Help!!! Campagnolo Syncro set up issues

Penfold6290

rBotM Winner
Hi folks, hopefully someone may be able to help me with a few pointers as I'm having bother making a newly acquired Campagnolo Syncro II set up work.

So, I have a Campagnolo Athena 7 speed rear mech (circa 1990) on my Raleigh 531C frame. The freewheel is a 7 speed Zenith 13-24 which I am told is index compatible, it measure 36mm across from outside edge to outside edge. The levers I have just acquired were advertised as Campagnolo Athena 7 speed Syncro II- see picture below.

P1020177_small.jpg


P1020176_small.jpg


However, they came with an 8 speed insert so I bought the proper blue insert for use with Athena rear dérailleurs. I have fitted a brand new cable and a Shimano SIS cable outer with the correct sized ferule fitted. I have fitted a new Shimano Ultraglide chain, all parts apparently compatible with Syncro shifting. So the only thing that is original in the drive train is the mech and the chain rings on the front. I read that the spacing between the smallest sprocket and the outside of the rear drop out had to be 9.5 - 11.5mm so I moved a washer from right to left on the spindle to make sure this was within limits.

The problems I am getting are that the lever when in 7th i.e. smallest sprocket will actually click a little further (it did not do this with the 8 speed insert) and you can set it to index nicely for 7th, 6th but it overshifts through the rest of the gears and settles in 1st gear after only 6 clicks. I also read on the www that for 8 speed the barrel size was enlarged to allow more cable to be pulled, this may be the answer to my issue.

I am wondering whether these levers are not compatible with the 7 speed insert, it seems to pull too much cable for each click hence arriving in 1st gear after only 6 clicks. I am keen to get this to work but am getting frustrated , so any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Martin
 
These articles might help; or lead to more frustration...

I've a pair (with a metal insert) which I've never bothered with: my experience of indexed DTS is that they "gild the Lily" for no particular benefit.

The beauty of DTS, is the simplicity of their design, just a lever pulling a cable, and I've never had any problem finding a gear.

Flog the Syncro and try a pair of Simplex Super LJ: you'll never look back...
 
Nice mod...although I think I have the opposite problem, it looks like you needed to move more cable per click, I reckon I need to move less. A little bit of reading on a US website suggests that the barrel was enlarged on the later 8 speed shifters to move more cable, if you compare the spacing on the 7 speed Athena insert and the 8 speed insert the 'valleys' are closer together on the 8 speed which given the cassette is wider then it would be safe to assume that for each click you move more cable.

I am in a mood to whip them off the bike and have them on Ebay by tea time... 8 speed Campy Syncro II shifters anyone???

Cheers, Martin
 
ScillySuffolk":4zktuz1i said:
These articles might help; or lead to more frustration...

I've a pair (with a metal insert) which I've never bothered with: my experience of indexed DTS is that they "gild the Lily" for no particular benefit.

The beauty of DTS, is the simplicity of their design, just a lever pulling a cable, and I've never had any problem finding a gear.

Flog the Syncro and try a pair of Simplex Super LJ: you'll never look back...

Thanks for that SS, this was the site that gave the info about the larger diameter barrel. I may just ditch the Syncro as you suggest, I had a silly notion that I may even go for 8 speed Ergo shifters at some point but that would ruin the look and 1980s integrity of the bike...

In the words of Jeremy Clarkson "how hard can it be?"

Martin
 
That's it...I've had enough! No matter what I do I can't get these to index properly so it's back to friction as nature intended. I have even tried to use the 8 speed insert to see if the spacing is any better - it isn't.

So, they are now for sale on Ebay, item number 251189219588 if you're interested!

Martin
 
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