Firochromis

Hi people,

On my road bike I have 2×10 speed Campagnolo Record Groupset. Recently I found a 10 sp. Campagnolo Centaur crankset w/triple chainset with the right price for a future bike. I wonder if I can use this crankset on my current road bike with the current components. For compatibility I can permanently change the front derailleur to a triple one (it is the one of the two Veloce's on my Record bike) but certainly not the briefters. Do left briefter still function on a double and triple set? If I change the front derailleur to a triple one, do I have problems with a double chainset usage?

Regards

Tim_Iowa

Your left shifter will shift the triple chainset with the triple front derailleur (and the proper length bottom bracket).

Firochromis

And when I turn to double chainset (my normal setup), will the triple front derailleur be ok in the system?

Tim_Iowa

Probably, but not optimal.

Triple FDs have more sculpting to the inner and outer plates, because they have to perform two separate shifts (small to middle, and middle to large). With these triple-specific shift aids, the triple FD may not shift a double chainset as quickly and cleanly as a double FD.

You'd have to re-adjust the high and low limit screws when you change chainsets anyway, so you could set them a little loose with the double crank to allow for a little over-shifting.
Since Campagnolo's front shifting is not indexed (it's really just ratcheted friction), you do have a little flexibility here.

If the double and triple chainsets have different-sized large rings, you may have to adjust the FD vertically as well.

It sounds like it would work (triple FD on double crank) but since you'll have to readjust the triple FD anyway, you may as well just swap the double FD back on.

Drew Eckhardt 

Your brifters will work great on a triple crank, where you'll use 6-7 out of 12 clicks not 3-4.

Andrew R Stewart 

Front der cage profiles are largely the difference between a double ring one and a triple ring one. While the triple cage usually has a greater "length" (to allow the granny ring use to not end up with chain rub on the very end of the cage) there's often a difference in the "depth" of the inner cage plate too. This greater depth on the inner plate might rub on the top of the teeth of the ring that's inboard from the large ring. Andy.

Drew Eckhardt 

I couldn't get a 1997 Racing-T triple front derailleur to reliably shift a 50-34 crankset. I could have it fail to shift sometimes and not drop the chain, or always shift but sometimes drop the chain. The double I replaced it with worked great.