Dawes Impulse, Reynolds 531, Shimergo

Here's a comfortable ride that I recently acquired via an internet sale:

And here is what it looked like on purchase, before I sorted out the handlebars, changed the front wheel, and fettled the brakes:

Here are extracts from 1990 Dawes catalogue:

And some blurb and data:

Rest of the catalogue data:

In my sample, it seems that quite a few parts have been changed. However, I think the original chainset Exage Biopace 52/42T 170 and brake levers were still on. The gearing was a bit insane, with a Shimano Uniglide 6 speed hub, and lowest gear of 42-21T (53"). But, it shifted well. So, I changed the bottom bracket from the cone and axle cotterless to a sealed cartridge Shimano 110mm unit, and the chainset to a 46/36T 175. This gave much more manageable gears with a low of 36-21T (45").

And here's a photo of it today, with the new chainset, saddle, seatpost, tyres and the as purchased front wheel back on:

Next step is to get rid of the DT shifters in the most convenient way possible. I love DT shifters, but one has to admit that bar-mounted shifters are better. The rims are grey anodised Mavic-MA40 and are virtually new - definitely not what was on the machine as shipped by Dawes. These rims have been rather nicely laced on to decent refurbed hubs - Campagnolo in front and Shimano FH-RM50 ND (6 spd Uniglide) at rear. Not only that, the 6 speed system is shifting well, so I'm minded to leave it as is.

I measured the pitch (distance between sprocket centres) as best I can, and made it 5.5mm. Consulting references on Shimergo - btw, I'm really annoyed with the CTC and their shoddy reproduction of Chris Juden's article on the subject - tables are chopped-up/wrong/missing! - I'm minded to try simply fitting second hand Campagnolo 8 speed Ergo shifters. The undoctored chart (Table 4) indicates that with the 'hubbub' rear mech clamp tweak, there would be ~0.03mm discrepancy in cog pitch, so it ought to work.  I have some DT stops already in my bike bits. The 1990s 8 speed Campagnolo shifters that I've seen for sale often have splits in the brake hoods. I'll probably have to get new hoods, but that's not a big deal. Even if I'd not bothered with a Shimergo mod, I'd have had to buy replacements for the current tatty and discoloured gummy ones. They are supposed to be white, but they've disintegrated to beige.

However, the rear mech does not appear to have a hubbub-able cable clamp! That said, old style Campagnolo 9 speed shifters give a pitch of 5.49mm, whereas the new style ones of same speed provide 5.26mm. This is going to be interesting...

Excited to try this and blog about it later.

Is Shimergo a waste of time?

Shimergo means using Campagnolo Ergo shifter levers with a Shimano drivetrain. Check out this beautiful Bianchi renovation (from the interesting "Pistarice" blogsite):

I used to think that messing about, mixing and matching combinations of components from one manufacturer with those from another, was pointless. Each brand is designed to function with its own compatible parts. So obviously, it would be less than optimal to use bits that were never designed to work another brand, right? But no, both theory and practical experience indicate otherwise.

The most common combination seems to be 10 speed Campagnolo Ergo levers with either 8 speed Shimano drive, or 9 speed Shimano provided the rear derailleur clamp washer is rotated a bit (what Shimergo practitioners call "hubbub" - photo here). 11 speed Campagnolo shifters also work with Shimano 9 speed systems. However, since 10 speed Campagnolo levers (e.g. Veloce 10) are significantly cheaper than Shimano STI levers (whereas Campagnolo 11 speed ones are comparably priced), Shimergo is useful solution for:

• upgrading Shimano geared bikes with down tube shifters - e.g. touring bikes, or old road bikes
• converting MTB drive trains for road use
• a cheaper and I'd say "sexier" option for replacing defective 8 or 9 speed Shimano STI shifters
• in some cases, improving braking performance, because the Campagnolo brake levers are likely to be an upgrade over the original brake levers 

So, for certain bikes, Shimergo is certainly not a waste of time. What we need however, is some list of the known combinations of types and models that function well together (I mean with more product detail than the combination tables in Chris Juden's CTC article). And let's not stop with Shimergo. What about Sramano, which I have heard can work too? If any reader has first hand knowledge of a combination of mixed brand gear train parts and shifters that work well, please do add a little comment here with product and model details. If I can gather enough data, I'll make a table of it and share that interoperability info with everyone!

How to Shimergo your bike

Campagnolo ERGO levers can work with a SHIMano drivetrain, mechs and cassette. In an earlier post here, I showed some photos of a bike that I had converted to Shimergo. Now I'm going to explain how I did it. Here's a photo of the bike as it was originally. The brake levers are cheap and nasty.

The plan was to replace the brake levers and down tube shifters with Campagnolo Ergo levers (Veloce 10 QS Ergo Levers, from around 2009 vintage). The following links are essential reading:

The CTC's Chris Juden on the subject: http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=3946
CX Magazine on it: http://cxmagazine.com/shimano-campagnol ... patibility
10spd, 8spd success story: http://bikesarethesolution.wordpress.co ... onversion/

Original set up was as follows:

Cassette: Shimano 9 speed, 12-23
Rear mech: Shimano Tiagra
Front mech: Campag Mirage
D/T Levers: Shimano Dura ace
Chainset: Stronglight Impact Triple 28-38-48

According to the above links, the lever swap should work with a little trick to play on the rear mech, namely, the cable attachment bolt washer to be spun round - or "hubbubed".

There's a lot more writing out there, but the above three really convinced me. Plus I saw a forum posting somewhere in which a cyclocross racer reported a season's worth of racing using 10spd Campy shifters on 9spd Shimano with hubbub. That clinched it for me!


Old faithful Shimano Dura Ace down tube levers (9 speed indexed). I'll end up removing these (gulp!)

These cheepo brake levers are going to go too. I'll be happy about that!

First step is to take the old bar tape and levers off.

New 10 Speed Campy levers on. I needed to buy a Torx T25 tool for the main lever clamp bolt. The Veloce levers feel superb in the hand, almost perfectly shaped hoods.


Cable housing fitted for brake and gears, taped down ready for handlebar tape.

The old down tube levers were replaced with Campagnolo resin cable stops. Although inexpensive, these turned out to be simply brilliant. So easy to adjust, even while riding.


This is the hubbub clamping arrangement. All you do is rotate the clamp hook, run the cable over the hook, and tighten the bolt as shown. Dead easy.



Swanky new bar tape. Now, to my total amazement, both the new levers worked beautifully with NO adjustment needed at all. After a few days riding, I had to adjust some cable tension from the down tube cable stops, but that was it. I believe in Shimergo now!

Campagnolo levers added a touch of modern class to a good ol' Reynolds 531C road bike. Apart from being able to change gear without moving hands from the bars, another benefit was improved braking performance.

Shimergo Reynolds 531C road bike

I bought this Reynolds 531C frame brand new from SJS Cycles' eBay store. Originally, I fitted it with Shimano down tube gear levers, but later, I replaced them with Campagnolo Ergos, in a configuration widely known as Shimergo. This article by the CTC's Chris Juden explains it all. And I describe how I did it here.

Campagnolo Veloce 10 levers. These fit the hands really well. A friend of mine has a bike that is all Veloce 10 and he says that this Shimergo bike shifts just as well if not better his all Campag groupset.

Side view. I love the ride of 531C steel. It has a kind of springy, live feel. Steel is real!

Rigida flyer rims, allow hubs.

Closely spaced teeth numbers on the rear block.


I love the blue and red contrast! Personal taste, I guess.

Campag Veloce levers fit the hand really nicely.

Trusty Stronglight Triple and cartridge bottom bracket.

Shimano Tiagra rear mech.

Front brake, Shimano Tiagra dual caliper, in the evening sun...