Classic & Vintage - Mixing old Campy and Dura Ace components

I outfitted my early 80's Pinarello with full Campy six speed, including the '84 Record RD. I love the bike but am not thrilled with the "transmission." Don't get me wrong, I don't mind friction shifting, but the Campy seems to be particularly mushy. I'm thinking of replacing the RD and DT shifters with six speed SIS Dura Ace. I know the Dura Ace works well.

Your thoughts?

Any problems here?

Thanks

I think it is a great idea. I am running C Record 7 speed Syncro 2 and want to switch to Dura Ace 7 speed. I just love the precision of Dura Ace and am not thrilled with the C Record "transmission" either. I'd like to keep the C Record cranks and Fd, though. I'm also curious to hear if this will cause any issues.

My Razesa has a Campy crank, DA cassette, shifters and RD, and a Suntour FD. it's sort of a mongrel, but it's also sort of the best of all worlds. OK, a DA crank and FD would not be bad, but it shifts great as is.

Can't see where any issues would arise. I've run all kinds of mixed marriages front to rear. Just make sure (if index) that you've matched DA shifter with the DA RD, which you've indicated you will.

Can't see where any issues would arise. I've run all kinds of mixed marriages front to rear. Just make sure (if index) that you've matched DA shifter with the DA RD, which you've indicated you will.

Correct.

Before switching to DA (and I have nothing against DA, I still run a DA-EX RD on my 1st bike) maybe see if you can eliminate the 'mush'. What freewheel are you running? Chain? The Campy NR RD doesn't like anything but corn cob clusters.
Do you have a Shimano HG freewheel or clone handy? With a compatible chain, it should make a significant improvement, especially if there's a Regina mounted on the wheel. You can also switch to index housing to remove any slop from the old coiled housing.

I say do it...a lot of folks were mixing and matching parts at that point because Shimano and Suntour honestly were starting to make better products on the drive chain. I'm going through the same debate with one of my bikes...my normal tendency is to use one gruppo, but the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing the smarter move is to do what I would have done if I had the bike at the time. Which usually means cherry picked parts.

I don't have experience mixing campy and dura ace but I do have a 7 speed dura ace 74xx drivetrain on my late 80's bianchi sport sx and I really could not be happier with it. It seems to me to be the best shifting option of the era by far.

I am running it friction, but my newest acquisition is a glorious mis-mash.
Superbe RD, Campy NR FD and Strada crankset, DA downtube shifters, Maillard 700 hubset. Works a charm....but I might try to get the DA to index with the cluster on the Frenchie hubs.....Hmm....

OK, tonight I did it. I switched out the entire drivetrain to DA -- FD, RD, crank, DT shifters, chain -- it works so much better. The Campy is going on the Bay. I see no further use for it, really.

Dura ace is great.

Mixing is equal to upgrading. My fave 1975 Monark is powered by early eighties 600 stuff together with a fairly new Ultegra rear derailleur. The french stuff just didnt do it. Runs like a dream!

Precisely why I've refused to pull the DA 7400 from one of my De Rosas.

It works so well!

....and it was built at Flanders (local racing shop) with this originally and raced that way.

It may get replaced someday with a modern Campy gruppo, but not anytime soon, as I have two complete gruppos as backup.

Just to beat the proverbial dead horse. I did two vigorous 30 mile rides this weeked on the Pinarello/Dura Ace version. Oh my God what a difference it makes. I am going to hold on to my other Dura Ace drive train and dump the clunky clunky Campy (except for the cool crankset).

Before switching to DA (and I have nothing against DA, I still run a DA-EX RD on my 1st bike) maybe see if you can eliminate the 'mush'. What freewheel are you running? Chain? The Campy NR RD doesn't like anything but corn cob clusters.
Do you have a Shimano HG freewheel or clone handy? With a compatible chain, it should make a significant improvement, especially if there's a Regina mounted on the wheel. You can also switch to index housing to remove any slop from the old coiled housing.

+100!

I just put together a winter bike with 6 speed 7400 and it works so well!

My Raleigh is Nervar crank, Campy fd and Crane rear derailleur, and quite honestly it shifts way better than the Campy NR rd on my Gitane.