I am looking to build a "real" old school cyclocross bike, i.e. canti brakes, cable routing along the top tube etc. My question regards the compatibility of the early 90s Campa Record OR top pull front derailleur with the early aughts Campa Record 10speed Ergopowers. I believe that the micro-ratchet system of the left brifter should handle the top pull fd well - or am I mistaken? Also: would this question better be placed in the classic and vintage section?

looks like no one here wants to discuss your plan... i'll request a move to C & V.

I don't see why it wouldn't work. Until very recently the pull ratio of all front derailleurs was more alike than different, and Campy Ergos have enough capacity for triples.

Let’s see if there are any more responses in C&V. Good rinfo Kontact. Thread moved to C&V from Mechanics

You should post some pictures of your bike especially from the drive side. The C&V forum like pics and you never know when someone may have some ideas that can help you on your build. Are you building a modern frame or a vintage cross frame?

Completely correct. The left Ultra-shift shifter micro-ratchets and is capable of handling any front derailleur I can think of, whether top or bottom pull, or number of speeds or cage dimensions.

Alot of "real old-school" Cyclocross bikes didn't use a front derailleur at all. They used sandwich chainguards to keep the chain from coming off.

When you needed lower gears, thats when you shoulder the bike and run. In the mud, front derailleurs were, at best, highly unreliable.

Maybe modern CX bikes with the electronical gears don't suffer from that anymore ?

And yet, the OP's bike has front derailleur cable guides.

Let’s see the bike!

Yes. I agree with Dave Mayer. The ratcheting shifters will handle that derailleur just fine. I've used Campy 10-speed shifters for both 2-ring and 3-ring setups with (blasphemy) Shimano, Suntour, and Campy front derailleurs and (more blasphemy) TA and Shimano cranksets.
Brent

There are no pictures yet. I just stumbled over a pair of 2012 Campa CX silver cantilever brakes and a 2011 Campa aluminum CX crank a while back. Just buying now, piece by piece, all the parts for an old school cyclocross build. Haven't found a frame yet as traditional steel cyclocross frames with 85mm cantilever socket distance are hard to come by. They exist but it is really not easy...thanks for all the input regarding the fd/ergopower compatibility. I bought the Record OR fd and will use it once I found a frame...

Not so traditional maybe but Bianchi had excellent cross bikes made in Japan with prestige tubing. The Bianchi equinox is an interesting bike.

I have an 80s Pinarello cross bike that I've been very slowly building. I plan on using more vintage parts than you do. The posts are set at 67.

I remember - you have this red Pinarello CX. You helped me confirming that my frame was indeed a legit Pinarello albeit without original paint last year. I found some NOS Dia compe 981 for this build from a bike shop in Philadelphia...how's your frame coming along?

Slow. I've got the bits and pieces for the build but not the time. It will happen.