Campy cassette spline and modern hub?
 

Hi I have a mid 80’s bike with campy groupset w a 6 cog cassette. I am wanting to buy a spare set of modern wheels. Is it possible to use this cassette on a modern hub, say a DT240? I realize I may need a spacer but I’m thinking the splines on campy hubs changed at some point?

if the splines are different is there any workaround?

Campagnolo changes the spline shape beginning with 9 speed EXA, after that, the width changes.
What is throwing me is 6 speed Campagnolo cassette. So, not sure on what you have.
Have you been able to remove the cassette from the hub?

Very small chance- but is there a gold tone ring on the end with Campagnolo text on it?
If so, that would be a Campagnolo freewheel, a special slightly twisted two prong tool is needed. Other tools may fit... but will tear up the body.

Campagnolo freehubs have a coarse multispline lockring.

It sounds like you have an old 6-speed Shimano freehub then. These cogs would fit a modern wheel, but you would come up short on length needed to make the cassette fully compressed by the lockring that the modern hub uses, plus your smallest cog is threaded instead of splined and cannot work on the new hub.

So it would be impractical to utilize the old cassette unless you have just the right spare Uniglide cogs/spacers that would be needed to install your old cassette properly.

Contemporary steel cassettes can be had cheaply, but if you are perhaps trying to keep an old set of 6s indexed shift levers in the game this is going to be a little tricky.
A modern cassette will of course also need an appropriate-width chain to work properly.

What all parts are you trying to use here, and what is the frame's rear axle spacing width?

I'm pretty sure Campy never made a 6-speed cassette, is it a freewheel that might have splined cogs?

6 Speed Campagnolo was throwing me too, I do not recall one, but they did make a 6 speed freewheel. It had space for two notch puller, but use a regular one and you tear up that valuable freewheel body.
The later Freehubs all used a coarse spline, which I vaguely recall changed dimension when 11 t cogs arrived.
Not relevant here.

My hunch now is there is a 6 speed freewheel on the bike, if one has not been around long enough... they are all "cassettes".

Yeah, and I have compassion for that. For some folks who have been around long enough, everything is a "freewheel." :)

I'd be surprised if it's a cassette. More than likely a freewheel, and I'd wager it says "Regina" on it.

Road spacing went from 126mm to 130mm in the 90s (more or less), so you can't or at least shouldn't use a modern wheelset without modifying the frame.

im sorry you guys are probably right! I just counted the gears on the rear wheel and didn’t even realize the older stuff wasn’t a cassette! Thank you for educating me!

Since this is the case, is there any way to run a modern wheelset and keep the original chain, derailleur, etc. the bike has non indexed downtube shifters.

Your shifters, derailleur and chain should be compatible with any 7, or 8 speed cassette.

Grey hair has its advantages.
For those who do not there is Sutherland's 3rd or 4th edition.

This begs the question: what freewheel do you have? A Campagnolo freewheel is marked as such, and has a distinctive gold ring. It requires a unique remover with helical prongs. Don't try anything else, as the slots will be damaged, and a Campagnolo freewheel in good condition is valuable enough to justify searching out the proper tool:

http://velobase.com/CompImages/Freew...53DC87560.jpeg

Other freewheels will be marked with the name of whoever made them, and require their own special tools, most of which are more readily available than the Campagnolo tool. Post a picture of the freewheel face (clean it off first, if necessary), if you're not sure what tool to use.


Modern wheels with more than seven sprockets will have a wider spacing than a wheel with six or fewer sprockets, so your frame will likely need to be cold-set to the new spacing. But friction (non-indexed) shift levers will work with anything, albeit the more sprockets on the rear cluster, the defter the touch needed for smooth shifting.

If you intend to keep the downtube shifters, why not just stay with a six or seven sprocket cluster?

I think you have wheels built with Campagnolo hubs and a freewheel (not a cassette). If you want a spare set of wheels, shop around for similar wheels. Here in the Portland area they pop up frequently as old spares kept by old racers.