Some background... I have been running 7 speed drivetrains for years. Until recently all of my road wheels and my wife's road bike wheels were freewheel 126mm OLD. My wife has used index downtube shifting since the 80's and I have just changed from friction a couple of months ago. My wife got a newer bike with 130mm and I have spread her old steel frame to 130mm.

I have decided to bite the bullet and get some new wheels with DA 7700 hubs. I can squeeze the 130mm into my Cannondale drop outs and I have a couple of ideas to shave a mm or 2 off the OLD on the hubs. I have already discovered the joy of running 38/48 chainrings and a max 32t. Regardless of what I end up with I anticipate going with 8 speeds or 9 speeds max (maybe 8 of 9) cassette. At my age and how I ride, I see no value in 1 tooth cog differences to even entertain going with 10 speed. I will probably go with brifters, but the current choices are: lower end Shimano (or hard to find expensive NOS/decent used), or Campagnolo not as low end (or not as hard to find but not "cheap" decent used).

So here is where this is going...

I understand that published shifter cable pulls are the average pull, i.e.; Shimano 8 is 2.8mm, Shimano 9 is 2.5mm, Campagnolo 10 is 2.8, Campagnolo 11 is 2.6mm. I have also read that Campagnolo shifter pull of 2.8mm is really an average and that the actual pull is 2.5mm (1st-6th), 3.0mm (7th & 8th), 3.5 (9th & 10th).

Is this true? Does Shimano have the a similar variable pull or is it just Campagnolo?

I am asking because I will probably go with a cassette without a spider and gain some grams, but I can make whatever spacing I need whether constant or variable.

Thanks!

John