Campag Chainset Query
Hi,
I'd appreciate some advice please.
I'm running the following setup on my Kinesis Racelight T2 "Do It All" bike:
Chain Set: Chorus Ultra Drive EPS 53/39 10 Speed (Square Taper, 170mm crank)
Cassette: Veloce 10 13/29
Front Mech: Chorus 10 QS 32mm clamp-on
Rear Mech: Centaur Alloy 10 Long Cage
Levers: Record Ultra Ergo 10
Chain: Veloce 10
BB: Chorus 1.370 x 24T 102mm
I'm finding it tough going on the "Standard" chainset in this part of the Cotswolds, and was wondering if it would be possible to change it for a "compact" 50/34T running the same setup as above (assuming Campagnolo even did a sq taper compact CS of course!)
Thanks,
Ox
I'd appreciate some advice please.
I'm running the following setup on my Kinesis Racelight T2 "Do It All" bike:
Chain Set: Chorus Ultra Drive EPS 53/39 10 Speed (Square Taper, 170mm crank)
Cassette: Veloce 10 13/29
Front Mech: Chorus 10 QS 32mm clamp-on
Rear Mech: Centaur Alloy 10 Long Cage
Levers: Record Ultra Ergo 10
Chain: Veloce 10
BB: Chorus 1.370 x 24T 102mm
I'm finding it tough going on the "Standard" chainset in this part of the Cotswolds, and was wondering if it would be possible to change it for a "compact" 50/34T running the same setup as above (assuming Campagnolo even did a sq taper compact CS of course!)
Thanks,
Ox
Sunday Best: 2013 Colnago Master 30th Anniversary
Foul Weather: 2010 Kinesis Racelight T2
Commuter: 1958 Holdsworth Zephyr Fixed Gear
Foul Weather: 2010 Kinesis Racelight T2
Commuter: 1958 Holdsworth Zephyr Fixed Gear
0
Comments
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I don't think they do a compact in taper drive. You'll have to go down the line of a new chain set and bottom bracket :x0
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Flexisurfer wrote:I don't think they do a compact in taper drive. You'll have to go down the line of a new chain set and bottom bracket :x
If this is the case, a cheaper alternative would be to get a Stronglight compact chainset - eg here (currently out of 170 but they may be due more) -
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 0s109p2015
Or you buy just the cranks for £20 and put Campag rings on though I think the TA ones are a normal recommendation for Campag replacements.Faster than a tent.......0 -
Cheers guys. Looks like Campagnolo did the Record series in a 50/34 with square taper at some point, may hold out for a while and see if a NOS/good used one turns up on EBay although they look pretty rare tbh, so the Stronglight (+new BB?) may be spot on.
Are there any potential "gotchas" I need to look out for going from Standard to Compact with my setup, or do you reckon it will be fairly straight forward in your experience?
Many thanks
OxSunday Best: 2013 Colnago Master 30th Anniversary
Foul Weather: 2010 Kinesis Racelight T2
Commuter: 1958 Holdsworth Zephyr Fixed Gear0 -
Pretty much any square taper chainset should fit - FSA or Shimano for instance. I just changed my square taper Shimano 600EX 42/52 chainset for an Ultegra 34/50 hollowtech, which required new BB cup/bearings and I did notice the chainset offset is slightly different, but it didn't cause any issues.
The only potential snag with moving to a compact is the capacity of the RD to take up the extra chain slack, especially with your cassette (29T). However you have a long cage RD so it should work fine.WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
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Or just train more and you will find that a 39x29 is more than what you need in the Cotswolds. Once you average 4000 miles per year a compact is no longer necessary. Moreover, in your rolling terrain, you'll have to front shift a lot more than you do now... Bear in mind front shifting in a compact is far less reliable, judging by the chain dropping on the average club sunday rideleft the forum March 20230
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ugo.santalucia wrote:Or just train more and you will find that a 39x29 is more than what you need in the Cotswolds. Once you average 4000 miles per year a compact is no longer necessary. Moreover, in your rolling terrain, you'll have to front shift a lot more than you do now... Bear in mind front shifting in a compact is far less reliable, judging by the chain dropping on the average club sunday ride
39x29 is about the same as 34x25 so unless you've got some real steep sections I'd say 39x29 should do you. I've got a couple of 1 in 5 hills near me and I need 34x28, my 2nd gear is 34x24 and it won't cut it (yet). I just about made Combe Lane in 42x28 but it nearly killed me.WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
Find me on Strava0 -
Here's an option - I have a square tapered black Campagnolo 'mirage' compact which is new and unused. I bought it in case I needed a compact for hilly sportives, but haven't felt the need. Its the bottom of the Campag range but will serve a purpose when you need it to.
If you fancy a cheap 'spare' pm me and we can do a deal. That way you can have the best of both worlds0 -
Oxo wrote:Cheers guys. Looks like Campagnolo did the Record series in a 50/34 with square taper at some point, may hold out for a while and see if a NOS/good used one turns up on EBay although they look pretty rare tbh, so the Stronglight (+new BB?) may be spot on.
Are there any potential "gotchas" I need to look out for going from Standard to Compact with my setup, or do you reckon it will be fairly straight forward in your experience?
Many thanks
Ox
What a shame I sold my Record Square Taper 50/34 170's last year, but they do do them for deffo.0 -
Wow, thanks for all the replies chaps, much appreciated.
Many thanks for the offer of the Mirage, but I've decided I'll hold out for an old Chorus or Record Compact as it should mean I won't have to change the BB for the occasional change to a compact.
To elaborate, I'm actually already a reasonably high-mileage rider, and try to search out all the biggest and longest hills in my area.... but there's a couple of "Off Piste" climbs on my local lanes that I've recently found that are absolute beastsOne in particular I had to bail out on last week has a section so steep it's barely walkable (Strava reckons it's over 39% gradient at one point). It's just doable with care in the dry on a lightweight hybrid with a triple but I'd love to tick it off with my road-bike next summer.
Point taken regarding shifting reliability and I'll be keeping the "standard" as my default choice equipment. I've never suffered a chain drop on the front with my current setup and wouldn't want one either - thanks for the advice.
Thanks again
OxSunday Best: 2013 Colnago Master 30th Anniversary
Foul Weather: 2010 Kinesis Racelight T2
Commuter: 1958 Holdsworth Zephyr Fixed Gear0 -
How about a triple campag chainset. Campag do new ones but alot of the olders ones (square taper) are still avilable NOS through one distributor. I know I have there catalooque and get a bit of shimano and campag kit from them some of which goes back to the mid minties.
I am sure they still have the snew quare taper campoag compacts. I'll have to check the catalogue. I find shifting on a compact very reliable but will be moving to a standard. So I will have a second hand veloce compact (with powertorque BB) up for sale.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0