Conference noted::bicycle

2565.0. "Fitting Campy front derailleur to Merlin?" by RANGER::SCHRIESHEIM () Thu May 13 1993 01:36

    I recently bought a '92 Merlin road frame with Campy C-Record on it
    from Belmont Wheelworks. When I picked up the bike, I noticed that
    the front derailleur was not Record, but Chorus. I was told that 
    the Record front derailleur only comes with a standard size clamp,
     and in braze-on form, so Campy recommends the Chorus as
    the choice to use on oversized tubed  bikes. The other choice
    would be to use the Record braze-on with a separte clamp. The only
    separate clamp which seems to fit the seat tube (1 1/4") is made by
    Shimano, and I have heard it requires hacking to get the Campy front
    derailleur to fit.
    
    Does anyone know if there is any functional difference between the
    Record and Chorus front deraileurs? I know that the Record is twice
    as expensive, and assume Campy would at least CLAIM there is some
    difference to justify the additional cost.

     I have a MERLIN and have the RECORD front derailleur on it with
    "worked" Shimano clamp. My derailleur is a Record clamp-on. They
    used to make both braze-on & clamp-on. I bought mine in '89.
    
     Function? Probably not anything noticeable. I've had both and both
    changers work very well. The Record's a little "stouter" in places.
    
     The biggest difference? It's Record, not Chorus (and the $'s of
    course).
    
     Chip

    So that's how they make those Merlin frames so light!  They leave
    off the braze-on for the front derailleur!!!  And I always thought
    it was that techno-geek rocket metal they used..