Campagnolo Chain Security Device (Chain Catcher) FD-SR203

I bought my used De Rosa Merak in 2023. The dealer that I bought it from, bike-room.com, did a great job of refurbishing and setting up everything. Some of the Campagnolo Super Record EPS components were brand new. On my first ride, after attaching the integrated bar/stem (Vision Metron 5D), and installing the wheels/tires (Fulcrum Airbeat 400, Vittoria Rubino Pro 700×28, the bike shifted and braked pretty much perfectly.

Campagnolo Chain Security Device, (Chain Catcher) - FD-SR203
Campagnolo Chain Security Device, (Chain Catcher) – FD-SR203

Now, I’ve ridden it about 4,800 miles. The only parts that I’ve replaced are a couple of sets of brake pads (Campagnolo DB-310) and the brake rotors (Campagnolo DB-160C3).

The only other problem was the Ergo Power rear disc brake lever was leaking brake fluid through the banjo fitting for the hose that goes from the lever to the caliper. Instead of looking for the Campagnolo hose brake screw that comes with two new o-rings ( Campagnolo EC-EK107), I measured them then bought a lifetime supply from McMaster-Carr. (9262K259 Oil-Resistant Buna-N O-Ring, 1.2 mm Wide, 6 mm ID, Packs of 50)

After a couple of thousand miles on the Campagnolo Super Record EPS front derailleur, I started dropping the chain, both when shifting to the inner chain ring and up to the outer chain ring. Campagnolo has great documentation – Diagnostics and troubleshooting electronic groupsets EPS – Internal Power Unit V2 / V3 / V4 (pdf)- for adjusting the zero setting and adjusting the riding settings of the derailleurs.

Basically, pressing the mode button for six seconds should give a solid purple light on the interface. After that, pressing once on the up or down shift levers on the left hand control will move the front derailleur 0.1 mm in either direction, respectively. I was able to prevent the front derailleur from over shifting onto the big chain ring, but I was still dropping the chain on the inner chain ring.

Campagnolo Chain Security Device (FD-SR203) on Campagnolo Super Record EPS front deraileur

When I searched for a Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12 speed chain catcher, the first hit was for the K-Edge Pro Road Braze-on Chain Catcher. The compatibility specs say, “Not compatible with Campy EPS.”

Campagnolo calls their chain catcher, Chain Security Device (FD-SR203). Unfortunately, Campagnolo doesn’t make it anymore. I could take that to mean maybe you should just adjust your derailleurs correctly and you wouldn’t need a Chain Security Device. But I found it available at Total Cycling, in the UK. I ordered it and it was delivered to me in California in about a week.

Campagnolo Front Derailleur Alignment Tool
Campagnolo Front Derailleur Alignment Tool

Campagnolo has a technical manual (pdf) that includes instructions for mounting the Chain Security Device (if you understand the use of square nuts to fasten the front derailleur, let me know in the comments). I usually use the right tools in order to make things right but instead of buying the Campagnolo Front Derailleur Alignment Tool UT-FD120, I eyeballed it and it’s working perfectly. No more dropped chains.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak
2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak; Photography by bike-room.com

I’ve only been riding two bikes since the early 1980’s. For the past 10 years, I’ve been riding an Eddy Merckx restomod. Before that, I had been riding a De Rosa Professional that I built up in the 1984. I decided to finally buy a modern bike.

I wanted a carbon frame De Rosa. I had been looking at the Merak but I thought it was wack to pay $17,800 from a De Rosa North America dealer. When I looked at Cicli Corsa, the Italian online bike shop, their price for a De Rosa Merak Super Record EPS bike was close to $9600 LESS than buying it from a US dealer. But it would take 75 days to build and ship.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak, ex Jesús Herrada López
Photography by bike-room.com

I found that Bike Room (which I highly recommend), another Italian online bike shop, had started offering De Rosa Merak Team Cofidis bikes from the 2022 season. I bought the size 54 bike that was used by Team Cofidis rider Jesús Herrada López, who won Stage 7 of the 2022 Vuelta a España (on what was now MY bike, maybe!). I received my new bike seven days after I ordered it.

The used bike was in great condition and came with Campagnolo 12 speed Super Record EPS v4 components, Fulcrum Airbeat 400 wheels, 700×28 Vittoria Rubino Pro tubeless ready tires, Vision Metron 5D integrated bars and a Selle Italia Novus Evo Pro Team saddle.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak chainstay, ex Jesús Herrada López
Photography by bike-room.com

Jesús Herrada and I are about the same height, 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) but I’ve got him by about 21.3 kg (47 lbs) and 38 years. I had to make a few changes to the bike to accommodate my 71 year old, 93.75 kg body to ride a bike built for a 32 year old world class cyclist competing on the UCI WorldTour. I’m old and I’m pushing a lot of weight up hills.

For the drivetrain changes, I installed Campagnolo Super Record 50/34 chainrings (from 53/39) and a Campagnolo Chorus 12 speed 11-34 cassette (from a Record 11-29 cassette).

Also because of my weight, I installed a 160 mm (from 140 mm) Campagnolo 03 rotor for the rear disc.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak, ex Jesús Herrada López
Photography by bike-room.com

The Vision Metron 5D integrated bars are 130×420 mm, appropriate for a World Tour racing bike and for a then 32 year old world class cyclist. It is a slight stretch for me to reach the bars. Remarkably my back has also not yet complained about the drop. A more suitable reach for me might be the 100×420 mm bars. But with Metron 5D bars running $650 and having to replumb the brakes and wiring going through the bars and stem, changing them has held me back.

The bike feels amazingly light compared to my 40 year old steel bikes. And on 7% and steeper hills, it climbs like the so called dream. If only it had a better engine.

Fix for a Slipping Carbon Seatpost

My De Rosa Merak has a carbon fiber seat post secured by a wedge type clamp. When I first started riding it (I bought the bike used), the seatpost kept slipping. I completely cleaned the seat post and the seat tube and used Finish Line Fiber Grip Carbon Fiber Bicycle Assembly Gel (affiliate link). The seat post still slipped when I torqued the bolt to the max 6 N⋅m.

I don’t know if I imagined seeing it done before but I thought that a piece of sandpaper glued to the back of the seatpost might help.

I completely cleaned the back of the seat post and using wood glue, I glued a piece of 120 grit sandpaper about 2.5″ long and 3/4″ wide to the back of the seat post. I aligned the top edge of the sandpaper just below the top tube, where the clamp applies pressure. The seat post hasn’t slipped again; maybe it works as a shim and it definitely adds more friction.

Campagnolo Super Record Headset

Campagnolo Super Record Headset
Campagnolo Super Record Headset

I removed the Campagnolo Super Record Headset from my blue De Rosa, in anticipation of getting the frame resprayed and installing the 2012 Campagnolo Chorus groupset that was on my Eddy Merckx, which I had replaced with a 2015 Campagnolo Chorus groupset. I may have changed the bearings a couple of times since it was installed in the early 1980’s.

Then I started thinking I should come into the 21st century and get a modern bike. After all, it’s been 20 years since the first Tour de France victory on a carbon bike, when Lance won in 1999 on a carbon fiber Trek 5500.

Sorting through all the choices is overwhelming and I start to think that I’d be really be happy with a titanium De Rosa Solo, but maybe not $7500 (for the frameset) happy.

Worn Chain

worn chain
worn chain

Old SRAM PC-870 chain (top); new SRAM PC-870 chain (bottom).

The chain on my De Rosa started skipping on the lower gears on the Campagnolo 8 speed cassette. Unfortunately, by the time the chain was skipping, the lower cogs on the cassette were worn out.

Measuring from the center of one rivet to the rivet 23 away on a new chain is 12 inches (~30.48 cm). My chain was over 1/4 inch longer. Park Tool recommends replacing the chain when it is 1/16 inch too long.

Replacing the 8 speed cassette is a problem because of the dearth of parts, considering I need a ≥28 tooth lowest cog. I’ve found Miche 13-28 Campagnolo compatible cassettes on eBay in the UK and Italy, but then I start to wonder whether I should keep trying to support shifting components that were last produced in 1997.

I’ve also found on Branford Bike that a Campagnolo 9 speed hub could be used by dropping one sprocket and using a Wheels Manufacturing 8 speed spacer kit, but that spacer kit is also no longer available.