Noisy Campy drive train

Just bought my first Campy-equiped bike I'm quite pleased with the
Centaur 10 Triple gruppo, except for one thing: When I'm using the
middle chainring, the drive train is slightly noisy if I'm in any of
the four smallest cogs. It's wonderfully quiet in the larger cogs. I
can't seem to adjust it away (using the cable barrel adjusters). Not
sure if I'd get the same noise using the other chainrings (I don't use
them very often).

The bike shifts fine, and when it makes that noise, it doesn't seem to
be threatening to shift out of the gear. It just doesn't seem to be as
quiet as it should be.

Any suggestions?

Alan

Check to see if the chain is rubbing against the inner side of the big
chain ring.

No, it's not. Nor is the position of the front derailleur cage an
issue; I know how to properly trim it as I shift through the rear
cogs.

The noise is definitely coming from the cogs.

Other ideas?

Queried Alan:

>Other ideas?

Two things:

1. Has the chain alignment been set to be perfect on the sixth cog?
The proper method (or that prescribed by Campy) is to shift to the
sixth cog in the rear and set the chain alignment. This will optimize
the der position over the cogset. Compared to a Shimano 10 drivetrain,
my Campy is silent (could be my chain cleaning regimen - see below).

2. New chain, I presume? Thoroughly clean the chain in a strong
solvent to remove the factory lube and re-lube with Prolink. I clean
my chain on the bike with Prolink per their instructions every ~150
miles and my chains go forever (3,000 miles on one of them and NO
detectable stretch). And they are quiet.

Good luck.

App

AlanL wrote:
> Just bought my first Campy-equiped bike I'm quite pleased with the
> Centaur 10 Triple gruppo, except for one thing: When I'm using the
> middle chainring, the drive train is slightly noisy if I'm in any of
> the four smallest cogs. It's wonderfully quiet in the larger cogs. I
> can't seem to adjust it away (using the cable barrel adjusters). Not
> sure if I'd get the same noise using the other chainrings (I don't use
> them very often).
>
> The bike shifts fine, and when it makes that noise, it doesn't seem to
> be threatening to shift out of the gear. It just doesn't seem to be
> as quiet as it should be.

Is it noisier after using the thumb button and shifting to a smaller cog
(noiser than how it is after changing to a larger cog)? If so, it's due
to some play in the Ergo that lets it release a little too much cable,
which is only taken back up next time the finger lever is used.
Tightening the cable should stop this particular problem but then indexing
and shifting will be affected in other ways.

Hanger alignment can also be a factor.

~PB

>>1. Has the chain alignment been set to be perfect on the sixth cog? >>

Don't know. I'll have a look. By sixth, I presume you mean five cogs
over from the SMALLEST cog, right?

>>2. New chain, I presume? Thoroughly clean the chain in a strong
solvent to remove the factory lube and re-lube with Prolink. >>

Yes, it is a new chain. I've lubed it, but did not clean it first. I'll
try that. (For several years, I've quite happily used a "home brew"
lube that seems to be very similar to Prolink (three parts of odorless
mineral spirits, one part Mobil 1 synthetic oil. It's always worked
well on my Shimano bikes -- quiet, clean and chains are long-lived).

>>Is it noisier after using the thumb button and shifting to a smaller cog
(noiser than how it is after changing to a larger cog)? If so, it's
due
to some play in the Ergo that lets it release a little too much cable,
which is only taken back up next time the finger lever is used. >>

I haven't really noticed, but I'll pay attention to that on my next
ride. Now, if it'll only stop raining...

Alan suggested:

>By sixth, I presume you mean five cogs
>over from the SMALLEST cog, right?

Actually, no (twice). Campy meant the sixth cog counting the largest
as #1.

Sorry 'bout the lack of clarity on my part.

Again, best o' luck.

App

1. It could be your brand of chain. Some lower end chains are just
more noisy than others. It may manifest itself when the chain is
changing directions more, perhaps, in the small rear gears.

2. If you don't user other chainrings very often, then perhaps its
just that your derailleur isn't wrapping the chain very well. To
confirm this, try the big chainring - should be no noise in any
gears - then try the small chainring - should be noise in more
gears than ever.

good luck,

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

>>It could be your brand of chain. >>

It's Campy Record, so I wouldn't think that would be an issue.

>>If you don't user other chainrings very often, then perhaps its just that your derailleur isn't wrapping the chain very well. To confirm this, try the big chainring - should be no noise in any gears - then try the small chainring - should be noise in more gears than ever.
>>

I'll add that to my list of things to try. This is a triple, with the
long cage RD. Could the use of the long cage derailleur have any
impact on whether the chain is under sufficient tension when it's on a
small cog? Could the chain be too long, too?

OK, after 25 miles, I can report:

It doesn't matter whether I downshift or upshift into those smaller
cogs. And being in the large chain ring does not eliminate the
noise,either. I also could not eliminate the chatter by playing with
the barrel adjuster on the RD cable.

I still haven't checked on two other suggestions made here: Checking
the chainline or cleaning and relubing the chain. Maybe I'll get a
chance this weekend.

Someone told me that if the cassette lockring is too tight it can
scrunch together the smaller cogs slightly, causing some misalignment.
Anyone ever heard of that?

OK, after 25 miles, I can report:

It doesn't matter whether I downshift or upshift into those smaller
cogs. And being in the large chain ring does not eliminate the
noise,either. I also could not eliminate the chatter by playing with
the barrel adjuster on the RD cable.

I still haven't checked on two other suggestions made here: Checking
the chainline or cleaning and relubing the chain. Maybe I'll get a
chance this weekend.

Someone told me that if the cassette lockring is too tight it can
scrunch together the smaller cogs slightly, causing some misalignment.
Anyone ever heard of that?

Alan reported:
>
> Someone told me that if the cassette lockring is too tight it can
> scrunch together the smaller cogs slightly, causing some misalignment.
> Anyone ever heard of that?

Oh, man, who told you that? As Peter C. would say, that's pure
bugleoil.

App, who could be wrong but...

"AlanL" <alenhoff@yahoo.com> writes:

> Could the chain be too long, too?

That's certainly one possibility. Check that the position of the
pulleys looks acceptable throughout the full range of gear
combinations. In particular, the chain should NOT wrap around
the non-pulley parts of the derailleur cage when using the smaller
sprockets+chainrings. (Been there, done that...)

What gear train are you using ??

30-42-53 on the front ?? Is it a centaur front crankset ??

What's on the rear ?? Is it a campagnolo cassette ??

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA