I've been looking at compact cranksets for my Campy equipped bike. Online retailers indicate that a compact specific front derailleur should be used with the Campy compact cranksets.

I know of people who use Centaur/Chorus with aftermarket Compact cranks but without the compact front derailleur. Shimano-as far as I know--doesn't offer a Compact specific front derailleur. Is the shorter radius of the FD cage offer improved performance with the smaller chainrings?

Is the Campy front derailleur necessary?

Pros & Cons?

so not necessarry but helpful

I think that having a clamp-on front derailleur helps when using a standard FD. My Fina has a clamp on with an FSA 36/50 compact and 10 speed record with the regular FD. When I switched to compact, I lowered my clamp almost a quarter of an inch. The first ride involved stopping a few times and making adjustments, but I haven't messed with it again for over 2000 miles. Kind of hard to set up in a workstand, IME it takes a little quality time with an allen key.

You will be way happier with your shifting if you use a compact derailleur. And I mean WAY!!!

Standard Chrorus shifted fine for me, but it looked like hell - chain flying all over the place. To me, things that look wrong are probably going to work wrong at exactly the wrong moment (like climbing some stinking hill.)

So I installed the Campy compact FD and when it's shifting, it looks good and shifts good.

Standard Chrorus shifted fine for me, but it looked like hell - chain flying all over the place. To me, things that look wrong are probably going to work wrong at exactly the wrong moment (like climbing some stinking hill.)

So I installed the Campy compact FD and when it's shifting, it looks good and shifts good.

It's just like Fernando said, "It eez better to look good than to feel good." And I said to Fernando, "You look maaaavelous."

I've been looking at compact cranksets for my Campy equipped bike. Online retailers indicate that a compact specific front derailleur should be used with the Campy compact cranksets.

I know of people who use Centaur/Chorus with aftermarket Compact cranks but without the compact front derailleur. Shimano-as far as I know--doesn't offer a Compact specific front derailleur. Is the shorter radius of the FD cage offer improved performance with the smaller chainrings?

Is the Campy front derailleur necessary?

Pros & Cons?
While shifting is generally adequate if you use a standard FD, I would definitely recommend getting a compact FD. Of the different combinations I've used with my compact cranks-Ultegra & Dura-Ace FD, Campy Record and finally Record CT, the best shifting performance I've gotten has been the Campy Record CT. "Best" meaning I've never dropped the chain and shifting is quick and precise-as it should be.

You WILL need to tweak it to get it to work perfectly. I've noticed slightly different performance between different chain, chainring combos. My best shifting set up is Campy Record Ct FD, Record RD and Ergo levers, Mavic 10 spd chain and FSA SL-K Compact 50/34 with the 10spd specific rings.

Frank@2wheelsport

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

I've decided based on everyone's advice to purchase the Compact Crankset along with the Campagnolo Compact Front Derailleur.