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I am recovering from an operation on my knee and ankle and have been told I should be able to ride gentally in the middle of January. My road bike is a Bianchi Via Nirone and has Campag gearing but a FSA Double. I want a triple to make the climbs better on my ankle/knee, and I want Campag so the components match.
So what would be the most suitable crank to go for? I would prefer external bb so don't fancy something nos. Thanks.
This could be a relatively expensive job, as Campagnolo have withdrawn 10s Triple (although there is probably still material out there)...
Your options will be to go Athena Triple, for which you will need F & R derailleurs, chain, cassette and ErgoPowers, as well as the triple chainset and BB, or to go 10s if you can still find it, where you can retain the cassette and chain, potentially, but may need a rear derailleur and will definitely need a front derailleur and ErgoPowers, chainset and BB.
Current entry-level Campagnolo ErgoPowers are PowerShift and the left hand levers in the current range are specifically double or triple - it's likely that the gear system on a via Nirone would be entry-level.
You might be able, depending on the year of your existing levers, to just change the LH body for the triple version. Otherwise you'll need a pair of levers.
What rear derailleur you need (long or short cage) would be dependent on the size of the cassette and the chainring sizes that you opt for (info in Campagnolo's Technical Manual available online at www.campagnolo.com).
In both of the triple groups made in recent yeras, the now obsolete Centaur Triple or Athena triple, the chainset is PowerTorque and therefore uses it's own BB cups.
HTH
Graeme
Velotech Cycling Ltd, Campagnolo Main UK Service Centre
Wow I never expected the answer to be quite that complicated. I must admit that I didn't consider the amount of chain the mech will need to take up.
The shifters are 2013 10spd Xenon and from what I can tell the left one should work with a triple but your in a better position to tell me that. I have seen the Athena triple for around £200 or a group set for about £400. I don't really want to spend that much in one go but I am accepting that upgradeitis will set in at some point.
How does Athena stack up against Shimano? Unsurprisingly this is my first experience with campag. Would it be cheaper to swap it all for the shimano equivalent? I don't really want to do that as I like the idea of it having all Italian kit.
While gfkvelo is correct from the precise bike shop method of doing things, it is possible to do otherwise. If you understand the smallest chainring is a hill gear, and restrict using this gear with the largest rear sprockets, you can get away with your current rear mech.
Of course thanks to campaign following shimanos route of making double specific shifters he is probably right about your Ergolever, and the front mech, so some expense required there. Being canny you could pick these items up off ebay (triple front mech RRP is a joke!!) and sell your current ones to offset the cost. Chain sets are the same crazy prices, if you want a budget triple look at Spa Cycles, they have some good square taper options. Not sure about shimanos alternatives, but its a major swap and like you, I prefer the feel of campag shifters.
you could try a centaur compact and a 30 tooth rear, that is quite low gearing.
I can't get to the shed at the moment but looking at the specs I already have a compact and a 12-25 cassette. If I just put a new bigger cassette on that should help me out a lot.
I might have to save any further upgrades for when I can afford wheels and 11 speed.
Campag triples are a bit of a black art but my experience is:-
2010 Veloce left hand shifter handles triple
Medium cage mech handles 52/42/30 and 29/12 (or 13? can't remember) with careful chain length selection and although undesirable it will do extremes of gears without breaking/sending your mech into your wheel
I run a Centaur triple with a Royce BB. It does need a triple specific front mech again mine is a Centaur.
This set up works very well indeed and is not massively expensive. I may be about to change to an XTR double to use my powermeter if you are interested in it.
Heaps of info here
http://branfordbike.com/articles/rear-derailleurs-pg62.htm
I am in the process of changing over some of my components from one frame to another.
I am thinking about selling my Campag Triple Record 172.5 Chainset (50/40/30 rings), Record Carbon Square Taper Bottom Bracket, Chorus Front Mech and Comp Triple Long Cage Rear Mech.Would you be interested?
From my experience, other may be different:
Up to fairly recently all Ergos were triple or double. No idea how old you bike is so can't help there but more than a couple of years and I bet yours will be ok. Cheaper way will be square taper. 115 is supposed to be the correct length but 111m is fine. Almost any front mech ever made will be fine with Ergos. Slight exaggeration but it doesn't need to be something to match the Ergos or even Campag, that the nice thing about them. I have successfully used old Shimano Deore, a variety of Campag triples, several Suntour's road and MTB, and ancient Simplex and currently a Centaur compact double. I have even used an old matchbox style Campag mech and several Suoer Records from the 70's. All work, none badly, some slightly less hassle to set up. A medium rear mech is fine up to 28t which should be low enough with a 28 inner at the front. Old style mechs don't have all the bumps that hinder fine tuning on non standard set ups.
At the back even a normal triple mech copes happily with a 32t sprocket. Old Super Records just do 28t with a carefully set chain and modern mediums are fine with anything else as long as no more that about 20t difference between the big and granny rings.
Have a play. It's all fun. Ask on the CTC forum foe even more info.