Campy 10 speed - 11 speed crank advice

[IFRider]

I am currently running a bike with 10 speed Chorus standard double and and the 13-39 rear cassette/derailleur. I am looking to put some lower gearing on this bike and was considering a compact crank. So looking Campy, I see the only thing setup in alloy and 10 speed is the CX line (with smaller rings) than a traditional compact crank. I really want to stay with alloy and am wondering will an 11 speed compact crank work the rest of my 10 speed drivetrain. In addition, near as I can tell i can still use the same front derailleur from the standard double I have now. Any experience or ideas appreciated.

Thanks,

Warren

[thwart]

I really want to stay with alloy and am wondering will an 11 speed compact crank work the rest of my 10 speed drivetrain. In addition, near as I can tell i can still use the same front derailleur from the standard double I have now.

Yes and yes. Have that very set-up on one of my bikes and it works GR-R-R-R-REAT. As a certain tiger used to say.

[christian]

Yes, will work fine. My wife is using a 11-speed Record crank with an otherwise 10-speed drivetrain.

That said, the Campagnolo CX cranks are Powertorque format. I would recommend looking around for a set of 50/34 Ultratorque 10-speed cranks instead, like these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Campagnolo-Athena-UT-CT-Crankset-170-/321097258407?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ac2e355a7#ht_922wt_1170

Ultratorque is superior to Powertorque in terms of ease of service and installation.

[dbh]

Ditto what everyone above has said. I'm running a 10sp Centaur ultra torque but wanted a compact with forged, as opposed to stamped chainrings that came with the UT Centaur crank so swapped in a much nicer looking Athena crank. Performs flawlessly.

[oldpotatoe]

I am currently running a bike with 10 speed Chorus standard double and and the 13-39 rear cassette/derailleur. I am looking to put some lower gearing on this bike and was considering a compact crank. So looking Campy, I see the only thing setup in alloy and 10 speed is the CX line (with smaller rings) than a traditional compact crank. I really want to stay with alloy and am wondering will an 11 speed compact crank work the rest of my 10 speed drivetrain. In addition, near as I can tell i can still use the same front derailleur from the standard double I have now. Any experience or ideas appreciated.

Thanks,

Warren

It'll work just fine..use a 10s chain. Same FD, same eveything, it won't care if it's 11s.

[IFRider]

Now if only Campy made a Chorus level alloy compact crank ...

Warren

[ultraman6970]

You can run 10 speed even with an old record C crankset if you like.

[thwart]

Now if only Campy made a Chorus level alloy compact crank ...Athena is your friend here. The best all-alloy crank Campy produces.

Currently, anyway.

[ultraman6970]

Athena UT? super nice man... anybody knows why centaur carbon cranks are more expensive than athena carbon? never been able to pin point the reason for that.

[lukasz]

Ditto what everyone above has said. I'm running a 10sp Centaur ultra torque but wanted a compact with forged, as opposed to stamped chainrings that came with the UT Centaur crank so swapped in a much nicer looking Athena crank. Performs flawlessly.

Have you noticed a difference in stiffness? I feel like those stamped rings are super floppy.

[oldpotatoe]

Have you noticed a difference in stiffness? I feel like those stamped rings are super floppy.

?? Don't think they are the cause of your feeling of being 'super floppy'. If they are flexing, they are going to bend.

[dbh]

?? Don't think they are the cause of your feeling of being 'super floppy'. If they are flexing, they are going to bend.

I swapped out the Centaur UT cranks for Athena purely for aesthetic reasons. My legs certainly couldn't tell the difference in chainring quality even if my eyes could.