Touring bike transmission overhaul

[Ravenbait]

I have an Orbit Harrier from way back in the days when they came with a mish-mash of Campag Veloce, SRAM blocks and Hope hubs with a Sugino cranket. I'm running a 9 speed block dropped to 8 speed with a change of spacers.

After umpteen thousand miles the crankset middle ring is giving up the ghost and so I might as well bite the bullet and overhaul the transmission to something sensible. By which I mean made by the same manufacturer and not needing me to customise it every time I need to replace a part.

I was going to go for a Campag triple, would prefer not to have to spend a whole heap of dosh (the physio has a demand on my bank account) and know I'm going to have to replace the crankset and at least the rear hub. I can build my own wheels.

Suggestions or advice? I was going to get a Centaur 10 speed triple but will that run on my perfectly good Veloce front mech? I can't see any reason why not, personally, although I'd have to stick with the 9 speed rear. Is that sort of a mish-mash an equally unholy abomination?

Sam

 

[PpPete]

I have an Orbit Harrier from way back in the days when they came with a mish-mash of Campag Veloce, SRAM blocks and Hope hubs with a Sugino cranket. I'm running a 9 speed block dropped to 8 speed with a change of spacers.

After umpteen thousand miles the crankset middle ring is giving up the ghost and so I might as well bite the bullet and overhaul the transmission to something sensible. By which I mean made by the same manufacturer and not needing me to customise it every time I need to replace a part.

I was going to go for a Campag triple, would prefer not to have to spend a whole heap of dosh (the physio has a demand on my bank account) and know I'm going to have to replace the crankset and at least the rear hub. I can build my own wheels.

Suggestions or advice? I was going to get a Centaur 10 speed triple but will that run on my perfectly good Veloce front mech? I can't see any reason why not, personally, although I'd have to stick with the 9 speed rear. Is that sort of a mish-mash an equally unholy abomination?

Sam

I'd just replace the middle ring... Spa are usually the about the best choice

 

[Crankarm]

Yes just replace the middle ring. TA do replacement rings for pretty much all chainsets. You just need to know the BCD.

If you do want to buy a whole new chainset and have cash burning a hole in your pocket then Athena is fine. I can't see the point in new hubs unless your current ones are knackered or your rims are worn out. Maybe new sprockets (cassette if Shimano) chain and jockey wheels. A decent lube can work wonders to reduce friction.

If you do go for a new chainset make sure it will fit your existing bottom bracket. Up until a few months ago a few places were offering Chorus triple chainsets circa 2004 for £49.99 and Record triples for £69.99. A bargain! These were fine for 9/10 speed set ups. Corresponding double chainsets at these similarly low prices have been unavailable for ages.

 

[Ravenbait]

I've found a Campag Centaur Triple in my crank length for around 40 quid and am therefore severely tempted. This is sort of a long-term project, gradually getting the bits together to completely overhaul the transmission. It's his 10th birthday next year and he deserves it.

I don't have cash burning a hole in my pocket but I would like to move to a more sensible set-up that doesn't require I disassemble the block and reassemble it when it comes to replacing. Would be nice to be able to run a 9 speed as a 9 speed rather than an 8, as well.

Sam

 

[MartinC]

I've found a Campag Centaur Triple in my crank length for around 40 quid and am therefore severely tempted. This is sort of a long-term project, gradually getting the bits together to completely overhaul the transmission. It's his 10th birthday next year and he deserves it.

I don't have cash burning a hole in my pocket but I would like to move to a more sensible set-up that doesn't require I disassemble the block and reassemble it when it comes to replacing. Would be nice to be able to run a 9 speed as a 9 speed rather than an 8, as well.

Sam

Sam, the answer to your original question (is this a mish mash?) is yes. If you want to avoid the re-spaced cassette then the chainset is the least of your problems - hubs, shifters, cassettes and rear mechs are.

If you want to upgrade the whole transmission to something standard and easy to source replacements for then going Campag will mean changing the hubs too. If you want a Shimergo set up then there are too many options to even begin.

It's worth bearing in mind that as far as Campag are concerned 9 speed and triples of any speed are pretty much dead. Shimano road and MTB components are set to diverge too 'cos 10 speed MTB cable pull is different to Road.

If you do know what you want long term then the cheap Campag components around might be a bargain - but they're already running out. Soon the only 9 speed shifters around will be Xenon ones. You'll be able to run new 10 speed components with your 9 speed ergos (with a 10 speed chain and 9 speed cassette). But you'll need to make sure you buy triple mechs now. Medium (as opposed to long) rear mechs are still made for 10 speed but they won't handle a wide range cassette on a triple.

Changing the worn out chainring may be the simplest option until you decide where you want to be eventually.

 

[Ravenbait]

As Campag wears in rather than wearing out I think I have a lot of life left in the derailleurs I've got at the moment. I've ordered the crankset, which leaves me with two options. I either rebuild the rear wheel on a Campag hub (which is a potential, as the freehub seems to be wearing out and I don't think I can get a replacement for 10 year old Hopes) or get a shiftmate and run 9 speed Campy triple on a Shimano-spaced block. Hope can't do me an after-market freehub with Campy splining. I asked them.

I've even still got a spare spring set for my Veloce shifters. Not a job I want to repeat, ever, but I know it's doable.


The Great God Sheldon also suggests that a Campy 9 speed shifter will cope fine with a Shimano 9 speed block. So with the new chainset I might get away with replacing the bottom bracket, the block and the chain.

Once I get to the end of life of that set up, hopefully another 20,000 miles down the road, everything will be different again anyway!

By the way, for anyone else embarking on this route, Evolution do a Shimano-splined, Campy-spaced 10 speed block (no use to me because I've got 9-speed shifters). I think this has come up in the past.

Sam

 

[MartinC]

Sounds like you're sorted. Hope you can get away with the Shimano spaced cassette - let us know how well it works. Veloce 9 speed stuff was good, I'm still running some pre-2000 stuff.

 

[Bob Everick]

Hi Sam

Interested to hear about the rebuild as I've just completed phase II of the rebuild of a 2002 Shimano 9 speed 105 based Orbit. It's been dressed out in 'classic tourer' style in Cherry Red complete with tan Brooks saddle.

Phase 1 started in winter 2008 with a respray (c/o Bob Jackson's in Leeds) together with replacement of the OE Suntour triple chainset and BB with a discounted "last year's" model Truvative GXP set. (However having had the Truvative BB fail in August after no more than 2.5k miles I may go to 105 or Ultegra next year - see below).

This year saw the forced change of the Avid Shorty brakes when the adjuster screw stripped its threads on the near-side rear - I replaced the front ones at the same time.

I also replaced the bearings on the Ultegra hubs which still run a smoothly as new (nb, the OE fit DPX rims seem virtually indestructible but they only rarely see rain!)

In spring 2011 I anticpiate replacing the shifters as the right hand one keeps sticking on the 3rd "click" despite having being lubed (as mentioned above, I may well change the deraillures and a move to 10 speed 105 or Ultegra at the same time - funds depending).

Regarding the chainset, I have a liberal selection of Shimano chainrings and, depending on the type of riding I intend to do, I tend to switch them around. I usually stick with the 30T bottom gear (I do have a 34T) but the middle ring varies between 39 and 42 whilst the top is either 50 or 52. The 'usual' configuration is a 11-28 on the back and 52-42-30 on the front.

Bob