BlackX

Hi. (I'm a newb -- first post.)

I just moved to Wisconsin and had just started enjoying getting into biking again -- beautiful rides here -- when I fragged my rear derailleur. (Dropped a gear and everything locked up, twisted the hell out of the derailleur, snapped the bolt, and bent the dropout.) So I need to find a replacement for the Mirage and, since I haven't been paying much attention to developments the past while, I'm pretty clueless what a suitable replacement would be. This is on a Bianchi Eros 24-speed (3x8).

Suggestions for where to find an original or what a comparable replacement in the Campy (or other) line would be now?

TIA,
_Rich_

fietsbob

Where? How about visiting a bike shop in Milwaukee or Madison?


Best to bring the whole bike, as you may have twisted the derailleur mounting eyelet.

Drew Eckhardt 

E-bay. 8 speed or 1997-2000 9 speed with conventional B-tension adjustment (2001 and newer 9/10 speed have a different ratio and worm screw adjuster on the lower pivot) Racing-T or Veloce/Mirage triple.

With the 9 speed derailleur and an 8 speed chain you might want to transfer your existing pulleys and bolts which are a bit wider.

Some people are content where things don't match (ex - a new ratio derailleur with an 8 speed shifter) but I wasn't happy when I tried a Shimano wheel with a Campagnolo 9 speed setup and wouldn't try it.

Drew Eckhardt 

I'd call Yellow Jersey in Madison which does both vintage and Campagnolo but otherwise not expect to find anything.

Campagnolo discontinued 8 speed components apart from a few cassettes and lock rings a decade ago (the upper gruppos moved to 9 speed in 1997 and they were completely done with 8 speed by 2001, with 10 speed at the top end of the line, 9 speed at the bottom, and a new derailleur ratio for both which differs from 8 speed/1997-2000 9 speed)

The small parts supply has also dried up - first generation ergo lever parts are discontinued. I was unable to find a first generation ergo lever right G-spring carrier in Silicon Valley with population 2.3 million (although I did drive to two different cities after positive reports on the phone) and just bought the last two right front lever return springs from a major online supplier.

Getting the hanger alignment checked would be prudent.

BlackX

Down near Janesville. Yes, the mounting eyelet/dropout is twisted. I'll straighten that--just need a replacement derailleur and trying to figure out what I can use/what's recommended, etc.

_Rich_

Kimmo

You'll need to do a good job... prolly worth having it checked afterward.

fietsbob

so you have a Campag dropout alignment R tool?
indexing has made the process fussier than a cresent wrench,
so within a MM in a radius of a foot from the eyelet

Kimmo

The 5mm spacing of Campy 8spd isn't all that fussy; there's a chance you could get it close enough by eye I reckon.

Drew Eckhardt 

Plus the top derailleur pulley is floating.

Kimmo

I don't remember that on my old 8spd Campy gear; I thought that was only Shimano.

BlackX

I gave them a call right before closing after you posted that. Whomever I spoke with only mentioned new Campy gear and how it wouldn't work right.

cs1

You can use current Campy derailleurs if you use the JTEK Shiftmate #1. It's undocumented but works. Call JTEK up and they can tell you how to set it up. Good luck

Drew Eckhardt 

Curiously the 2001 Campagnolo spares manual has a compatibility chart with lever X rear-derailleur.

2001 Spare parts catalog - Part A PDF.

It claims that 8 speed levers work with 2001 and newer derailleurs when a 9 speed chain is used although 9 speed use requires the index cam appropriate for the derailleur. I'd speculate this comes from the wider cog spacing with just 8 speeds but have seen no first hand reports from people actually trying it.

BlackX

Things sure have changed significantly since I last paid much attention! (I'm an old(er) fart.) Thanks for the tips, folks!
_Rich_