Road Cycling - campy-vs-shimano question

on ebay a guy is telling me that i can buy his campy compatible wheel set even though i need shimano...all i will have to do is adjust my rear derailer, since he is giving me a casset too.. is this true? new to the sport and don't want to be ripped off or mislead.

No No No.... Unless he is giving you a conversion casstte, that goes on a Campy wheel but the spacing and gearing is Shimano..

No No No.... Unless he is giving you a conversion casstte, that goes on a Campy wheel but the spacing and gearing is Shimano.. Well, actually, boh shimano 9 and 10 speed and campy 9 and 10 speed cog spacing are close enough to each other that you can just switch the wheel/casette and one works with the other in most cases. The really AR don't agree and, and will cite cumulative error due to difference in cog spacing.So, if you want absolute no hassle perfection it may not be the way to go.

Well, actually, boh shimano 9 and 10 speed and campy 9 and 10 speed cog spacing are close enough to each other that you can just switch the wheel/casette and one works with the other in most cases.

Hmmm... Is that really true? I know of people running 9sp Record drivetrain and ErgoPower levers with 9sp D-A cassettes (cheaper and Shimano sometimes has more desirable gear combos) because the spacing was close enough but I hadn't heard other combinations were possible. Can you reliably run a Shimano 10sp D-A cassette with 10sp Campy ErgoPower levers? I guess it might be possible given that the difference between 10sp Campy and Shimano isn't that much different between 9sp Campy and Shimano. Of course center-to-center spacing may not be the only factour involved with making it work.



Cassette Spacing Sprocket Spacer
Thickness Thickness
Campagnolo
9-speed 4.55 mm 1.75 mm 2.8 mm

Shimano
9-speed 4.34 mm 1.78 mm 2.56 mm

SRAM
9-speed 4.34 mm 1.8 mm 2.54 mm

Campagnolo
10-speed 4.12 mm 1.75 mm 2.42 mm

Shimano
10-speed 3.95 mm 1.6 mm 2.35 mm

thanx....i have decided after reading up more and talking with all you people on line that it will be just easier to skip the good deal and find the right wheelset. i'm looking at a pair of shimano r550's. seems like a better match for me. thanks again.

Hmmm... Is that really true? I know of people running 9sp Record drivetrain and ErgoPower levers with 9sp D-A cassettes (cheaper and Shimano sometimes has more desirable gear combos) because the spacing was close enough but I hadn't heard other combinations were possible. Can you reliably run a Shimano 10sp D-A cassette with 10sp Campy ErgoPower levers? I guess it might be possible given that the difference between 10sp Campy and Shimano isn't that much different between 9sp Campy and Shimano. Of course center-to-center spacing may not be the only factour involved with making it work.



Cassette Spacing Sprocket Spacer
Thickness Thickness
Campagnolo
9-speed 4.55 mm 1.75 mm 2.8 mm

Shimano
9-speed 4.34 mm 1.78 mm 2.56 mm

SRAM
9-speed 4.34 mm 1.8 mm 2.54 mm

Campagnolo
10-speed 4.12 mm 1.75 mm 2.42 mm

Shimano
10-speed 3.95 mm 1.6 mm 2.35 mm
Well, if the campy 9 shifters/deralier works with a shimano 9 wheel/casette, it also works the other way around, and the same for like 10 speed combinations. It's the approximate .2mm cog spacing that's close enough to allow it. Sheldon Brown has always said the 9/9 mix works and others have confirmed the 10/10. As I said ARs don't by it,but probably only do the math and get scared off before trying it.

others have confirmed the 10/10.

This is good news as I'm planning a conversion to Campy 10sp Record on my roadbike and would like to use the Shimano 12-27 cassette. It's cheaper and has the gears I want.