Campagnolo 980 derailleur modification
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Campagnolo 980 derailleur modification
Just finished modifying a Campy 980 rear derailleur by adding Soma extended cage plates. These plates are made for older Campy units which have an M6 thread on the spring/pivot bolt, so I had to drill it out and re-thread for the M7 x 1 thread pitch that this derailleur bolt has.
The Campy 980 is not well regarded in the Campy line-up so I don't feel bad about messing with it. It's short cage offers pretty minimal chain take up and for my project I need to wrap about 35 links. It also needs to handle a 30 tooth freewheel so I have yet to see if that works out. The original cage also has a stop to prevent the cage from over rotating on the take up but the Soma cage does not. Once the chain is on that shouldn't be a problem though. The project is a 1962/3 Girardengo and is being built up as a retro gravel bike. One of my winter projects!
The Campy 980 is not well regarded in the Campy line-up so I don't feel bad about messing with it. It's short cage offers pretty minimal chain take up and for my project I need to wrap about 35 links. It also needs to handle a 30 tooth freewheel so I have yet to see if that works out. The original cage also has a stop to prevent the cage from over rotating on the take up but the Soma cage does not. Once the chain is on that shouldn't be a problem though. The project is a 1962/3 Girardengo and is being built up as a retro gravel bike. One of my winter projects!
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#2
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Just finished modifying a Campy 980 rear derailleur by adding Soma extended cage plates. These plates are made for older Campy units which have an M6 thread on the spring/pivot bolt, so I had to drill it out and re-thread for the M7 x 1 thread pitch that this derailleur bolt has.
The Campy 980 is not well regarded in the Campy line-up so I don't feel bad about messing with it. It's short cage offers pretty minimal chain take up and for my project I need to wrap about 35 links. It also needs to handle a 30 tooth freewheel so I have yet to see if that works out. The original cage also has a stop to prevent the cage from over rotating on the take up but the Soma cage does not. Once the chain is on that shouldn't be a problem though. The project is a 1962/3 Girardengo and is being built up as a retro gravel bike. One of my winter projects!
The Campy 980 is not well regarded in the Campy line-up so I don't feel bad about messing with it. It's short cage offers pretty minimal chain take up and for my project I need to wrap about 35 links. It also needs to handle a 30 tooth freewheel so I have yet to see if that works out. The original cage also has a stop to prevent the cage from over rotating on the take up but the Soma cage does not. Once the chain is on that shouldn't be a problem though. The project is a 1962/3 Girardengo and is being built up as a retro gravel bike. One of my winter projects!
(EDIT - after trying to remember, I think I'm being unfair to this RD, see comments below. )
The SOMA jockey cage should solve that issue. I'd personally consider going full dork and putting modern big jockey wheels on there, depending on the bike.
Last edited by Salamandrine; 10-11-20 at 07:07 PM.
#3
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When I saw @Wildwood put one of these on his Harding, I knew it would make for the perfect mech for a gravel road bike. It just looks the part ... perfectly. Well done on the mod to the Soma cage.
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I bought one new in 1985? and thought it was fine, cheap, Campagnolo, and as I was in school could not afford a Nuovo Record.
#5
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Same geometry as a NR as far as I can tell. Should work the same. I take back my insulting words above. I blame the bike instead.
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When I saw @Wildwood put one of these on his Harding, I knew it would make for the perfect mech for a gravel road bike. It just looks the part ... perfectly. Well done on the mod to the Soma cage.
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Last edited by Wildwood; 10-12-20 at 12:05 AM.
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What do you think of the story I heard that the name comes from its birthday, in September 1980? Urban legend?
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I'm using a 980 front on a build, mainly because it's lighter than anything else I had in the bin. Works fine, too.
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My kid's bike had one of those derailleurs. It worked terribly. I couldn't get it to work well, so I replaced it. Examining it carefully, I couldn't find wear or misalignment. Oh well. Good luck.
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The 980 derailers on my Torelli (with 1980's standard road gearing) worked notably well while charging all of the rollers and switchbacks here in these foothills.
The chain and sprockets are an important ingredient of success in that regard! I ran UG 6s with modern 8s chain of some sort.
The long cage should really help with dealing with a larger chainring spread, something that this design usually doesn't handle well.
The chain and sprockets are an important ingredient of success in that regard! I ran UG 6s with modern 8s chain of some sort.
The long cage should really help with dealing with a larger chainring spread, something that this design usually doesn't handle well.
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