Convert 1968 Raleigh Pro to indexed brifter shifting

[non-fixie]

Might be worth showing some of your lovely conversions mate

I think I managed to sneak in quite a few already.

The first time I tried my hand at Shimergoing a bike was four years ago with this Austro-Daimler that had somehow found its way across the Atlantic. A really nice frame with a rather comfy sport touring geometry. But it originally had bar end shifters, which I didn't like much. So when I found a cheap pair of 9-speed Chorus brifters I put them on, added a triple chainset for good measure, and took it on a vacation trip to Italy.

As much as I like the elegance and simplicity of downtube shifters, for touring in the hills with the missus brifters are really nice to have. John is right in wanting to give them a try.

 

[john ferguson]

HI non-fixie. What are you using for a rear derailleur on that very nice bike?

 

[non-fixie]

HI non-fixie. What are you using for a rear derailleur on that very nice bike?

Thanks. It is a nice bike. Credits go to the Austrian firm of Steyr-Daimler-Puch, who made these frames to the specifications of the US importer, Lifecycle Inc.

The derailleur is a Shimano RD-R552 GS. Basically a cheaper and somewhat heavier (more steel, less aluminium) copy of their Deore offerings. I needed a SIS-compatible derailleur, and this is what I had available in my bins at the time.

It doesn't matter much though, as all Simano SIS rear derailleurs (with the exception of certain Dura Ace variants) work to the same specifications.

When in doubt, check Velobase: Shimano rear derailleurs.

 

[john ferguson]

I've ordered up a set of Campi Cables but they will take a couple of weeks to get here. In the meantime I bought some JagWire Compressionless outer housing (is there any other kind than outer?) and found that Jagwire's ferrules are too big for the stops both on the presend (temporary) Nuovo Record DR and the Bike. JagWire cable is a bit more than 4mm in diamter and the stops are all 5 mm. The Jagwire ferrule is 6MM.
So I'm going to make my own and I have a small Shwerline lathe which has been crying out for something to do.

I'll try stainless, but if the 304 is too much for the drills, (shouldn't be), I'll use brass. I'm going to need 4 of these things. The one which goes on the shifter may have a bit different geometry.

 

[john ferguson]

this one is a little nicer and has all the dimensions. Obviously I'll have to drill the centers to the actual JagWire O.D. which is a bit over 4MM.

 

[john ferguson]

I'm assuming my Campi brifters are 8 or 9 speed. They were sold as 8 speed, but there are no markings on them that I can find although they could be under the hoods. The hoods I have are in good shape and I'm reluctant to try to get them off for fear of then needing new ones.
So the magic question is do I need ferrules at the brifter end for the shift cables. The cables which came with it did not have any although they are not non-compression type.

???

 

[john ferguson]

it works. both left and right shifters can handle the old nuovo record derailleurs. I was amazed. I need to get someone who is more skilled to do the final cable adjustments.

 

[non-fixie]

Cool! Looking forward to the final result.

 

[pigman]

it works. both left and right shifters can handle the old nuovo record derailleurs. I was amazed. I need to get someone who is more skilled to do the final cable adjustments.

The indexing is the difficult bit that determines whether it's all compatible. And whether it continues to work after everything is newly set up
Good luck

 

[john ferguson]

I was amazed at how accurate the indexing for the rear was. click-click up and down. the triple also works ok but it takes multiple clicks per shift.

I'd read that Campi's first indexed shifters were meant to work with older non-indexed derailleurs but I wasn't sure that meant the brake-shifter controls, but apparently it did.

biggest cog in back is 30 teeth. I didn't mess with it enough to see if theshort cage nuovo record could handle it, but it did handle the 27 on the olde freewheel, but only with smaller front chain rings.