For a veloce level bike, i might
not care so much, as long as it works.

g

[Marcusaurelius]

Our family has 3 bikes with a mix of campy Chorus, Veloce and Centaur 9 speed components. I recently had a brifter break, which luckily could be rebuilt. In the process of looking into options, however, I noted that it was difficult to find 9 speed Campy components now.

I'm quite happy with these components and see some durability issues in current 10 speed chains and partly carbonized components. I am worried about availability, however, particularly since Branford went up in flames. Questions:

Is now the time to stockpile 9 speed shifting components or will these continue to be available for years to come?

Is it necessary to get 9 speed chain rings or are the current 10 speed chain rings just as good running a 9 speed chain?

Thanks, Eric


I doubt you will have to worry about 9 speed parts for many years. Campagnolo will stock complete parts for a groupo for ten years after they have stopped selling it. You can still easily get spacers for 8 speed cassettes from campagnolo. And shimano stills sells lots of 7 speed cassettes (and 6 speed freewheels) so I doubt there's any worry about 9 speed cassettes and chains now--or even 20 years from now.