# Campagnolo brake calipers w/ Shimano levers?



## Cheers! (Aug 20, 2006)

I have Shimano Ultegra STI shift/brake levers. I would like to upgrade my brakes and like what the Campagnolo Record D Skeleton have to offer. 

Can I run the Campagnolo Record D Skeleton with the Shimano Ultegra STI? If not is my only other high end choice that will work Dura-Ace?

Thanks


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Sure. You won't have a release which opens the caliper. Just tune the caliper so that you can take the wheel out without letting air out of the tire.


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## The Flash (May 6, 2002)

Don't do it as they are designed for different kind of pull ratio's from the lever. I've done the Campy to Shimano thing though and it seemed to work very well....

Flash


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Not wise.
If you like to keep your brake pads where the should be, you'll have to fiddle with the adjusting barrel whenever you want to remove the front wheel. On the other hand, Shimano brakes work great with Campy Ergo levers. You have a double quick release.


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## Mark McM (Jun 18, 2005)

*Mechanical advantages the same*



The Flash said:


> Don't do it as they are designed for different kind of pull ratio's from the lever.


Really? Last time I checked, both Shimano and Campagnolo brake levers had mechanical advantages of about 4:1, and both Shimano and Campagnolo calipers had mechanical advantages of about 1.6:1. Why do you believe they have changed?


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## The Flash (May 6, 2002)

*I believe it is the back caliper....*



Mark McM said:


> Really? Last time I checked, both Shimano and Campagnolo brake levers had mechanical advantages of about 4:1, and both Shimano and Campagnolo calipers had mechanical advantages of about 1.6:1. Why do you believe they have changed?


On the Campy that was designed to have less of a ratio....I may be mistaken, but I thought that they had been redesigned to stop locking up the rear wheel....

Flash....


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

They've only lightened the brake and changed it to a single pivot. The rear doesn't need the power. The levers have not changed.

I don't use the cable release, the brakes are adjusted so that I can change a wheel without doing anything. No biggie. I find they modulate better when the lever is halfway pulled in, especially from the drops (reach). Setting up the front brake with 1mm (too close IMHO) clearance makes it too 'poppy'.


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## Mark McM (Jun 18, 2005)

*Left and right lever mechanical advantage is identical*



The Flash said:


> On the Campy that was designed to have less of a ratio....I may be mistaken, but I thought that they had been redesigned to stop locking up the rear wheel....


Only the rear _caliper_ was changed, the _lever_ remained the same. Campagnolo right and left levers still have identical mechanical advantage. A number of people switch their brake cables and operate the rear brake with the left lever - they can still do this with Campagnolo's "Differential Brakes."

The rear "Differential Brake" caliper uses a traditional single pivot design, which has a mechanical advantage of 1:1 (vs. roughly 1.6:1 for dual pivot brakes). The mechanical advantage of brake levers has not changed much in the last 30 years or more - plenty of us still use single pivot brakes front and rear with the latest brake levers, and still stop just fine.


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## Cheers! (Aug 20, 2006)

Spunout said:


> They've only lightened the brake and changed it to a single pivot. The rear doesn't need the power. The levers have not changed.
> 
> I don't use the cable release, the brakes are adjusted so that I can change a wheel without doing anything. No biggie. I find they modulate better when the lever is halfway pulled in, especially from the drops (reach). Setting up the front brake with 1mm (too close IMHO) clearance makes it too 'poppy'.


Why is the cable release different between camp and shimano?


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

yeah, what he said.

Shimano brakes will EITHER brake fine, OR let the wheel be removed.

On the plus side, Campagnolo ergopower levers are relatively cheap.


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Cheers! said:


> Why is the cable release different between camp and shimano?


Campagnolo has the release on the lever. Shimano has the release on the caliper.

Shimano lever + campy caliper = No cable release. Ya have to tune it right.

Campy lever + shimano caliper = 2 cable releases.


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## rensho (Aug 5, 2003)

I've been running the DA 10 STI with Campy calipers for 2 years. Prior to that, the DA 9 STI levers. As long as you adjust the barrel to have a wide enough gap between the pads, so as the wheel can come out with the tire fully inflated, there really aren't any issues.

I went to this as the DA7700 calipers were flexy. Now with the 7800 being pretty stiff, I wouldn't do it again.
Having the QR is nice in situations if the wheel goes out of true and you've still got miles to ride.


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