Campagnolo replacement parts pricing insanity

[Gsinill]

OK, this is my first experience with Campagnolo...

I just got a Chorus RD I found for $40 bucks on CL. It's actually in pretty good shape but both limiter screws have rusty heads, so I checked out what they charge on eBay for replacements.

HOLY CRAP!!!

The cheapest I could find is $17.27 for 2 scews and springs which is about 4x compared to Shimano and I am not talking NOS C Record but 98 - 08 stuff.

So I google "where to buy campagnolo replacement parts" and find some online shop that sells them for $15.99 - what a deal!

Now one could argue whether those screws SHOULD rust in the first place but since they do it's obvious that they are not stainless steel. Manufacturing cost probably less than the equivalent of 25 Italian Lira back in 1998 (or roughly $0.005).
Hey, I love pretty much everything about Italy (except their national football team which constantly kicks the Germans' a$$es) but this is just pure rip off.

Reminds me of the 2 Fiats I had back in college: nice looking, great handling but of mediocre build quality in combination with insanely expensive replacement parts.

Guess that's the price to pay...

GS (off to Ace to get 2 M4x13mm chrome hex screws for $4)

[fuzzalow]

Guess that's the price to pay...

GS (off to Ace to get 2 M4x13mm chrome hex screws for $4)

C'mon, ranting about something that only effects those who insist on the simplest, no-brained solution which is buying a Campagnolo-packaged, SKU'd, distributed & warehoused part. How does this ancillary parts supply chain come cheaply or for free? And if not free, why complain?

As given in your sign-off, you already know the answer. Consider yourself clever enough not to pay the ignorance tax on the mechanically clueless.

[Liv2RideHard]

This is why having a relationship established with a real bike shop helps. My LBS...gave me some when I needed them.

[toytech]

remove, soak a day or two in vinegar, rinse off the rust, oil and reinstall.
Now go ride your bike dammit.

[FlashUNC]

Your first stop for looking for replacement parts is eBay?

Why not, say, your LBS?

[Dave]

Most 4mm screws will have a head diameter that is too large to fit into the RD's counterbore.

I bought some stainless steel socket head screws and ground the heads down, when I needed a slightly longer RD screw.

[bfd]

Well, if you must have Campy der adjusting screw, Ochsner sells them for a way low price of $10 each:

http://www.ochsnerusa-store.com/proddetail.php?prod=CA-7350228

There's also a screw and spring set for the same price:

http://www.ochsnerusa-store.com/proddetail.php?prod=CA-1134131

Best to look up the correct p/n before ordering. Oh and don't forget that shipping will probably not be cheap, so you may want to order more than a couple of screws.

Otherwise, as others have stated, clean the ones you have or go to the hardware store and see what's available. Of course, developing a relationship with a LBS is the proper thing to do as they'll probably have something cheap! Good Luck! :eek::banana::butt::rolleyes:

[jds108]

I think the thread pitch is smaller than a standard M4...

[saab2000]

remove, soak a day or two in vinegar, rinse off the rust, oil and reinstall.
Now go ride your bike dammit.

This.

[Louis]

Welcome to the world of Campy. If you want more chuckles check out the price of replacement chain-ring bolts.

(e.g. Campagnolo 11s Chainring Bolt Kit 10pcs = $74)

[oldpotatoe]

This is why having a relationship established with a real bike shop helps. My LBS...gave me some when I needed them.

As I would but not....oh never mind.

$40 for a Chorus RD..and white or red, whine.

A Chorus Rd today is about $250.

[Gsinill]

Most 4mm screws will have a head diameter that is too large to fit into the RD's counterbore.

I bought some stainless steel socket head screws and ground the heads down, when I needed a slightly longer RD screw.

That's exactly what I did. Take this Campagnolo!!!
2x $0.65, 2 min of grinding the heads down to a diameter of 5.5 mm in the drill press and a result that is better than "Made in Italy" (i.e. stainless steel and hex)

[Gsinill]

I think the thread pitch is smaller than a standard M4...

Nope, standard

[oldpotatoe]

Welcome to the world of Campy. If you want more chuckles check out the price of replacement chain-ring bolts.

(e.g. Campagnolo 11s Chainring Bolt Kit 10pcs = $74)

How much is the one for 7900, 9000 or 6700 cranks?

[Gsinill]

Your first stop for looking for replacement parts is eBay?

Why not, say, your LBS?

Nope, first stop to check on the price is eBay or online.
Why even bother the LBS, if I can confirm online that the guys in Vicenza are insane?
Believe me, if those screws were $2, I'd be more than happy to get them from the brick and mortar guys around the corner.

[Gsinill]

As I would but not....oh never mind.

$40 for a Chorus RD..and white or red, whine.

A Chorus Rd today is about $250.

Hmm, not really whining...
My point is that I think Campagnolo is shooting themselves in the foot with stuff like this.
I remember there was a discussion here about whether it is worth to spend $800 on a Record EPS FD.
There you can argue, like some did, the R&D cost blah blah...

Here you basically risk to piss off some otherwise loyal customers that actually buy into the cult of your brand.

I am neither a marketing guy nor a bean counter but my gutt tells me that it would be smarter to sell stuff like this at or even under cost to build/expand that loyalty.
There is zero intellectual property or design effort involved in a screw...

Just my 2 cents...

[thirdgenbird]

The risk is probably where to draw the line. There is no harm in selling a screw at cost, but things like levers, spring carriers, and index gears keep people like me from buying new components. Instead of finding the balance, they may have just applied a multiplier.

[pbarry]

What vintage is your Chorus derailleur? if it's the original, first gen. Chorus, then it's 23 years old. 9 speed is 17... I doubt if OEM parts for a 20 year old Shimano 600 RD are even available.

One important reason Campy has a devoted following is because they continue to offer small parts for discontinued groups. No, they ain't cheap, but you won't need many through the years, (unlike a Fiat), and you can usually find the small replacement part when you need it.

[saab2000]

That's exactly what I did. Take this Campagnolo!!!
2x $0.65, 2 min of grinding the heads down to a diameter of 5.5 mm in the drill press and a result that is better than "Made in Italy" (i.e. stainless steel and hex)

Well done! That looks superb!

[FlashUNC]

Nope, first stop to check on the price is eBay or online.
Why even bother the LBS, if I can confirm online that the guys in Vicenza are insane?
Believe me, if those screws were $2, I'd be more than happy to get them from the brick and mortar guys around the corner.

Because the shop may have a busted Campy derailleur in the back and set you up with replacement screws gratis (or a sixer of fine malted and hopped beverage), or they tell you what MSRP is and you go on your merry way looking for an alternative.

eBay is hardly the first place I'd look for, of all things, small set screw replacements on a Campagnolo derailleur made anytime in the last 40 years.

[Gsinill]

Well done! That looks superb!

"Sieasch, I hai's im Griff"
(insider joke, sorry to all you non Swiss-German speaking fellas)

[Louis]

How much is the one for 7900, 9000 or 6700 cranks?

From same web-source as Campy price quoted above (and not terribly cheap, but unlike the Campy, not jaw-dropping expensive)

7800 = $33
7900/7950 & 6700/6750/6703 = $39

[R2D2]

From same web-source as Campy price quoted above (and not terribly cheap, but unlike the Campy, not jaw-dropping expensive)

7800 = $33
7900/7950 & 6700/6750/6703 = $39

Bolts only (5 pieces) for Campagnolo are around the same price. But when you
get the whole set the price does seem to double.

But then if you look at chainrings Shimano 11spd are in the 300 range while Campagnolo is 1/2 the price of Shimano.

So you can make an argument Shimano prices are crazy or make an argument Campagnolo prices are crazy. Take your pick.

[oldpotatoe]

Bolts only (5 pieces) for Campagnolo are around the same price. But when you
get the whole set the price does seem to double.

But then if you look at chainrings Shimano 11spd are in the 300 range while Campagnolo is 1/2 the price of Shimano.

So you can make an argument Shimano prices are crazy or make an argument Campagnolo prices are crazy. Take your pick.

My point exactly. ALL bike stuff is expensive..