Super Record 4 arm chainset initial views...

[TimW]

I would like these things more if there was no need to shell out £50 on tooling. The amount of fangled tooling you need to service Power-Ultra-Over Torque is mind bogglingly stupid, and this is why I no longer buy Campag cranksets.

Where the heck do you buy your tools if you spend £50 on a hex wrench?

Have you tried to replace bearings on ultra-torque? Puller and setter required. Power Torque garbage..same kind of stuff but slightly different requiring more tools. Can't even be bothered to work out what is required for over-torque...since I dismissed new Campagnolo cranksets when they came out with yet another convoluted system. FWIW I actually really like UT but now the BB standards are screwed, I guess its applications are more limited.

Shimano, Rotor et al, have this sorted, a couple of bolts and a hex is all that is required. Replace the cups when the bearings are shot, easy-peasy..and cheap(ish)

back on topic..from the limited feedback this change sounds like taking something that worked and breaking it. I hope not another lemon..

Did any of the pro-tour teams beta- test it?

[Raineman]

I remember Bardiani-CSF were testing it at the giro and I don't think the world tour teams had it until some of europcar started using it for the TdF, but that was after it was released.

[sawyer]

I don't know why, but i always get the impression that Campag design stuff with flair, make a few sets for testing and their CAE guys just look at it, shrug in an italianesque manner, and go for coffee.

Where as Shimano have an entire office full of quietly industrious geeks plugging thousands of numbers and hundred of lines of code into powerful workstations to simulate and optimise the mechanical side of the design, before the styling people even know whats coming.

Then the styling people just look at it, shrug in a Japanese manner, and go for coffee.

A few things i've seen on new groupsets lately seems to reinforce this view.

Do you like national stereotypes mattr?

[mattr]

I can only go by the Italian and Japanese suppliers I've had to deal with. Both behaved pretty much like their national stereotypes........

[bikewithnoname]

Sorry to hear that these cranks aren't working out for you solarider, looks like they could be the 21st century equivalent of Campag's Delta brakes (but at least the delta's looked amazing! )

[Harmitc]

After reading your experiences I took my 4 arm crank'ed Colnago out for a ride today with the intention of replicating your problems. I did rather hope I wouldn't have the same issue as it's a long time since I've had chain rub on from frame or chain set flex.

Next to my home there's a hill with an approximate 10% grade that I hit with as much effort as I could muster. Trying to flex the chain set on the two extremes of travel so the inner and outer faces of the derailleur cage. I'am running about .75/1.00mm clearance but trying hard, no flexing problems. I only speak as I find but thankfully for my install no issues.

I've posted a picture (not a good one) showing the bottom bracket installation. As you can see I'am not running any adaptors and the bottom bracket is full width. Are you sure your not flexing the bottom bracket rather than the chain set? Just an idea? The 4 arm crank has had plenty of pro use and I've certainly not heard if any problems?

[solarider]

Try and flex the rings with your fingers. Squeeze both between your thumb and index finger. Now try to do the same with the 5 arm chsinset. There is a noticeable difference, and there is more power in my legs and my entire body weight swinging side to side than there is in my fingers.

I have used the 5 arm version in the same bb for over 3 years with no problem. The frame is a PF30 and plenty stiff. This can be confidently isolated to the new chainset, and specifically the rings. There is just too much unsupported chainring for the stiffness of the chainrings themselves. Admitedly this unsupported gap is meant to be in between the down stroke on either side, and the beefy arms and small gap is timed for the down stroke itself, but the theory doesn't work in practice.

I really want to love the £1,600 worth of new technology that I have just hung on 3 of my bikes, really i do. But they are a huge disappointment.

[Harmitc]

Maybe it's just my breadstick legs and low power output[emoji1]! But I'am certainly not getting any rub with either 5 or the new 4 arm.

But I do think you have to be careful about applying loads to components they'll never see in service. I might be a Campagnolo addict, but I'd be fairly confident the pro teams that were running this unbranded early in the year and then as production chainsets later on would have quickly reverted to 5 arm if there was a problem. It will be interesting to see how quickly it's updated if there is a problem.

[solarider]

I agree with you about advising caution when applying loads in directions that components were not designed for. However, having suffered from chain rub, I subsequently applied the load to test both the 4 and 5 arm version to check the difference (which was considerable).

I too am a Campagnolo fan. I really wanted to love this product, but it is a real let down.

[Harmitc]

There's some good deals on 5 arm cranks if you want to swap back.

[solarider]

Still have them. Won't be letting go just yet!

[Calnago]

Is your iPhone 6 bending when you push on it in weird ways that would never occur during normal use? [emoji3]

[Harmitc]

That's why I use an iPhone 5, much more robust.[emoji1]

[Calnago]

I have an iPhone 6. No problems at all. Maybe it's a setup issue. [emoji3]

[madcow]

I've done two bikes so far with the 4 bolt super record and neither one of them had issues with the ring rubbing from flex (though one bike did have front derailleur issues). It does feel a bit softer if you push on it between two spider arms with your fingers, but that really shouldn't come into play on the road. Generally a flexing like that will lead more to shift problems than rubbing problems. Typically what I've found when a ring rubs under load is either the frame is deflecting (which we assume is not the case since it didn't happen with your old crank) or the front derailleur is just slightly off from where it needs to be. Perhaps playing with the front derailleur will make the difference for you.

I've actually been pretty surprised by the cranks, but from the opposite point of view as you. I am traditionally a Shimano person who didn't expect much from these, especially given what appears to be a lack of significant ramping, but so far am quite impressed with them.