Originally Posted by HandMeDownRider .
My bad, I used inaccurate language - I have a freehub and cassette, not a freewheel.
So even though I already have a triple front and a FD that works with it, a Shimano 9-speed shifter won't work with that FD?
Point taken re: Campy 10/11. But why on earth would Shimano shifters require changing the front rings and FD, but the Campagnolo do not? I just don't get it.
Indexed shifters pull the cable a fixed amount particular to the shifter brand & vintage ...
The chain width varies for different "speed" indexing ... the chains are narrower as the number of indexing cogs increases in the rear ...
The cage width varies for different "speed" Shimano front derailleurs ...
There are only enough indexing indents to move the front derailleur cage a fixed amount across the chainrings when using Shimano shifters ...
- apparently, SRAM engineers must have been told not to set up for a Triple due to something about the Double Tap probably being dodgy if needed to move across too large an arc AND/OR some bean counter telling them not to bother re-engineering the internal mechanism beyond the working prototype
Consequently, if you use too narrow a chain for YOUR existing, older front derailleur then you will find that the chain will not be moved far enough to properly engage the next chainring ...
Campagnolo's older front shifters have more than the necessary amount of indents to allow the chain to traverse THREE chainrings regardless of the vintage of the front derailleur ...
FWIW. Here is a 1980s vintage Shimano Dura Ace front derailleur which I am using on one bike which has Campagnolo shifters & 9-speed Shimano chain ...
It takes FOUR indexing clicks to move the front derailleur between the two chainrings.
I don't have a Triple crank set up at the moment, but it would probably take SEVEN indexing clicks with an older (
i.e., wider) front derailleur + narrower 9-speed chain.
- my immediate recollection is that Campagnolo's older, Xenon-based shifters + Campagnolo's current Ultra Shift & Power Shift shifters only have seven indexed positions for the front derailleur, so I cannot guarantee that they will adequately shift an older Shimano front derailleur across a Triple crankset's chainrings when using a narrower chain
FYI. Based on
my experience, Shimano shifters NEED the ramping & pinning which are found on most chainrings now. Shimano front derailleur shifting get's pretty dodgy without ramping & pinning, IMO.
Based on MY on-the-road-tests, Campagnolo shifters do NOT require the chainrings which have ramping & pinning to execute clean shifts between chainrings.
BTW. I think that you will just need to see if your current rear wheel's Freehub body is long enough to accept an 8-/9-/10-speed Cassette.