What gruppo for an oldschool steel frame?

mclarent
mclarent Posts: 784
edited June 2011 in Road buying advice
I just acquired a mint condition Witcomb steel frame and forks, a 2008, one of the last they built. I'm having difficulty what gruppo to put on it. The construction is traditional, and part of me thinks I should try and get an old campag set, downtube shifters and all. However, given that the frame was only built in 08, I'm tempted by a newer gruppo, maybe SRAM Rival or similar... Any opinions?
"And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale

Comments

  • geordieindevon
    geordieindevon Posts: 127
    Hi
    I have got a nice Columbus steel bike built by Sigma. It's got Campag Veloce gruppo....works lovely.
    Mind you on Italian steel what else could I have on it?

    I would go campag but not with downshifters because as you state your bike is new.

    All the best with setting it up- I am sure whatever you choose it will be great!
  • dbmnk
    dbmnk Posts: 217
    dura ace 7700 is easily the best looking gruppo ever produced still with excellent mechanics
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    Cheers. My race bikes are all Shimano, cos I like the performance and I don't want to have to think about shifting under pressure(!) but given that this bike is unlikely to ever achieve speeds higher than "sedate" I don't mind what it would take. Was just looking around, the new campag centaur "rivals" the SRAM pricing, and has a touch more history to it, seems like a good option....

    Btw, here is a pic of what it looked like prestripping:
    5765234833_a590c821bc.jpg
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • canbakay
    canbakay Posts: 282
    on my two bikes i chose sram and shimano but in this case i would pick campy with out a doubt. i wouldn't (personally) even look at the others.
    Dogma
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  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Athena
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,923
    Agree with Bozman.

    Alloy Athena.
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • goody-a
    goody-a Posts: 44
    I think it would look awesome with carbon campag. With steel the modern through axle chainsets makes a massive difference to the stiffness and performance.
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    On my C40 Colnago I run Athena Carbon, but if I was running a Classic then would run Athena Alloy.
  • Avanti Roman
    Avanti Roman Posts: 189
    Alloy Athena or polished Veloce
    Ribble Gran Fondo
    Boardman CX Team
    Trek 8000
    Sirrus framed 'special'

    Prev: Avanti Corsa, Routens, MBK TT, homemade TT bike, Trek 990, Vitus 979 x 2, Peugeot Roubaix & er..Raleigh Arena!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    I'd try and get hold of 10 speed record with the alloy record chainset :)

    Failing that athena.

    Dura Ace 7700 would be good too.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    I'd try and get hold of 10 speed record with the alloy record chainset :)

    Failing that athena.

    Dura Ace 7700 would be good too.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    I don't know if it is still available in alloy but I got the alloy Centaur for my Master and very nice it looks too!

    That's the trouble with "progress". All the new gear is carbon or anodised. It makes upgrading a retro styled bike tricky.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    http://www.campyoldy.co.uk

    For the ultimate retro bike w@nkfest, http://www.campyoldy.co.uk/giossuperrecord.htm with hard-bastard 13-18 straight through block.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Athena Alloy all the way.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    sounds like a win for Athena, cheers!
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    +1 for the Athena alloy, looks lovely on the new Holdsworth (shame about the wheels!).
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Carbon bits on a steel frame looks wrong to me.
    I've got Ultegra on mine but campag would be nice.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • sweeners
    sweeners Posts: 1
    NapoleonD knows his stuff :P

    The Record 10sp alloy chainset looks the biz and works perfectly with 11sp bits everywhere else.

    Get it in 177.5 for £80 here:
    http://www.totalcycling.com/index.php/p ... d2004.html
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    Trouble with Athena is the ergos are far from elegant.

    I'd be looking at the previous generation of Campag. Chorus, centaur or veloce in alloy finish. Maybe looking for a square taper chainset and older style single pivot brakes depending on how "retro" you want to take it.

    We just rebuilt my missus' bianchi in 10 speed alloy Campag. High polish planet x wheels, chorus single pivots, leather tape. Looks the biz.
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    The old record square taper certainly looks the part. There is noticeably more flex than current offerings, but that's not likely to be a problem given your intended use. The bottom bracket is also pretty much fit and forget.
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    http://www.gbcycles.co.uk/category/57/Campagnolo

    Geoffrey Butler usually have plenty of older shiny Campag bits at decent prices.

    Good service also, have bought quite a few bits from them.

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