Any suggestions for improving the shifting of a TA crank?

[H1449-6]

My main bike is a Spectrum Ti with a mostly Chorus 10s drivetrain. I wanted a 180mm crank but didn't want carbon or black paint, and at the time the solution was a TA Carmina crank with compact chainrings.

The front shifting has always sucked. Now that I'm in the hills in Austin and no longer in flat as a board Chicago, I actually have to shift rings once in a while. So it's bugging me.

Any suggestions for improving this?

[sg8357]

Sucks how ??

Slow to engage when moving from the middle ring to the large ?

I use Campy with a Zephyr triple, the down shifts are faster than
the up shifts.

[jeffg]

What rings are you using?

I have a PMP crank with TA Syrius rings and they are great -- shifting strong since 2003 (try that with Campy rings, especially the %$%#@ 10 spd rings from 2007 on).

[H1449-6]

Sucks how ??

Slow to engage when moving from the middle ring to the large ?


It's a double so moving from the smaller to the larger, but yeah, like that.

[H1449-6]

I'm pretty sure they're TA rings, though I don't have the bike here. Not sure of the model.

[zap]

We have a triple setup on our tandem. It's slow too but...........

Double check front derailleur install. Follow Campys instruction and make sure you lower the derailleur so that there's a 1mm gap between the ring teeth and bottom of the cage.

Also make sure the cable is tight so that as soon as you shift up with your hand,the derrailleur is moving.

One thing I need to check is the distance between the rings and see how it compares to Campy 10's crankset.

[93LegendTG]

FWIW: I have a bike with a TA Zepher crank and rings and found the performance improved with a KMC SL chain as opposed to Campy's C10.

[H1449-6]

I'll check setup but Tom (or Jeff) built it originally so I've got to believe it was put together correctly.

That said, maybe they didn't have all that much experience with the setup of this particular gear. Don't know.

I do like the suggestion of trying an alternate chain and will consider that as I'm close to needing a chain anyway.

[Peter P.]

Get rid of the compact setup. The difference between the rings is what causes poor shifting. Change your gearing to narrow the difference to 10 teeth or less and shifting will improve dramatically. I speak from 39-48 and 42-50 experience. The 42-50 consists of both TA Alize rings. The 39-48 has an Alize outer ring.

[Jawn P]

I'll check setup but Tom (or Jeff) built it originally so I've got to believe it was put together correctly.

That said, maybe they didn't have all that much experience with the setup of this particular gear. Don't know.

I do like the suggestion of trying an alternate chain and will consider that as I'm close to needing a chain anyway.

How long ago was the bike built? Has it been tuned up or adjusted since?

If not, the cables have probably stretched and that would go far in explaining the wonky shifting.

[Ken Robb]

Get rid of the compact setup. The difference between the rings is what causes poor shifting. Change your gearing to narrow the difference to 10 teeth or less and shifting will improve dramatically. I speak from 39-48 and 42-50 experience. The 42-50 consists of both TA Alize rings. The 39-48 has an Alize outer ring.

Oh Boy--really slick shifting into gears you didn't really want. :)

[palincss]

It's like they say about software: it's easy to write fast programs if they don't have to be correct.

[Ahneida Ride]

got 48/36/22 on a Zephyr and she shifts rather well

My LBS guro did however worked a little magic on the FD.

He uh "cold forged" it with a pair of channel locks.

[scrubadub]

I was about to post a question about this. I've been running Campy 10 and ran a standard Campy 53/39 setup for awhile before switching over to a TA Zephyr 50/34. Same derailleur. The shifting has always been pretty sluggish on the Zephyr but I put up with it for the more appropriate gearing.

I miss the crisp and quick shifting a lot. Would switching to a 36 or bringing the big ring down to a 48 help? Both would be fine and perhaps even better gearing for me.

How do people find the shifting on the Campy compact doubles? Anybody have any experiences comparing the Campy doubles with the TA?

[sspielman]

Check this out: the T.A. rings have a little triangular index mark...this mark needs to be aligned with the crankarm to get the pins and ramps in the right spot, otherwise ****ty* shifting will result...

*technical term for bad....

[spacemen3]

I went with an FSA front derailleur (http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=product&taxid=115) rather than a Campy one because my mechanic recommended it for compact. I haven't had any issues, but please not that I'm running friction shifters.

[Ken Robb]

I went with an FSA front derailleur (http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=product&taxid=115) rather than a Campy one because my mechanic recommended it for compact. I haven't had any issues, but please not that I'm running friction shifters.

Campy front shifters are essentially friction too ATMO.

[jeffg]

I'm pretty sure they're TA rings, though I don't have the bike here. Not sure of the model.

The Syrius/Nerius TA rings shift much better, so it makes a difference.

Also, the TA rings do not work as well if you exceed a 14-tooth difference (which it is better not to do anyway), so the best options are 48/34 or 50/36.
I run a 48/34 with a 12-27 for the hills on my Legend -- sweet!

[sg8357]

Campy front shifters are essentially friction too ATMO.


True, but for me the Suntour poweratchets move the chain from the middle
to big ring better/faster than the Ergos. Downshift are the same on both
types of shifters.

NB, I use 48/36/24, Campy triple FDs, one bike Suntour the other Ergo.

[Peter P.]

Oh Boy--really slick shifting into gears you didn't really want. :)

Oooh; I'm gettin' abused here ;-)

I run my gearing as a crossover. In case you're not familiar with crossover gear arrangements, all it means is I don't worry about duplicate gear ratios. A front shift is roughly equal to a rear shift so I can shift from ring to ring just about anywhere on the cassette for my next gear and not have to worry about a big jump. Crossover gearing is designed for simplicity. I've got all the high and low gear just about anybody could need without the poor shifting of all the 39-53 and compact stuff out there and I never have to worry about dropping a chain. Who needs 18 or 20 gears anyway-I thought 12 was too many!

[John M]

Consider a Shimano FD. Campy compact FDs don't work as well with the pin/ramp patterns of non-campy chainrings as the do with Campy chainrings. I get quite good front shifting on an FSA compact with a shimano FD and Ergo shifters. I have no hang-ups about mix and matching across brands.

[Ken Robb]

Oooh; I'm gettin' abused here ;-)

I run my gearing as a crossover. In case you're not familiar with crossover gear arrangements, all it means is I don't worry about duplicate gear ratios. A front shift is roughly equal to a rear shift so I can shift from ring to ring just about anywhere on the cassette for my next gear and not have to worry about a big jump. Crossover gearing is designed for simplicity. I've got all the high and low gear just about anybody could need without the poor shifting of all the 39-53 and compact stuff out there and I never have to worry about dropping a chain. Who needs 18 or 20 gears anyway-I thought 12 was too many!

I meant that I and some others only go compact to get the 34 small ring. A 36 doesn't give us the low gear we seek. Hell I prefer my triples especially with 28 or 26 small rings.