Considering Campy

[cyclepath]

After building several bikes for myself and friends with Shimano 105, Ultegra and DA, curiosity has finally bitten me and I was considering building a Campy bike. I've been searching and studying brochures, websites and forums to get the nomencalture down and trying to translate what I know of the Shimano world. For example, a 102mm bb in Campy would be for a double 10 sp. crankset as opposed to a 109.5 in Shimano. I figure the only tools I will need to get specific to Campy for a simple build will be a BB and cassette lockring tool. I am considering 10 speed Centaur or Chorus to replace a Ultegra bike that I currently have. Trying to expand my horizons and open myself up to the Campy world. Any advice and details that will help the translation from Shimano is greatly appreciated.

 

[Aztec]

I don't know about BB widths, but you are correct on needing only that one tool. Even the chain, which supposedly needs the spendy Campy tool, can be done easily with an $8 Park tool and a cheap C-clamp to steady it in the tool.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by Aztec
I don't know about BB widths, but you are correct on needing only that one tool. Even the chain, which supposedly needs the spendy Campy tool, can be done easily with an $8 Park tool and a cheap C-clamp to steady it in the tool.

As for BB, you match BB to crank. You cannot interchange shimano octalink and Campy square taper anyway. The correct BB will give correct chainline for that crank. Chorus and Record use a common BB/Cassrtte tool. Centaur and lower use a different BB tool. A connex link does away with even messing with the bum campy connecting pin.

 

[martylane]

I've gone from Shimano 105 to Campy 10-speed Chorus, and am now back using Shimano Ultegra, and wishing I were still using Campy. The bb and cassette tool for Campy is one and the same -- you don't need separate tools as you do for Shimano. I had the Y2K 10-speed, which required a special tool for the chain -- it's an expensive tool. I don't know if the same chain is used in later Campy groups, but you should look into it.

As I say, though, having used both, I prefer Campy. I have a couple of gripes with Shimano. To begin with, Chorus just looks better than Ultegra. Ultegra looks kind of cheap, particularly the rear derailleur. Chorus is nice and polished. Granted, Chorus is a step up and more comparable to Dura Ace. The biggest difference is the levers. Shimano's action is very light, which is nice, but it's too light. It's so light, it's hard to tell when you've made a shift. I either don't shift far enough, or I shift too far. Campy's indexing is much more positive, which results in accurate shifting. Also, in the winter, when you wear heavy gloves, it's hard to distinguish the down shift lever from the up shift lever on Shimano. Campy's thumb lever is way better. The shape of Campy's lever vs. Shimano is a matter of preference, but I much prefer Campy's because it is less bulkly and allows more of a flat surface for your hands, as opposed to sort of a cup like surface with Shimano's levers.

Well, that's probably more info than you needed, but I just had to vent , as I miss using Campy.

MartyLane

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by martylane
The bb and cassette tool for Campy is one and the same -- you don't need separate tools as you do for Shimano. I had the Y2K 10-speed, which required a special tool for the chain -- it's an expensive tool. I don't know if the same chain is used in later Campy groups, but you should look into it.

BB and casette tool are only the sme for chorus and record.Lower group BB use a different tool in addition to the casette tool.There was never a real need for an expensive campy chain tool. Campy now uses a diffenrent connecting link, but a removable connex link works even better.

 

[cyclepath]

I was looking through some ads and noticed that some of the Campy cassettes do not include lockrings. Why is that?

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by cyclepath
I was looking through some ads and noticed that some of the Campy cassettes do not include lockrings. Why is that?

That's just the way it is. More money for Campy.

 

[cyclepath]

Does the Chorus and Centaur cranks self extract the same way the DA and Ultegra cranks do? Will I need a crank puller if I need to remove them? I assume the hi/lo derailleur adjustments are similar in concept?

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by cyclepath
Does the Chorus and Centaur cranks self extract the same way the DA and Ultegra cranks do? Will I need a crank puller if I need to remove them? I assume the hi/lo derailleur adjustments are similar in concept?

No self extractors.Another one in the + column for shiamno.