Bicycle Mechanics - 6-speed to 7 or 9?

I just scooped up an old Cannondale 400 on e-Bay. Nice frame, seems like... The wheels on it have non-stock Campy hubs with a Shimano "Crane" rear derr., and a 6-speed sprocket. My questions are as follows:

1. Can I (while keeping the same hub) swap out for a 7-speed cogset while still using the same chain and front chainrings?

2. Can I (while keeping the same hub) swap out for a 9-speed cogset by changing the chain and front chainrings?

3. Is the Shimano Crane index-shifter-compatible?

4. Is this frame worth upgrading?

5. Assuming I'm willing to change hubs, shifters, and chainrings for a modern 9 or 10 speed drivetrain, who makes deep-v 700c clincher rims with rear offset drilling (and offset "v") to equalize spoke tension?

I know this is a scattershot of questions, but newbies like me want to know. Thanks **very** much for your help.

I just scooped up an old Cannondale 400 on e-Bay. Nice frame, seems like... The wheels on it have non-stock Campy hubs with a Shimano "Crane" rear derr., and a 6-speed sprocket. My questions are as follows:

1. Can I (while keeping the same hub) swap out for a 7-speed cogset while still using the same chain and front chainrings?

2. Can I (while keeping the same hub) swap out for a 9-speed cogset by changing the chain and front chainrings?

3. Is the Shimano Crane index-shifter-compatible?

4. Is this frame worth upgrading?

5. Assuming I'm willing to change hubs, shifters, and chainrings for a modern 9 or 10 speed drivetrain, who makes deep-v 700c clincher rims with rear offset drilling (and offset "v") to equalize spoke tension?

I know this is a scattershot of questions, but newbies like me want to know. Thanks **very** much for your help.1) I'm assuming it's a freewheel,so yes. 2) no. 3) no. 4) It aint worth spending a small fortune on. 5) duno

"9 or 10 speed drivetrain, who makes deep-v 700c clincher rims with rear offset drilling (and offset "v") to equalize spoke tension?"

Velocity make the Arrowhead rear rim, a shallow-v, with an offset that's suppose to help reduce the spoke tension differential. I doubt that anyone makes a rim or hub and rim combination that will equalize the tension differential on an 8,9, or10-speed wheel. I don't know what the rear wheel dropout spacing is on your Cannondale, maybe 126mm. You would need 130mm to upgrade to 9, or 10-speed and you can't spread an aluminum frame safely.

Al

Assuming your current dropout width is 126 to 128mm, exchanging your 6-speed freewheel for a 7-speed and putting your shifters in friction mode is your most reasonable upgrade path. I did this on the Bianchi, which is blessed with friction shifters, with great success, replacing a 13-15-17-19-21-23 freewheel with a 13-15-17-19-21-23-26.

Another cool option is something I picked up from Sheldon Brown's informative site. Since you are agreeable to possibility of upgrading hubs, shifters, and chainrings, you could get a 126mm hub, 9 speed cluster (has to be one you can take apart, like a 105 model), chain, and inner chainring. You take the cluster apart, and discard one of the cogs (a large one up near the wheel would be the easiest bet), put the remaining cogs with the 9 speed spacers on the freehub, use the 9-speed chain and 9-speed indexed shifters, and voila! 8-speed bike. I did this upgrade to my cannondale 400, it works a treat, you just have one useless position on your 9-speed shifter that doesn't work. It's explained much better at the sheldonbrown.com website. Anyway, it's a viable option for you to think about. Cheers and good luck with the project, have fun.

edit: this page has lots of good info, it's where I first got the idea to try it. http://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html