# Campy 8 speed help



## bylerj1 (Aug 14, 2012)

I recently bought a bike equipped with full Campy Mirage 8 speed components. When I went to ride the bike the first time, the rear derailleur had some how come out of alignment and got caught in the spokes, bending the bolt that holds the RD onto the frame, the cage, and broke the little tab that keeps the RD from moving up and around the cassette to far (hope that makes sense). Campy doesn't stock these parts anymore (this is early nineties stuff, like 92-93), and I don't know where I can get these bent parts. But more specifically, if I were to buy a different RD, would an 8 speed work from any campy gruppo? Could I use a Campy Chorus RD with my mirage levers? 

Sorry for the long post/explanation 
Thanks in advance for your help.


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## Got Time (Jan 23, 2009)

bylerj1 said:


> Could I use a Campy Chorus RD with my mirage levers?


Yes, as long as it is 8 speed too. At one point I had a Record RD on a bike with a 8 speed Mirage group -- I got the RD cheap at a used part sales.

About the broken hanger: can you bent it back and attach the RD? That might work well enough. I did that twice for some of my bikes, but once it was broken "too much" and needed to be replaced which was done by a local frame builder (for $50).


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## bylerj1 (Aug 14, 2012)

Well the RD hangar was bent, but we straightened that out just fine. The bolt that attaches the RD to the hangar is bent, and a little tab is broken that holds the RD in place in relation to the frame. 










The tab would be part "B" on the diagram, just for reference. But I think I will probably just be buying another 8 speed RD from campy. Is there much difference between Mirage and some higher end stuff?


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## bylerj1 (Aug 14, 2012)

Also, can someone give me the rundown of the campy heirarchy? I have seen Super Record, Record, Chorus, Athena, Centaur, Mirage, etc. Where do these all fit in? And are there others that I'm am missing?


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

You'll have to find an old one, either NOS or used. They haven't made an 8-speed group for some years. I don't think they make 9 any more. Any Campy ergopower derailleur from prior to 2000 will work, whether it was made for 8 or 9 speed. 

Mirage, when they made it, was the level below Veloce.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

Got Time said:


> Yes, as long as it is 8 speed too. At one point I had a Record RD on a bike with a 8 speed Mirage group -- I got the RD cheap at a used part sales.
> 
> About the broken hanger: can you bent it back and attach the RD? That might work well enough. I did that twice for some of my bikes, but once it was broken "too much" and needed to be replaced which was done by a local frame builder (for $50).


2000 and older Campagnolo 9-speed derailleurs share the same ratio as 8 speed, and the 2001 and newer 9 speed derailleurs are officially compatible even though the actuation ratio has changed (you'd get some over-shift).

You would need a 9 speed chain for the narrower cages.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

bylerj1 said:


> Also, can someone give me the rundown of the campy heirarchy? I have seen Super Record, Record, Chorus, Athena, Centaur, Mirage, etc. Where do these all fit in? And are there others that I'm am missing?



Super Record costs the most followed by the rest in order.

Differences vary for different components and years.

Sometimes it's just a little ink - Campagnolo thoughtfully started putting group names on components in the early 1990s so we knew how much other people spent.

For instance, 2010 Ultrashift levers are all identical internally from Veloce through Super Record except Athena and above get an 11 speed index cam and Super Record has rear ratchets that save 7g for the pair.

Centaur offers a carbon brake blade option which saves 21g, Athena is alloy only, and then they're all carbon.

Quality is the same and there's only 28g separating least and most expensive.

Sometimes it's styling - Record gets sexy cut-outs in the brake blades and Super Record gets more cut-outs which are sexier even though they don't save any weight. Record always got the hidden fifth crank arm. Chorus sometimes did.

Generally Record (and now Super Record) gets more titanium and/or carbon than lower gruppos; although this can be minimal. On some mid 2000s front derailleurs Record Titanium got a titanium frame and cable clamp bolts but was otherwise identical to Chorus. Later years got the carbon outer cage.


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## bylerj1 (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks for all your help. So basically, if I buy any Campy RD that is 8 speed, it will work with my current levers. I will look around on (flea)bay and other places and try to find one. That shouldn't be too difficult, should it?


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## SteveOz1 (Sep 5, 2012)

If I can jump in with a related question/problem - I have Mirage 8 speed shifters and was using a Jtek with Shimano rear derailer with no problems - I finally found an 8 speed Chorus rear derailer - after installation it shifts great - till it gets to the low speed (biggest) cog - the derailer hits the wheel spokes! For now I adjusted the set stop to make it a "7" speed and avoid the big cog altogether - has anyone else had this problem? Thx


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## J24 (Oct 8, 2003)

bylerj1 said:


> Thanks for all your help. So basically, if I buy any Campy RD that is 8 speed, it will work with my current levers. I will look around on (flea)bay and other places and try to find one. That shouldn't be too difficult, should it?


Any 9 speed Campy RD will work too, the only difference is the 8spd Jocky wheels (pulleys) are slightly thicker since the 8 speed chain is a little wider than 9 spd chain, but thinner jocky 9spd pulleys have no effect on wider chain and 9 speed chain shifts fine on my Mirage 8 chain rings.


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## bylerj1 (Aug 14, 2012)

Does anyone have an 8 speed RD from campy lying around they wanna sell? I'm looking for one at the moment, and they are kind of hard to find. PM me if you have something.


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