Which Groupset?

Best group set for western european touring? Was going to go 105 triple? Anyone got any experience of the avaliability of campag replacement parts on the continent (france, switzerland/northern italy, southern france) vs shimano? (Not going to use SRAM)

105 with Tiagra components.

If reliability + price, Claris or Sora.

I can get a fairly good deal on a complete 105 triple group set, but I was wondering on that vs a lower end campag group set with a triple setup: how easy is it get hold of campag chains, cassettes/rear mechs etc in europe vs shimano

I've pretty much discounted shimano 11 speed because no one will have parts in stock yet..

To be honest, I don't think you need to worry about it, a lots of bicycle shop I went through in France have the necessary Shimano (and sometime Campag) equipment in stock for the MAMIL.

Sweet, triple 105 group set it is. I'll have a project thread coming up soon...touring build time..

Best group set for western european touring? Was going to go 105 triple? Anyone got any experience of the avaliability of campag replacement parts on the continent (france, switzerland/northern italy, southern france) vs shimano? (Not going to use SRAM)

Serious question, how many components do you expect to fail touring on a new groupset? I tend to 'tour' for a week or so most summers and and am yet to have any serious mechanicals. A good service beforehand and some lube en route has done me fine.
(I know, touring thread >>> etc.)

Joe's right, even a carbon high end bike will be fine.

Hope Pro 3 can be run with Campagnolo: 9-/10-/11-speed?

http://www.justridingalong.com/freehub-body-for-pro-ii-evo.html

http://www.bike-components.de/products/info/p30792_Freilaufkoerper-Aluminium-fuer-Pro-3---Pro-2-Evo-.html

This is not true, right?

The splines for 9, 10 and 11 speed are the same on the free hub body and the overall cassette width is the same so it should be true. However, some hubs don't quite work. I had a Tune rear that was fine with 10 speed but couldn't take the 11 speed cassette.

The Tune freehubs are strange though. Not sure if the splines are too generous. I spent an evening, a few weeks back, 'modifying' a Ti cassette with a dremel. Sprocket by sprocket.

Thinking of getting a 53/38 chainring set. Means investing in a 12-29 climbing cassette. But I want a more usable little ring. Will swapping from a daily driver 11-25 to a mountain use 12-29 require a longer chain? Pretty sure Campagnolo say 3 teeth difference is fine. But I tend to work out optimum chain length (ie one that allow bing ring - big sprocket) and substract a link. For better shifting. If I do this with the 12-29 set-up, I'm only 3 teeth away from a standard chainlength for the 11-25 set-up.

I ask the most exciting questions.

[/forumbore]

And answer them yourself. ^ Thanks Andy.

I was just thinking it terms of serious disaster (aka hanger and R mech get mashed in an accident) and how easy it would be to get parts. I'm not (hopefully) expecting to need to replace anything mid tour and just occasionally lube and degrease the chain.

The 11 speed Shimano stuff is available from all the big euro online stores, it tends to hit there before it gets here, and I just ordered an 11 speed Ultegra block+chain from Wiggle, arrived next day.

^^ won't most rear mechs work with most shifters more or less?

You can always just bodge 'em to singlespeed and carry on to a bigger city.

It's not like you'll just melt away to a puddle if you make the wrong choice.

Had a hissy fit with my SR 11-speed, in the Norwegian mountains. Ruined the inner gubbins (proper technical name) in my right shifter. Clamped the rear mech on suitable looking sprocket, and gained 3rd place on a 25km strava segment on the route back to the car.

/CSB

If, as I deeply wanted to, I'd thrown the bike in the lake I was overlooking. I would have been proper fucked though.

I cracked a wheel while touring - oh noes! Left it at a bike shop and stayed an extra day while it was fixed. It's not like western Europe is Siberia/outback Australia/etc.

You can even get good deals on a new bike in Briancon if your chainstay breaks.

Er...
Snapped a frame touring in France on a Bank holiday (they have lots!)
Three phone calls and a cab ride later, nice LBS man was helping me me swap all my gear onto another frame. Lost half a day, got a nice room instead of a tent, carried on regardless:-)
France is not Siberia, Ulan Bator, etc...

I think we now all have to go touring in Siberia on 11-speed erectronic just to prove a point as well.. :)

This year I've done a lot of riding in Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa on a Carbon BMC with Record 11 speed, Kyserium SL's and veloflex record tyres. Was literally 100's of km's from the nearest bike shop at times, and none of them would have stocked anything suitable anyways. Never had any problems. Didnt even get any punctures in two months!

Did run out of water once though, which sucked.

When you buy a bike/frame, get a couple of spare hangers if they are removable.

I even keep one in my saddlebag on my commuter.

you're so rock n roll Steve :)

^Here you go young man, I'm off to tape some spare spokes to my chainstays

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111030616336