Suggestions for (Non-Campy) Retro Compact Crankset??

[Pearsom]

TIA for any suggestions --

I live in the LA area, ride the Santa Monica mountains often and I'd like to upgrade one of my lugged steel frames from 8-Speed DA 7400 to 10 speed compact.

I know Campy has Athena and Veloce in Alloy... and those perform great and look "correct" I'm sure... However I've always rode Shimano... (never could get comfy with the thumb thingys on the Campy shifters...)

That said, does anyone have a suggestion for an alloy, Non-Campy, retro-looking compact crankset?

Thanks again

[vqdriver]

if you don't mind square taper:

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/cranksets/cranks.html

[palincss]

http://janheine.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/rhcrankrl.jpg

Is that "retro-looking" enough for you?
http://janheine.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/rene-herse-cranks/

[that guy]

Velo Orange makes the Grand Cru
http://store.velo-orange.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/530x530/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/r/grand_cru_110bcd_double-1.jpg
And Compact Double
http://store.velo-orange.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/530x530/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/v/e/velo_orange_compact_double_ap-3.jpg

[maunahaole]

Peter White sells TA.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

[Ralph]

Sugino has best selection and price, IMHO. Sugino makes several compacts.....different price points, etc. Also many different ring combinations. Some square taper, some more modern BB. All are Shimano compatible.

[AngryScientist]

Sugino has best selection and price, IMHO. Sugino makes several compacts.....different price points, etc. Also many different ring combinations. Some square taper, some more modern BB. All are Shimano compatible.

i agree. i have many many miles on a sugino ST crankset. came with one of the first bikes i owned. still operating fine on a different bike. good option.

[Black Dog]

So, what do the cranks have to do with the shifters? You can run the alloy campy cranks with a 10 speed shimano drive train and shifters. Not a problem at all, even if the cranks are 11 speed.

TIA for any suggestions --

I live in the LA area, ride the Santa Monica mountains often and I'd like to upgrade one of my lugged steel frames from 8-Speed DA 7400 to 10 speed compact.

I know Campy has Athena and Veloce in Alloy... and those perform great and look "correct" I'm sure... However I've always rode Shimano... (never could get comfy with the thumb thingys on the Campy shifters...)

That said, does anyone have a suggestion for an alloy, Non-Campy, retro-looking compact crankset?

Thanks again

[Fishbike]

Thanks for the question! I was just wondering the same thing on my drive home an hour ago!

[bigman]

I picked up one of the VO compact cranks in chrome, swapped out the dura ace 7400 chain and crank on a 7 speed Dura Ace group in perfect condition. Used a 10 dollar kmc 8 speed chain from PBK complete with masterlink, the improvement in shifting coupled with less noise was just fantastic. Think the crank was 75 bucks not sure this version is still available as this was a prototype batch and the finish was not what the good folks at VO wanted.

Your other option is a Sugino Alpina - great looking crank.

[nighthawk]

+1 on TA. Check out the Zephyr light (pic below). Only problem with TA is they are CRAZY expensive.

[Pearsom]

So, what do the cranks have to do with the shifters? You can run the alloy campy cranks with a 10 speed shimano drive train and shifters. Not a problem at all, even if the cranks are 11 speed.

thanks. had no idea. that's an easy solution!

[Ken Robb]

for the mountains I prefer my triples to my compact. How about a Sugino 46-36-26?

[Bob Loblaw]

I put one of these on my steelie. It's excellent, looks great shifts nicely, runs quiet. I'm running a Shimano 10 speed drivetrain on it, a mix of Ultegra and DA parts. It is, however a "sub-compact," a 48/34. It works well with a 110mm JIS bottom bracket spindle, probably just as well with a 109 or 107.

BL

Velo Orange makes the<snip>... <snip>Compact Double
http://store.velo-orange.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/530x530/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/v/e/velo_orange_compact_double_ap-3.jpg

[palincss]

I put one of these on my steelie. It's excellent, looks great shifts nicely, runs quiet. I'm running a Shimano 10 speed drivetrain on it, a mix of Ultegra and DA parts. It is, however a "sub-compact," a 48/34.


"Compact" refers to the size of the bolt circle (which is 110 mm) not the size of the chain rings. A "sub-compact" would be one of the MTB micro drive cranks, which look the exact opposite of "great" and typically have extremely wide tread.

[Pearsom]

Based on Black Dog's advice above I picked up a Campy Centaur 10s 50/34 crank (for $125 incl shipping).

I'd attach a pic but am unable to (maybe its my low post count.)

Anyway, thanks again for the advice. I'll post pics of the crank and the bike soon

[Marburg]

+1 on TA. Check out the Zephyr light (pic below). Only problem with TA is they are CRAZY expensive.

Even more so now that they're out of production.

[Marburg]

Hm, I knew I had another thought, but I had a three year old in my ear this morning. Disrupts the old brain waves.

I know the OP has gone Campy ... great choice, I've used alloy UT cranks to great effect for a "classic" look with, uh, modern technology.

What ever became of the Race Face Cadence cranks? Other than the fact that noone buys them, why won't anyone buy thenm? Seems like a reasonable third-party alternative for an external bearing crank.