Modern groupset on a Retro frame - anyone done it

[BigFoz]

Re:

Campag 8 & 10 doesn't play perfectly. It largely works, but from the later 9spd onwards, the cable pull is slightly different. It can be made to work, but needs excellent adjustment. Later 9 with an 8sp derailleur is ok, but needs to be adjusted a lot. Will usually "lose" a shift on the way up and a different one on the way down. Perfectly adjusted it works, with 10 is becomes infinitely more finicky. Can be made to work, but usually loses one ratio, and occasionally 2. It's grand if you want to spend lots of time in a warm garage / shed adjusting gears, otherwise, match later 9 (such as Record 9 Ti) with 10spd (may work with 11 as well but not tried it, I've gone back to 9spd on all the bikes.)

Just built a 1980 Carlton Clubman running Campag 3x9 off downtube levers. Works surprisingly well... Of course with pure friction, so long as it can pull all the cable (Nuovo Record levers), it can take an "infinite" number of gears.

If you need an 8spd derailleur, think I have a few in the box...

I ran 8spd ergos with Nuovo Record mech successfully too!

 

[jordic1968]

Thx for the reply! 10 speed shifters as well; the idea was just to keep my 8 speed shamals and run it with new & smoother 10 or 11 groupsets... Although what makes more sense is to upgrade wheelset as well

 

[BigFoz]

Re:

Depending age of Shamals, you may be able to upgrade those to 10spd. I have 1996 Ventos, which I swapped the freehub with a 9Spd Mirage freehub successfully (the model with 3 spring loaded pawls - oh crap there they go again...), and am running 9spd on them - but did have 10 on at one point before I swapped back.

Bought a 9 speed hub off eBay, pulled the freehub out (IIRC, was a 10mm Allen down the middle? (been a while - 2005...), swapped freehubs and then resold the Mirage hub as an 8spd for more than I paid for it! There is a difference IIRC between early 9 and later 9 - can't remember what though, sorry :-(

 

[hamster]

Sorry if that's been replied before but still not sure if I can keep the 8 speed cassete and run it with new campy 10 speed derailleur for example, or should I upgrade to 10 speed cassete, if possible

As far as I know, 8 speed body won't take a 10 speed (or even 9 speed) cassette.

The 8 speed body is the same length as a 9/10 speed. The issue is that the splines are shallower.
You can file down the splines on the sprockets to get them to fit. Deeper splines were necessary for the shift to aluminium freehubs as the sprockets otherwise cut into them.

So there is a workaround to get 9 or 10 to fit onto an older 8 speed body.

 

[MatBH5]

Re:

Couple of projects over the winter ready for the spring and summer.

Kona Haole titanium now sporting Columbus Minimal fork, 11-sp Record (with the odd Super Record and Chorus bits), Royce wheelset, carbon bar and seatpost, flite. Weighs in at about 7.8kg.

Mercian Strada Special with 10-sp Centaur groupset, more traditional finishing kit in silver, Cinelli bar and stem, Chorus seatpost with flite, Royce wheelset. Haven’t got a weight yet but a fair bit more than the Kona!

(Apologies for lack of pedals on the Kona, these bikes share a set!)

 

[Caneco]

My contribution to this thread: Cannondale Caad3 with Shimano 105 5700.

I bought the frame for 20 € and was buying parts for 3-4 months to get what I looked for

 

[bsb1971]

Thanks for the inspiration! I've just bought a Concorde Prelude on Ebay, that I intend to retromod as well. Paintwork isn't in great condition, so am getting it resprayed in a new paint scheme that I have found. I have plenty of parts of shimano 6600 and 6700 along with some Dura Ace 7800 parts, and a really fabulous set of Dura Ace 7800 clincher wheels that I bought 8 years ago but never actually used (as I was saving them for a build that never really happened!). But have to admit I am coming around slowly to Campagnolo - they look fab on an older frame.

 

[JoeH]

Re:

Senova Cycles in Hertford play around putting modern groupsets on retro frames - check out this sexy blue raleigh:

 

[SammyS]

Pinarello super prestige 1983.Columbus KL frame tubing with all internal cable routing.
Made this one for my son to ride. Shimano Ultegra/105/Rs500/rs11(wheels) and Ritchey wcs parts.
No big problems with setup of 10-speed Shimano gears. I used gear cable liners inside frame tubes. Would have needed special ferrules for rear brake cable inside top tube.Made my own from old v-brake noodles.
Ride is super smooth with Vittoria rubino pro 25mm tires.
Bike weight is 9,6kg with pedals.

 

[kingbling]

Love that Pinarello.

I should add my Ron Cooper F'light built up with Ultegra 6600 as others have noted the mix of retro steel and modern drivetrain makes for quality riding.