Bicycle Mechanics - Campy casette to Shimano hub

A friend of mine came to me today with a question I don't know the answer to. I know one of you guys will. He has a trainer tire (for a Cycleops) that has a Shimano hub. His new bike has Campy components (Veloce). Can he get an adapter part to make them work together or is he going to have to get a new rear wheel that is Campy and mount the tire on it?

I don't know of any adapters that would enable a Campy cassette to slide onto a Shimano hub, but American Classics does make conversion cassettes (http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='2276-01'). Never tried them, so I don't know how well they work.

Jtek Engineering (www.jtekengineering.com) makes a device called a Shiftmate that will allow Campy shifters/derailleurs to work with a Shimano cassette. It costs $35 and works very well. However, it requires re-cabling the rear derailleur so it's not a very simple thing to switch up and back from a Campy to a Shimano wheel.

If both the Shimano and Campy wheels are either 9 or 10-speed, the shifting might be acceptable with no adapters. Shifting quality on a trainer isn't that critical so it might work out ok.

Depending on the hub it may be possible to replace the freehub with a Campy compatible freehub that will accept a Campy cassette. If you can find a serial number on the hub check with the manufacturer or go through a bike shop. The JTek Shiftmate is not a good solution because it does not allow for switching back and forth between Campy to Shimano.

Al

Especially with 10 speeds the difference is negligible. In a race, loads of Campy guys will grab a Shimano wheel from neutral support with no adverse effects. Add in the fact that this is all about a trainer setup and it's a no-brainer.