Campy Critique

[Lewis Moon]

"However, tall riders beware: Campy’s cranks only come in 170, 172.5, and 175mm lengths."

Velo News "stress test" (http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/06/bikes-and-tech/reviews/stress-test-campagnolo-record-mechanical-group_372666)

IzzatSo? I've always ridden 177.5 or larger cranks. Always. What's up with this?

[FlashUNC]

Might be a new for 2015 thing. I've seen plenty of 11 speed cranks online for sale that are 177.5 and above.

Course, Campy may not be selling enough of them to justify continued production, hence the running change, but that does seem to be the case for the 2015 stuff.

[RedRider]

short cranks are the new black... seriously.

[sandyrs]

Might be a new for 2015 thing. I've seen plenty of 11 speed cranks online for sale that are 177.5 and above.

Course, Campy may not be selling enough of them to justify continued production, hence the running change, but that does seem to be the case for the 2015 stuff.

New for 2015. The previous iteration of 11 speed featured up to 180mm cranks, at least in the Super Record range. I have 10sp Record cranks in 180mm as well. I'm disappointed, but not surprised.

[Lewis Moon]

short cranks are the new black... seriously.

Heh...If I were THAT type of rider I'd own a Pinarello.

[nighthawk]

Lastly, we occasionally experienced an odd case of the shifter jamming, albeit only momentarily, if we were simultaneously pressing both the lever and the thumb button, often absentmindedly.


Hold the phone.... The lever jammed when you tried to upshift and downshift at the same time?!?! Same things happens to my steering when I try to turn left and right at the same time. My whole bike jams when I try to brake and pedal at the same time. Odd indeed.

[Lewis Moon]

New for 2015. The previous iteration of 11 speed featured up to 180mm cranks, at least in the Super Record range. I have 10sp Record cranks in 180mm as well. I'm disappointed, but not surprised.

Time to start hoarding 180s.

[jm714]

I called Campy USA (Carlsbad California) a few months ago when I was looking to build up a new frame about their lack of 180's. They told me that they plan to get 180's out sometime, maybe in the fall of 2015. They said there just isn't enough demand for them and that they needed to get out the shorter lengths first.

So I moved on to Dura Ace in the meantime. They may have lost a customer.

[mcteague]

Hold the phone.... The lever jammed when you tried to upshift and downshift at the same time?!?! Same things happens to my steering when I try to turn left and right at the same time. My whole bike jams when I try to brake and pedal at the same time. Odd indeed.

No, if you have a little pressure on the inner lever, without being aware, the thumb shifter won't budge. Happens to me quite often.

Tim

[Lewis Moon]

No, if you have a little pressure on the inner lever, without being aware, the thumb shifter won't budge. Happens to me quite often.

Tim

...sounds like a personal problem. All levity aside (that WAS meant in jest) all groups have idiosyncrasies. This has happened to me too (rarely), but now that I know where the problem comes from, it'll quit happening.

[fuzzalow]

I called Campy USA (Carlsbad California) a few months ago when I was looking to build up a new frame about their lack of 180's. They told me that they plan to get 180's out sometime, maybe in the fall of 2015. They said there just isn't enough demand for them and that they needed to get out the shorter lengths first.

So I moved on to Dura Ace in the meantime. They may have lost a customer.

Campagnolo will live to rue the day. ;)

All kidding aside, as a Campagnolo-only user, I have often skipped over an entire iteration of component if it didn't appeal to my own personal sense. For example: the entire square taper carbon crank series, the current 4-arm carbon UT cranks. If you are a real Campy user you will work with what you can. In my case I bought a new Super Record UT hidden-bolt from the last of the 2014s just to have so I don't have to run the 4-arm cranks if I want a new grouppo.

Hey, if Dura Ace works for you, go for it. Shimano is not perfect either. Tell them if you're not kept happy they may lose you as a customer. :eek:

[ultraman6970]

"When it comes to pure performance, the Record mechanical parts are, overall, out-classed by Shimano Dura-Ace, but the Italians put up a good fight."

Good to know.. everybody move to shimano right away! :P

[dana_e]

I have never clicked 2 when meaning to click 1, campy rules BTW

[Lewis Moon]

Campagnolo will live to rue the day. ;)

All kidding aside, as a Campagnolo-only user, I have often skipped over an entire iteration of component if it didn't appeal to my own personal sense. For example: the entire square taper carbon crank series, the current 4-arm carbon UT cranks. If you are a real Campy user you will work with what you can. In my case I bought a new Super Record UT hidden-bolt from the last of the 2014s just to have so I don't have to run the 4-arm cranks if I want a new grouppo.

Hey, if Dura Ace works for you, go for it. Shimano is not perfect either. Tell them if you're not kept happy they may lose you as a customer. :eek:

I've always considered Campy to be a continuum. That is: I've always mixed and matched over the different model, speed and time ranges. If I thought the "bang for the buck" wasn't there for some part in the Record line, I'd get a lower line component. If I didn't like the looks of a new model component, I'd find a previous year that I liked and sub it in.

[thirdgenbird]

I called Campy USA (Carlsbad California) a few months ago when I was looking to build up a new frame about their lack of 180's. They told me that they plan to get 180's out sometime, maybe in the fall of 2015. They said there just isn't enough demand for them and that they needed to get out the shorter lengths first.

So I moved on to Dura Ace in the meantime. They may have lost a customer.

I think this is the norm.

When they changed from the c record cranks to the low profile alloy arms, the 180s kept the c-record shape for a bit. I've got a pair, they have the new logo but old shape.

I was thinking the same thing happened when they went carbon. I recall my dad grumbling and going 175 but 180s came out shortly after.

[jm714]

Campagnolo will live to rue the day. ;)

All kidding aside, as a Campagnolo-only user, I have often skipped over an entire iteration of component if it didn't appeal to my own personal sense. For example: the entire square taper carbon crank series, the current 4-arm carbon UT cranks. If you are a real Campy user you will work with what you can. In my case I bought a new Super Record UT hidden-bolt from the last of the 2014s just to have so I don't have to run the 4-arm cranks if I want a new grouppo.

Hey, if Dura Ace works for you, go for it. Shimano is not perfect either. Tell them if you're not kept happy they may lose you as a customer. :eek:

I have run Campy on my last three bikes. The problem is there just aren't a lot of 180 crank options out there and if you want to run a compact crank it's even tougher. I know I can run a mish mash of parts to keep the campy guts, but I like a complete groupo on my bike. I just didn't have time to wait for them to decide it was the right time to make a run of 180's. Previously they told me it was bad engineering to run a 180 compact crank so I continued to run a 180 53/39. So it will be interesting to see if they actually come out with a 180 in the 4 arm crank since it is interchangable between compact and standard gearing.

And maybe I will go back to Campy. Part of the reason why I left Shimano years ago was because they wouldn't warranty a XTR 180 octalink crankset that stripped out at the BB spindle. They said it was an installation error, yada yada.

[ultraman6970]

Naive and legitimate question ok?

There's no risk for a 180 mm crankset to touch the stays??? maybe in some bike models??? and thats why the italians arent making them?? Btw never seen a C record 172.5 mm for example, they actually came in that size?

[bcroslin]

"When it comes to pure performance, the Record mechanical parts are, overall, out-classed by Shimano Dura-Ace, but the Italians put up a good fight."

Good to know.. everybody move to shimano right away! :P

I'm a shimano guy but with that said there was absolutely nothing in that short critique to judge the record group as being "outclassed." I'd like to know what exactly the writer is referring to. Seems like B$ to me.

[FlashUNC]

I'm a shimano guy but with that said there was absolutely nothing in that short critique to judge the record group as being "outclassed." I'd like to know what exactly the writer is referring to. Seems like B$ to me.

Translation of "outclassed": I have baby hands and can't shift from the drops because I can't set a lever up to save my life. Also, I like weirdly sculpted alloy cranks.

[fuzzalow]

And maybe I will go back to Campy. Part of the reason why I left Shimano years ago was because they wouldn't warranty a XTR 180 octalink crankset that stripped out at the BB spindle. They said it was an installation error, yada yada.

No problem, it is all good. It is all done in service of the ride.

Sure, I am Campy-only but am not apostolic about it. Campagnolo is the best and most beautiful of road bike components but there's nothing personally wrong with anybody who can't abide by that incontrovertible reality. ;)

180 is a lotta crank arm. This forum is fulla tall people.

[sandyrs]

Naive and legitimate question ok?

There's no risk for a 180 mm crankset to touch the stays??? maybe in some bike models??? and thats why the italians arent making them?? Btw never seen a C record 172.5 mm for example, they actually came in that size?

That does sometimes happen for frames not designed for the crank size but it's rare.

[Jaq]

"For those riders, Campagnolo Record delivers as a timeless group with a beautiful finish, durability, as well as longevity — Campy shifters can be disassembled and rebuilt, unlike Shimano or SRAM — and functionality."

When I wanted to go from 8 to 9 speed, all I hadda do was buy the parts. A little Rossini, a little Mozart, a little Brunello di Montalcino, et voila: rebuilt shifters that'll go another 15k miles. I like that.

On the other hand, for silly reasons, I've also got 105 chainrings, giving me something of a Shimagnolo drive-train. Works perfectly well. Eventually, I'll replace all my 8-speed era Record stuff with an alloy Athena-11 group, but that's down the road apiece.

[bcroslin]

"For those riders, Campagnolo Record delivers as a timeless group with a beautiful finish, durability, as well as longevity — Campy shifters can be disassembled and rebuilt, unlike Shimano or SRAM — and functionality."

That's because with Ultegra prices being so low from UK resellers the stuff is disposable. SRAM, well, when it breaks you swap it out for Shimano. :cool:

[Lewis Moon]

I'm a shimano guy but with that said there was absolutely nothing in that short critique to judge the record group as being "outclassed." I'd like to know what exactly the writer is referring to. Seems like B$ to me.

Exactly.

[Lewis Moon]

Naive and legitimate question ok?

There's no risk for a 180 mm crankset to touch the stays??? maybe in some bike models??? and thats why the italians arent making them?? Btw never seen a C record 172.5 mm for example, they actually came in that size?

I've only ever seen this on one bike: my State Warhawk SSCX. That's because it was built about as cheaply as they could go.

Really, there are better ways of providing clearance for big tires than just splaying straight stays out wider.

[oldpotatoe]

I called Campy USA (Carlsbad California) a few months ago when I was looking to build up a new frame about their lack of 180's. They told me that they plan to get 180's out sometime, maybe in the fall of 2015. They said there just isn't enough demand for them and that they needed to get out the shorter lengths first.

So I moved on to Dura Ace in the meantime. They may have lost a customer.

Use a 180 DA crank and the rest Campagnolo..from here. .to here is about 5mm...

[oldpotatoe]

Naive and legitimate question ok?

There's no risk for a 180 mm crankset to touch the stays??? maybe in some bike models??? and thats why the italians arent making them?? Btw never seen a C record 172.5 mm for example, they actually came in that size?

??? Like C Record..1985 till 1994? C Record..I have owned 5-6 in 172.5, have 2 now.