Regina Extra freewheel question

Hi..anyone help..did a search and found nothing.

I have a 7 speed Regina Extra 12-18 freewheel. I cannot find any further writing on the freewheel.

The question is this: Can i use it indexed or only friction?....If indexed, Campag or Shimano or either?

Isnt idexing to do with the mech rather than the cassette?

Some articles talk about the block having a role....so i am confused....which does not take much, i will add!

Im wrong and you are right.

Blimey..that's a rare event in itself.....some Regina models were designed for Campy...but i prefer Shimano.

Indexing relies on the top pulley of the rear mech being able to "float", there being a shifter which pulls the correct amount of cable for the spacing on the freewheel / cassette. Ramps on the freewheel help alot too as you are less liking to need to "over shift" to change gear.

So if your rear mech has a floating top pulley and the spacing on the freewheel matched the spacing on the brand of shifters corresponding freewheel for that many speed (i.e you have a 7 speed campy shifter and your freewheel spacing matched that of a 7 speed campag freewheel) then you are ok for indexing.

so is it more likely that a Regina Extra freewheel being Italian is most likely to index with a Campy rear mech than a Shimano rear mech?....How can i find out?

Sheldon has a list with cassette / freewheel spacing. Compare that to your spacing. You will need some callipers as it's quite exact.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html

scroll down to 2nd sheet

Thanks Tommy and i looked and did not see Regina Extra....is it the same as Sachs?....Apologies for asking silly questions.

The definitive guide to what indexes what and how is here:
http://www.ctc.org.uk/Default.aspx?TabID=3946
The variables are the shifter (cable travel per click), rear mech (actual mech travel for each click) and the block or cassette (spacing between sprockets).
'Most' 7-speed blocks/cassettes are interchangeable wrt spacing, but 7spd indexing relies on 5mm c2c between sprockets, so from largest to smallest should be 30mm total, measure your Regina and if it is in the ballpark (+/- a gnats) you should be OK to use either Shimano or Campag but the mech should ideally match the levers, though that said I have never tried indexed Campag downtube levers with Shimano mech or vice-versa... the Shimergo article is particular to Ergos/STIs but the theory and maths applies to downtube lever indexing too.

Thanks Hutch for the info