Campy Ultra-torque = ultra hassle

mab bee

I was about to order a carbon centaur ultra-torque chainset. However, I read the instructions first, and I'm glad I did. It seems that the bearings can not be swapped by the user -- you have to send them off, or take them to a bike shop to have new bearings pressed onto the semi-axles.

I'm currently using shimano hollowtech-II and have to change the external bearing cups at least once a year. I assume the same longevity for the campy bearings, which means that they are just going to be a load of hassle if I cant swap them myself.

Has anyone any realwprld experience of swapping bearings on an ultra-torque crankset?

gkerr4

they differ from the hollowtech stuff in that the shimano bottom bracket actually has the bearings in it where the campag stuff are literaly just "cups" - the bearing is attached to the crank itself.

If you are really wearing out hollowtech II stuff every year then yes - I'd probably stick wth the shimano chainset!

robbarker

It strikes me that they had to jump on the external bearing bandwagon and felt they had to come up with something slightly different to Shimano. The result is a proper hotch-potch of a design in my view, with lots of potential problems if they are not installed and serviced by the book, which a lot of people inevitably won't do.

Having said that, Campag do use much higher grade ball bearings in their components than anyone else, so if the UT bearings prove to be weatherproof they should last well, assuming they are installed properly into a well-faced bottom bracket shell.

All just my opinion of course - i've had little to do with UT other than install one in a workshop-less friend's bike

mab bee

And another thing...

The instructions warn of 'serious injury or death' if you try to swap the chainrings yourself. What's that all about????

gkerr4

covering their @rse - they are sold in america too after all!

pliptrot

Whether they wear out quickly or not, it would test the commitment of even a hardened Campagophile if changing the bearings on a BB was such a hassle. If, for no other reason, the old chestnut about cleaning and regreasing every 6 months was true, then this requirement will drive you nuts. Take any cleaner or solvent near the bearings and you're going to get it all over the carbon fibre cranks - no doubt voiding some (almost certainly worthless) warranty or other.

If you read the instructions for most Campag stuff these days they talk about "smooth roads..." and put other unrealistic and improbable caveats in every other paragraph. Implicit in all of this is the idea that this stuff is for your hallway ornament, and if you use the thing then you're asking for whatever you get.

Maybe one of the cycling mags could stop printing press releases and do some objective testing to determine whether or not all this sophistry has compromised the reliability and durability of the modern bicycle, or is indeed some form of progress. But don't hold your breath on that one, they won't bite the hands that feed them.....

acorn_user

At least the cups are cheap. A lot of people rate UT as the best of the new systems. I'm sticking to square taper though.

Kléber

pliptrot wrote:

If you read the instructions for most Campag stuff these days they talk about "smooth roads..." and put other unrealistic and improbable caveats in every other paragraph.

This is more to ward off ambulance chasing US lawyers. If someone takes their bike offroad for months, or decides to ride down a flight of concrete steps, it might break.

With a simple bearing puller, a crown race pull works fine, and a press, you can change bearings easily. It would be nice if Campagnolo made a proper tool though.

Nuggs

mab bee wrote:

And another thing...

The instructions warn of 'serious injury or death' if you try to swap the chainrings yourself. What's that all about????

They come and shoot you if you try to DIY...