No love for silver/alloy cranksets

[Ciavete]

Had an interesting chat with a Campagnolo rep today at Interbike, the big industry trade show. After I inquired about them, he said the silver/alloy cranksets are much more expensive to manufacture than the carbon fiber models. Once they have that mold perfected, carbon fiber is by far the cheaper way to go. Also, Campy really thinks of Europe as its market, and the average European enthusiast has no interest in the silver/alloy aesthetic. Campy will soon phase out the last alloy Athena, which IMHO is their prettiest.

Maybe stuff (progress?) like this is why some guys start to get grumpy after a certain age.

Cheers.

[Veloo]

Thanks for the heads up. My spider sense was telling me the other day to start hoarding silver Campy stuff.

[Ken Robb]

Polished silver requires more labor than molding carbon fiber parts so once a company buys the machinery to do carbon stuff it behooves them to push that while reducing labor costs.

[Llewellyn]

I'm so pleased I've stockpiled enough silver Shimano gear to last me to the end of my riding days.

[thirdgenbird]

If you could still get alloy ultra torque cranksets, I would be tempted to grab one. This news means I will probably keep the alloy chorus arms I debated selling. I'm no carbon hater though :)

[don compton]

Thanks for the heads up. I have recently sold 4 Campy equipped bikes. I put Shimano Ultergra 11sp on my new Riv Roadeo. I do not miss Campy.

[ultraman6970]

I dig the new campy spider but havent seen aftermarket replacement for those 4 bolts chainrings yet.

By 2020 they will come up with 3 arms again?

[54ny77]

pretty much the same here. :bike:

I'm so pleased I've stockpiled enough silver Shimano gear to last me to the end of my riding days.

[Fishbike]

Too bad we are losing that option. Athena and Veloce have been so perfect for those modern retro builds with skinny pipes and lots of chrome. Worked good too.

[soulspinner]

too bad we are losing that option. Athena and veloce have been so perfect for those modern retro builds with skinny pipes and lots of chrome. Worked good too.


+1

[stephenmarklay]

I view this as a fashion discussion. What is fashion today will be out of fashion next year.

Look at how aluminum bikes are making a resurgence. I like my silver Athena too and happy to have it.

[FlashUNC]

Campy has made clear for years now they have no interest in making retro fetish gear.

I'm amazed the alloy stuff is still around, frankly.

[redir]

Polished silver requires more labor than molding carbon fiber parts so once a company buys the machinery to do carbon stuff it behooves them to push that while reducing labor costs.

You can see the time and labor in the final product and is what makes them so attractive. More of an arts and crafts project rather then a science and engineering one.

Too bad!

[rugbysecondrow]

Insert: Velo Orange.

[AngryScientist]

the good news is that an alloy crankset can last, for all practical purposes, forever.

[Aaron O]

What bothers me more than the color are the logos everywhere. I miss when a barely visible, laser engraved flying C was the height of understated beauty. I preferred when the workmanship and finish was the logo. Get off my lawn!

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad205/aolk67/Marnati/1A6951D9-0CEE-4D42-B63E-1482C26ECBB0_zps7jrr0lye.jpg (http://s936.photobucket.com/user/aolk67/media/Marnati/1A6951D9-0CEE-4D42-B63E-1482C26ECBB0_zps7jrr0lye.jpg.html)

[Ken Robb]

Insert: Velo Orange.

Yes and Sugino makes some lovely alloy cranks that are available from Rivendell and other suppliers.

[Mark McM]

Yes and Sugino makes some lovely alloy cranks that are available from Rivendell and other suppliers.

Except that the Sugino cranks mentioned have a fairly wide Q factor. My hips and ankles prefer lower Q and U factors. Even as bottom brackets and cassettes have gotten wider, Campagnolo has managed to maintain low Q and U factors on their cranks. I prefer the look (and durability) of aluminum cranks, and Campagnolo has been my go-to option, but if they drop their aluminum cranks, I may have to stock up some NOS Campagnolo cranks.

[oldpotatoe]

Except that the Sugino cranks mentioned have a fairly wide Q factor. My hips and ankles prefer lower Q and U factors. Even as bottom brackets and cassettes have gotten wider, Campagnolo has managed to maintain low Q and U factors on their cranks. I prefer the look (and durability) of aluminum cranks, and Campagnolo has been my go-to option, but if they drop their aluminum cranks, I may have to stock up some NOS Campagnolo cranks.

Aluminum cranks from Campagnolo, even if they stop making them, will be available for a long time.

[okie1kenobi]

the good news is that an alloy crankset can last, for all practical purposes, forever.

Yup, these are over 30 years old and still going strong.

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/bianchi-nuovo-racing-1980-19962_16.jpg

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/3rensho-njs-track-20940_6.jpg

[Aaron O]

The merged carbon/alloy look can be extremely attractive.

[Jeff N.]

Looks like some, if not all, silver Athena stuff is coming out of Taiwan these days anyway.

[El Chaba]

I can't imagine anything from Velo Orange being considered as a worthy replacement for anything by Campagnolo...

[dancinkozmo]

I can't imagine anything from Velo Orange being considered as a worthy replacement for anything by Campagnolo...

you dont have much of an imagination then :banana:

[thirdgenbird]

The merged carbon/alloy look can be extremely attractive.

I dig it too

[54ny77]

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do when it comes to makin' shiny silver bike stuff.....;)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/DSCN5131_zpszjg0u7wy.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/jpmz06/media/Bike/DSCN5131_zpszjg0u7wy.jpg.html)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/DSCN5130_zps3zylrefn.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/jpmz06/media/Bike/DSCN5130_zps3zylrefn.jpg.html)

[Ken Robb]

I have a set of TA Zephyr cranks that were briefly on my Kirk Terraplane. I have never seen cranks MORE beautiful. Heck, I can't remember any AS beautiful but there are many cranks I haven't seen--------maybe.:)

[thwart]

Yup, these are over 30 years old and still going strong.

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/bianchi-nuovo-racing-1980-19962_16.jpg

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/3rensho-njs-track-20940_6.jpg
Couple of very nice bikes there.

[okie1kenobi]

Couple of very nice bikes there.

Thanks! :beer:

[choke]

I can't say that I'm surprised that they'll soon stop making them.

The downside is that I will likely never purchase a new Campy shifter/crank/derailleur again since I don't like carbon. The upside is that the parts I already have should last me until I stop riding.

[pff]

can you buy a shimano crank and polish the hell out of it?

[Ciavete]

Spoke with Paul of Paul Component Engineering and a rep from Phil Wood today. Both spoke highly of the other and told me they sometimes team up with Phil's ISO taper bottom bracket (https://www.philwood.com/products/bbhome.php) paired with Paul's (IMHO) beautiful crank.

Would this be nuts? What kind of riding would I be limited to with a single speed crank? Paul's crank runs 39, 44, 46 or 48t. I'm not very knowledgeable about gearing ratios.

BTW, decided on White Industry T11 hubs for the new wheels, so this bike could wind up with a healthy representation of California designed/made components, assuming this is in fact not nuts.

Cheers!

[ceolwulf]

Would this be nuts? What kind of riding would I be limited to with a single speed crank?



Cheers!


Just about any kind, if you believe SRAM. Or Shimano mountain bike stuff is largely 1x already I think, don't keep up with that side too much. But there's enough wide ratio parts available already I think you could make it work for most situations.

[thirdgenbird]

Why not use the potentially better looking white industry crank that offers a double setup?

No 42 for Paul? A 42 with an 11-30 offers a pretty decent range. Gaps, but decent range.

[Ciavete]

Why not use the potentially better looking white industry crank that offers a double setup?

No 42 for Paul? A 42 with an 11-30 offers a pretty decent range. Gaps, but decent range.

Whoa! Thanks for tip on the White Industry crank - will check that out.

Will also send note to Paul about No 42. Thanks!

[m_sasso]

Except that the Sugino cranks mentioned have a fairly wide Q factor. My hips and ankles prefer lower Q and U factors. Even as bottom brackets and cassettes have gotten wider, Campagnolo has managed to maintain low Q and U factors on their cranks. I prefer the look (and durability) of aluminum cranks, and Campagnolo has been my go-to option, but if they drop their aluminum cranks, I may have to stock up some NOS Campagnolo cranks.

I was under the assumption Campagnolo crank sets generally have 145.5mm Q factors?

May not be available from Rivendell Bicycle Works however other suppliers certainly could provide current silver Sugino EXP or OX601 and OX801 series cranks which have 145.0mm Q factors.

My current 48/34 OX801D X 12/23

http://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-tech.com-vbulletin/800x600/80-img_2926aa_9c86c75b63e5a85239de66b6647fab3e5506911 9.jpg

http://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-tech.com-vbulletin/800x600/80-img_2890a_5851449c457f9b6148ca887e6a4cd4fbf8357d08 .jpg

[merckx]

Nice machine Mr. Sasso.

[TimD]

Yup, these are over 30 years old and still going strong.


Beautiful. You should ride them and get them dirty!!! :beer:

[spacemen3]

I have a set of TA Zephyr cranks that were briefly on my Kirk Terraplane. I have never seen cranks MORE beautiful. Heck, I can't remember any AS beautiful but there are many cranks I haven't seen--------maybe.:)
I have to agree: TA cranks are magnificent. Another very rare option was the Miche Supertype with the skeleton spider. Otherwise a Mavic starfish or a Stronglight Speedlight will polish up nicely.

[johnniecakes]

What strikes me as odd is that Shimano doesn't make any carbon cranks. I seem to remember Shimano claiming that they cannot make a carbon crank as strong at the same weight as aluminum. Seems like they are putting function over style. Why make a weaker or heavier crank than necessary just to make it carbon? Just to save money?

[Cicli]

What strikes me as odd is that Shimano doesn't make any carbon cranks. I seem to remember Shimano claiming that they cannot make a carbon crank as strong at the same weight as aluminum. Seems like they are putting function over style. Why make a weaker or heavier crank than necessary just to make it carbon? Just to save money?

Yeah, they had a 7800 crank in carbon. I thought it looked awesome.

[johnniecakes]

Yeah, they had a 7800 crank in carbon. I thought it looked awesome.
I googled the 7800 carbon, agree it did look nice, wonder why they abandoned carbon cranks

[macaroon]

THe middleburn RO2 x type should be worth a look if you want some silver cranks

http://activesport.co/WebRoot/Store5/Shops/80c85f8f-7a95-4b1c-9c30-e64b314f3f2e/543F/AD30/6E08/7C28/6C63/0A48/350B/3E23/DSC00631.JPG

[Mark McM]

I was under the assumption Campagnolo crank sets generally have 145.5mm Q factors?

May not be available from Rivendell Bicycle Works however other suppliers certainly could provide current silver Sugino EXP or OX601 and OX801 series cranks which have 145.0mm Q factors.

What is the U factor on the Sugino cranks? For me, U factor (width at the spindle) is actually more important than Q factor (width at the pedal flats). Campagnolo has a very low 128mm U factor. Do the Sugino cranks require special chainrings?

I see that Somafab sells the OX801 and OX601 for $530 & $400, respectively. That's quite spendy - anyone have them for less?

[FlashUNC]

What strikes me as odd is that Shimano doesn't make any carbon cranks. I seem to remember Shimano claiming that they cannot make a carbon crank as strong at the same weight as aluminum. Seems like they are putting function over style. Why make a weaker or heavier crank than necessary just to make it carbon? Just to save money?

Or maybe Shimano is full of it?

[icepick_trotsky]

Insert: Velo Orange.

Yeah, except their cranksets are not 11 speed compatible (yet).

[m_sasso]

What is the U factor on the Sugino cranks? For me, U factor (width at the spindle) is actually more important than Q factor (width at the pedal flats). Campagnolo has a very low 128mm U factor. Do the Sugino cranks require special chainrings?

I see that Somafab sells the OX801 and OX601 for $530 & $400, respectively. That's quite spendy - anyone have them for less?

No official specification found however I caliper measure the ones on my 68mm BB bike at 130mm U factor. Standard 110mm BCD chain rings pinned and ramped, under 34 tooth 74mm BCD down to 24 tooth. OX801 currently $332.00 at Alex Cycle.