Climbing the walls with Campy--34 x 32 with Potenza/2016 Record

[Tim Porter]

At 64, I'm facing reality, a little. I've been a Campy guy since 1973 when I raced as a college dropout for a couple years. On trips to Mallorca, Italy and California, I've been pretty happy with a Campy compact setup of 34/50 and a 12-29 cassette, but have experimented with 34 x 32 on a DuraAce bike and it's the bomb for really long, really steep climbs.

So when Potenza came out I thought I'd be my own guinea pig again and see if the new 11-32 cassette and a Potenza RD would work with the 2016 Record on my new Hampsten carbon bike. The chain is a new Chorus chain, btw. Peter (Old Potato) and Justin from Signature both thought I'd be okay if the levers are the newest Campy generation (and they appear to be absolutely correct). I think I read that Campy may come out with Chorus and Record mid-cage RDs to go with their gruppos. Would be nice, but the key would be to see if they'd work with the older levers.

Cliff's Notes: Works perfectly on the repair stand:

[IMG][/IMG]

Sure, it's a bit fugly, and perhaps some snarky bike dudes will think it's demeaning, but I'm psyched to try it on the road, which will most likely be Sunday.

Some folks on here were curious. I'll report back when the field testing has begun. This looks like it could be the bike I take to Mallorca and Italy this year!

HTH, Tim

[R3awak3n]

I would be surprised if a chorus or record derailleur could not shift that 32T cassette. You should try it, probably be fine.

[AngryScientist]

rock on tim. i'm certain it will work fine.

no shame in using bigger gears, if it allows you to ride longer, further and smarter IMO.

my waterford is using an IRD subcompact crankset with 46x30 rings, and i use an 11-32 out back, so i am lower than 1:1 on that bike. i dont use that low-low all that often, but when i do it's nice to have.

cleaned lincoln gap earlier this year, billed as the steepest paved mile in America. 30-32 was nice to have!

[Tim Porter]

I did try with the Record RD that was already on the bike. Could not make it work. I'll try the wheel on another bike that has that setup . . . . Tim

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by Tim Porter

I did try with the Record RD that was already on the bike. Could not make it work. I'll try the wheel on another bike that has that setup . . . . Tim

interesting, reason I mentioned it is because I have heard success stories of people running short cage campy derailleur with 32T shimano cassettes.

[drewellison]

I don't think it's fugly. I'm just now starting to like the look of the Campy 4-arm cranksets. I'm a Campy guy and all my bikes have 5 arm cranksets of various models and years. I was kinda repulsed by the 4-arm units when they first came out, but I have to now admit ... "I've grown accustomed to your face".

[Tim Porter]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

interesting, reason I mentioned it is because I have heard success stories of people running short cage campy derailleur with 32T shimano cassettes.

Will do some experimenting!

[thirdgenbird]

I approve. If I recall, this already had a silver post and stem correct?

[Tim Porter]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

I approve. If I recall, this already had a silver post and stem correct?

Yes, good memory . . . .

[bfd]

Looks good! Btw, Campy had a mid-cage Record RD when it was selling 10 speed and it is still available for sale:

http://www.wiggle.com/campagnolo-rec...ar-derailleur/



I wonder if this RD would work with the current 11 speed shifters?

Good Luck!

[livingminimal]

Looks fine and probably works fantastically.
I have 11-32 on one of my road bikes, but I am a massive Clydesdale of a cyclist and while I rarely have to use it, honestly on a long climb when you just need the break or when you settle in on something short and steep AF and you don't wanna race up it...34x32 and conversational effort is a really, really nice safety gear.

[chiasticon]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

cleaned lincoln gap earlier this year, billed as the steepest paved mile in America. 30-32 was nice to have!

I actually had to google this one, as I'd heard the name before but never this stat. Lincoln Gap's max gradient of 24% wouldn't make the list of the top ten steepest in the US, and the sustained 16% would be even further off. but because of it's length (four miles) it could very well contain the steepest paved mile in the states (I'm assuming that mile would cover the 24% section).

maybe someone has better sources? here's mine:
http://www.northeastcycling.com/six-gaps/

http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/...cyclists/8511/

(sorry for the OT, just find this stuff interesting)

[hollowgram5]

If you dig back in the Instagram feed of Skunkworks Bikes, they took a Potenza cage and swapped it onto a Record der for a customer who was headed to the Alps. Might be another option.

Instagram.com/skunkworks_bikes

https://www.instagram.com/p/BItgd4ZBR6s/

[pdmtong]

It is investment like this at 64 that will allow your knees to be happy riding at 74 and hopefully 84.

Some of the guys I occasionally go with are older than me by a fair amount and they hold an annual birthday ride in which the goal is to ride distance and elevation of their age.

this year it was 72/7200'. sure I get to the top ahead of them but it's not like I am waiting half an hour. setting a pretty high bar for how I hope to be as time goes by.

Potenza RD with a 32 will surely help.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Find yourself in 50/11? If not, switching to a different chainring combo (different crank) makes a lot of sense. But with a new build and matching components I can understand not wanting to go that route.

A Wolftooth Road Link is a cheap experiment. You don't even need to break the chain.