How to uprgrade a 7 speed Campagnolo Athena Down shifter to 8 speed ?

Hi

I have just bought a nice 7 speed campagnolo Athena groupset that I want to use with a nice campagnolo wheelset. The cassette is an 8 speed.

I have heard it was possible to ´´transform´´ the shifter in 8 speed mode by removing a part.
Can someone helps me ?
Thanks a lot

Syncro?

Easy: just change the insert!

Hard: finding an insert.

yes thes are synchro in 7 speed and apparently friction in 8 speed.
Thanks for the link.
Do you know where can I find this insert ?

Do you know where can I find this insert ?

I don't think I've ever seen individual inserts for sale, which is why I said that's the hard part. :(

You could try a "wanted" ad on Retrobike, but I think you will probably have to buy a pair of 8 speed levers...

Or Campoldy?

Yep!
Or change the wheelset.
The campa is a full grafite one.I want to keep it.
Mate thanks for your precious help.

and if I get this insert from a 8 speed athena down shifter and replace it on the 7th one ?

I think you can just swap the inserts: your levers are probably MkI and I don't know if the MkII inserts are compatible.

Tears For Gears is the best resource on Syncro I have found: perhaps email him?

Also speak to Nigel at Campoldy: very knowledgeable.

Good luck!

TBH, Syncro doesn't work very well: probably easiest (and cheapest) to use them in "friction" mode.

I will.
Thanks a lot.

so apparently in 8 speed ! would be nice

I had 8 speed syncro and I could never, ever get them to run right.

Reading Tears For Gears, the whole set-up was dependent on the right chain and cassette/freewheel to run correctly!

Sounds flawed to me.

I could never see the point of indexed DTS.

Ok
interesting !

Other question : Is it possible to put a campagnolo athena 7 speed cassette on athena 8 speed hub ?

Is it possible to put a campagnolo athena 7 speed cassette on athena 8 speed hub ?

http://branfordbike.com/articles/cassettes-and-cogs-pg60.htm

Thanks Scilly.
This is a very interesting link.

Another question.

Finally I am going to stay with the 7 spd option ( i want to keep this groupset and rear derailleur is 7..). I want to use it on a 130 mm rear drop out frame but usually if I am not wrong, 7 speed wheelset were designed for 126 mm frame, isn´t it ?
The 8 spd campagnolo wheeslet has an original 8 speed campagnolo hub ( the first one on the link you sent).

What I have done is drop (removed) a cog from the 8 speed cassette and put one spacer at the begining (before the big cog) so i have a 7 speed wheelset on 130 mm hub. This new configuration fits perfectly, nothing is overflowing. I can screw it properly.

Will it work properly ?
Regarding chairning alignment ?

Thanks you for your help.

Yes, it'll be fine. :)