How many speeds out of a Nuovo Record RD?
 

I have a 1985 Zullo that had the drivetrain 'upgraded' from Campy Record to Shimano 105. I have all the parts in my parts bin to get it back to Campy. I have a Nuovo Record rd and fd circa 1974 that I would like to use. The current freewheel is a 7 speed. How many speeds can I squeeze out of the rd with Campy downtube friction shifters? I plan on using a 2 chainring Record/Strada crankset (53/42).

I use both Campy NR and SR with 10sp wheels, but neither will go into the 10th sprocket. One, the NR, will hit the spokes, the SR won't go onto it. I haven't tried adjusting the limit screws so it could just be that. Where I live you never need that 10th cog anyway. I could probably use my hanger alignment tool to make it not hit the spokes, but I don't want to stress the hanger as it is an older steel one integral with the dropout, not replaceable.

I should mention also that the NR equipped bike uses a Shimano 12-25 cassette with a Shimano 10sp chain, and the SR uses a 13-26 Campy Cassette with a Shimano 9 speed chain.

Both bikes run silently and shift with a touch of the lever. They never fall between gears as the ramps on the cassettes keep them aligned, so there is never chatter. The worst that happens is that under a little stress the chain will fall to a smaller cog if it isn't centered. This is the best friction shifting I've ever had. The other benefit is that you can use any modern wheel with the bike, as long as you spread the frame from the 126 spacing to the 130 wheel. I did NOT cold set mine, I just spread it when putting on the wheel. Steel has some tolerance. Aluminum OTOH, does not like being spread like that, but aluminum wasn't as popular in the older days, I think just C'dale and Klein used it, although maybe it was coming in at that point before the new 130 standard came out.