TheValveSource

Its time for this ol boy to try a compact crankset.

I'm runnin my old bulletproof 8 spd Campy stuff and am ASSUMING that the chainrings on the compact 10 speed cranks, due to the narrower chain width, will need to be spaced out a bit.

If that is the case, I would ASSUME that I could use a spacer between the larger chainring and the crank arm.

Am I Ass U Me ing correctly on both counts?

Thank You!

sch

If the chain line is appropriate currently, changing from 8 to 10 spd is unlikely to alter the chain line enough to justify a spacer. The width of the cassettes are so close that the midline of the cassette moves only slightly. Others have used 8-9
spd cranks with 10spd cassettes successfully. The crankset width is ostensibly
narrower both in the CW themselves and their spacing but with the microadjusting
Campy shifters this should also not be a problem. Addressed to many ? here before
the one you asked.

andr0id

You're probably over thinking it. First, the chains are the exact same width on the INSIDE and the teeth are still the same width. The difference in ring space is less than a mm.

I've mixed 10spd and 8spd gear in a variety of ways and not really had an issue. Of course I'm using mostly Shimano stuff, so surely Campy should work even better. :-)

TheValveSource

HEY -------- I do like Campy stuff on my road bike but I have to tell you, the Shimano on my CX bike and mountain bike works outstanding. I bought the old Campy 8 spd stuff new back in the early/mid 90's so its kinda like an old friend.

*** Thanks, maybe I am over thinking it. I'll hook it all up and see how it works.

TheValveSource

Gracias!

The chainline is good and it was more of an issue of the width between the front chainrings being a little too close for my 8 speed chain.

I'll bolt it all together and see what happens.

I would also think that a 9 speed chain would work perfectly fine with the 8 speed cassette and the 10 speed crank.

joejack951

9/10 speed rings have much more aggressive ramps than 8 speed rings. These ramps also reduce the space in between chainrings. The actual crank spider thickness that spaces the rings is all but identical between 8, 9, and 10 speed rings though (per my measurements of various cranks). The problem with the ramps is that when using a gear combination that does not offer a perfect chainline, the ramps will try to grab the chain and pull it up to the next ring. The derailler will keep this from happening but the chain will skip because of this condition (experienced trying to use a 9 speed Shimano middle chainring with an 8 speed chain).

The solution is as you say to use the 9 or 10 speed narrow chain. Your front shifting might suffer slightly due to needing more cage movement to complete each shift but it should still work. You could always swap the front derailler too.

Ex Pres 

My newly repainted 92 Guerc is currently running a Campy (mostly) 8s setup with a 10s Chorus crank (not compact, though) and a Campy C9 chain. I've only had it out for a couple rides, but so far it is operating flawlessly

TheValveSource

Speaking of front the front derailleur - my crank is going to be 50/34. Will my old Campy front der do the job? I seem to remember that they had a limit of 12 teeth.

If I need to replace it - will any of the newer 9/10 speed front Campy der's work or .........??

Thanks a lot for the help!

( I need to get with the program, spend some $$$ and get the newer Campy 10 speed set up)

joejack951

I don't know Campy very well but Shimano deraillers normally rated for 14 teeth shift a 50/34 compact just fine in my experience. I believe that because Campy's front shifting is sort of friction-like, that you can make just about any front derailler work acceptably well. Never having personally tried what you are considering, I can't give it my stamp of approval though. Just wait and eventually DaveSSS will chime in.

sch

There have been numerous posters past few yrs to the effect that practically any FD will work with compact, and the compact specific ones are a bit of bling for most. Compact and triples reach down
further toward the 30t but most have found this extra reach not essential for 34t.

DaveSSS 

Campy 10 chainring spacing is .4mm closer than 8/9 speed. I'd try the crank without the spacing washers first. Branford Bike used to sell these.

As for FD's a lot people have used older standard crank FD's with success on a compact crank. I only switched to a compact last year and have no personal experience with this. The only ones I've used are the 2008 Chorus QS FD that is compatible with both standard and compact cranks and the '09 11 speed that is also compatible with both.

The new 11 speed chainrings are another .6mm closer together, compared to 10 speed. Campy has always altered the big ring mounting surface, not the crank, to make these spacing changes.

DMF 

Tough answer. If I pronounce the sentence quickly, the answer is, "No". If I enunciate, I wanna answer, "Yes".

Road Fan

I put a Veloce 10 compact on my Woodrup using an AC-H 111 BB, which worked great with a Campy triple, a 7-speed rear end, and a 9-speed chain. In the small small combination, I get the chain dragging on the big chainwheel. It's a 50/34. Granted this is a non-preferred combo, but sometimes it happens.

The Branford Bike site has a set of spacers to be placed on each of the chainring bolts between the chainwheel and the spider. It's a bit confusing to see what you need, so I have to contact Branford to see which one I need.

The thicknesses range from 0.4 mm to around 2 mm, with o.4 or 0.6 recommended for my situation. I can't possibly imagine this making a significant difference in chainline, and if you can measure chainline with enough accuracy to see that difference, you're doing it a lot better than I am.

DaveSSS 

The purpose of the spacers is not to change the chainline, it's to make the chainring spacing match the chain width being used. Campy has only made changes twice - .4mm for 10 speed and another .6mm for 11 speed.