Gearing...again :o(

[Vetus Ossa]

First off apologies, I’m sure this topic has been covered many times before, but I am useless at finding links so will ask myself.
I have an all Campagnolo equipped bike with a compact chainset (50x34) and a 13-28 cassette.
To be honest it is still over geared for me on some of the steeper hills around here and I would like to lower the gearing.
I have another bike set up with a triple, 24-34-46, and that suits me fine. The thing is I would like to keep my Campag compact and use it on my bike, so guess to get gears low enough to make it rid able for me I would be looking at a cassette with a 34 big sprocket?
Should I just get a Shimano rear wheel, or can I keep my current Campag one and “modify” it?
The mechs are not a problem, they are sorted.

Cheers

[Valbrona]

Option 1: Keep your compact chainset but go bigger than a 28t sprocket at the back. Depends on whether you have 10 or 11 speed, and depends what RD you have - the longer the cage the greater the capacity. Interlock Racing Design do Camapgnolo compatible cassettes with bigger than standard sprockets and SJS Cycles do stock some of these.

Again, you did not say whether you are running 10 or 11 but people say that 11 speed Shimano/SRAM cassettes will work with Campag Ergolevers.

Option 2: Bite the bullet and switch to an 11 speed set-up. I run Campag 10 speed Record with a 26/36/46 crankset. Depends on exactly what kit you are using though.

[Vetus Ossa]

Actually its 9 speed. As far as I can see there is no Campag compatible sprocket bigger that 30T so may have to take the Shimano route.

[robc02]

Your 9 speed Campag mech is unlikely to shift to a cog bigger than 30T - though a longer than usual gearhanger will help.

My experience with old (2005/6ish) 10 speed is that I can run 50/34 and 13/29 without problem once the B screw is adjusted to its limit.

I can just about get away with a 30T providing the chain is as short as possible (while just permitting big/big, 50x30, to be engaged), though the top jockey wheel contacts the teeth of the cog, making a buzzing noise. OK for occasional use, maybe.
All this is with a short cage mech.

A medium cage would probably help - it did when I ran a triple 50/36/26 and 13-29 for a one off mountainous ride. I could get 36x29 without problems, but 26x29 resulted in some contact between top jockey wheel and cog. The short cage mech wouldn't even try to engage the largest cog when on the small chainring.

I suspect you will need a Shimano mech, Shimergoed and running on an 8 speed cassette if you want to retain the Campag shifters.

[Mick F]

Campagnolo 10sp:
Medium cage works with 53/42/30 triple with a 12-30 cassette just fine. B screw was left where it was when the mech came out of the box ie screwed all the way in. The instructions are for it to be left like that and only wind it out if the chain has problems rubbing on the big cog's teeth. Mine never did.

Medium cage would cross-chain right up to 53/30 and down to 30/12.

I'm on a long cage now as it gives me the ability to go to a wider range triple in the future.

As for the OP, he's on 9sp and the biggest 9sp is 28t I think. You can get any size you want if you go to a Miche set of sprockets. Campag rear mech may possibly take a 32t as 30t is "normal" with 10sp ........ same rear mech as 9sp and you can usually push the limits of capacity.

Failing all that, you could sell all the Campag 9sp Ergo stuff to part fund a shift to Shimano. By doing that you can access the MTB ranges.

[pete75]

With Shimergo you could go as big as 34 on the back but that could prove expensive - new rear wheel with Shimano freehub,longer chain, Shimano rear derailleur and Shimano cassette. You'd have to go down to 8 speed as well.
I've built up a bike with Campag compact and 11-32 on the back , 11 speed though. It all works fine - Ultegra cassette, Athena triple derailleur on the back, Athena ergos and an Sram force Yaw on the front as it gives more latitude for cross chaining. Ergos will work with any front shifter. Shifting is quick and precise both front and rear. It gives a gear range of 28" - 120" with lots in between.

[Vetus Ossa]

Thanks for the replies.
Much as I would like to use my compact, I think it will be a whole lot easier to fit a triple.
Mick…I note you said “You can get any size you want if you go to a Miche set of sprockets.” Do you mean any size up to 28, I can’t find any bigger online.

[Mick F]

I had a 12-29 Miche with Campag spacers, and sold it on here only a few months ago.

Trouble is, the place I could link you to doesn't do the last position any more.
Maybe they do, but I can't find them.
http://www.xxcycle.com/sprocket-campago ... 0s,,en.php
I could have sworn they went up above 29t.

I now run a Campag Centaur 12-30 10sp cassette.

[Brucey]

another option; campag triple eg like this;

http://www.gbcycles.co.uk/p/47129/Campagnolo-2004-Mirage-Triple-9S-Chainset

fitted with new rings (eg 24-39-46 or something) might work.

BTW thay say a 115mm BB. I think a much shorter one will work just fine in a lot of frames.

cheers

[pete75]

another option; campag triple eg like this;

http://www.gbcycles.co.uk/p/47129/Campagnolo-2004-Mirage-Triple-9S-Chainset

fitted with new rings (eg 24-39-46 or something) might work.

BTW thay say a 115mm BB. I think a much shorter one will work just fine in a lot of frames.

cheers

I think that is the size for frames with over sized tubes. 28.6mm needs something like 111 if you're sticking with Campag BB.
Stronglight Impact or Spa own brand version of the same would work just as well though and you get a choice of ring size and crank length.

[bryce]

Can you still buy the 10 speed indexing discs for old style ergos? If so that might be a good way to either move to current 10 speed Campagnolo or 9 speed Shimano Shimergo gearing? A Shimano wheel may be fairly cheap compared with some of the other options.

[Brucey]

...I think that is the size for frames with over sized tubes. 28.6mm needs something like 111 if you're sticking with Campag BB...

even 111mm ISO seems long to me. I have a simialr Veloce triple chainset and I've been stalled on the build because the 111mm Campag BB is too long for several (steel) frames.

By 'too long' I mean somewhere near 'technically correct' for a 130 or 135mm back end but still leaving a large gap between the small chainring and the RH chainstay. I much prefer both a lower Q value and a chainline biased to the left on a triple, and I may get both with a shorter BB.

I may even see if I can get away with 102mm ISO. Sod's law says it'll fit, but the front mech won't work... we shall see...

cheers

[Valbrona]

Can you still buy the 10 speed indexing discs for old style ergos? If so that might be a good way to either move to current 10 speed Campagnolo or 9 speed Shimano Shimergo gearing? A Shimano wheel may be fairly cheap compared with some of the other options.

Excellent idea ... you could switch from 9 to 10 speed.

[recordacefromnew]

Mick…I note you said “You can get any size you want if you go to a Miche set of sprockets.” Do you mean any size up to 28, I can’t find any bigger online.

This ( http://www.bellatisport.com/shop/shopping/product_details.php?id=284 ) is probably your best bet, if a couple of extra T are enough for you, but if yours is a short cage (55mm iirc) you will be sailing close to the wind re jockey wheel clearance and/or wrap range.

By 'too long' I mean somewhere near 'technically correct' for a 130 or 135mm back end but still leaving a large gap between the small chainring and the RH chainstay. I much prefer both a lower Q value and a chainline biased to the left on a triple, and I may get both with a shorter BB.

I may even see if I can get away with 102mm ISO. Sod's law says it'll fit, but the front mech won't work... we shall see...

I guess you would be looking for another c5mm of fd inward movement, which does sound quite a lot, but you wouldn't need the 102mm to have a reasonable assessment. If there is no possibility of clash on the left then drive side spacers might help. Else a 107mm ISO or 103mm JIS might be a good compromise. But I am sure you knew all that...

Can you still buy the 10 speed indexing discs for old style ergos? If so that might be a good way to either move to current 10 speed Campagnolo or 9 speed Shimano Shimergo gearing? A Shimano wheel may be fairly cheap compared with some of the other options.

But a Shimano wheel is not the only other thing though, as pete75 indicated above.

When the starting point is a Campag compact with a 28T at the back, I would have thought the easiest and cheapest way to down gear meaningfully is by changing the front, e.g. Spa XD or TD / UN5x / new front mech if necessary.

[bryce]

recordacefromnew, personally I'd do as you suggest as a triple with a reasonably close spaced cassette would suite my riding better but I'm not the OP who did say they wanted to keep the Campagnolo compact and has a triple on another bike.

There's two options I see for a Shimergo set-up. One would be to use an 8 speed Shimano cassette with hubbub routing. A cheap Shimano road rear wheel is £40, an 11-34 cassette £13, a chain £6 to £10, and a rear derailleur £8 to £30. I couldn't find an in stock 10 speed index gear (EC-RE061) but out of stock prices were about £30. All prices were from www.woolyhatshop.com as they seem reasonable for lower end gear.

If it was to provide a cheap to run winter bike/commuter then that might be a decent option. Not what I'd do but but possibly cheaper than the option of buying a wide ranged Campagnolo splined cassette and rear derailleur to handle it.