Veloce shifters

[DaveyA]

A friend has kindly given me some Veloce shifters, they look like the ones below. He in turn was given them by someone else and is not sure if they are 8 or 9 speed. I have put them on some handlebars and counted the clicks and there are more than 10, but maybe that's just the way they work. I don't know much about these levers so how can I tell if they are 8 or 9 speed and would they need to be married up to a matching campag rear mech to work properly?
Many thanks.

 

[Smokin Joe]

They would need a Campag mech to index, any Campag mech will do at least as far as 8-10 speed goes. An eleven speed would probably work too unless someone knows differently. It should be one click per shift on the rear shifter.

 

[DaveyA]

I've got a really old Campag 980 mech, but it has no cable adjuster for fine tuning. More modern one be suitable?

 

[HLaB]

Forget the lever behind the brake other than to put it up to the max (push it until it stops clicking) but it can shift several gears at a time. Use the thumb shifter to get a precise number of gears/clicks which is easier to count, ie my 10sp veloce has 9 presses before you get to the other end.

Ideally it would all be campag but I have a 10sp campag wheel on my turbo and it seems to work ok with my 10sp shimano bike and I once borrowed a campag wheel on a road ride and found the same. I've no experiences of mixing other speeds though.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I've got a really old Campag 980 mech, but it has no cable adjuster for fine tuning. More modern one be suitable?

If it's pre index it probably won't work as the geometry is different.

 

[Tin Pot]

They allow for micro adjustments, so I'm not sure your count will match the gears.

Mine are used on a ten speed with Veloce mechs.

 

[Benjifield]

best thing to tell without buying a mech to go with it... run a cable through the lever and pull it tight then with your other hand go up the shifts like your going up the cassette each time you press you should feel it pull the cable tighter. Each pull is a shift so count away and youll be winning

 

[winjim]

They look very much like a set of first generation (1992 - 97) 8 speed ergopowers
http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=e7b6cf61-41f1-4ca5-942c-b606b125406b&Enum=125

You could probably tinker with the innards to make them 9sp if you wanted.
@Graeme_FK would know more...

 

[DaveyA]

They look exactly like mine. I wouldn't mind if they were 8 speed. If they were, would they work with a 7 speed screw on freewheel? Might save me the cost of some new wheels.

 

[Smokin Joe]

They look exactly like mine. I wouldn't mind if they were 8 speed. If they were, would they work with a 7 speed screw on freewheel? Might save me the cost of some new wheels.

I don't know about a screw on freewheel, but 8 speed Campag index perfectly with a seven speed Shimano cassette. That was my first venture into brifters.

 

[accountantpete]

Probably 9 speed.

The left hand shifters had up to 11 clicks - each click moved something like half a chainring space - so can be used for doubles or trebles.

The Right Hand should only do 8 clicks (for 9 speed).

 

[DaveyA]

Confession time. After reading accountantpete's post, first chance I got I took another look at the shifters and I discovered I had the left hand one trying to change the rear mech I don't know why, I just think I tried it, found it had numerous clicks and assumed the other one was for shifting chainrings.
Anyway, I have counted the clicks and there are seven so I assume that means these are 8 speed? It would be fine with me if they are, I am building up an old 531 frame. At the moment I have a set of old wheels fitted with Shimano 7 speed screw on block and a Campag 980 mech. It does change alright'ish, but it does seem to skip a gear sometimes when going up or down the gears. Thinking about finding a slightly more modern rear mech, this one does not grip the cable tightly enough, as it slips through the clamp. I am having to wind it right around the clamping bolt to stop it slipping and it is not doing the new cable any good at all. Were older cables slightly thicker? Maybe the groove in the mech is worn a bit, as when the cable is in the slot it is almost flush with the face of the clamping surface so the nut and washer don't get much of a grip.

 

[accountantpete]

7 clicks is 8 speed.

The 980 mech was from the 80's so was used with a downtube shifter and thicker cable.

 

[DaveyA]

That's great, thanks. Would any modern era rear mech fit the bill, would it be best keeping it Campag or would a Shimano work also?

 

[winjim]

This article may be useful

http://blog.artscyclery.com/science...ce-behind-the-magic-drivetrain-compatibility/