53/39 on a compact Campag crankset - anyone done it?

Brixtonfixed
Brixtonfixed Posts: 127
edited February 2009 in Workshop
Is there anyone else out there who's bought a bike with a posh Campag compact gruppo (Chorus in this case), then started hankering after bigger rings for racing and TTs?

I know the problem can be solved with a different cassette but hell, there are aesthetic considerations here too. TA do 53/39 rings to fit a compact crankset but I suspect the folks at Campagnolo would not approve of such mods.

My front mech is band-on so shifting it up a few mm to accommodate the bigger ring shouldn't be an issue.

Any experience or recommendations gratefully received.

http://www.veloclubbeverley.org.uk

Comments

  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    why do you need bigger rings?
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • Hello,

    this can be done, but because the spider (sticky out bits) on a compact chainset are smaller than on a normal chainset, this means the chain rings will have to be bigger which will mean more flex when pedalling which is obviously not a good thing.
  • My advice is to change the standard 50/34 to 50/38 when you don't need the lowest gear. Matched to an 11-speed 11-23 cassette would give a high top gear and close ratios including the useful 18 sprocket.