1x on my Campagnolo drivetrain

robertbb · #1 10-21-2018, 08:00 PM

Hi All,

I have an existing Chorus 11 set-up which I'd like to change to 1x. I have a medium cage rear derailleur. I'd alternate between a 12-25 on the back for some rides (including on the indoor trainer) and an 11-32 for "gravel" rides. Thinking either a 38 or 40t chainring.

I understand what I want is a Narrow-Wide (NW) chainring. What I'm not sure of is what crankset I should be looking at. Ideally I'd like to keep the Campy Aesthetic and Q-Factor as I have other Campagnolo 11 bikes and want to keep the fit identical.

Is it possible to get a chainring for, say, a Potenza crank? Even custom made?

Otherwise, what crank would you all recommend for this kind of setup?

jpritchet74 · #2 10-22-2018, 10:10 AM

I have my cross bike setup as 1x with Campagnolo 10 speed, using a short cage RD. I went with a 38t narrow-wide chainring and also this chain guide

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Origin8-Tor...8lJF:rk:2:pf:0

Unfortunately I haven't been fit enough to race cross yet so I can't tell you how it works!

d_douglas · #3 10-22-2018, 10:33 AM

Funny you should ask this: I have just dealt with this myself and my conclusion was 'no'.

For Potenza, there is a custom chainring maker in Lithuania (I believe) that can make a costly one for you, but I don't think it will look nice at all.

I don't have a photo as evidence but my CX bike currently is 1x Potenza - I took the large ring off to see if I drop the chain with the regular 36t Campy ring - it happened once.

The chainkeeper setup doesn't work here - the device contacts the outer arms and cannot be used.

As importantly, it is butt ugly. The bolt configuration doesn't lend itself to a chainring this small, as the arms for the large ring (145mm) extend out past the ring, making it look terrible.

I wanted to keep things Potenza throughout, but my only solution that I could see was using an older 5arm crank that can facilitate the standard 110mm NW rings. Campy has the weird bolt pattern, but all you need to do is file out one bolt hole by 2mm and you are set. I am using a 2010 Chorus compact crankset (once I get on with installing it).

robertbb · #4 10-22-2018, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_douglas

Funny you should ask this: I have just dealt with this myself and my conclusion was 'no'.

For Potenza, there is a custom chainring maker in Lithuania (I believe) that can make a costly one for you, but I don't think it will look nice at all.

I don't have a photo as evidence but my CX bike currently is 1x Potenza - I took the large ring off to see if I drop the chain with the regular 36t Campy ring - it happened once.

The chainkeeper setup doesn't work here - the device contacts the outer arms and cannot be used.

As importantly, it is butt ugly. The bolt configuration doesn't lend itself to a chainring this small, as the arms for the large ring (145mm) extend out past the ring, making it look terrible.

I wanted to keep things Potenza throughout, but my only solution that I could see was using an older 5arm crank that can facilitate the standard 110mm NW rings. Campy has the weird bolt pattern, but all you need to do is file out one bolt hole by 2mm and you are set. I am using a 2010 Chorus compact crankset (once I get on with installing it).

Thanks so much for the response! Like yourself, I figured that using an inner-ring only setup on a modern 4-arm UT crankset would look strange (and not be optimal performance wise either).

I want to use UT, because I have all the tools to work with it and to keep the setup fully Campagnolo.

I'm resigned to using an older style crankset like the 110mm BCD ones you mentioned - what do you mean by file out one bolt hole?

choke · #5 10-22-2018, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertbb

I'm resigned to using an older style crankset like the 110mm BCD ones you mentioned - what do you mean by file out one bolt hole?

The Campy UT 5 bolt compact cranks use a proprietary BCD...one bolt is 112mm rather than 110mm. Many people have taken a file to that odd sized hole on a normal 110 chainring so that it will work with the crank.

If you didn't want 1x and thus need a narrow/wide chainring it wouldn't be a problem as there are aftermarket options to replace the Campy ring.

robertbb · #6 10-22-2018, 11:06 PM

Thanks for the info @choke.

Looks like I'm on the hunt for a non-Campagnolo crankset then... this shouldn't have to be so hard!

If anyone has any suggestions for a good, nondescript crankset to suit my purpose that won't ruin the campy aesthetic then please do let me know.

Bonus points if it's A) cheap and B) has similar Q-Factor to Campy 2015-2018 11s cranks.

d_douglas · #7 10-23-2018, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertbb

Thanks for the info @choke.

Looks like I'm on the hunt for a non-Campagnolo crankset then... this shouldn't have to be so hard!

If anyone has any suggestions for a good, nondescript crankset to suit my purpose that won't ruin the campy aesthetic then please do let me know.

Bonus points if it's A) cheap and B) has similar Q-Factor to Campy 2015-2018 11s cranks.

Remember you can just buy a 2009-2015 Campy crank, put a Raceface 110mm NW on there just drilling out a few mm on one of the mounting holes - so simple!?

tuscanyswe · #8 10-23-2018, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_douglas

Remember you can just buy a 2009-2015 Campy crank, put a Raceface 110mm NW on there just drilling out a few mm on one of the mounting holes - so simple!?

Yes very "simple" before we get into the whole you need the appropriate chainrings bolts for single chainring campy .)

kgbianchi · #9 10-23-2018, 10:21 AM

Hey folks, For those of you running a 1X11 Campagnolo Drivetrain, have you had any issues with chain drops?

Mark McM · #10 10-23-2018, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

Yes very "simple" before we get into the whole you need the appropriate chainrings bolts for single chainring campy .)

You could probably use chainring spacers of a similar thickness in place of the absent chainring.

iwantone · #11 10-23-2018, 11:44 AM

I am currently running 1x Campy on my commuter bike.
Using one of these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/J-L-Narrow-...53.m1438.l2649

I tried using many leftover parts for this build, so i had a standard Campagnolo crankset with campy proprietary 135BCD. Not many options for it, but that J&L narrow wide has worked perfectly.

Might be more options out there if you have a compact Campagnolo crank with 110BCD.

My gearing is 42T x 12-30t. The narrow wide has not had any chain drops to necessitate a chain guide.

rheosibal · #12 10-23-2018, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertbb

If anyone has any suggestions for a good, nondescript crankset to suit my purpose that won't ruin the campy aesthetic then please do let me know.

Bonus points if it's A) cheap and B) has similar Q-Factor to Campy 2015-2018 11s cranks.

Sram. Any 3-bolt crank arms (Rival, Force, S900, Red 386) look great with a wolftooth 1x chainring.

If you decide on the latter 3, you could easily sand the logos off for an all black look. Alternatively if sanding is not your thing, the Rival crank is mostly black.

I used this setup with 2015 Chorus without any issues in cross, road rides, and "gravel"

Campagnolo 1x Suggestions:
- Take apart the RD and relocate the RD spring to the highest tension.
- Works better IMO with a smaller front ring/smaller cassette in terms of chain slap. FWIW, my 38t Chainring / 32 Cassette worked much better than 40t / 36 Cassette

EDIT: https://www.instagram.com/p/BPrX9GPAp5P/
Only photo I have of my setup. Shown with 38F/32R with a Chorus short cage

robertbb · #13 10-23-2018, 11:54 PM

Thanks all for the great info!

@iwantone: Does the J&L NW chainring you linked to just work straight with a campy crank or does one of the bolt holes still need filing?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/J-L-Narrow-...53.m1438.l2649

This might be a great option because a lot of people seem to be selling off their 2009/2014 cranksets with the bigger BCD for 53/39. Cheaper, too!

iwantone · #14 10-24-2018, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertbb

Thanks all for the great info!

@iwantone: Does the J&L NW chainring you linked to just work straight with a campy crank or does one of the bolt holes still need filing?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/J-L-Narrow-...53.m1438.l2649

This might be a great option because a lot of people seem to be selling off their 2009/2014 cranksets with the bigger BCD for 53/39. Cheaper, too!

No drilling of any bolt holes was needed.
I simply used some generic single speed chainring bolts.

The chainring fit very tight against the arms, so I did have to do a little bit of filing on the 5 arms of the chainring to fit them. But not much work.

I still would highly suggest those J&L rings. They are a very good price and you should be able to find a standard crank for a great price as well

robertbb · #15 10-24-2018, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwantone

No drilling of any bolt holes was needed.
I simply used some generic single speed chainring bolts.

The chainring fit very tight against the arms, so I did have to do a little bit of filing on the 5 arms of the chainring to fit them. But not much work.

I still would highly suggest those J&L rings. They are a very good price and you should be able to find a standard crank for a great price as well

Thank you.. just to double check. Did you file the chainring, or the crank arms?