Last year I modified a Campy Veloce 10 speed RD to use with an 8 speed chain and 12-30T Shimano 8 speed cassette. I used longer Shimano pulley cage screws with .5mm washers on both sides of the pulleys to better fit the wider 8 speed chain.
I needed to find some down tube shift levers with enough wrap to cover that combination. DuraAce 8 speed levers wouldn't do it so I bought several levers rated for 8-9-10 speeds.
The first was a set of microSHIFT 10 speed indexable levers.
They worked pretty well in both friction and indexing mode but the stubby levers were designed for bar ends and looked weird mounted on the down tube.
The next day a set of Dia-Compe "Silver" W Shift Levers arrived. Besides looking much better on the bike they friction shift fantastic. The design is a take off on the old Suntour Power Shifters but the steps in the ratchets are much closer thus smoother.
They seem to be the same levers marketed by Rivendell. My only question is how durable are the black plastic spacers under the lock screws going to be? (gray on the Rivendell levers). Also, the ratchet mechanism is not as robust as on the old Suntour Power Shifters.
verktyg
Why the modified Campy RD?
Because I liked the way it looks and I wanted everything to be matchy-matchy - black and blue!
