Hey all,
I know aboout campy - about $500-600+. The Deda’s are $600. The Miche are $700! Ritchey’s seem to be octalink only. Carbonlord’s about $320 (quite the deal for carbon it seems…).
Any reasonably priced compacts out there for a square taper (ergomo) bottom bracket?
Dave
Stronglight. $116.00
http://www.xxcycle.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?SCREEN=detail&REF=2835
nashbar has one.
ran into the same problem with no solution… I have looked hard. It comes down to the campy or deda
there is now a centuar level carbon compact crank and IF you COULD find it on ebay, it would run about 350
You can also make your own 50/38 by replacing the chain rings. That is the combo I’m using on one of my bikes and its great if 38 is low enough for you. I think the best solution is a set of FSA Gossamer Mega EXO compacts. You chuck the old BB and install the new one which is just a copy of the new Shimano stuff. $179 at Excel sports and absolutly the best value I have seen. Great big bearings, light weight, and I cannot detect any flex at all. Make sure you order the new BB tool (you did not think the old one would work did you?). I put them on a Felt B2 that I built up as a training bike and the bike is every bit the equal to my more expensive Cervelo. The crank arms are aluminum but I see no difference at all between them and the carbon ones (which I tried and sold) except the price. I believe in function over form.
The reason I was trying for a square taper is because they actually spin. The external bearings, ISIS, and even octalink are crap when compared to the zen-ness of a campy BB. I splurged and got the record compact with the front deraileur to match. 
Good move and one you won’t regret.
Hello, About a billion old mtn bike cranks will work…
I have used both Campy and Shimano and FSA. In over 10000 miles on 2 different Ultegra BB I have never had a failure. I have over 1000 on new Mega EXO system with no trouble. I also never had any problems with the Campy BB on my wifes Colnago except that it creaks a little. If you just need it to say Record on the side than why participate in this post. If you believe that a Campy BB is all that will spin think again. Just look at the technology. Why would you use a little internally mounted bearing requiring a much narrower axle when you can use an externally mounted sealed bearing that has over 4 times the contact area for the bearings( C=PIE X R squared). The axle is huge compared to the older stlye BB’s, both Campy and Shimano. I like the Campy stuff too but time marches on.
smtyrrell wisely notes: " About a billion old mtn bike cranks will work… "
indeed. how funny is the ultra-hip “compact crank” phenomenon when ten zillion 110 BCD cranks - many of them sweet light cold forgings unsurpassed today - graced nearly every mtn bike made in the nineties, and a goodly number of touring bikes from the japanese bike boom before that?
find an old stumpjumper, take off the crank - grind off the granny ring bosses if you must - and presto. likely gonna be free, if you ask nice.
shoot, look around a little and you probably find one in purple anodized, blue powdercoat, etc. start a new hot triathlon trend !!! colors !!!
or spend whatever they are getting for those oh-so-cutting-edge “compacts”. have i mentioned that is funny?
TTN this fine (old 110 mm bolt pattern MTB cranks) only if you are riding 170 or 175. 172.5 are actually quite difficult to find.
Dev
previous to my new purchase, I was riding a Race Face north shore (a DH crank) with 38/48 rings. Q factor got to be too much for my knees. I would suspect most others would be the same.
I HAVE A COOL SOLUTION!!
Get a White Industries splined chainring (but still square taper) single-speed crank. Someone ( Iforget who) makes a spline to 74mm BCD adapter. Then just throw on whatever rings you want. That paired with a Phil Wood BB would be delicious.
I can’t find any 110mm compact square taper cranks on nashbar. there is a 104mm triple.
if you’re looking to get a compact crank to fit on an Ergomo, then there’s a problem. presumable Ergomo’s spindle is compatible with the 102mm ISO taper BBs that Record and Chorus cranks use. you’re therefore stuck with Record or Chorus. I believe the Stronglights take 110mm JIS spindles, like the 8s Shimano cranks.
oddly enough, Powercranks seem to be designed for JIS spindles, not ISO. Frank, care to confirm/deny? presumably the 102mm Campy spindle would have given them clearance issues.
As already mentioned, Stronglight makes a very decent low priced square taper compact crank and BB. They are slightly heavier than Dura-Ace but lighter than Ultegra, at least the 9 sp versions. The BB’s are a high quality. I’ve had mine for two years with no problems or complaints.
http://www.xxcycle.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?SCREEN=detail&REF=2835
C-guy, how’s the flu going?
Been over a week now and I’m still bagged. Will give my GP a call on Monday if I’m not any better although probably not much can be done except to tough it out for a little longer. Missed a du last weekend and a sprint tri this weekend. This really sucks. Haven’t been able to do any exercise for about ten days. Great way to start the season.
oops.sorry about the nashbar thing. I use a 48x38 130mm . The price was right,like very cheep. I still use those stinking tufo tires to. I just am old and slow and now the mind is going to. Life is still great and so is the weather.
Have a great weekend all Dirt