gotta an aged Campy cyclist friend...needs more low gears

[eddief]

She is actually a great rider at near 70 years. But she is looking to go lower than her 34 small ring compact crank and 29 tooth rear cassette for all the climbing we get do here. Going lower with Shimano is a near no brainer. Just get a mountain rear d and a fat cassette. Are those parts in 10 speed anywhere in the Campy world? Maybe Campy users never get old.

I was thinking of Shiftmate so she can keep her shifters, which she loves, and then new Shimano rear wheel, cassette, and RD.

[FlashUNC]

Campy still offers triples and pretty wide range gearing.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/campagnolo-2013-athena-centaur-and-veloce-now-with-triple-cranksets-34029/

[zmudshark]

Triple. All she needs is a triple crank set/bb (if ST).

[eddief]

that could work, but only gives her a granny with 4 teeth less than her compact.

Triple. All she needs is a triple crank set/bb (if ST).

[FlashUNC]

30 is the largest rear Campy offers.

Anything bigger and it's off to Shimano/SRAM.

[bfd]

She is actually a great rider at near 70 years. But she is looking to go lower than her 34 small ring compact crank and 29 tooth rear cassette for all the climbing we get do here. Going lower with Shimano is a near no brainer. Just get a mountain rear d and a fat cassette. Are those parts in 10 speed anywhere in the Campy world? Maybe Campy users never get old.

I was thinking of Shiftmate so she can keep her shifters, which she loves, and then new Shimano rear wheel, cassette, and RD.

Why not get one of IRD's new *wide-range* cassettes? Not cheap, but it is Campy compatible in the following ratios:

12-32, 11-30, 11-32 and 11-34!
http://store.interlocracing.com/10elcacra.html

If she needs 11 speed, its available too in 12-30, 12-32, 11-30:
http://store.interlocracing.com/11cael.html

Good Luck! :eek::banana::butt::rolleyes:

[bfd]

that could work, but only gives her a granny with 4 teeth less than her compact.

If she has Campy ergo shifters, why would she need a new left shifters? Aren't all Campy front shifters ratcheting and will take either double or triple chainrings?

Then again, I'm still using Campy 9 speed, so may be the latest stuff is like shimano and specific to double or triple?! :eek::butt::help:

[eddief]

I like that idea.

Why not get one of IRD's new *wide-range* cassettes?
Not cheap, but it is Campy compatible in the following ratios:

12-32, 11-30, 11-32 and 11-34!
http://store.interlocracing.com/10elcacra.html

If she needs 11 speed, its available too in 12-30, 12-32, 11-30:
http://store.interlocracing.com/11cael.html

Good Luck! :eek::banana::butt::rolleyes:

[eddief]

is that true that their rear shifters will shift double or triple?

If she has Campy ergo shifters, why would she need a new left shifters? Aren't all Campy front shifters ratcheting and will take either double or triple chainrings?

Then again, I'm still using Campy 9 speed, so may be the latest stuff is like shimano and specific to double or triple?! :eek::butt::help:

[pbarry]

Jtek #1 would work with the current (10?) shifters/RD, OR, a Shimano conversion cassette. Easiest and least costly options.

[mccx]

What kind of top gear does she want?

If I were in that situation, I'd get a non-Campagnolo triple crank (e.g. Stronglight Impact 48/38/26 is 10sp compatible) a Campagnolo triple FD, a Campagnolo 10sp cassette that's 12-30 or 13-29, and a Campagnolo 10sp long cage rear derailleur. That's about 107 gear inches at the top and about 24 at the bottom.

If a triple isn't an option the lower Campagnolo double would be 50/34 up front and 12-30 in back (or 13-29 for smaller jumps). That's a high around 110 & a low of ~30.

[pbarry]

is that true that their front shifters will shift double or triple?

Fixed it, and, yes. Come over to the light side. :)

[oliver1850]

I test ran a Centaur long cage RD and a home-made cassette with a 36 large cog early this year. The RD will handle the 36 cog with a compact, but doesn't have enough capacity for a 36 and a triple. As I recall, it would handle a 32 with triple (22 front differential). Since she's got a compact, I'd give the IRD 34 with a long cage RD a try.

[Steve530]

I saw a Campy video on youtube where they installed a kit on a derailleur so that upper jockey wheel would clear the new, larger cogs. It involves replacing the toothed ring that sets the "B" adjustment. If she goes with a 30 tooth cog, that might be necessary.

[cnighbor1]

with a campy triple she can go to a 26T grany gear
I use a 28T campy inner
but shimano is the best choice
many riders in my club go 34T rear cog and 26T inner ring all shimano using MTB parts

[Louis]

Just tell her to ditch that Campy stuff and get some components from a company that makes parts for the real world, not just racer-boys and wanna-be cool-cats. ;)

[donevwil]

Why not get one of IRD's new *wide-range* cassettes? Not cheap, but it is Campy compatible in the following ratios:

12-32, 11-30, 11-32 and 11-34!
http://store.interlocracing.com/10elcacra.html

If she needs 11 speed, its available too in 12-30, 12-32, 11-30:
http://store.interlocracing.com/11cael.html

Good Luck! :eek::banana::butt::rolleyes:

My wife runs the 11-32 and loves it. Doesn't shift as smoothly as Campy but that's a nit-pick, she hasn't complained once. 29 to 32 is a BIG difference, 34 would be triple'esque.

[eddief]

this woman is in great shape and one of the strongest climbers in one of the clubs I belong to. So not sure she really needs to go lower that badly, but she did mention it and I was curious how Campy riders aproach it. If her front shifter can shift a triple...and she could install a granny smaller than 30 if she needed to, then that would be the right approach for really lowering the ratios for future feebleness.

Guess there is almost no such thing as Campy for loaded touring.

Just tell her to ditch that Campy stuff and get some components from a company that makes parts for the real world, not just racer-boys and wanna-be cool-cats. ;)

[Ralph]

I'm 72, and kinda a "B" rider on flats, and probably a "C" rider on climbs. Not quite as stong as 20 years ago. For hilly country, on one of my bikes I use a Campy Record Triple.....with usually a 30-42-52 and usually use either a 13-29 or a 12-30 in rear. 1-1 usually gets me up most steep hills. If I'm like climbing for several hours, the IRD 12-32 would be nice, never know when you might need a bail out gear. With a 52 X 13 rear, I can pedal to about 30 MPH on down hill, usually enough. I have the original Record rings with a 30-42-53, but prefer the 42-52 set up with a 30 in front of them. Even when you get old, you can still train on bike, and work on leg strength in a gym.

I use a Med cage RD (Chorus). But if I lived in mountains, with lots of steep climbing, I believe I would just get a long cage RD, and use a 28-39-52 (or 26-39-50) with whatever rear cassette I needed.

[oldpotatoe]

She is actually a great rider at near 70 years. But she is looking to go lower than her 34 small ring compact crank and 29 tooth rear cassette for all the climbing we get do here. Going lower with Shimano is a near no brainer. Just get a mountain rear d and a fat cassette. Are those parts in 10 speed anywhere in the Campy world? Maybe Campy users never get old.

I was thinking of Shiftmate so she can keep her shifters, which she loves, and then new Shimano rear wheel, cassette, and RD.

Get a long cage Campagnolo rear der, like 'Comp', get a shimano compatible wheel, add a 11-32 9s cogset and KMC or shimano 9s chain..go ride. Center cog to center cog spacing is very close for Campagnolo 10s and shimano 9s..closer than shimano 10s and Campagnolo 10s. I have done this many times for touring guys who wanted lever mounted shifting, but also wanted a handlebar bag and shimano outside cables wan't an option.

OR a 110/74 triple crank, use just the inner of the 110 and the 74 for down to a 26 or so-

Or a true triple(Comp again) but will need a new FD along with ling cage rear.

[oldpotatoe]

Just tell her to ditch that Campy stuff and get some components from a company that makes parts for the real world, not just racer-boys and wanna-be cool-cats. ;)

Like sram? Ohh, no triples, like shimano? Ohh no triples for DA, now Ultegra and soon 105..

[Ahneida Ride]

I run 2001 Record Triple (long cage)

TA Carmina up front .... rings are 48/36/22

13-29 rear 10 speed

22/29 is almost 20 gear inches. :banana:

Shifting is excellent .... the price of the Carmina crank with Phil BB
is about 850 fed reserve shopping coupons. OUCH ! :eek:

---------------

My TA Zephyr was about 350 frn 8 years ago.
So much for fed reserve note dilution. :butt:

[sfscott]

If an 11-speed cassette is going to be used with a 50/34 front, does one need to change the rear derailleur cage and chain, or is it a simple swap? I am currently on a 12-29.

What about for EPS? Does the programming not work?

[buldogge]

Dunno about IRD...but...I run 50/34 and 12-27 on several bikes...using std Chorus 11 RDs as well as modded Centaur and Chorus 10s RDs.

I also run a 46/30 (made from a Truvativ triple) and a 12-29 with a std Athena 11 RD.

FWIW.

-Mark in St. Louis

If an 11-speed cassette is going to be used with a 50/34 front, does one need to change the rear derailleur cage and chain, or is it a simple swap? I am currently on a 12-29.

What about for EPS? Does the programming not work?

[pbarry]

Here's another option. I think this setup requires a triple BB axle.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=132635&highlight=miche

[buddybikes]

TA makes a 33 tooth, kind of hard to find but quickest cheapest to drop a bit...

[bargainguy]

Surprised no one has mentioned the Schlumpf Mountain Drive yet. You want low gears? You got 'em.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/schlumpf.html

[bfd]

Like sram? Ohh, no triples, like shimano? Ohh no triples for DA, now Ultegra and soon 105..

Agree, there are tons of people out there who use Campy ergo shifters and tour, ride "randos," commute or do *real world riding* - whatever that means!

If you need lower gearing then what is Campy offers, e.g., 50/34 and 12-30; there are alternatives. Like others said get a triple. Any 130mm or 135mm/74mm triple will work. With the smaller 74mm inner granny chainring, you can go down to 24t!

Don't like triples, you can also find a small "compact" double with 94mm/58mm. These are harder to find than a current 110mm bcd compact doubles, but they're out there, e.g., Ritchey, Sugino and a few others made this size.

Finally, get a larger rear cassette. IRD makes them with as 32t or 34t!

There are alternatives for *real world riding!* Good Luck!:banana::butt::cool::fight:

[Dave]

If an 11-speed cassette is going to be used with a 50/34 front, does one need to change the rear derailleur cage and chain, or is it a simple swap? I am currently on a 12-29.

What about for EPS? Does the programming not work?

2010 and newer 11 speed short cage RDs will work with a 50/34 and 12-29.

The chain length would need to be 1 inch shorter, if it was set up with a 39/12, using the little/little method, recommended by Campy.

EPS works with a compact crank.

http://www.campagnolo.com/jsp/en/groupsetdetail/item_guarRecST11_catid_22.jsp

[sfscott]

2010 and newer 11 speed short cage RDs will work with a 50/34 and 12-29.

The chain length would need to be 1 inch shorter, if it was set up with a 39/12, using the little/little method, recommended by Campy.

EPS works with a compact crank.

http://www.campagnolo.com/jsp/en/groupsetdetail/item_guarRecST11_catid_22.jsp

Dave, I currently run a compact Campy crank (50/34) with what I think is a 12-29 Campy cassette on two bikes, one with EPS, one without.

My question is simply can I put on a bigger IRD cassette and expect it to work on both bike, including EPS, or do I need to adjust the limit screws, change chain lengths, change cages, and on the EPS version, will it shift normally/smoothly or will it need to be re-programmed.

I've been looking for a larger-tooth cassette and am happy to hear about the IRDs.

[eddief]

http://www.gravelbike.com/?p=1799


Agree, there are tons of people out there who use Campy ergo shifters and tour, ride "randos," commute or do *real world riding* - whatever that means!

If you need lower gearing then what is Campy offers, e.g., 50/34 and 12-30; there are alternatives. Like others said get a triple. Any 130mm or 135mm/74mm triple will work. With the smaller 74mm inner granny chainring, you can go down to 24t!

Don't like triples, you can also find a small "compact" double with 94mm/58mm. These are harder to find than a current 110mm bcd compact doubles, but they're out there, e.g., Ritchey, Sugino and a few others made this size.

Finally, get a larger rear cassette. IRD makes them with as 32t or 34t!

There are alternatives for *real world riding!* Good Luck!:banana::butt::cool::fight:

[sg8357]

Sugino Alpina2 triple 48/36/24 standard rings.
One step above the Sugino XD in quality.

http://store.somafab.com/sual10scr.html

The Campy triple front mech works fine with that ring combo.
I've been riding Campy with a TA Zephyr 48/36/24 since '05

Love Campy, but 135bcd is for the fast kids.

TA should bring back the Zephyr, not the ProVis5.

[Rueda Tropical]

If she wants to stick with a double and not have to deal with the larger q-factor of mountain cranks there is the Rene Herse / Compass cycles crank. Low q like Campy and goes down to 26T chainring. Or the TA Carmina which is available with different spiders and more crank arm lengths then any crank available. Totally customizable.