OK, time for dumb questions...pertinent to 6/7 speed only...maybe it'll help someone besides me...

My general impression, especially with some of the RD's of the 80's, is that the RD generally does what the shifter tells it, in terms of "shifter moves cable, cable moves RD, RD moves chain." I know that, as the number of cogs increased, this became somewhat of a matching situation, with changes in geometry, spacing, etc. I'm sure I've oversimplified it.

I've used a friction RD before, with indexed shifters, and it worked, maybe it was rare (600 arabesqe with 600EX 6-sp indexed)....I had no problems, maybe because the "throw" of the shifter just happened to cover the linear distance of cable needed.

I'd like to run a Croce d'Aune RD, which is friction-only per the seller, with a set of 6 or 7 speed Syncro 1 shifters. Heck, if that would work, it'd be great to run a NR FD/RD with some of the same shifters. If they didn't look so different, I'd probably try it just to see....

My instinct is that the market already says you can't do this, as the indexed RD's are significantly more expensive than their friction brethren, in Campy, anyway. I would hope there's a logical, functional reason for the price difference other than "Campy."

Could I get someone to set me straight? Thanks.