Kev

I am currently putting together a bike.. slowly but surely.. I almost have all the parts. Bought things as I had money and they were on sale.. (bad order to buy things in).. I got my Mavic Krysium SSC wheels today, I have the rear cassete, campagnalo record , front campy record crank.. record bottom bracket.. levers.. brakes.. stupid me ordered the rear de-railer and chain last.. now to my question.. I got the 10 speed setup, do I really need the Campy chain tool to put the chain together? If so should I just spend the $50 or so for it.. or pay a LBS to put the chain on.. I ordered the bottom bracket tool.. at same time as the chain.. so waiting for that to put the BB and rear cassette on.. like I said bought things when on sale.. not in a smart order hehe...

Thanx in advance for any help..

gmason

Great set of choices! :thumbup:

Everything I have ever seen stresses using their tool. Probably (leaving aside the sales and marketing issues) because it was (is?) fairly unique when it came out, and tolerances are probably smaller.

In any case, best of luck. You are a good inspiration for someone who wants the best, and is willing to wait for it.

BTW - what frame are you hanging all of this on?

Cheers...Gary

Kev

The frame is probably the weakest point.. it is a GT ZR 1.0 lotto frame. Could not resist a sale.. I bend to impulse buying at times. The reason I bought almost all Campy components is, I figure you get what you pay for, and from all of my reading and the reviews and so on.. The campy parts seem to wear the best, and last the longest, and I don't want to have to keep replacing parts that go bad on my bike. I fix computers for a living and get side jobs here and there which pay well but are far between most of the time. So I would make $200 here.. and this part woudl be $189 so would get it.. make $100 here this part would be $100.. so buy it then.. but finaly got everything.. Only thing actualy on the frame is the headset.. campy record.. Fork Easton EC-90.. East stem EM -90 and the EC-90(I believe right part number.. the red carbon one) handlebar and the CT-2 seat post. Only other thing I partialy bought because of the looks was the wheels.. they look great!!! and they turn in circles.. I can buy the tool hopefuly with christmas money if needed (probably own't pay someone.. who wants to take the time to wait for a LBS to put on the chain) I actualy debated on going 10 speed, since I have red quite a bit that the chain wears out fairly quickly, but I knew if I did not I would regret getting a 9 speed a bit down the road.. Oh yeah might as well finish the list Continental Gatorskin tires.. I did not want a flat on my new bike right away
Don't ask me how much I spent.. I don't even want to know.. and I definately don't want my wife to know
I have red different things on their tool.. one person stated using a pair of vice grips.. which is what the campy tool looks alot like, but I have never seen one in person, I would get the superlink 3 but everywhere it is back ordered.. I'm checking my mail every day for parts.. getting really excited.. to just build my bike.. and ride it.. hopefuly when I am done.. I will turn the pedals and the wheel will turn with my luck though.. you never know heheehe

..Kevin

gmason

Kevin -

Sounds great, and a lot of fun. Worst case is that you have the great running gear, and could replace the frame later if the mood strikes.

Another point: whatever tool it ends up being, it will save you trekking back to the shop, and spending that money, every time. That would soon pay for the tool I would think.

Being as old as I am, and having done what I have over the years (building sports cars, maintaining racing cars, etc. many years ago), I found it obvious to buy tools and maintain my own bikes. Never gave it a second thought.

So your project has struck a chord with me. I somehow can't envision anything on my bike that is any more difficult than a Ferrari 250TR engine or a Weber dual-choke carb. Or a Sprite transmission, for that matter.

Cheers...Gary

P.S. I have been in software for almost 40 years now, and I am more than ready to retire - ten months from Thursday!

Kev

I think you are definately right, nothing could be as difficult as working on any engine. I am a firm believer in I should do things myself, or atleast try once. Even on my car I do minor repairs change brakes.. change the struts.. axles and so on.. tearing apart a engine is way beyond me.. so would not try that.. but a bicycle is a fairly simple machine.. It's just hard to justify spending $50 for a what looks like a vice grip to push a pin in a chain, especialy when I am extremely tight on money at the moment due to buying the rear de-railer.. chain and BB tool.. and christmas of course.. (do you know how much kids toys are now adays).. That is how I figured it.. I can replace the frame later.. most of the components can be changed over.. except maybe the fork.. headset which is not to expensive.. and maybe bottom bracket which is not to expensive..
I got started on a older used bike.. I debated on upgrading it.. is a old centurion with 6 speed freewheel.. so decided this path was a better idea..
..kevin

ljbike

You could use a SRAM (sedis) chain and not need a tool at all. Then when you've got the bucks, go back to Campy.

Kev

I did not think that SRAM made a 10 speed compatible chain yet.
If they do that would be great, do you know where they sell them?

velocipedio

DO NOT USE A SRAM CHAIN WITH 10-SPEED! Use the C10 chain. I understand that Wippermann has a 10-speed chain with a re-breakable link. You might want to look into that.

You do need the Campy tool to attach the permalink to the chain. It's essentially a linear-push vise-grip set to the exact width of a 10-speed link. You could conceivably buy such a tool at your hardware shop, and I HAVE heard of people improvising a tool with regular vise-grips and quarters to make the pressure even over the link.

On the other hand, the C10 is an expensive cain to mess with if you're not sure, and the permalinks cost about $15 apiece and can't be reused... With that in mind, you MIGHT want to invest in the $60 tool [the price of a chain and a permalink] or have your shop do it, rather than improvise a tool that doesn not work.

For more info, look at the Campy Chain Manual.

BikeyGuy

I just finished building a new road bike this winter.
10 speed Campy record. After lots of research, (on bikeforum...etc...) I went with a Wipperman chain model 1008. $40.00
It comes with a link that needs NO tools to remove the chain. Works great. This Wippermann link can also be purchased seperately (bout $10.00) and will work with a Campy 10 chain. Good Luck.

Kev

This is a old thread I forgot about it.. I have a wipperman chain on my campy record right now works great. IRD also makes a 10sp chain compatible with campy. Maybe I just got a bad one but it did not last very long I checked it 4 months later and it was getting close to being stretched out so I replaced it.. Rather then risk my drivetrain..

demoncyclist

10s chains will wear faster due to the thinner materials. The downside to more cogs in the same space.

ImprezaDrvr

I've just used my Park chain tool on the pin with Campy chains and it works fine. First chain never broke, second is fine so far (though with few miles on it as it's new this spring).

fogrider

wow, 4 months for a $40 chain...thats $10 a month! I hope you put alot of miles on it in those 4 months.

I just put a ampy 10sp chain on with my trust ritchey cpr tool (pre-10 sp) and it went on just fine.

Al1943

Built up a new bike last year with Record 10 with C 10 chain. My LBS talked me into buying the new Shimano 10-speed chain tool for sizing the chain and setting the pin. It's a quality tool and less expensive than the Campy tool. My old Park CT5 tool was worthless on this chain but have heard that the CT 3 works OK on 10-speed chains.

Al

gpelpel

I built my bike with Campi stuff including a c10 chain. I use a regular chain tool that came from a $45 Nashbar tool box. It worked fine and no problem to report so far.