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I have a Campagnolo Veloce groupset (with an FSA crankset and FSA brakes) on my Wilier that I would like to upgrade over time and bit by bit. I can only do it this way, as there is no way I could afford something like Record or Potenza all in one go.
In any case, I have seen older Record 10 speed shifters for £150, a corresponding front mech for £40, and a rear mech for £90.
If I picked up these individual items, what would I need to watch for? What about compatibility with my current stuff? Both being 10-speed, could I replace the current Veloce rear mech with the Record?
10 is all cross compatible AFAIK. No point buying a worn rear mech. Risky.
My main advice is that you will see **** all improvement in the bike other than looking more flashy. Better to buy light wheels, good tyres and ultimately save for a better bike - that's the cheapest way to upgrade, or sh frame (I'm horrified at what they go for as a seller!)
IME Record is bomb-proof - fitted new to one of my bikes in 2002 and still going strong - unless the levers / mech has been crashed / seriously scuffed I doubt they'll have worn out - I've got 40 year-old Super Record stuff on another bike. The Record (and Chorus) shifters are far superior to the lower-rank versions as they have a ratchet, not escapement mechanism. Likewise, if you are looking to upgrade the cranks avoid Powertorque versions at all costs - they're a nightmare to remove.
Do you know which year your Veloce groupset is from? Generally most Campagnolo 10 speed bits can work with each other, but some are less compatible than others and shifting reliability can be affected in some cases.
IMHO if it all works fine at the moment, then it may be sensible to keep as is. Veloce may not look as special but when set up properly it works well and is reliable, and I doubt the weight difference will be worth upgrading for.
If your brakes have one piece pads, then switching those to cartridge brake pads can improve the brake power and feel for not much money.
If you really want a cost effective groupset upgrade then I would save for a Shimano 105 groupset. You would either need to change the freehub on the rear wheel, or a Campagnolo 11 speed cassette will fit on your current freehub and work with Shimano 11 speed.
<h1 class="post-title">Assembling a groupset</h1>
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