New Chainset

[Bianchi Boy]

I have just bitten the bullet and after chasing round after Campag ISO BBs and finding them becoming more and more scarce I have invested in a Shimano Chainset. I have invested in a 105 compact the old style with the 5 arms so I can buy the TA Zepher rings I am so attached to. I can also fit my favourite ring sizes of 46/34.

The thing that finally tipped the scales away from Campag was the tooling. I have spent £12 on the tool for the Shimano BB and would of had to spend many times that for the Campag tools. What with the bearing puller and the bearing fitting tool. It was just too much fuss. I helped fit a friends Shimano earlier in the year and it took about 10 minutes and two tools.

So wish me luck. Having ridden Campag chainsets for the last 17 years I am going Japanese.

BB

[Veloman]

I ride a Shimano chainset with my Campag and not experienced anything other than satisfaction: everything is Campag except chainset.  My SRAM or KMC chain seems to care little as to the make of chainset or indeed the cassette.  I've done some long rides on that set-up and very happy.

[Torslanda]

Having just converted a BB86 Cube the other way I'm inclined to agree with you. Campag is superbly engineered but it's a right faff!

You may find that using TA (or any 'flat' outer chainring) requires a bottom bracket a couple of mm longer than that specified by the big S

If you look at the OE outer chainring you will see the ring is dished outwards. Replace it with a Stronglight or TA and you might find - dependent on the size - the chain dragging on the inside of the outer ring when on the smallest cog(s) of the cassette. A 46 may be small enough that the problem may not exist, dependent on chainstay length.

[Samuel D]

The mechanical design and precision manufacture of the Shimano 105 FC-5600 impressed me greatly, and the more so considering the low price. These hollow cranks and their attachment to the spindle must have been a depressing study for competitors of Shimano. The small and cheap tools needed for crank removal are icing on the cake.

The bearings are less impressive in that they still need a large tool for fitting and that job is frequent.

I haven’t owned Campagnolo cranks, but I remember thinking the Hirth joint looked good when it came out.

[Brucey]

the ultratorque (Hirth coupling) cranks are nice and don't require too many special tools. The powertorque ones...meh... not so much. Unbelieveably campag launched the latter and had not thought that anyone might want to remove the cranks... the removal tool came later...

The shimano ones are a very good example of cost-effective engineering. Better lube and more frequent maintenance in the bearings is a good idea...

cheers

[Hot Flatus]

I've still got a set of Campag PT cranks. It has been on several bikes. The bearings have lasted well....which is fortunate because the when the bearing that is fixed onto the axle comes to the end of its life it won't be replaced.   The only straightforward task with PT cranks is removing the left hand cup. Everything else is an absolute pain in the arse.

I really see little point in using anything other than Shimano these days. It's just so good.

[zigzag]

if you take the whole market of different chainsets/bb's, campag's system is in no way superior functionally than others but is worst by a big margin when it comes to servicing. shimano system is quite good if a bit heavy - simple to (re)install, reliable, bearings last ages (if installed correctly). it's not immune to failures, although these occurrences are extremely rare (e.g. my friend broke the 105 ht2 spindle off, and he's not heavy).

[Bianchi Boy]

Hi Zig Zag,

That looks like it has been caused by poor fitting which has caused stripping of the teeth. The pinch bolts look like they need proper fitting and have a very specific 12 - 14Nm marked on the crank.

BB

[zigzag]

it may look like the teeth stripped, but it is actually the inside of the spindle (broken off) still attached to the crank arm. everything was fitted properly (more or less..)

[Somnolent]

Like the OP I got fed up with the Campag ISO taper BBs.  About three times the price of Shimano equiv and difficult to find the extra long one needed for the triple.
Changed to an Hollowtech II and not looked back, although shifters, mechs, cassette are still Campag.

[Veloman]

Like the OP I got fed up with the Campag ISO taper BBs.  About three times the price of Shimano equiv and difficult to find the extra long one needed for the triple.
Changed to an Hollowtech II and not looked back, although shifters, mechs, cassette are still Campag.

Which is exactly what I did after getting fed up of changing bearings and having failure with carbon Campag chainset on pedal thread insert.

[Bianchi Boy]

it may look like the teeth stripped, but it is actually the inside of the spindle (broken off) still attached to the crank arm. everything was fitted properly (more or less..)

That is an odd one. It is a steel spindleand I would never of expected that to fail.

BB