If you're thinking of swapping out the entire group, and sold on a triple, I'd reluctantly go the route of purchasing a whole transmission gruppo specific to a matched triple crank. 105 may not be anyone's dream group, but this is a smoking deal for what's included http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/gsg/ro...RIBMO&tmp=_CAR Otherwise if you like shiny campy bits, the athena stuff works, but 11 speed on a tourer seems like an end result that's neither fish nor fowl to me.

Alternately, you can mix and match using 10 speed campy levers will be fine with 8 speed, and 11 speed will work 9 speed well enough also. The issue (as you're getting at) will be the front side, where the levers work best for smaller width chains and purpose built cranksets. The best option might be to use a brifter on the right side only, and stick to your DT shifter (or bar end) on the right side. Even when running purpose built groups, I still miss the accuracy and trim afforded by friction on the FD. Brifter shifting across the front of a triple can work well when set up perfectly, but in my experience you're really using the stop as your inside limit rather than placement of the FD by the brifter. On the large ring, you need to do a bit of balancing between the outer limit and the last click of the brifter. When the ring is so far out as it is on a triple, you need it to overshift to get the chain to pickup when on a larger number rear cog, but not so much you risk dropping the chain when on a small cog at the back. Add to that the fact that a brifter usually needs to "settle back" to the click after the initial overshift. You need to be able to set up so that it "settles back" perfectly to use the whole cog range, but want the limit to allow pick up of the chain without tossing it. It gets tricky across the front, and IMO brifters have never really offered much benefit on the front (other than matching the right brifter's looks and grip surface).

For me the range afforded by most of the packaged triple gruppos would need to be carefully weighed against something more purpose selected like a 46/28 double setup, pulling one of the wifli'ish 10 speed cassettes on the back. You'd be able to find one of those jaunty ultra compact doubles, or make your own out of your existing triple crank using a 46 TA center ring. I ran a 46/30 12-28 8 speed setup all last year on my 760. With baggage switching to 44/26 would really be all that's needed unless you're really going to climb some monsters. When climbing the bigs in the Wisconsin Triple Crown my 30 28 was almost too low with just me and no gear, and I'm a spinner.

Thanks for the reply- I have no experience or knowledge about this sort of thing.

I guess what I wish to achieve would be the less bulbous look of the 6600 (or the Dura Ace 7800) combined with shifting from the hoods, combined with the low enough gears to be pulling an extra 30 or so pounds up a relatively steep hill. For what I have- 28-28 is about adequate. I'm happy with a 50 and 14. Really, I don't care about 9-10-11 speed. To me, it's about the ranges.

My hope is/was that I could use something like the the Sun XCD crank with some ramped and pinned rings and have that work as magically as it would look.

At this point, it's just formative idea stage- I've really gone far past my bicycle budget for a while, and I'd like to have a "vintage" setup ready to ride by spring on the 720.

If you don't care about speeds, one of the cheaper ways to go is use 10 speed campagnolo veloce triple shifters ($110-120 on the British sites) and pair it with a veloce triple FD and 8 speed shimano rear derailleur (or 9 speed shimano mtb derailleur that's not dynasys) a shimano wheelset and an 8 mtb speed cassette. It's known as a shimergo setup and is supposed to work really well together and should get you want you want. A 9 speed chain and whatever triple you have on there should probably work.

Premis is back on the merry go round, pretty sure this is the last incarnation though.
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...psfea064cf.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps918bbdba.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...psd9aa8607.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps419cbe87.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...psc44339f4.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...psa723692a.jpg

The beauty of the 8 speed shimergo with a friction DT FD is that you can run just about any good looking triple crank you wish to run. You don't need the ramped and pinned rings either. Add something like ultegra open pro's, first verifying your cant's can deal with 700's, and you'd potentially be in business for the price of brifters, something like a 6500 GS Ultegra RD, wheels and cassette. If it doesn't work to to your liking on the 720, then find a 560 or 760 to re-use the parts on. If you fall in love with it on the 720 you can rip the guts out of the left brifter later on to save a bit of weight. For around 500 bones you'd have a real transformation. Same deal as many of the other posts on this thread, with a friction operated triple up front.

ok, so it's another De Rosa. :)http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=365641

Here is a late 80s/early 90s Specialized Allez I just put together. Did great on a 50something mile shakedown ride with a fairly spirited group.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...ps40821cee.jpg

You're just loaded with nice Italian bicycles.

Another beauty.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...1&d=1393186948

Nice! My current race bike is an Allez, albeit a bit newer (2012). You really need another seat bag, though. ;)

yeah, that bag is pretty sad....it's seen a lot of miles & a lot of bad weather. Actually, my original thought was the Allez would be a crit bike....but I would probably rather have SRAM or Campy & lighter wheels if it were. It's a helluva nice ride though.

Great looking Allez! I love the fastback seatstay on those frames.

I like the Premis. If I still had mine I would have done something similar.

Thanks for that, and if you don't mind me asking why would anyone ever get rid of a Premis unless it was wrecked or didn't fit right?

yes, i've been busy, a year ago all i had was a Specialized Secteur. thanks to the fine advice and knowledge on this site, i've learned a lot and expanded my horizons. i didn't know what a DeRosa was a year ago. :)

Well I traded my premis for a 1988 schwinn prologue With full ultegra 6600 so it was for an upgrade. I loved the premis though and otherwise would have kept it. I know you love yours.

Fast learner. :)

I'd give you an "A" for sure.

A worthy upgrade indeed.

Finally running with the new wheels!

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=366670

I thought I'd give this concept a try. 1987 Batavus Professional:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-JYSOYY6H.jpg

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-K3KXLB8E.jpg

very nice, this thread was a big influence on my present build. i will be adding mine to this thread tomorrow.

+ 1
Very well done.

That does look very nice.

'85 Super Le Tour
 

Previously built up this frame with a SRAM drivetrain. I ended up using those parts for another build so I had this frame laying around. This was a 100% spare parts build (minus the new chain and cable housings). 8 speed Shimano from various eras paired with 9 speed Campy shifters.

http://s19.postimg.org/6tdxxq9cj/201...06651_i_OS.jpg

Hello chaps - I'm finally back in the UK and able to make a start on this build!

Mostly sorted for bits... I'm sticking with the polished silver Athena 11 speed. I want to ask for suggestions for handlebars, stem (I'm thinking quill?) and seatpost! I will be going through all 126 pages, but in the meantime any tl;dr tips would be appreciated.