Campag Centaur compact

[tiredlegs]

Hi all. I`ve recently treated myself to a new bike (pinarello fp5) which has a campag centaur groupset (compact chainring). For the past 2 years, since I started cycling, I`ve ridden a cannondale caad5 with ultegra groupset (triple chainring). Whilst I`m really pleased with new bike, I`m finding the hills a fair bit harder and living in South Wales I`m surrounded by hills (mountains really). How much work (and expense) would it be to put a triple on the new bike. Would it be just a matter of changing the chainset or would the chain and cassette need changing too? The current cassette is a 13-26,would it be enough to just go with a 13-29.


Cheers for any advice

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Hi all. I`ve recently treated myself to a new bike (pinarello fp5) which has a campag centaur groupset (compact chainring). For the past 2 years, since I started cycling, I`ve ridden a cannondale caad5 with ultegra groupset (triple chainring). Whilst I`m really pleased with new bike, I`m finding the hills a fair bit harder and living in South Wales I`m surrounded by hills (mountains really). How much work (and expense) would it be to put a triple on the new bike. Would it be just a matter of changing the chainset or would the chain and cassette need changing too? The current cassette is a 13-26,would it be enough to just go with a 13-29

If you have compact rear mech and front mech it will struggle with both the overall capacity as well as the larger cassette sprocket if you convert to triple and fit the 13-29.

The triple chainset will really need a triple front mech with deeper inner plate. A medium cage rear mech' will cope with the 29t sprocket Ok if you stick with a compact chainset and if you are very careful you may be able to fettle it to work with a triple, make sure the chain is long enough to cope with a mis-shift into large chain ring-sprocket, although it then will not cope with a mis-shift into small chain ring-sprocket, as the mech will not be able to keep the chain under tension; not recommended though, personally I wouldn't risk it.

Paul Smith

Touring Tips

 

[HLaB]

Hi all. I`ve recently treated myself to a new bike (pinarello fp5) which has a campag centaur groupset (compact chainring). For the past 2 years, since I started cycling, I`ve ridden a cannondale caad5 with ultegra groupset (triple chainring). Whilst I`m really pleased with new bike, I`m finding the hills a fair bit harder and living in South Wales I`m surrounded by hills (mountains really). How much work (and expense) would it be to put a triple on the new bike. Would it be just a matter of changing the chainset or would the chain and cassette need changing too? The current cassette is a 13-26,would it be enough to just go with a 13-29.


Cheers for any advice

Hi,

Nice piece of kit somebody will put a better price on it but I think it'd be costsly to convert it to a tripple you could try something like the Machinehead Gear calculator to see if adding an extra couple of teeth will have the same effect as a tripple in reducing the gear inches. I'm also not sure if the centaur rear mech would support a cassette of that size and a new rear mech would be needed. If your compact is anything like my veloce compact which I like its a 50/36 it may be easier and cheaper for you to put a 34t chainring on and other than the new chainring I don't think you'd have to make any changes.

 

[tiredlegs]

Cheers guys for that. So a triple sounds out of the question. If I leave the chainset alone then,how big a cassette could I go for without having to change rear mech?

 

[youngoldbloke]

I believe that the 2011 Campag Centaur rear mech is designed to work with the whole range of Campag cassettes - including 13-29. I think there is only one cage length available anyway. Try searching through the Campag Tech Docs on their website, if you haven't got the leaflet that should have come with the bike. Obviously it would be cheaper and more straightforward to just change the cassette.

 

[Clx1]

You don't need a triple, just change the cassette for a 12/29 and you will have a similar range of gears to a triple without any of the disadvantages(weight, complexity, chain jump etc). Plus the fact it would be a crime to put a triple on a Pinarello!

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I believe that the 2011 Campag Centaur rear mech is designed to work with the whole range of Campag cassettes - including 13-29. I think there is only one cage length available anyway. Try searching through the Campag Tech Docs on their website, if you haven't got the leaflet that should have come with the bike. Obviously it would be cheaper and more straightforward to just change the cassette.

Campagnolo used to list the sprocket range as well as overall capacity; can’t seem to find that on their site now though; has anyone else seen it?

From one of our Campagnolo suppliers:
2010 Campagnolo Centaur Recommended Gearing:

Short Rear Gear:
Use with double std. or CT chainset with all Campagnolo sprocket ratios except 13-29.

Medium Rear Gear:
Use with double std. and CT chainset with all Campagnolo sprocket ratios (inc 13-29). Can also be used with a triple crankset with all Campagnolo sprocket ratios except 13-29

Paul Smith

Touring Tips

 

[youngoldbloke]

Here is a link to the Campag rear mech doc - 11s 11 speed admittedley. See booklet p19, 'recommended combinations'

Have just found the current 10speed instruction leaflet on the Campag website - see p20. 10s
If you checkout options for Centaur groupset on their site you will see short cage only listed.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Here is a link to the Campag rear mech doc - 11s 11 speed admittedley. See booklet p19, 'recommended combinations'

Have just found the current 10speed instruction leaflet on the Campag website - see p20. 10s
If you checkout options for Centaur groupset on their site you will see short cage only listed.

Perfect; how did you find that on their site?

Paul Smith

Touring Tips

 

[tincaman]

If you go for a triple its likely you will have to replace the BB as well

 

[youngoldbloke]

Hi - go to http://www.campagnolo.com/jsp/en/index/index.jsp then Groupsets > Road > Centaur, click on rear, PDFs are there ......

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

If you go for a triple its likely you will have to replace the BB as well

+1. A clear and practical guide for Campag rear mech capacity is here. The knowledge base includes other guides on Campag components.

 

[youngoldbloke]

+1. A clear and practical guide for Campag rear mech capacity is here. The knowledge base includes other guides on Campag components.

Very useful - as far as it goes. However, I believe that as from 2011, Veloce is the only flavour with any choice of cage length. For example - quote from the Athena Features/Benefits on Campag website.
Single cage version > Flexibility of use with all the sprocket combinations

No cage options are listed except for Veloce.

The official Campag line appears to be that if you want to run a Campagnolo triple you need the specific groupset - Comp Triple - front and rear mech (long cage) and chainset, and of course bottom bracket.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

The official Campag line appears to be that if you want to run a Campagnolo triple you need the specific groupset - Comp Triple - front and rear mech (long cage) and chainset, and of course bottom bracket.

I think a mid cage will work with a triple, provided e.g. one is running a 30/40/50 at the front and a 13-26 at the back, requiring a chain wrap of 36. This is why I think the Brandford site is useful because it enables users to work out what works, given many mid cage mechs are (thankfully) still available (e.g. from Ribble).

I worry about Campag changing their range of products (to my mind the wrong way). There was the disappearance of most hubs, now mid cage mechs. Not good. The last thing we need is another producer going bust further limiting competition and driving up component prices.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I think a mid cage will work with a triple, provided e.g. one is running a 30/40/50 at the front and a 13-26 at the back, requiring a chain wrap of 36. This is why I think the Brandford site is useful because it enables users to work out what works, given many mid cage mechs are (thankfully) still available (e.g. from Ribble).

I worry about Campag changing their range of products (to my mind the wrong way). There was the disappearance of most hubs, now mid cage mechs. Not good. The last thing we need is another producer going bust further limiting competition and driving up component prices.

- yes, agreed - I recently had to replace my Veloce shifters. I think there have been at least 2 versions since my original ones.