Advise on "Inherited" Colnago Sprint
08-08-24, 12:11 PM
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Advise on "Inherited" Colnago Sprint
A friend recently gave me an older Colnago Sprint that was no longer in use. I fixed it up some, converted the quill stem and put a newer handlebar on it and took it for a ride. While I really liked the ride on the vintage steel frame, I noticed my HR was up in ranges it wasn't used to. (Full disclosure, I bike for health having had a bypass 10 years ago - I normally ride a 10 speed gravel bike with a very wide range of gears.) The Campagnolo 8 speed gearset is stock with a 52/39 chainring and the cassette is a 12-23T. I would like to get the gearing down so I can ride the bike more comfortably. I know my choices for the cassette are limited with the 128mm frame. I think I saw a 12/28T "Miche" cassette somewhere. I read that compact cranksets are available so I can get a 34T chainring. Can anyone comment on those "upgrades"? How big a deal is it to spring the frame out to 130mm for more choices in cassettes?
08-08-24, 12:20 PM
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A friend recently gave me an older Colnago Sprint that was no longer in use. I fixed it up some, converted the quill stem and put a newer handlebar on it and took it for a ride. While I really liked the ride on the vintage steel frame, I noticed my HR was up in ranges it wasn't used to. (Full disclosure, I bike for health having had a bypass 10 years ago - I normally ride a 10 speed gravel bike with a very wide range of gears.) The Campagnolo 8 speed gearset is stock with a 52/39 chainring and the cassette is a 12-23T. I would like to get the gearing down so I can ride the bike more comfortably. I know my choices for the cassette are limited with the 128mm frame. I think I saw a 12/28T "Miche" cassette somewhere. I read that compact cranksets are available so I can get a 34T chainring. Can anyone comment on those "upgrades"? How big a deal is it to spring the frame out to 130mm for more choices in cassettes?
Compact cranks are much newer than the 8 speed Campy, so you'd probably have to change the bottom bracket, although there are a few square taper compact cranks out there in both JIS and ISO taper.
Campagnolo Mirage CT 175mm Compact Crankset, Square Taper, 50/34, 9/10/11 speed
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...TF8&th=1&psc=1
eBay and Amazon are your friends.
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08-08-24, 01:14 PM
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You could also consider a Campagnolo Racing Triple crank, with a granny gear as low as 22 teeth.
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08-08-24, 02:29 PM
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128 is actually perfect. You can easily spread for wheel changes of 130 hubs. I would think the hub in there now is 130, if it is 8 speed cassette.
Hard to find, but Veloce had a compact crank of 34 lower ring (I used it on my Raleigh International when I recently rehabbed it). It has a 25 tooth cog on an 8 speed cassette.
A bit pricey but Miche does have 28 tooth cassettes out there.
And the above is only if you want to maintain Campy. If you don’t care as much, the options grow geometrically with Shimano DA, Ultegra, 105 and Tiagra
Hard to find, but Veloce had a compact crank of 34 lower ring (I used it on my Raleigh International when I recently rehabbed it). It has a 25 tooth cog on an 8 speed cassette.
A bit pricey but Miche does have 28 tooth cassettes out there.
And the above is only if you want to maintain Campy. If you don’t care as much, the options grow geometrically with Shimano DA, Ultegra, 105 and Tiagra
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08-10-24, 04:30 PM
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Well, turns out I have a 12-28 cassette already. So I'm in search of a used 50-34t 110 BCD compact cranks. Can someone tell me what kind of BB I would need? I thought I would need an ISO for Campagnolo but some cranksets I saw specified JIS. I'm confused, I am used to getting cheap gear complete with everything on Shimano specs.
08-10-24, 05:44 PM
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Hello and welcome! I have a couple of 8 speed Campy bikes in which I’ve added compact cranksets. First thing is with that new cassette, make sure it is a Campagnolo or Campy compatible cassette. That would be Miche or maybe IRD. A SRAM or Shimano 8 speed cassette will not work well on a Campy drivetrain. I have heard that Campy made an 8 speed cassette with 28 tooth cog but haven’t ever seen one and always thought that 13-26 was as climb friendly as they got. Second thing is the BB taper depends on the crank you use. Odds are it will be a crank requiring a JIS taper though and you’ll want to make sure spindle length matches up properly with the crank. I have Sugino, Velo Orange, and IRD compact cranks in my stable and they all require JIS taper BB spindles.
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08-10-24, 06:14 PM
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Hello and welcome! I have a couple of 8 speed Campy bikes in which I’ve added compact cranksets. First thing is with that new cassette, make sure it is a Campagnolo or Campy compatible cassette. That would be Miche or maybe IRD. A SRAM or Shimano 8 speed cassette will not work well on a Campy drivetrain. I have heard that Campy made an 8 speed cassette with 28 tooth cog but haven’t ever seen one and always thought that 13-26 was as climb friendly as they got. Second thing is the BB taper depends on the crank you use. Odds are it will be a crank requiring a JIS taper though and you’ll want to make sure spindle length matches up properly with the crank. I have Sugino, Velo Orange, and IRD compact cranks in my stable and they all require JIS taper BB spindles.
Last edited by joesmith; 08-10-24 at 07:17 PM.
08-10-24, 08:10 PM
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Cranksets and bottom brackets go together. I usually assume that, if I'm replacing the one, I'm replacing the other. Sometimes you get lucky, but don't bet that way. Fortunately, good, reliable square-taper cartridge bottom brackets aren't expensive.
Your Colnago may have a 70mm bottom bracket shell... older Italian frames often do. That would complicate things a bit.
--Shannon
Your Colnago may have a 70mm bottom bracket shell... older Italian frames often do. That would complicate things a bit.
--Shannon
08-11-24, 06:42 AM
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Yes, good point ShannonM , very likely your Colnago is 70 mm Italian thread. The first English threaded Colnago I encountered was my 2009 EPS. (I shed a little tear). Anyway when you settle on a crank, you should t have too much trouble finding the appropriate cartridge BB from Velo Orange, Sugino or IRD. You can always ask here if needed.
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N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
08-11-24, 08:37 AM
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Cranksets and bottom brackets go together. I usually assume that, if I'm replacing the one, I'm replacing the other. Sometimes you get lucky, but don't bet that way. Fortunately, good, reliable square-taper cartridge bottom brackets aren't expensive.
Your Colnago may have a 70mm bottom bracket shell... older Italian frames often do. That would complicate things a bit.
--Shannon
Your Colnago may have a 70mm bottom bracket shell... older Italian frames often do. That would complicate things a bit.
--Shannon
08-11-24, 08:52 AM
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I measured the shell housing with a caliper and it's 68mm. I am used to Shimano type BB's and cranksets which can be had for cheap. The compact cranksets I am seeing are 110 bcd and do not come with a BB but mentions "CAMPAGNOLO ULTRA-TORQUE BB CUPS REQUIRED". Upon reading up on this type of BB installation, it seems a rather complex affair with bearings on the axle etc. Am I overthinking this?
I’m curious what the Campy aficionados have to say.
08-13-24, 09:47 AM
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2) Secondary question, these cranksets allegedly work with 8S Campy cassettes. I have a 12-28T cassette of unknown provenance, probably a Miche as well. Can anyone verify?
Would appreciate input from Campy experts on these 2 questions.
08-13-24, 11:02 AM
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I measured the shell housing with a caliper and it's 68mm. I am used to Shimano type BB's and cranksets which can be had for cheap. The compact cranksets I am seeing are 110 bcd and do not come with a BB but mentions "CAMPAGNOLO ULTRA-TORQUE BB CUPS REQUIRED". Upon reading up on this type of BB installation, it seems a rather complex affair with bearings on the axle etc. Am I overthinking this?
Last edited by alcjphil; 08-13-24 at 11:07 AM.
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