Special Tools for Campagnolo Groupset

kfinlay

Considering building my own bike - buying a Canyon frame and fitting Chorus or Record Groupset. I've heard that Campag need special tools and they can be expensive. Is this right and what tools would I need?

TIA

ugo.santalucia

Nothing is strictly necessary...
the allen Key extension for the Ultra Torque, unless hyou do have a very long 10 mm Allen key is one...
BB is the same tool as Shimano. Some say the 11 speed chain requires a specific tool, but I don't buy into that, chains are chains.
Anything else? Don't think so

gethmetal

You'll need a Campagnolo cassette tool.

kfinlay

I've got a cassette tool that does shimano or one side and campag on the other. bit concerned about the chain though £130 for a chain tool!!! Good if I only need a long 10mm allen key too. If it was going to be silly money I'm maybe just build with an SRAM Force groupset instead - Ultegra/DA I feel could looked dated in a year or two and I ain't got the money to build another bike for some time so want to get it right this time round.

schlepcycling

You could always fit a KMC 11speed missing link http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KMC-11-Missing-Link-For-KMC%2f-Campagnolo-11-Speed-Chain-_W0QQitemZ360322153699QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=178355163772&rvr_id=178355163772&cguid=ad07514612c0a0e203d17811ffd5caf4

sorry for the massively long link

Berk Bonebonce

Bike these days need fewer and fewer special tools. To do a Campag build you will need the two b/b tools, and a cassette tool. And, of course, buying a KMC Missing Link and the pliers to un-hitch it is a whole lot easier than buying a proper Campag chain tool.

Velonutter

Berk Bonebonce wrote:

Bike these days need fewer and fewer special tools. To do a Campag build you will need the two b/b tools, and a cassette tool. And, of course, buying a KMC Missing Link and the pliers to un-hitch it is a whole lot easier than buying a proper Campag chain tool.

Yep KMC Missing Links are Brill, although I have a removing tool you can get away with long nose pliers.

Rich.H

You will also need a T25 Torx key for the rear mech bolt, Ergo band on bolts and brake pad holder bolts. The caliper nuts supplied are also Torx fittings but I have swapped mine over to standard allen key nuts.

This was on a 2011 Super Record groupset.

Rich

Berk Bonebonce

There's a certain appeal to buying a good tool, and escpecially if it's got the Campagnolo name on it. But it's a real bummer when the design moves on and the (usually expensive) tool becomes redundant.

Monty Dog

Standard HT2 BB tool works for UT BB cups
10mm 3/8" sq drive Allen key bit - £4 from Halfords
Torx key for Ergo lever clamp
KMC 11 link removes need for special chain tool

kfinlay

cheers guys, looks like I'll be going for a campag groupset if I go ahead with the build - now just to get the money from somewhere? - Anyone need a kidney?

Ben6899

kfinlay wrote:

cheers guys, looks like I'll be going for a campag groupset if I go ahead with the build - now just to get the money from somewhere? - Anyone need a kidney?

I've got a Veloce front mech, which I might sell.

Wheelspinner

FWIW I think the best tool for the Campag bottom bracket cups is actually made by BBB. I have the factory Campag one, and also a Shimano HT2 tool, and neither is as good.

BBB one here:

http://www.greyville.com/products/1475-btl38-bbb-ultragrip-bottom-bracket-tool-set

Berk Bonebonce

Doesn't beat the Cyclus two handled version.

Wheelspinner

Ooooh that Cyclus one is nice. Might have to re-mortgage the holiday bungalow on the Amalfi coast to afford it though!!

furrag

I fitted a Centaur 2011 groupset this evening All I needed was the ut-bb130 tool to fit the power torque cups. I also needed a standard 14mm allen key too to fit the crank, and a campag cassette lockring tool (which also doubles up as a BB tool if you're not going with ultra torque).

The removal of the cranks though requires a special gear puller of some sort, which has been hard to source for our friends across the pond - not sure about here in the UK though!

Monty Dog

^ UT cranks don't need a special removal tool, only if you need to replace the bearings. There's plenty of online info on doing this - you can modify a 2-arm bearing puller or make a scissor-type bearing remover - many decent LBS have the tools anyway.

domhnall_dearg

UT cranks come off in about 2 minutes, using only a (long) 10mm hex key, and go back on just as quickly. That's handy as you have to regrease the bearings regularly to keep the squeaks and graunches at bay. Power Torque cranks may be different though.
A Park Tools bearing puller is available here for £50 but you shouldn't need that just yet

on-yer-bike

Buy the campag UT tool its not expensive and it enables you to use a socket torque wrench. Much better than an allen key. Careful what you use on the BB cups I bought one from Parker and it half wrecked the cups so I set it back and they tried it and agreed it was a chocolate teapot. I now use a Campag one which can also be used with a torque wrench. I don't accept that Campag would have said use their chain tool if it wasn't necessary because it probably put many off buying 11 speed. I had to buy one because the missing link didnt exist a year ago.

Just looked at the KMC missing link and its non reusable and requires a tool. This is unlike their 10 speed links. So it doesn't really have the usual benefits of a KMC missing link.

kfinlay

Thanks for the help - if I buy a frame and not a whole bike then I know I can go campag now, happy to buy some tools as I'm a hands on type of person, just couldn't spend extra £100's when buying the groupset/frame as well.
Pity I'll have to wait and save up over the next 6 months or so before I get the chance to go for it.

proto

Here's my weapon of choice for installing external bearing cups, made by Tacx. Fits FSA/Shimano/Campag.

The part that engages with the cup is hard plastic so no chance of damage to the aluminium.

http://az15862.vo.msecnd.net/dbr/Produc ... 75_250.jpg

Berk Bonebonce

You know, that actually looks like a good tool from Tacx - the plastic insert makes sense.

StillGoing

Not so sure. When I priced up my group set for my build I was told that I'd need special tools one of which was £130ish and that the chains being extra narrow for the 11 speed cassette were more expensive and prone to breaking. One of the many reasons I opted for SRAM Force in the end.

proto

philthy3 wrote:

Not so sure. When I priced up my group set for my build I was told that I'd need special tools one of which was £130ish and that the chains being extra narrow for the 11 speed cassette were more expensive and prone to breaking. One of the many reasons I opted for SRAM Force in the end.

Then you were told wrong. No special tools are required.

Garz

philthy3 wrote:

Not so sure. When I priced up my group set for my build I was told that I'd need special tools one of which was £130ish and that the chains being extra narrow for the 11 speed cassette were more expensive and prone to breaking. One of the many reasons I opted for SRAM Force in the end.

..and probably swayed by the lbs wanting to clear certain stock or again just bad advice?

StillGoing

Nope they weren't supplying the groupset just doing the build for me.

kfinlay

If the chains were that bad I'm sure there would be plenty threads on here bemoaning the quality - had a quick search and nothing to suggest this. The good thing is there are ways around needing to pay over £100 for a chain tool and no other expensive tools really needed.