need some tripple help

[Alexi]

ok so my IF is getting a record tripple in the front and a friend just hooked me up with a chris king hub for the rear. I'm going to be running chorus brifters with a shiftmate to a long cage centaur derailleur. The chris king hubs will only take shimano style casettes, should I go dura ace or ultegra? and whats a good ratio for a rear cassette? I have straight blocks on my other 3 bikes, 13-23.

[Dave]

I'd use a Campy hub and do it right. The CK hub isn't that special.

That said, I will assume 10 speed?

Shimano doesn't offer any 10 speed cassettes starting with a 13, but Campy offers a 13-26, a 13-29 and 12-25. Don't bother with Ti cogs, since they last only 2/3 as long at best, perhaps 1/2 as long.

I use a 53/39/28 FSA triple crank with my Campy 12-25 cassettes. Campy's 52/42/30 offering sucks, IMO.

Base you decision on how low of gearing you think you need. In my case, a 13-26 offers very little extra low gear and I lose top gear to get an 18T cog in the middle. I prefer the 12-25. In the early season, I will use a 13-29.

More comments will have to wait until next week. I'm off to Yosemite and Reno.

[BarryG]

Shimano doesn't offer any 10 speed cassettes starting with a 13
Actually, Ultegra 13/25 10-speed has always been available. I used to run it but now prefer a 12T small cog for more high gear latitude in the middle ring.