# Campagnolo 8spd shifter to 9spd



## Steelguy (Apr 25, 2010)

I read somewhere that 8-speed ergopower shifters can be converted to 9-speed by changing a cam in the right shifter. Anybody know if this is true? Happy new year!


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

www.campyonly.com The site maintains a database on how to convert your 8 speed to 9.

www.branfordbike.com is a good source of parts.


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*possible, but...*

Usually not worth the money and effort. The 8 speed levers have internal parts that are tough to find. Even 9 speed is pretty much dead. You can put a cheap 10 speed cassette on any hub that will accept 9 speed and get new Veloce shifters, with a new cable set (worth at least $40) for only about $105 from Ribble. The new levers are a huge improvement in comfort.

The only other issue is the RD actutation change. 8 speed and early 9 speed require more cable pull and won't shift right with a 10 speed index gear or even the newer 9 speed model. You'd need the old 9 speed index gear to make this work. If the RD ever craps out, then the index gear won't match a newer replacement RD.

Sometimes it smarter to just move on.

Old RD's get sloppy with enough use and there is no way to tighten up all the slop. I've placed a shim washer behind the c-clip that holds the main pivot assembly together and reduced excessive axial play, but that's about all that you can do.


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## Steelguy (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks for your replies.

Can you run an 8spd shifter with a 9spd cassette, using the derailleur limit screws to lock out the small cog? I'm not sure I'm up to 55x11.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

waynema said:


> Thanks for your replies.
> 
> Can you run an 8spd shifter with a 9spd cassette, using the derailleur limit screws to lock out the small cog? I'm not sure I'm up to 55x11.


all the spacings are different. shifts will happen, but things will not sound good.


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

There are 2 9 sp Ergo gears. One is for old style pre 2000 9 sp and other for post 2000. They are different.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

cs1 said:


> There are 2 9 sp Ergo gears. One is for old style pre 2000 9 sp and other for post 2000. They are different.




yup, and they were about $40 back in the day. prob very hard to find and those that stashed a few away prob aren't selling... you might also look for a pair of old pointy-hood 9 shifters


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

C-40 said:


> Sometimes it smarter to just move on.


+1.........


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

FatTireFred said:


> yup, and they were about $40 back in the day. prob very hard to find and those that stashed a few away prob aren't selling... you might also look for a pair of old pointy-hood 9 shifters


the difference in 9-spd freehubs and cogs between early and late versions is in the splining, not the spacing, which is what the OP is asking about. 9-spd spacing the same in either case, and I'm assuming it won't work too well with an 8-spd shifter.

plus I agree with C 40. just forget about it and go to 10.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

cs1 said:


> There are 2 9 sp Ergo gears. One is for old style pre 2000 9 sp and other for post 2000. They are different.


Actually, there are three. The old one, the new one for the older pointy lever body style, and the new one for the new round-top body. I have a set of levers that were originally 8-speed (pointy) that were converted to "new" 9-speed (by Tim at Branford Bike way back when it was still in Branford,.Ct.). It is almost impossible to find a 9-speed gear that fits that lever now. The ones made for the the new-style lever don't work (I know from experience, because I bought one).


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## Golfguy (Nov 20, 2010)

I had the old Exa-Drive 8-speed Athena from about 1994 and considered moving to a 9-speed setup, but it's too difficult to find all the right parts. Exa-Drive cogs don't fit on newer freehub shells and not all 9-speed cassettes will fit on the earlier hubs. The problem with going to 10-speed is having to buy new hubs/wheels to go with the rest of the parts, but I just bit the bullet and made the jump to 10-speed. At least my parts are new and I know they work together. Unfortunately you can't say that for sure on all the 9-speed cassettes.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

bikerjulio said:


> the difference in 9-spd freehubs and cogs between early and late versions is in the splining, not the spacing, which is what the OP is asking about. 9-spd spacing the same in either case, and I'm assuming it won't work too well with an 8-spd shifter.
> 
> plus I agree with C 40. just forget about it and go to 10.




I thought op was talking about converting by changing a cam in the right shifter, not freehubs, cogs, etc


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

FatTireFred said:


> I thought op was talking about converting by changing a cam in the right shifter, not freehubs, cogs, etc


then OP asked a supplemental in poast #4.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

FatTireFred said:


> I thought op was talking about converting by changing a cam in the right shifter, not freehubs, cogs, etc


He was, but if he currently has 8-speed he'd have to change the cassette as well to go 9-speed, and then you get into what cogs fit on what freehub bodies.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

bikerjulio said:


> then OP asked a supplemental in poast #4.




so I'll assume you meant to reply to that


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

waynema said:


> I read somewhere that 8-speed ergopower shifters can be converted to 9-speed by changing a cam in the right shifter. Anybody know if this is true? Happy new year!


I converted my 1996 Chorus right shifter (index cam), rear derailleur (pulley bolts and pulleys), and rear hubs (freehub bodies) to 9 speed a long time ago. 

G-springs are still available but the G-spring carrier, thumb lever springs, and other internals have been discontinued. 

With my rear derailleur worn out and spares drying up (I'm down to one thumb lever spring) I figured it's nearly time to 'upgrade' and picked up a set of 2010 carbon Centaur levers (last of the 10 speed Ultrashift levers and without the weak detents of the 2009s) for $190 + shipping from the UK.

Freehub bodies haven't been available for nearly a decade, but if you want to avoid a rear wheel rebuild you can get a non-oversized hub with 9/10 speed freehub and loose bearings (Chorus/Record 97-98, Athena 98-99, one year of Veloce before they switched to cartridge bearings), swap freehub bodies and perhaps axles (Athena/Veloce have a different axle and freehub than Chorus/Record, but I don't know whether it needs to go with the freehub), and sell off the hub which is now 8 speeds.


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

bikerjulio said:


> then OP asked a supplemental in poast #4.





waynema said:


> Thanks for your replies.
> 
> Can you run an 8spd shifter with a 9spd cassette, using the derailleur limit screws to lock out the small cog? I'm not sure I'm up to 55x11.


This is getting confusing. I'll do the best to clarify that I can. 

Campy's old style, pointy hood, brifters came in 7, 8 and 9 sp. Yes, there was one year made with 7 sp. It was an 8 sp hub with the cassette hub 4mm shorter. 

When Campy went to 9 sp they changed the cassette hub width and splining to accommodate a new wider cassette. There was/is only 1 style 9 sp cassette. They used the old 8 sp brifter with a new Ergo gear in the first/old style 9 sp. The old 8 sp actuation ratio rear derailleur stayed until 2000 when they went to 10 sp.

When Campy went to 10 sp in about 2000 they redesigned the rear derailleur and shifter. The rear derailleur had a new actuation ratio. The new shifters were offered in 8, 9 & 10 sp. 

It's best not to mix old and new 9 sp on the same bike. I know, I've done it and the shifting is not great.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

cs1 said:


> When Campy went to 9 sp they changed the cassette hub width and splining to accommodate a new wider cassette.


didn't the change in hub width from 126mm to 130mm, occur with the advent of 8 spd which kept the same sprocket spacing as 7 spd, and went wider?. Every increase on # of sprockets since then has reduced spacing.


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## eddie m (Jul 6, 2002)

bikerjulio said:


> didn't the change in hub width from 126mm to 130mm, occur with the advent of 8 spd which kept the same sprocket spacing as 7 spd, and went wider?. Every increase on # of sprockets since then has reduced spacing.


The dropout width on 8s and up is 130 mm, but the 9s and up cassette bodies are a little wider than 8s. The bigger issue is that the 8s spline is different.
Campy 8s is pretty much an orphan now. When I crashed an 8s derailler (in 2002?) I had to upgrade to 9s. I used a Wheels Manufacturing spacer kit to add a cog to the 8s wheel, but even that is not available any more. I couldn't find any new 8s parts.

em


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

All of which just goes to show that Campy 9 speed is a "Black Hole."

P.S. I'm not ragging on Campy. I have an 8 speed Record bike and two Centaur 10 bikes.


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

bikerjulio said:


> didn't the change in hub width from 126mm to 130mm, occur with the advent of 8 spd which kept the same sprocket spacing as 7 spd, and went wider?. Every increase on # of sprockets since then has reduced spacing.


I believe that's what I said when I mentioned the cassette hub body increased 4mm from 7 to 8 sp. Other than that the spline on 7 and 8 is identical.

Campy went to the deep splines on the 9/10 sp cassette hub body. Which are not interchangeable with the older 8 sp cassettes. 

The big thing to remember is use an old pre 2000 9 sp Ergo with the 8/9 rear derailleurs. If you have a current post 2000 rear derailleur use the new post 2000 9 sp Ergo gear. Indexing will be great.


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## jet sanchEz (Nov 28, 2005)

Is there a tutorial somewhere on the net that would show me how to repair an 8-speed Record right hand shifter? I know it is best to move on but everything else on the bike is perfect. The shifter doesn't want to "catch" when I go from small to big.

Thanks.


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## jet sanchEz (Nov 28, 2005)

Is there a tutorial somewhere on the net that would show me how to repair an 8-speed Record right hand shifter? I know it is best to move on but everything else on the bike is perfect. The shifter doesn't want to "catch" when I go from small to big.

Thanks.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Sounds like you need a re-build. Personally, I think it's worth the 5 bucks to get 
Campy's manual, which has good detailed instructions and pictures
http://branfordbike.com/product/campagnolo-ergo-lever-rebuild-manual-1998-current-881.htm
Somebody may have posted this online, but I don't know where. You might search youtube, also.

You'll want to replace the g-springs, which are available and have not changed. The spring carrier was also prone to breaking (and your symptoms could indicate that problem, but not necessarily), and whether you can get the part for your lever depends on when it was made. Branford Bike is a good source for parts and information.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

JCavilia said:


> Sounds like you need a re-build. Personally, I think it's worth the 5 bucks to get
> Campy's manual, which has good detailed instructions and pictures
> http://branfordbike.com/product/campagnolo-ergo-lever-rebuild-manual-1998-current-881.htm


Note that 
1) You don't need to remove the brake blade if you use a ball-end hex key.

2) Note that the earlier pointy-hood right shifter lacks the clock spring and has a left-hand thread (versus right-hand in the 1998 and newer manual) on the bolt attaching the thumb lever. 

3) You want to remove/install the thumb lever return spring at the same time as the main indexing gear. 

I've never bothered attaching my shift lever to a piece of handle bar when rebuilding it and couldn't speak to whether that makes it appreciably easier.

Yellow Jersey has a scan of the newer manual on line:

http://www.yellowjersey.org/ergo1.html

but you want to look for the older one since it has more illustrations.



> The spring carrier was also prone to breaking (and your symptoms could indicate that problem, but not necessarily), and whether you can get the part for your lever depends on when it was made. Branford Bike is a good source for parts and information.


The spring carrier has been discontinued. The 1998 and newer carrier has a post for the clock spring and the posts which mate to the lever body are a slightly different shape. I have no clue whether the slightly different mating interface will positively locate the part in an old style lever body although you should be able to cut-off the clock spring post.

JB weld didn't work to put a broken one back together.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

*Campy Only has the first generation manual online*

http://www.campyonly.com/howto/ergotech.html


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

eddie m said:


> The dropout width on 8s and up is 130 mm, but the 9s and up cassette bodies are a little wider than 8s. The bigger issue is that the 8s spline is different.
> Campy 8s is pretty much an orphan now. When I crashed an 8s derailler (in 2002?) I had to upgrade to 9s. I used a Wheels Manufacturing spacer kit to add a cog to the 8s wheel, but even that is not available any more. I couldn't find any new 8s parts.
> 
> em


You said it better than I did. Thanks


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