Compact from Shimano. Looks like a regular Ultegra crank. So did they come out with this too late? This was on the Cyclingnews website today
Shimano FC-R700 compact crank
In one of the quietest product introductions ever, Shimano slipped a compact crank into its line-up of road components for 2006. Dubbed the FC-R700 it’s not part of any specific component group, though Shimano says it’s the same quality as its Ultegra parts.
Like almost ever other compact crank out there the FC-R700 uses 110m pitch circle diameter chainrings, a size that was extremely common in touring and mountain bikes back in the 80s and 90s, and was resurrected when the first compact cranks started appearing a few years ago. (In fact you could say it never really went away; a couple of manufacturers, including Ritchey, have used 110mm pitch for their road cranks for years.)
Shimano claims that the FC-R700 differs from other compact cranks in that the chainring teeth and pick-up gates are designed so that it will work well with a standard Shimano road bike front derailleur. Other makers of compact cranks are introducing compact-specific front derailleurs.
Our 175mm samples weigh 885g including the Shimano 105-level SM-FC5600 bottom bracket bearings.
MSRP: Not yet finalisedbut likely to be US$250 - US$275
not “late” but they did take their jolly time. Supposedly works with a normal front derailleur right? That is pretty cool. I’d get one if I had some $$$ lying around.
All of my FSA compact cranks work fine with my 105 and Ultegra front derailleurs. I do not buy that argument at all. It did take a bit of adjusting but not anymore than it took when I built up the bikes with Shimano cranks in the first place.
As for the comment about a dead line on Compact. I do not think that since they waited so long to get in on this that they will sell as many as say FSA does. When I think of Compact I think of FSA not Shimano.
Talking with the shimano guys at interbike, they were pushing the fact that these new shimano cranks have the ramps and pins similar to the company’s normal cranks, and that these are patented and are not licensed out to other companies, meaning that only the shimano product can shift as smoothly. Also said they worked a very long time to make sure it was only dropping chains at the same rate as the other ‘standard’ shimano cranks. I haven’t tried the compact, so I don’t know how they work, but my Dura Ace shifting is certainly top-notch.
