Campy 10spd - 130 or 135mm?

[CZSteve]

Hello all,

Been getting back on the horse as of late - my current setup is Cannondale 2.8 frame circa ~93 equipped with Campy Chorus 8-spd ergopower (this is the original style brake hood w/ the pointed top).
Right now I'm just riding for enjoyment and to get back in shape - 'might' try getting back into crits at sometime (I'm and 'old' family man - turning 42 next month )

At some point (if I were to find the right deal) I'd like to upgrade 'some'.
A few questions:

1. Is the 10 spd Campy rear hub a 130 or 135mm spacing?
If the 10spd requires 135 I'd stick w/ the 9 spd - not wild about spreading the aluminum frame.

2. My current wheel set is a 32 spoke (3cross) tubular rim w/ Phil Wood hubs (freewheel rear). I know I'd need to go w/ a cassette rear hub. What are some opinions on going w/ a complete new wheel set w/ a clincher rim as opposed to re-building these rims w/ new hubs. The rims are in great shape and I obvioulsy enjoy the ride of tubulars, but gluing tires gets old at times - then again it's not often I have to replace the tires.

3. Is the rounded hood of the newer levers dramatically more comortable the older pointed style?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Sikhandar]

Mountain bikes have 135 mm, road bikes have 130 mm, track bikes have 120 mm. If your frameset is 130 mm you're ok, every group you can find around for a road bike is for 130 mm hubs.

Anyway I do not understand what are your objectives. Do you want to change the groupset buying a 10 speed group? You will need a cassette wheel, for example a Campagnolo Khamsin or a Fulcrum R7 if you want to buy economical things.

Tubulars are for racing... if you puncture a tubular you're in a mess, you have to change the tubular ($$$) and to glue everything again...do it when during a training! (ok I know that you american will repair everything, but I'm not feeling safe when running on a repaired tubular pumped up at 11 bars...I always buy a new one).

If I were you, I'd consider buying a pair of clincher wheels (there are some clinchers that can give you the sensations of a tubular, such as GP4000 or Vredestein Fortezza Superlite...)

rounded things: well, it does not change anything...

 

[mongooseboy]

Shimano now has a tubless road wheel out, and hutchinson (i think?) has a tubless tire out. feel of tubular, ease of clincher. Mountain bikes have tubless system that is now a proven and very much an improvement over tubes. the tires are repairable, or if you blow a tire, it can have a tube put in for a quick trip home till you can repair the tire itself.

Or, specialized (among others) offer an "open tubular" tire, meaning the TPI of a tubular, but in a clincher tire so you get the enhanced feeling of a tubular, but the ability to use clinchers...another option

i dont think anyone needs 10 speed, except maybe racers for those extra gear combos. I run a triple, so 10 speed would be a bit overwhelming Some true MTB people will still say 9 speed isnt as good as 8 speed, and im sure there are road people who prefer 9 speed over 10 speed.

 

[CZSteve]

Thanks - I was under the impression that the Shimano 10spd was a 135 and the Campy was a 130 (road) from reading a few descriptions in Colorado Cyclist.

I'm sure I'll keep running my 8spd for awile as I aggree there's no 'need' for the tighter spacing for right now - just thinking ahead for if i get into crits again and maybe a benefit then.

Just for discussion - any downside to a 10spd vs 9 spd vs 8spd?
ie: Is the 10spd more harder to keep adjusted as a result of the narrower spacing between te cogs?

 

[Sikhandar]

Just for discussion - any downside to a 10spd vs 9 spd vs 8spd?
ie: Is the 10spd more harder to keep adjusted as a result of the narrower spacing between te cogs?

No, it's not. My Chorus 2007 work perfectly, and the Centaur 2004 I had until april was as perfect as my new group.

I mean: you HAVE TO make it work with its own freewheel, and with its crankset, and with its chain...otherwise it won't be "that" good. For instance, there's a teammate of mine that uses a FSA K-Force crankset on a Record 2006, and it took about a month in doing front derailleur fine tuning...the chain continued to exit from the outside (first) and then from the inside (later).

 

[hd reynolds]

No, it's not. My Chorus 2007 work perfectly, and the Centaur 2004 I had until april was as perfect as my new group.

I mean: you HAVE TO make it work with its own freewheel, and with its crankset, and with its chain...otherwise it won't be "that" good. For instance, there's a teammate of mine that uses a FSA K-Force crankset on a Record 2006, and it took about a month in doing front derailleur fine tuning...the chain continued to exit from the outside (first) and then from the inside (later).

I dont think so. Campy front FD will not know you're not using a non-campy chainring or crankset. If you dont get the front FD tweak right (regardless of what drivetrain you are using) you will have problems. I can tweak a front FD within minutes and your teamate took a month? my guess is that your teammate botched the FD/shifter installation.

FWIW, 10s chains are essentially the same inside dimensions as 9s chains (only outside tolerances differ). 10s chains will work on both 9 and 10s drivetrain while 9s chains are not forward compatible. Big/small chainring gap tolerance on 10s Campy is only about 0.3mm difference between a pre-10s and a 10s crankset but even a pre-10 FD will work due to the multitude of trim availabale with the campy 10s ergo FD shifter.

 

[John M]

Thanks - I was under the impression that the Shimano 10spd was a 135 and the Campy was a 130 (road) from reading a few descriptions in Colorado Cyclist.

I'm sure I'll keep running my 8spd for awile as I aggree there's no 'need' for the tighter spacing for right now - just thinking ahead for if i get into crits again and maybe a benefit then.

Just for discussion - any downside to a 10spd vs 9 spd vs 8spd?
ie: Is the 10spd more harder to keep adjusted as a result of the narrower spacing between te cogs?

Whereas a 10s is not really any harder to keep adjusted than an 8s drivetrain, the 8s is far more tolerant of maladjustment or misalignment than a 10s.

 

[CZSteve]

Thanks for the discussions.

So - what do you think will help me ride faster, further, and jump higher?
A new 10spd drivetrain or loosing 10-15 lbs around the mid section???

I think I'l keep running on 8 gears for awhile .

Best,
Steve