FSA - Shimano compatibility - swapping to compact

Mombee

Hi,

My Cannondale R700 has an FSA Gossamer 53/39 chainset fitted - I'm planning to take it over the Pyrennees later this year, so needs 'down-gearing' and I want to avoid going down the triple chainset route.

The simplest solution (I'm assured) is to swap to a compact (50/34)chainset. Am I right to assume that this entails a chainset swap or can I source chainrings to suit the existing set-up?

If I'm forced to change the chainset, the logical option would be to move to Shimano (as per the rest of the groupset), so does anyone know whether the FSA MegaExo BB is compatibility with a Shimano chaninset or do I need to swap the BB as well??

Cheers, Mombee.

rustychisel

Well, you can get a Gossamer Compact chainset, but be assured, it's far from 'gossamer' - I weighed a 50~34 with 172.5mm arms at 899g plus another 102g for the MegaExo bearings.

Opinion is mixed on whether FSA MegaExo and Shimano outboard bearings are truly interchangeable. Some say 'yea, some say 'nay'.

Your best bet might be to purchase a full Shimano compact setup including bearings, but I don't know best deals in the UK. You can use Campagnolo chainsets no problem also (definitely need different BB of course) and I vaguely recall some mentioning really cheap deals on last years Mirage models, for example. Whether they're still available, I've no idea. Personally, I'd spring for an Ultegra quality Shimano and have done with it.

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CraigUKcp

Yes you are correct, a 34 chainring will not fit on a standard 39/53 chainset. I would imagine that there is a very good probability that you will need to also replace the bottom bracket at the same time as shimano use their own system. If you stick with FSA you can probably just get away with replacing the chainset.

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maddog_2cp

what rusty said

if it's just for one trip then the Tiagra HT2 compact and bearings are cheap and will do the job.

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