Help with Shimagnolo drivetrain
 

I've got a bike with a Campy Chorus 9 group, except for the rear hub and cassette, which are Shimano 9.

The initial build (by a pro mechanic) worked, although the drivetrain was always a little noisier than I thought it should be. No surprise. I recently learned of the JTek adapter, and was due for a new chain and cassette anyhow, so I put on the new parts and the JTek and got back to riding.

Shifting was much worse. I was jumping gears, I was trimming the rear derailleur (apparently that is possible). Today I finally broke down and spent hours trying to adjust it. It's been very frustrating.

I'm quite sure I've got the Jtek set up properly. Every time I get it shifting well across the big cogs, it's jumpy on the small cogs, or vice-versa. It's as if the cable take-up has gotten worse.

Any tips?

I've considered switching the brifter's ratchet to a 10-speed so that I can use the American Classic 10-speed cassette that has Campy spacing and Shimano splines, but I'd like to exhaust my other options first.

I run a J-Tek with Campy 10 Sp brifters and a Shimano 9 Sp cassette. Even though you say your sure you've got the J-Tek set up right I'd double check that you have the pulley installed correctly. If it's backwards it won't allow the brifters to pull the correct amount of cable. If that's not it, maybe the shift cable is binding or not the correct length. When you install the J-Tek, if I remember correctly, you have to shorten the cable where it goes into the J-Tek. Hope this helps.

I've eyeballed the JTek more times than you can shake a stick at, because I keep doubting myself. I took a few inches out of the cable housing, and the bend seems right.

Does the cable enter the Large groove on the pulley? That's what my instructions say has to happen for a 9 Sp Campy Brifter/Derailleur running a Shimano 9 Sp cassette.

Have you checked to see if there is a Campy compatible freehub available for your hub?

Al

Set up properly, A Jtek works wonderfully. I have one using Campy 10-speed brifters, a Shimano rd and a Shimano 9-speed cassette and the shifting is perfect. Are you SURE the pulley is installed with the correct side toward the cable inlet and are you SURE you have the right number Shiftmate?

You should do what I am doing, get new/used Campy compatible wheels. I tried the Shimano cassette with my Chorus 10sp bike and never could get it to work right. I have a pair of Campy Vento wheels, but I had a better pair of Velomax wheels that were Shimano so I kept trying. I gave up a year or two ago but I still have the itch for better/lighter wheels so I'm building up a pair starting with a Velomax/Campy rear hub. At least you have 9sp, 8sp is difficult to get stuff for. 9sp and 10sp are wheel compatible, as is the new 11sp.

If you didn't use the appropriate Shiftmate, you gave up too soon.

It turns out that despite having looked and stared and glared at the adapter long and hard already, I didn't have the cable crossing from big to small groove at the flat as it should. Problem fixed.

Or, as my granddad used to say, if something could be learned by looking and staring, the dogs in front of the butcher store would be the best butchers in the world...

Good, I'm glad it was as simple as that. My faith in Shiftmates remains unshaken.

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