What should I use the JTEK Shiftmate or AC Conversion Cassette?
 

I am in the process of putting campy 10 on one of my Merckx frames. All my wheels are Shimano 9/10..

I have read great things about the JTEK Shiftmate & American Classic Conversion cassettes. I know the simplest is to just buy the cassette but I want, what works best especially with Campy 10..

I will have Campy 10 shifters, Derailleurs, FSA Cranks that are Campy 10 Compatible and shimano wheels running 10 speed cassette..

Any input greatly appreciated..

If you want what'll work best, that is going to be a campy 10 speed wheel with a campy 10 speed cassette. You're not *really* saving that much money by using a JTek & AC cassette. Bonus with going with the former is that you are never stuck with only american classic cassettes AND you won't have a doodad hanging off your rd.

I have 6 sets of shimano wheels, so the campy custom wheels are later down the line, I want something that will work now.

several folks here run 10 speed campy stuff, with 9 speed shimano wheels....as I've said before, at first shifting is pretty good....once the cables stretch a little and its "dialed-in" so to speak, my shifting has been perfect. Of course I'm not racing, and your mileage may vary....on yesterdays ride it never missed a shift.....

Since you have the shimano wheels, you might try it....nothing to loose.

which of the 2 above were you using?

Full campy 10 speed.....9 speed shimano wheel.

Jtek shiftmate will work best then.

Has anyone tried the sram rear derailleur with campy 10 shifters like in zinn articles a few months back..

http://www.velonews.com/article/73404

I'm running a Shimano 9-speed cassette with a Shimano rear derailleur and 10-speed Campy Ergo shifters using a Jtek Shiftmate to make them work together. The shifting isn't just "good", it's nearly perfect.

When I go to a Shimano 10-speed cassettes with the same derailleur and shifters, all I need is a $15 new pulley for the Shiftmate. I'm a big fan of the Shiftmates as you can tell but for good reason. They work.

The AC conversion cassettes are both expensive and a bit iffy as to quality. Shimano cassettes are reasonably priced, readily available and very reliable.

It's a no brainer to me. Buy the Jtek once, and use Shimano cassettes and your current Shimano compatible wheels.

Actually you don't even need to buy a new pulley - you just flip the one that's there. I have run Shimano 9sp wheels with Campy 10speed with and without the Shiftmate. Without the Shiftmate it worked fine but was somewhat finicky to adjust. With the Shiftmate it worked flawlessly. I recently went to a 10sp Ultegra cassette and KMC chain, flipped the pulley on the Shiftmate, and the shifting is still flawless.

Technically, the American Classics conversion cassette on the Shimano wheels is the best approach. But, you'd be surprised how well a shimano 10 speed cassette works with a campy 10 speed drivetrain. The differences between these two fine systems is now negligible.

Do you have actual Shimano hubs or just Shimano compatible wheels. Most mfg's make both Shimano and Campy cassette hubs for their hubs. That way you can use an actual Campy cassette. It will run better that way. Good luck.

Tim

most of my wheels are older dura ace hubs, so I cannot replace the bodies..

AC cassettes are heavy and expensive, and available in a limited number
of cog sets. They are built with no spider which is why they are heavier.
Go with Jtek, it allows a much wider range of cassette choice and ability
to take advantage of 'sales' on SRAM or Shimano.

What rear derailleur do you use? I use a 9-speed Shimano cassette and a Shimano rear derailleur with my Ergo 10-speed brifters. I use a #2 pulley with this set up. Jtek recommends a #3 pulley is used with the same rd and brifters and a 10-speed Shimano cassette.

Does your bike use a Campy rear derailleur along with the Ergo brifters? If so, Jtek recommends a #1 pulley for use with both a 9 and 10-speed Shimano cassette, obviously flipped over for the change. That's why one pulley works both ways for you.

the shifters and RD are campy so I am going to order #1 Jtek tomorrow

Thanks.. EP