Wheels again.
06-02-25 | 03:06 PM
#26
Facts just confuse people
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 19,328
Likes: 7,050
From: Mississippi
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Distance is the one of the very things a dimension typically specifies. I've seen both used at both very credible sites and by very credible persons.
I'm not going to be a stickler for either. Sort of similar to arguments about motor and engine. Or why our seat post on a bicycle holds a saddle and not a seat! <grin>
I'm not going to be a stickler for either. Sort of similar to arguments about motor and engine. Or why our seat post on a bicycle holds a saddle and not a seat! <grin>
06-03-25 | 09:21 AM
#28
OM boy
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,316
Likes: 1,307
From: Goleta CA
Bikes: a bunch
I know you didn't mean that negatively, I just thought it was the best optin to post on the other part of the forum.
now to clear it all up:
- I have an aluminium roadbike, about 30years, old bought 2nd hand
- the bike has a chorus 8 speed drivetrain, 8 sprockets in the rear and 2 chainring on the front. It is all campagnolo
- I would like to switch wheels from the current tubulars to clinchers
- the wheels are 700c
- I would like to know if it is possible to just switch the cassette on a different wheel, so that I can keep the original cassette
- I am still learning the terminology and everything, so I would also like to kow about the hubs or anything else I should take into account when looking at wheels to buy
- I would like to know what kid of wheels I can put on the bike, so it works smoothly and doesn't break the bike.
If any of you can help me understand any of this, it would be great thank you for your help so far, I have learned a lot!
now to clear it all up:
- I have an aluminium roadbike, about 30years, old bought 2nd hand
- the bike has a chorus 8 speed drivetrain, 8 sprockets in the rear and 2 chainring on the front. It is all campagnolo
- I would like to switch wheels from the current tubulars to clinchers
- the wheels are 700c
- I would like to know if it is possible to just switch the cassette on a different wheel, so that I can keep the original cassette
- I am still learning the terminology and everything, so I would also like to kow about the hubs or anything else I should take into account when looking at wheels to buy
- I would like to know what kid of wheels I can put on the bike, so it works smoothly and doesn't break the bike.
If any of you can help me understand any of this, it would be great thank you for your help so far, I have learned a lot!
The Rear wheels and frame dropout width are the deciders... Front wheel will work - 99.5% of the time, without modification, except adjusting brake caliper width and pads location...
Your current Bike has Campy 8 spd, so to use your current shifters and derailleurs, you need to have your rear wheel with an 8 speed cassette (or very old school freewheel).
so, keeping it simple and not changing the shifters and derailleurs.
1. rear wheel/frame dropout width - measure the distance between the insides of the rear 'dropouts' (where the rear wheel slots into each side) in centimeters/millimeters. That's your current rear wheel hub width...
2. If your current bike has a '130' mm rear width (very Likely) , you're 1/2 way there... Any wheelset from early 90s to now, for RIM Brakes will work...
2a. The wheelset you BUY (used) should be CAMPY 'cassette' compatible, and then you would buy an 8 Spd CAMPY compatible cassette, in whatever gearing range you wish to have. (also another decision which has impact depending on your need/desires and your front chainrings size (52 & 39 teeth ish ?)
Best to not buy Shimano compatible wheels/hub - this may work, but may not.
The selection of Campy Compatible wheels will be more limited than Shimano Compatible, but still should give plenty of choices.
2b Then BUY a 'new' Campy compatible 8 spd cassette - buying 'used' may find you buying a cassette already well worn beyond it's good use life. Unless you're quite certain it's been VERY lightly used...
3. If your dropout measures 126mm, then you have 2 options (besides staying with old wheel set).
3a. Best - since you have a 'Steel' frame - is to permanently 'spread' the dropouts to 130mm. This can be done by Frame builders, a decent/good bike shop with good mechanics who have strong familiarity with steel frame bikes would possibly be able to do it. Not likely that a under 40 yr old mechanic would even 'understand'...
3b - you could do it yourself, with good direction from experienced mechanic... If you have some mechanical experience and self-assurance. If you want to yourself, you can ask for help from the mechanics forum here, the C & V mght help but also expect a lengthy thread of 'wandering' comments on 'Why is There Life? ' LOL!
or PM me...
3c Then after spreading dropouts - Buy a Campy Compatible rear wheel - see 2a & b
Good Luck - all is not difficult and very doable, just one step after another...
Rode On
Yuri
EDIT: Why not Buy a used 126mm Campy Compatible wheelset ? Because, prolly, any decent Campy 126 Wheelset will be well worn and also TUBULARS/sewup rims...
Last edited by cyclezen; 06-03-25 at 09:37 AM.
06-03-25 | 09:27 AM
#29
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 65
Likes: 3
Keeping it simple, without all the 'history'...
The Rear wheels and frame dropout width are the deciders... Front wheel will work - 99.5% of the time, without modification, except adjusting brake caliper width and pads location...
Your current Bike has Campy 8 spd, so to use your current shifters and derailleurs, you need to have your rear wheel with an 8 speed cassette (or very old school freewheel).
so, keeping it simple and not changing the shifters and derailleurs.
1. rear wheel/frame dropout width - measure the distance between the insides of the rear 'dropouts' (where the rear wheel slots into each side) in centimeters/millimeters. That's your current rear wheel hub width...
2. If your current bike has a '130' mm rear width (very Likely) , you're 1/2 way there... Any wheelset from early 90s to now, for RIM Brakes will work...
2a. The wheelset you BUY (used) should be CAMPY 'cassette' compatible, and then you would buy an 8 Spd CAMPY compatible cassette, in whatever gearing range you wish to have. (also another decision which has impact depending on your need/desires and your front chainrings size (52 & 39 teeth ish ?)
Best to not buy Shimano compatible wheels/hub - this may work, but may not.
The selection of Campy Commpatible wheels will be more limited that Shimano Compatible, but still should give plenty of choices.
2b Then BUY a 'new' Campy compatible 8 spd cassette - buying 'used' may find you buying a cassette already well worn beyond it's good use life. Unless you're quite certain it's been VERY lightly used...
3. If your dropout measures 126mm, then you have 2 options (besides staying with old wheel set).
3a. Best - since you have a 'Steel' frame - is to permanently 'spread' the dropouts to 130mm. This can be done by Frame builders, a decent/good bike shop with good mechanics who have strong familiarity with steel frame bikes would possibly be able to do it. Not likely that a under 40 yr old mechanic would even 'understand'...
3b - you could do it yourself, with good direction from experienced mechanic... If you have some mechanical experience and self-assurance. If you want to yourself, you can ask for help from the mechanics forum here, the C & V mght help but also expect a lengthy thread of 'wandering' comments on 'Why is There Life? ' LOL!
or PM me...
3c Then after spreading dropouts - Buy a Campy Compatible rear wheel - see 2a & b
Good Luck - all is not difficult and very doeable, just one step after another...
Rode On
Yuri
The Rear wheels and frame dropout width are the deciders... Front wheel will work - 99.5% of the time, without modification, except adjusting brake caliper width and pads location...
Your current Bike has Campy 8 spd, so to use your current shifters and derailleurs, you need to have your rear wheel with an 8 speed cassette (or very old school freewheel).
so, keeping it simple and not changing the shifters and derailleurs.
1. rear wheel/frame dropout width - measure the distance between the insides of the rear 'dropouts' (where the rear wheel slots into each side) in centimeters/millimeters. That's your current rear wheel hub width...
2. If your current bike has a '130' mm rear width (very Likely) , you're 1/2 way there... Any wheelset from early 90s to now, for RIM Brakes will work...
2a. The wheelset you BUY (used) should be CAMPY 'cassette' compatible, and then you would buy an 8 Spd CAMPY compatible cassette, in whatever gearing range you wish to have. (also another decision which has impact depending on your need/desires and your front chainrings size (52 & 39 teeth ish ?)
Best to not buy Shimano compatible wheels/hub - this may work, but may not.
The selection of Campy Commpatible wheels will be more limited that Shimano Compatible, but still should give plenty of choices.
2b Then BUY a 'new' Campy compatible 8 spd cassette - buying 'used' may find you buying a cassette already well worn beyond it's good use life. Unless you're quite certain it's been VERY lightly used...
3. If your dropout measures 126mm, then you have 2 options (besides staying with old wheel set).
3a. Best - since you have a 'Steel' frame - is to permanently 'spread' the dropouts to 130mm. This can be done by Frame builders, a decent/good bike shop with good mechanics who have strong familiarity with steel frame bikes would possibly be able to do it. Not likely that a under 40 yr old mechanic would even 'understand'...
3b - you could do it yourself, with good direction from experienced mechanic... If you have some mechanical experience and self-assurance. If you want to yourself, you can ask for help from the mechanics forum here, the C & V mght help but also expect a lengthy thread of 'wandering' comments on 'Why is There Life? ' LOL!
or PM me...
3c Then after spreading dropouts - Buy a Campy Compatible rear wheel - see 2a & b
Good Luck - all is not difficult and very doeable, just one step after another...
Rode On
Yuri
06-03-25 | 09:54 AM
#30
OM boy
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,316
Likes: 1,307
From: Goleta CA
Bikes: a bunch
IF your shifters are Friction (downtube?) shifters, you provide ALL the shifting precision and could use Shimano 8 spd (or whatever...) or Campy, or whatever...
If your Shifters are 'Indexed', you're best staying with Campy Cassette wheels.
Ride On
Yuri
06-03-25 | 11:14 AM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,655
Likes: 2,253
From: Montreal, Quebec
The problem is that Campagnolo changed its spline pattern when it went from 8 speed to 9,10,11,12 speed. An 8 speed Campagnolo cassette(if you can find one) probably won't fit on that pictured 9 speed wheel. Shimano 8 speed cassettes are about 2 mm narrower than 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes, so shifting will be off a bit at the extreme high and low ends of the cassette.
