upgrading campag double...lower gears needed!

[fast but dim]

I've just picked up a lovely (cheap) hewitt aravis via ebay

On the front is a 39/52 veloce double: Thanks to a lot of digging here I know for around £60 I can fit a compact double stronglight / new bb from spa cycles for £60 ish, but I'm unsure if I could fit a triple (which I'd prefer)

Will my 7-10 ish yr old campag 9sp ergo shifter work with a triple chain ring? google leads me to believe it may..... If so, would I need to change my rear shortcage mech?

An idiots guide would be good!

[Valbrona]

Yup. Your old Ergolevers will work both a double and a triple Campag front mech without any modification. It is only the newer levers that are either double or triple format.

1/ You need a triple chainset, and that will mean getting a new bottom bracket as well. I use a 26/36/46 Sugino XD2 with my Campag triple set up. Stronglight Impact is another choice if you want small chainrings. These are both 74/110 BCD chainsets.

2/ You need a triple-specific Campag front mech. This needs to be functional with your Ergolevers; my point being if you get a contemporary one it won't work with those old Ergolevers.

3/ You need a Campag rear mech with a longer cage. Campag 'long cage' would be good, but if not a 'medium cage' would probably be okay.

You might get lucky finding compatible parts. You might not. Suggest you only buy the triple chainset after you have sourced new front and rear mechs.

[MGate]

Where abouts are you? I have a few Campag triples and the appropriate ISO square taper bottom brackets knocking about. I think you may get away with not changing the front mech... Well it's worth a try. The lever should be ok as the left lever is not really indexed - more of a ratchet type of thing.

PM me if you like - I've just acquired a couple of bikes and a load of spares including two spare Campag triple chainsets to add to the one I already have - happy to let you try one out to see if it works.

Hewitt Aravais - nice.

[fast but dim]

Where abouts are you? I have a few Campag triples and the appropriate ISO square taper bottom brackets knocking about. I think you may get away with not changing the front mech... Well it's worth a try. The lever should be ok as the left lever is not really indexed - more of a ratchet type of thing.

PM me if you like - I've just acquired a couple of bikes and a load of spares including two spare Campag triple chainsets to add to the one I already have - happy to let you try one out to see if it works.

Hewitt Aravais - nice.

Thanks for the offer, pm sent

[fast but dim]

@ Valbrona: Thanks for the Advice too

[Ayesha]

Before spending your money, go and find the steepest hill you're likely to climb regularly.

If you come to a grinding halt and can't move forward in lowest gear, try again the following week.
If you still can't get up it after two months, spend some money.

[mattsccm]

If you do go triple you may save money on the mech. I use all sorts of things but currently both my triples are running normal double mechs. 1 is a newish centaur compact and the other is an ancient Record. These are both on 28/38/48 Stronglight C/S
At least worth a try.

[fast but dim]

Before spending your money, go and find the steepest hill you're likely to climb regularly.

If you come to a grinding halt and can't move forward in lowest gear, try again the following week.
If you still can't get up it after two months, spend some money.

I'm OK where I live, but my current gearing would cause some serious difficulties touring in the lakes

[fast but dim]

Ok, so now I have got hold of an appropriate square taper veloce triple chainset.... I'm going to try using the existing front derailleur.... will I need to change the BB as mentioned above by Valbrona?

Why are things never easy?

[mattsccm]

Try the BB first but watch that you don't tighten it onto the chainstay. A mm gap will do possibly though. Thing is what works with one frame won't with another. I swap the same Campag triple chainset between 3 frames. Each prefers a different BB although I only use 2. 1 frames uses a 11mm whilst another needs at least 118

[fast but dim]

Sorted! I'd guess it took me 20 mins start to finish to get a functioning 27sp set up!All done using original double shifters, front and rear mechs and bottom bracket.

The triple went on fine: the 9sp front mech / shifter would shift from the granny to middle ring and back no problem, but even fully adjusting the top stop screw wouldn't give me the big ring.... all it took was a slight rotation of the band on mech and..... BINGO

So... all I changed in the end was the chainset, and I'd say I'm 95% of the way there. The small ring will only work with the biggest four sprockets until the excess chain fouls the rear mech: Removing a link or two would solve that, but It'd be too tight on the big ring.

I'd guess a long cage mech would sort it 100% ?, so I might keep an eye out for a good priced used one. It's not a major hassle as it is, tbh all I wanted was a bail out gear for really steep hills / touring, and that's what I've got. All I've got to do is remember not to shift to the granny ring from the smaller rear sprockets.

[mattsccm]

If the front mech is not an absolute jewel you might try some very minor bending of the cage. I can get the outer ring to run scrape free on mine on 2nd to 10th. 1st works with a slight rub.

[mattsccm]

Yes I know an extreme cross of gears is naughty and I don't use them.
Funnily enough I reckon 10 seed stuff is more capable of extreme crosses than older kit. Something to do with a narrower chain?