Tell me about the cost of the Carmina! Oy, but it's been so worth it.

Another option is a beautifully polished Sugino. I have one on my Kelly Bonestock. Jobob and V use them on their Rivs. It's a great choice also.

I'm confused by why the Campy front der didn't work for your bike, dachsund, but one other question I just thought of: are your TA rings the Zephyr 9/10 rings? One other note, we install front derailleurs very low to the large ring, lower than many mechanics.

The middle ring should be ramped and the outer two should be pinned (the little stubby ones). The outer ring will also have one long pin pointing toward the crank arm though this ring has nothing to do with shift quality.

Your bike is gorgeous as is! No paint necessary.