Maybe get a 36 to mate with the 52? That's the smallest that'll go on the 118bcd, but it's still in a good range to make the shift to a 52t and will get you some easier climbing.

What RD are you using, anyway?

Edit: Oh wait........will the RD not handle that much chain wrap? I need to go read Disraeli Gears, apparently.....

So, I just went and did some window shopping on ebay. First I looked at the Nuovo Record and other vintage record stuff. Then, I see a long cage RD Rally. I don't suppose Rally was up there like the Record groups, huh? Going by it's current price, I'm guessing not?

Now see, this is what I'm talking about. This guy on here has some "different" things to say about NR Campy...

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/...rd_style).html

Probably he's not the authority, but what merit is there to what he says?

Am I off topic here, already?

I believe Rally derailleurs were considered exactly on par with the Nuovo Record, only made for touring. They normally sell for a big chunk of change.

I think the author of that site is generally well respected and appreciated. He obviously has a wealth of knowledge about the small details and minute production changes for many, many brands. Mixed in with facts he offers his personal opinions of each product. That is great and fascinating to read, but the only way to form YOUR own opinion is by holding, and riding those pieces yourself.

You're absolutely right. It's usually the case with anything, though, isn't it?;)

Alright, I'm just gonna do it. Take the next few months to garner some funding and get some Campy equipment for the Bottecchia. I'll use this as a bit of inspiration.........

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...hProDuopar.jpg

Just some eye candy.......;)

FWIW, In my short and limited experience rear derailleurs are a whole lot of fun to experiment with and examine. Even so, I cannot really say that I have stumbled on many that completely suck...even the lowly and hefty shimano Eagle is all right in my book. However I HAVE run across a lot of freewheels that suck! Freewheels just aren't as much fun to collect for me, but there are some major differences between high performers and the dust collectors.

Well, I've got a much better picture of things, now......and, I appreciate it. I think the Rally for the rear is something I'm gonna shoot for first. It even looks like the NR short cage. And, then, find a matching FD and shifters. Of course, what I'd really like is some of those Campy bar ends. I saw some on ebay with the little, blue grips. Pretty nifty looking. I already have one Tipo (sp?) front hub on a Fiamme rim, but the Bottecchia came with a Super Champion rear wheel and Normandy hub. So, that's got me to wonderin' if someone did that to be able to use a freewheel other than Campy hub specific. Or, is that an issue? Compatibility, that is? I mean, do you have use like a Regina or whatever that other one is called.....Oro? Hell........I don't know. Someone correct me. Atleast I can spell Nuovo now. ;)

It's fun for me, too. Aside from making music, bicycles are my only real passion....obsession.....whatever you wanna call it. Guess that's why I'm here. Ha!

Edit: Italian hub.......Italian threading. Atleast some of the Reginas are priced pretty good.

Oh, btw, did Campy ever make any 32H high flange hubs?

Edit: Nevermind.......appears as though they did. Wow. They are expensive!

Campy gruppos require sincerity and purity of heart. If you are in doubt as to the quality and performance of what you've bought, the Gruppo will know it, and may not show tolerance. The bike might throw you, since your appreciation is at present, impure.

For your own safety you'd better send that frame to me for safekeeping and if necessary, taming. I can return it to you when and if your attitude purifies sufficiently. What size is it?

One way to demonstrate attitude improvement is to buy and read "Anybody's Bike Book, by Tom Cuthbertson. A used first edition (paperback) should cost about $8 including shipping on Ebay. Written in the day, that book gives you all the essentials for period components. Campy is rarely mentioned by name, but I can attest that it tells you how to do 99% of what you'll ever need for quality parts of the day.

If I tell you "nothing special needs to be done," that means nothing special from a vintage campy loving pure believer's point of view. I would not know what wierd stuff you might be bringing from the dark days of MTB drivetrains, press-in pre-fab bearings, black powder coated derailleurs, colored Shimano 7-speed parts, and what-not other frippery. But Cuthbertson will set you straight, and perhaps even some of it will be new to you.

Regarding the cables, no, there's nothing special going on. The rear derailleur cable short sheath is unique, but modern ones work well. NR BRAKE cables were rather extra thick and the outer cables much less compressible than others of the day, so it's worth it to use them or the very similar Modolo sets when installing NR or SR calipers. They will work with any cable system, but the rigid feel and responsiveness might be lacking. Remember to dress and ferrule the outer cable ends, too.

For just a wee bit of icing on this thread;
A reason for the respect Campagnolo garners? here's a few;

1948 Gino Bartali (ITA)
1952 Fausto Coppi (ITA)
1968 Jan Janssen (NED)
1969 Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1970 Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1971 Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1972 Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1973 Luis Ocaña (ESP)
1974 Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1976 Lucien Van Impe (BEL)
1978 Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1979 Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1980 Joop Zoetemelk (NED)
1981 Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1982 Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1984 Laurent Fignon (FRA)
1985 Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1986 Greg LeMond (USA)
1987 Stephen Roche (IRL)
1988 Pedro Delgado (ESP)
1991 Miguel Indurain (ESP)
1992 Miguel Indurain (ESP)
1993 Miguel Indurain (ESP)
1994 Miguel Indurain (ESP)
1995 Miguel Indurain (ESP)
1996 Bjarne Riis (DEN)
1997 Jan Ullrich (GER)
1998 Marco Pantani (ITA)
2006 Óscar Pereiro (ESP)

... these are just the Tours de France won using Campagnolo gear.

This is the heart of the matter, for me. I really ought to own a NR bike; since this frame dropped into my lap, it would seem this is the perfect time for me to build a NR bike.

I really appreciate the comments giving me insight into freewheel selection being a big part of how well the RD shifts. I have a Regina Oro 13-23 6-speed that should work very well, and a DA 7400 13-21 Ultraglide that I know will work if the Regina unit doesn't. Bought a pair of NR hubs last night that I'm going to lace into Super Champion red-label rims, and that is certainly a pairing with a good reputation. Got a line on a gently-used headset for $40 bucks.

So it seems that this is progressing whether or no; the die is cast. I guess all I can do is hold fast until the end, and hope it won't hurt too much.

When you build the bike it works best if you check the alignment for everything (frame and RD) and face the headset and BB. It its already faced you can skip the part but we would do a paint face if the frames had been painted or came in with paint on those surfaces.

IMHO you have Nobuo Ozaki to thank, Suntour's chief designer when the slant parallelogram was patented.

A really good, attractive, and somewhat low cost setup for pretty hilly terrain is 1st gen (late 80s) Chorus or Athena with a compact crankset at 7sp 14-28 freewheel. There are two bikes with this setup at my house. The one below is my wife's, which has a classic-looking Veloce compact crank with a square-taper BB. I think 1st gen Chorus is about as pretty as any Campy group ever made and is reasonably priced on Ebay.

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...hiBrava-50.jpg

If you live in steep hills and cannot live with a 42 x 26 or 41 x 26 (41's are rare but can be found, easier in 144 BCD with a non Campagnolo brand) You can find a triple front with the small cog added to the spider arms, and or a Rally rear mechanism, (the first version that appears much like a Shimano crane or early Dura-Ace in basic mechanical design)

Ok, so you are essentially approaching an exploration into Vintage Campyland for the purpose of better understanding what WAS the best in the appropriate segment of the vintage days. Very laudable!

I'd say assemble a collection of NR components, and as you get them, install them on the frame. It's also not a bad idea to build up that Raleigh with whatever parts you have and ride it so hou know how IT behaves. Then as you add Campy bits bit by bit you'll see what's working better and what's not.

Cuthbertson's book is still a good guide in how to properly set up vintage bike systems. It's not gruppo or brand-specific, but it will lay out the fundamentals that were followed back in the '60s and '70s. I'd say if you build the bike according to Cuthbertson and something doesn't work right, you either made a mistake in following the instructions or you have some parts with a subtle problem.

Just out of curiosity: How many of these guys paid for that equipment with their own money? Didn't think so. All issued stuff at no cost to the rider. Also, I notice that Campy's record has been kinda non-existent since 1998 - just one (legislated) win.

Make you a deal Cap'n, if you own a NR bike when that Fuji Professional Super Record frame drops in my lap I'll do it in NOS SR parts. :)