Self install new Campy Chorus group or shop installation?

[Redbasso2]

I've got a 2015 Chorus 11 group to install on a Merckx 3XM frame. I want to install the components myself but am wondering if it's better to have my L.B.S. do it? I am replacing an older 9s Campy group, so I already have the UT BB cups on the frame. I watched the group installation video on the Campagnolo website and they make it appear a little intimidating with adjustments and especially torque settings. I have a little mini $20 Richey torque wrench and I have good Park stand in the basement with decent tools. Any pitfalls that I should be aware of if I do this myself? I have done a lot myself over the years, and have done most things except BB and headset intalls.

[jtakeda]

Very easy to do yourself.

Just remember to put the wavy washer back in

[AngryScientist]

Based on your last thread concerning the RD "crack" - have a shop do the work.

[merlincustom1]

I did it myself. Take your time. Follow the torque specs. Make sure you have clean square cable housing cuts and housing length is pretty critical. Art's Cyclery vids on the derailleurs were better than the Campy vid. The B screw setting is a little weird. Lots of grease on the BB cups. Mind the tiny copper bushing in the ergos.

[velofinds]

I don't know about where you live, but in NYC and parts of northern NJ the going rate for this job seems to be about $300 and up in case that's a determining factor.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Based on your last thread concerning the RD "crack" - have a shop do the work.

I thought that too, but then started to feel bad for the potential shop. :eek:

[Blown Reek]

Wait- I thought it was a seam.

[Pegoready]

Self assemble and ask questions here. I'll get the popcorn.

[mcteague]

Don't think I have ever had a shop do any basic work on my bikes other than pressing in a headset on a new frame. I just don't do that enough to buy the tool. There is really nothing difficult about it. Plus, the internet machine if chock full of videos showing how to do nearly everything. Here is a nice place to start: http://www.parktool.com/

Tim

[Redbasso2]

Thanks, I think I will get it a try myself. I appreciate the specific tips from those with experience. My LBS "who talks Campy" is Kopps in Princeton. They are great but they do charge the going rate for sure. I figure if I do run into snags at the end, I can always bring it into shop for adjustments.

[Vientomas]

I am replacing an older 9s Campy group, so I already have the UT BB cups on the frame.

I thought UT BB started with 10 speed?

[Redbasso2]

Yes, you are right, UT BB started with 10s. I upgraded the crankset to a Carbon Centaur when I put the old Daytona 9s on the bike. The 10s crank worked fine with the 9s setup.

[beeatnik]

Wait- I thought it was a seam.

From my first Campagnolo 11 install, I do SEAM to remember having to spend $15 at Golden Saddle Cyclery to have the FD adjusted. Couldn't get that dialed in on my own.

Interestingly enough, Golden Saddle is the perfect shop for the home mechanic. They don't sell many bikes or components. And based on their online presence one could conclude that it's more of a hangout than a business. However, they have super legit wrenches. IMHO, compared to the old LBS model, Golden Saddle has really broken the MOLD.

[CaptStash]

Based on your last thread concerning the RD "crack" - have a shop do the work.

I think that was a little too catty there Nic. Not to mention the Colonel chiming in. Not everybody has a degree that included swinging a wrench like you, but that doesn't mean we can't do things ourselves. The point of this forum, amongst others, is to have a community that helps us learn what we don't know. The OP had a legit question both on this thread, and on the previous one. He learned about the molding seem, and appears to be quite capable of learning how to install a group.

Rant end.

CaptStash....

[apeescape]

I'd vote for paying a shop, provided you have a shop in the area that knows what they are doing. I have seen so many Campy bikes built by home wrenches and even other shops that worked OK but were not what a campy bike should be. If there is a good wrench in your area I would have them do it.

[Mzilliox]

for what its worth, i do all my own work and almost took my Chorus 11 in for adjustment.

I find the RD much more finicky than the 9 and 10 speed stuff. my final solution was to just ride it with a bit of that annoying sound, then readjust. that non technical method seems to have worked, but im telling you, its the first time i ever thought about going to a shop to help in years...

at the end i think just allowing the cables to stretch then finding the right tension as well as fiddling with the b limit screw way more than usual is what did the trick, now im loving the shifting, even if im not quite used to the hood shapes yet. FD shifting is lovely. RD shifting is great bit has a different feel to 10s

[FlashUNC]

Hope you've got a full set of Torx wrenches.

[AngryScientist]

I think that was a little too catty there Nic. Not to mention the Colonel chiming in. Not everybody has a degree that included swinging a wrench like you, but that doesn't mean we can't do things ourselves. The point of this forum, amongst others, is to have a community that helps us learn what we don't know. The OP had a legit question both on this thread, and on the previous one. He learned about the molding seem, and appears to be quite capable of learning how to install a group.

Rant end.

CaptStash....

An officer and a gentleman. CaptStash is once again, correct.

Ignoring my initial remark, which was really intended for humor, though admittedly crude - i echo the other's comments that yes, bike stuff, especially mechanical road groups are quite easy to install and maintain. Go for it, you'll learn a bit and remove the intimidation factor.

in fact - if you run into any snags and you'd like to drive north a tad, i'd be happy to lend a hand or wrench to the OP or any other open minded forumite who needs help getting a bike running. (I'm in Nutley)

Cheers, and seriously - i didnt mean to come off as a jerk :beer:

[oldpotatoe]

I've got a 2015 Chorus 11 group to install on a Merckx 3XM frame. I want to install the components myself but am wondering if it's better to have my L.B.S. do it? I am replacing an older 9s Campy group, so I already have the UT BB cups on the frame. I watched the group installation video on the Campagnolo website and they make it appear a little intimidating with adjustments and especially torque settings. I have a little mini $20 Richey torque wrench and I have good Park stand in the basement with decent tools. Any pitfalls that I should be aware of if I do this myself? I have done a lot myself over the years, and have done most things except BB and headset intalls.

Depends on your skill and knowledge vs the shop. Isn't hard but can be 'difficult'. Some small things a good shop will know, maybe. One thing that video shows is that they use NO grease.

[Matthew]

I was going to chime in and say ask oldpotatoe. He's the be all end all Campy guru. I see he just chimed in though. I installed mine a little over a year ago. Like others have said, lots of grease on the BB cups, precise cuts on the cables/housing etc. I also had a bit of a struggle with the RD in getting it to shift precisely up and down the cassette but 1300 miles in now it works beautifully. If you have questions as you go feel free to PM me or better yet oldpotatoe. He's the man. I have filled up his private message box many times and he always had the answer. Matthew

[Redbasso2]

IThank you for the support, I do like the spirit of community amongst cyclists...whenever I had to move, cyclists were the first people who would make me like home (MBers especially have been really the coolest, roadies too just takes a tad longer).
I do have a full set of Torx wrenches thanks to a nice gift of European tools from friends in Germany.
I appreciate the offer to personally help with adjustments from a fellow NJite. I will make sure I do not overtighten anything, I can't guarantee that I'll get it perfect but should get it at least 95% there.
Question: If I don't have a large torque wrench for the crank tightening, in subjective terms, how hard do I tighten up the cranks with the allen wrench...medium stiff tightening? I would think, let's say harder than tightening an allen bolt on a quill headset, right?
Thanks.

[OperaLover]

I installed Record 11 in 2012 on my '02 bike upgrading from 10S. I had Branford bike here in Seattle do the crank and BB (i think the UT BB was a bit tricky at the time), but did the rest myself. Yes, you need torx wrenches and nice cable cutters, measure twice cut once on the cable housing, but other thatn that it came together nicely. Just go slow. The rr der is a bit finicky, but once it got dialed in I have not had to touch it. Likewise for the front. For me Campy has alway had a break in period. This bike is for the nice weather ( and we are taliking Seattle here) and as a result the shifting has only now finally broken in.

Plenty of help on Youtube. It was a nice project for my 50th birthday.
Go for it and good luck!

:banana:

[Matthew]

I asked oldpotatoe the same crank question! He said TIGHT. I did what he said. No problems so far!

[Black Dog]

I asked oldpotatoe the same crank question! He said TIGHT. I did what he said. No problems so far!

Are you talking about the UT cups or the bolt inside the crank spindle. Cups should be tight but the spindle bolt (greased) should not be gorilla 🦍 tight.

[Mzilliox]

Are you talking about the UT cups or the bolt inside the crank spindle. Cups should be tight but the spindle bolt (greased) should not be gorilla 🦍 tight.

agree, then just check it every couple weeks to be sure its all good, but you will know if:no: that thing comes loose, your pedal stroke gets really weird

[Matthew]

Bolt inside the cranks. I didn't go nuts on it but made sure it was snug!!

[R3awak3n]

don't know if it was mentioned already but the campy install videos for the new stuff are excellent. Really step by step, makes it very easy. I have installed tons of pre 2014 campy but was like, let me watch the video to make sure nothing is different for 2015. It was great, learned a few things.

they are on youtube, on the official campy channel.

[enr1co]

IThank you for the support, I do like the spirit of community amongst cyclists...whenever I had to move, cyclists were the first people who would make me like home (MBers especially have been really the coolest, roadies too just takes a tad longer).
I do have a full set of Torx wrenches thanks to a nice gift of European tools from friends in Germany.
I appreciate the offer to personally help with adjustments from a fellow NJite. I will make sure I do not overtighten anything, I can't guarantee that I'll get it perfect but should get it at least 95% there.
Question: If I don't have a large torque wrench for the crank tightening, in subjective terms, how hard do I tighten up the cranks with the allen wrench...medium stiff tightening? I would think, let's say harder than tightening an allen bolt on a quill headset, right?
Thanks.

Pedros 10mm crank wrench, inexpensive ~$15 and convenient.

https://cdn.hibike.com/image/product/WRZ/WRZ_PeIN1-il.jpg

[oldpotatoe]

IThank you for the support, I do like the spirit of community amongst cyclists...whenever I had to move, cyclists were the first people who would make me like home (MBers especially have been really the coolest, roadies too just takes a tad longer).
I do have a full set of Torx wrenches thanks to a nice gift of European tools from friends in Germany.
I appreciate the offer to personally help with adjustments from a fellow NJite. I will make sure I do not overtighten anything, I can't guarantee that I'll get it perfect but should get it at least 95% there.
Question: If I don't have a large torque wrench for the crank tightening, in subjective terms, how hard do I tighten up the cranks with the allen wrench...medium stiff tightening? I would think, let's say harder than tightening an allen bolt on a quill headset, right?
Thanks.

Medium to TIGHT..Grease on the bolt and hirth 'teeth'. Lotsa grease in the BB shell and cups, even if it IS 'cult', ceramic.

Long enough housing, precise cuts, NO ferrules in the levers, for brake or der. Run der cables behind bar unless it's really small frame/stem. Wee grease on white delrin ramp on lever top.

[weisan]

Basso pal, go for it ! We all have to start somewhere. If you have a strong enough desire to succeed, you are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them, you like to tinker, you are not afraid of getting your hands dirty, you derive equal satisfaction in riding your bike as well as maintaining them, you want to save some money by doing things on your own, you have the patience, the curiosity and the perseverance to figure things out and deal with the frustrations, you are humble enough and not embarrassed to ask questions - if any or all the above describes you, then you are a prime candidate for doing your own wrenching.

In the end, it's really not that hard. Anyone with the right attitude can do it.

Good luck!

[Kingfisher]

I was in same situation 2 years ago with chorus on csi.
Went ti YouTube campy channel and followed instructions exactly and it went without a hitch, beautiful shifting from outset. YouTube and s few questions and help from old potato was just what I needed

[Redbasso2]

Thanks for the confidence booster. There seems to be a lot of respect for the "old potato" expert. I will have to go to him when I run into some snag!