Compatabilty of running shimano with Campag??

[kenster]

HI guys, I have done a few searches but not come up with that much (hard to know what to type into the search box).
I have got a new machine coming (very excited) it's got a mix of shimano and campag. Currently 7 speed down tube shim shifters, shim rear (8-9 speed)and front mech and cassette (7 speed free wheel).
However the chainset is campag. I am told it all runs smoothly but i am potentially looking to put a better rear wheel on it with a cassette. Currently looking at one that is campag. What i wanted to know is will it run ok with a campag 7 speed cassette?
My understanding is that it shim and campag 7 speed is compatiable so should work?
The final question was i also have a set of campag mirage 8 speed shifters could i set these up to work instead of the downtube shifters? many thanks in advance jon

 

[pete_mcc]

This page contains everything you would ever want to know!

http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/ ... s/shimergo

 

[kenster]

pete thank you i'll give it a butch in a bit

 

[Johnsqual]

Re:

Not sure if you would be able to find a Campagnolo 7 speed cassette. They do exist (suuposedly) but Campag seemed to move pretty quickly to 8 speed.

Mirage 8 speed shifters would work with a Shimano 7 speed because they have the same spacing. This is a handy article that goes into lots of detail about the possibilities of doing this:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/ ... s/shimergo

 

[kenster]

thank you again, (looks to be the same link as above? but grateful for thoughts and advise) The campag 7 speed cassette is very lightly used on a wheel i am looking to potentially buy.
i kinda should wait to see the bike when it arrives (hopefully) tomorrow but as the wheel is on the bay i don't wnat to miss out either !

 

[latman]

a cassette is NOT a freewheel , but 8 speed Shimano and Campagnolo both used the same cog spacing as per Johnsqual's comment ,you will need the same brand of shifter and rear mech (also Dura ace 7/8 speed shifters ONLY work with Dura ace mechs too)

 

[kenster]

latman I have probably confused you about the freewheel thing. The bike currently has a shim 7 speed freewheel fitted but the wheel i'm looking at buying has a 7 speed campag cassette (and campag freehub). hope that makes sense now?
Either way from what i've read from the brief visit to the above link and what you've said they will work. Annoyingly I sold a number of older camapg mechs not so long back! Unless i hear fromt he guy on ebay i'll wait to see what the bike and wheel are like before rushing into it. Thanks for your thoughts

 

[pigman]

Re:

to clear up a bit of confusion ..

campag 7 speed is spaced same as shimano 7 speed.

campag 8 speed is not spaced the same as shimano 8 speed per latman's post. Campag 8 speed is in fact spaced the same as 7 speed, but with one extra cog added.

make sure the campag wheel you buy can take the 7 speed cassette. Newer 9/10 speed is a different spline to 8 (not sure about 7 speed campag hub spline pattern, never had one

 

[pigman]

Re:

the easiest methods for you are
1. with your new wheels use your mirage shifters, but buy a pre-2000 campag rear mech that was designed for 8 or "old" 9 speed
2. again using the new wheels, buy some shimano 7 speed STI levers and keep the existing shimano mech.

 

[kenster]

thanks I will probably run as is initially. However the main reason for looking to chnage the wheel is to get a different ration cassette. the wheel i'm looking at is a better quality, lighter and has a decent cassette included. hence the questions and interest. I have found a freewheel to potentially pop on the existing wheel with the ratio i would prefer but it's a third of the price of the other wheel. i kinda rather just get the better wheel.
so if i keep the existing shimano shifters the campag rear cassette should still run and change ok?
it's then only when i put the campag sti's that it needs the rear mech to be campag