pagolobish

Hi folks, I recently had a 2005 Bianchi Virata frame cloned into new steel. I wanted something less rusty and dented. Along the way, I decided to upgrade from its original 2005 Ultegra 10 groupset to a 2020 Chorus 12 groupset. I think I made a mistake. Essentially, I think the cranks and bottom bracket of the Chorus groupset have ended up being too wide for the frame and subsequently have made the front mech impossible to correctly align. The only semi-close fix is to completely loosen the outer limit screw and then pray nothing flexes.

My LBS has recommended either replacing the cranks and bottom bracket or, long shot: hunting down an alternative front derailleur clamp. It's currently a Campy clamp. I've ordered a SRAM marketed as "Wide Spacing" and will try it. I suppose I could also have the mech brazed on with a custom piece of steel.

Is my mistake fixable with any of the ideas above? Or, should I just sell the 2020 Chorus and find a NOS Ultegra set from 2005?

Thanks in advance,

Phil

dedhed

What parts are Chorus and what parts stayed Ultegra?

oldbobcat

Did you think you could run Chorus 12 through an Ultegra 10 crank?

pagolobish

The entire drivetrain is Chorus. There's nothing Ultegra on the new bike.

DaveSSS 

Campy 12 BB cups are available to fit nearly any frame. Tell us what BB the frame needs. I put campy 12 on my 2004 look kg461 that had standard English threaded bb.

pagolobish

The BB on the bike is currently an English threaded (68mm) Super Record Ultra-Torque.

pagolobish

I just did some measuring and noticed a couple differences. The exposed portions of the Ultegra BB cups are 11 mm. The Ultra Torque are 14 mm. Further, the Ultegra front mech has a 34.9 mm diameter clamp and Bianchi used a shim to convert it to 31.8 mm. The Campy clamp is 31.8 without a shim. Essentially, it seems that the Bianchi with the Ultegra had its cranks further inboard and its front mech further outboard than my new Chorus setup.

I suppose a possible solution could be to swap in a larger Campy clamp and get a shim. That would push the front mech further outboard.

alcjphil

When you installed the crank did you also install the spring clip? Without it the drive side crank will not be in the correct place

pagolobish

Regarding the Ultra Torque "spring clip," yes. I just inspected the BB and see the half-circle clip, seated within a small concave ring, with its ends snapped into small retention holes.

DaveSSS 

The Campy FD should work with any brand of clamp on adapter that fits the seat tube.

Comparisons between the ultegra cups and Campy cups are meaningless, since the cranks are very different.

bwilli88 

Can you get a shorter/narrower bottom bracket spindle?

DorkDisk

So this is a new custom frame? It was based on a frame you already had and had never been built up? Or am I reading this wrong?

Chorus 12 sp BB and crank should slap right on.

Maybe the new frame has a 73mm shell or something is off? The spindle splines are engaging?

squirtdad

A complete matching group with matching BB not working, Correct that does not compute.

Have to you talked to the frame builder for any ideas?
Did you do the install? If so how hard was it to put on the BB cups? If it was a really tough install, maybe reface BB and rechase the threads? is it possible BB cups are not setting in all the way? refacing and rechasing may not be a bad idea with new frame in any event, even paint on the faces of the BB can add MM if it is a precision install

as noted this should all be matching and no problem, I would verify that the parts are correct

I am also not sure that I would be confident in the LBS whose first response is replace cranks and bb

pagolobish

Status: Resolved

Summary: new bike frame with new parts built up by LBS. The LBS couldn't get the FD to work very well and suggested a different BB and crank.

Symptoms: FD wasn't traveling far enough to make a ring change. The shifter wasn't able to "make enough clicks" in either direction under typical "limit screw" positions.

Resolution: The LBS (and bike owner) wasn't experienced in Campagnolo and misdiagnosed (believed the LBS about) the issue. The bike owner did some research and was lead to try re-seating the left shifter hood. Once they did, they re-calibrated the FD and things worked as expected. The bike owner will likely not return to the LBS for serious mechanic work.

Thank, y'all.

squirtdad

thanks for closing the loop with an update