Dear Campag, Sometimes, you can be hard to love...

greg66_tri_v2.0
greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
edited September 2013 in Commuting chat
If you open a Campag 10s chain, closing it is pretty easy. You need a £10 chain tool, and the Campag closing kit. Four chain links that you put in your chain, replacing a corresponding number of links that you take out. Two new pins seems to spread the load as far as Campag thinks is necessary. Load the insertion pins into the chain tool, turn the handle and the job's done.

If you open a Campag 11s chain, you *might* think closing would be the same; or perhaps even easier. That would be progress, right?

Well, it is easier in a sense. You simply buy a new pin, and use your chain tool to push it through. No removing of four links, only one pin instead of two - that's good, right?

Except you're not done. Once you've driven your sole pin through the 11s chain, you need to splay the leading end of the new pin, like a rivet. Your chain tool won't do that. You need a rivet tool. Ah - here we are - in Campy's instructions, their tool has a serial number. Quick google reveals the tool is ... £150!

Ok. Calm down. Nice man in Condor has come across this before. "You can use the Park Tools alternative". For a mere £70. Seventy fecking quid to close a chain!

Heresy it may be, but my nice Campy 11s chain is getting a KMC Quick Link, and it's going to like it.

How is this progress?
Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

Bike 1
Bike 2-A
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Comments

  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    For Campag users, does functionality really ever come into the equation?
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • mrdsgs
    mrdsgs Posts: 337
    or go the whole hog and use a mmc 11 speed chain and quick link which fits shimano, sram and campag 11 speed.
    Colnago Addict!
  • rus6
    rus6 Posts: 9
    I've used this chain tool, I picked up for £15 online, which didn't seem too steep to me:

    http://road.cc/content/review/68127-lez ... chain-tool

    No doubt the others look a bit better but it did the job.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    edited September 2013
    Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

    How is this progress?
    By going down the KMC route, you have just saved yourself money, time and effort. That's progress.
    Probably not what Campag intended though.

    As a side note, Campag will always be hard to love, what with all these sharp teeth and such. Frame down tubes on the other hand....
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Asprilla wrote:
    For Campag users, does functionality really ever come into the equation?

    Yes - 99.9% of the time!

    Seriously, surely everyone just uses quick links!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,920
    +1 It beggars belief that the Shimano, Sram and Campagnolo haven't brought out there own version of quick links.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    I thought "quick link" way befgore the end of the OP's post.

    SRAM have their own quicklink. It can't be re-opened - genius! (I spent what seemed like ours trying to open one, ultimately attacking it with a hammer, before I realised).
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Rolf F wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    For Campag users, does functionality really ever come into the equation?

    Yes - 99.9% of the time!

    Seriously, surely everyone just uses quick links!

    I thought that too, but the long arm of built in obsolescence knows no bounds, it seems.

    From this thread it seems that KMC 11s quick links are single use only. IOW, don't think you can repeatedly open and reclose an 11s chain with the same KMC QL.

    Which now has me wondering just how fragile the KMC QL 11s outer plates are, and how long before the crack, leading to an accident, personal injury or death (Campy's favourite lever to persuade you to buy Campy kit and use it the Campy way).

    Perhaps I should get that Lezyne tool after all...!
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    BigMat wrote:
    I thought "quick link" way befgore the end of the OP's post.

    SRAM have their own quicklink. It can't be re-opened - genius! (I spent what seemed like ours trying to open one, ultimately attacking it with a hammer, before I realised).

    Ah. A hammer. The most versatile and satisfying tool in the toolbox.

    Good work!
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • cyclingprop
    cyclingprop Posts: 2,426
    Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:
    BigMat wrote:
    I thought "quick link" way befgore the end of the OP's post.

    SRAM have their own quicklink. It can't be re-opened - genius! (I spent what seemed like ours trying to open one, ultimately attacking it with a hammer, before I realised).

    Ah. A hammer. The most versatile and satisfying tool in the toolbox.

    Good work!


    Actually, it can... http://www.parktool.com/product/master- ... iers-mlp-1

    Little pinch as you close the pliers and off it pops. "Do not reuse" my arris though, never had a problem.
    What do you mean you think 64cm is a big frame?
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    Hi,
    I can't be alone in thinking that ultra-narrow chains in all their forms are not an improvement for commuting bikes..?

    Cheers,
    W.
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    Hi,
    I can't be alone in thinking that ultra-narrow chains in all their forms are not an improvement for commuting bikes..?

    Cheers,
    W.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    Typical you hear nothings from buns then two come along.

    And yes kmc quicklink after all how many times are you prepared to go through the official faff method before youve spent a fortune on pins?

    Chain off when travelling and when deep cleaning surely?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Nope. Chain off when ready for bin. If it ain't broke, don't break it.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:
    Nope. Chain off when ready for bin. If it ain't broke, don't break it.

    But if you just leave a chain on until it wears out, then you are effectively breaking the rest of the drive train.

    TBH, the money you are wasting by leaving chains on continuously makes the £150 you are complaining about for the tool cost seem pretty trivial in comparison! :wink:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    Yeah he's a silly old duffer
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • jacknorell
    jacknorell Posts: 62
    "breaking the rest of the drive train".

    Ehm, what?

    New chain when worn as per chain checker... Clean occasionally and lube now and then.
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    itboffin wrote:
    Yeah he's a silly old duffer

    <Remembers that fought two wars for whippsnappers like this, and shakes walking stick angrily in general direction of said yobbo>

    <then remembers "special bag" can overflow if jolted suddenly, so stops shaking stick>
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    jacknorell wrote:
    "breaking the rest of the drive train".

    Ehm, what?

    New chain when worn as per chain checker... Clean occasionally and lube now and then.

    There's two "errrr, no's" in this post; can you spot them?!* :lol:

    *though, to be fair, one cancels the other out to some degree!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • nigglenoo
    nigglenoo Posts: 177
    WGWarburton wrote:
    Hi,
    I can't be alone in thinking that ultra-narrow chains in all their forms are not an improvement for commuting bikes..?

    Cheers,
    W.
    +1: Campag C9 Record 9 speed chain: no special joining kit so you can rejoin with KMC/SRAM/Wipperman/Clarks 9 spd quick link (which are all reusable) or just rejoin the old fashioned way, i.e. push the original pin back in with the chain tool, plus the chain will work on Shimano 9 speed systems. C9 chain lasts for ages, shame they don't make an 8 speed chain, though I would not be surprised if you could run the C9 on 8 speed anyway.

    Mind you for city commuting maybe derrailleur gears are not an improvement over a 3 speed hub, or even single speed...
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    I've used Wipperman quick links for years on my 10 speed Record. Do Wipperman not make the same for 11?
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    I was browsing ribble earlier and came across one of their novelty items for a Campag Corkscrew. £100 FFS.

    Hands up, who owns one?
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • spasypaddy
    spasypaddy Posts: 5,180
    having seen that corkscrew in the flesh, its incredible.
    BMC TM01 - FCN 0
    Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
    Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
    Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
    Premier (CX) - FCN 6
    Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    rubertoe wrote:
    I was browsing ribble earlier and came across one of their novelty items for a Campag Corkscrew. £100 FFS.

    Hands up, who owns one?

    Used to be £200+ but now it's ONLY £100 that's going on my birthday list, tar very much :wink:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    itboffin wrote:
    rubertoe wrote:
    I was browsing ribble earlier and came across one of their novelty items for a Campag Corkscrew. £100 FFS.

    Hands up, who owns one?

    Used to be £200+ but now it's ONLY £100 that's going on my birthday list, tar very much :wink:

    All that money for a corkscrew that doesn't even have a proper helix screw as far as I can see. That's a fail if ever I saw one!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    I only buy wine with screwtops....
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    rubertoe wrote:
    I only buy wine with screwtops....
    Where from? All the places I go they want money for the stuff...

    Cheers,
    W.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    I have to admit (grudgingly) that Campag are trying my patience at the moment. In the last few months I've had a Record cassette snap and now the rear hub on my new Shamal's has developed a weird problem and needs to be warrantied. Developed play on the Raid, got home to discover cracked bearings. These were replaced only to crack again 3 miles into my first ride, leaving me with a 2 mile walk to the nearest shop (who had no bearings in stock) and then a taxi ride home.

    Thankfully my LBS have been on the case with the Campag UK guy and are sorting the warranty process for me. However I really did not expect a Campag Hub to fail so spectacularly after less than 1000 miles.

    Still, when it works it is lovely and still far better than that fugly Shimano nonsense. My 08 Chorus gruppo still runs like a dream.
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    That *is* poor, although I don't think I've ever heard of a Campy wheel bearing failing before, so perhaps it's just bad luck.

    How the hell do you snap a cassette?
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:
    That *is* poor, although I don't think I've ever heard of a Campy wheel bearing failing before, so perhaps it's just bad luck.

    How the hell do you snap a cassette?

    POWER!

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