Originally Posted by FBinNY

I get you. I climbed alpine passes (loaded) with my 47/29 low gear. But that was when I was in my late teens. Sadly the hydraulics are shot, and out of warranty, so my days of climbing that way are gone. I'm not too proud to use a granny now.

Some companies make an adapter chinring, sometimes called a triplizer which replaces the inner ring, and has extensions allowing the attachment of a granny smaller than the bolt circle. This would allow you to have what I now tour with, a road double with a bailout (wimpout) granny. I find this an ideal arrangement because it allows the utility of my road combinations which I use 99% of the time, yet the option of the granny for walls, and long steep grades.

The only issue may be your bolt circle, I don't know if they triplizers are made for Campy anymore.

As for the FD, I found I was covered with my old Record FD, but my granny is 32t. Going smaller may require a triple specific or mtb derailleur. It's easy to estimate how much smaller a chainring your FD will accommodate. Shift to the inner and a small to mid rear sprocket. Measure the vertical clearance between the FD cage and chain. Allow 1/6" for every 2 teeth you plan to go smaller.

BTW- if you can't find a triplizer combo that works for you and opt to replace the crankset, consider a compact drive, or mtb cankset. This will involve some sacrifice of the highest gear or two, which you probably don't use that much anyway. OTOH, either is much more adaptable to a and climbing gear range.