Yes we can all get along!

Well folks, I upgraded the Litespeed App Cross rig this spring. As I mentioned, I intend to do a lot more road riding, both commuting and training, so I figured I probably ought to upgrade the drive train. It was an old 16 speed vintage Campy Veloce and Mirage setup. Kinda budget based components to boot.

The real issue was it had a standard crank with 38-46 gearing. I really felt I needed a lower end for the grass Cross courses and I didn’t feel I had enough top end when I was out on the road sections. So the first step was a SRAM Force 34-50 Compact Crank set. That has given me a much better range.



However, the interesting thing about this upgrade is what I did with the rest of the transmission. You see I’ve always had a bit of a Franken-bike. I run Spinergy wheels with a Shimano Hub (it’s what came with the bike). The eight speed cassette was spaced to work with the Campy derailleur. Fair enough.

However, when I started looking at upgrading, the question of running all Shimano came to mind. The problem was I REALLY like Campy shifters. The thumb shifter is so natural and double tap just doesn’t work for me. So what to do? Go all Campy?

Well that would have required a new wheel set and since I had two sets of Spinergy Wheels for Cross and Road, I was in a bit of a dilemma.

Then I saw it. Like some sort of premonition it was written up in Cyclocross Magazine in their Bike Hacker column. “Can’t we all just get along?” was the title. It basically pointed out that the Campy 10 speed Ergo shifters pull more cable than a Shimano shifter, so if you mate the Campy up with a Shimano 10 speed Derailleur you could make it work. Unfortunately, it only works with an 8 speed cassette.

Great, not many of them around unless you want to build it from individual cogs like my original cassette. However, here’s the magic. They pointed out that with a little change in how the cable is mounted to the derailleur, you can get it to work with a 9 speed cassette.

Well now were talking. 9 Speed cassettes are still plentiful and probably will be for some time. A 9 speed works a little better than a 10 speed in the dirt and muck of a Cross race. Plus it’s a wee bit lighter. Well let’s giv’er a go!!!

Rod, my mechanic at the Bike Coop was a little skeptical as was Greg and the rest of the gang. But there it was, written up plain as day in the magazine. Ok, they said, they’d work with me on it and maybe we’d all learn something. Not everyday you get to teach some of the most experienced mechanics in Albuquerque a new trick.

So I got a Dura Ace derailleur, a SRAM 11-26 9 speed cassette/chain and a set of Campy Chorus Ergo 10 shifters. I was also fortunate to have one of the Nob Hill Velo guys stripping his Campy stuff for SRAM and he offered me a smokin’ deal on a Record Compact front derailleur. I was set. Rod went to work and with a little fussing to get the shifting dialed in he had it ready in a day.

I’ve been out on it for about three rides and had it tweaked for the expected cable stretch. How’s it shift? Really nicely. Solid and predictable. Much smoother than my original setup, but of course we’re talking much higher end componentry.

Rod feels it’s maybe not as “buttery” as a single manufacturer 10 speed setup of that quality, but he also feels that it’s bullet proof. 9 Speed setups are just so much more predictable in their shifting. A single touch of the lever, a solid clunk and I’m in gear…sweet!!!

So what you see here has affectionately been named the “UN of bikes” by Rod. Not only because of the components, but also because it's blue. Plus it proves that yes we can all get along!!!

And yep, those are Chimay Bottle Corks for bar end plugs. I got the idea from a combination of Steve Williamson telling me to shove corks in the ends when I lost a bar plug and seeing Mike Pease using the Chimay Caps as ends. I figured what the heck, use the whole damn cork and cap. Now what could be better than a Belgian Bottle cap on a Cross Bike...truely is the UN of Bikes!!!