The sexiest component introduction of 2007 was also the component that impressed us most with its performance: The Campagnolo Ultra Torque crankset/bottom bracket system. It offers lightness, stiffness, and beauty unlike any other external bearing crankset on the market. It's as close as we've ever seen to the perfect drivetrain component, and we'd be tempted to go ahead and call it perfect if it'd only come equipped with ceramic bearings. Sure, Campy's stock stainless steel bearings are nice. But upgrading from stainless to ceramic is the best way to reduce mechanical resistance in your Record-equipped bike. The roundness and hardness of ceramic bearings allow them to spin with freedom unheard of in stainless. This reduction in mechanical drag provides you with extra speed for a given wattage. It's not a gimmick: Once you've upgraded your bike to ProTour standards of lightness and aerodynamics, reducing mechanical drag is the final frontier of component upgrades.

Competitive Cyclist now offers the service of retrofitting your existing Campagnolo Ultra Torque crankset to ceramic bearings. Our ceramic bearings are Grade 5 -- the highest quality ceramic bearings available in the marketplace. An added benefit is that both sides of our bearings have seals. The stock Campy bearings are sealed on only one side (most likely to reduce drag). The added seal to these bearings gives them added longevity. You can rest assured that by upgrading to the performance benefits of ceramics, you aren't giving up on component durability.

Our goal is to make the logistics of upgrading your crankset to ceramic bearings as quick and simple as possible for you. In order to initiate the process, please proceed by adding a retrofit to your cart here. At the end of the purchase process, you will be given an order number. With this order number in hand, please ship your crankset to:

Competitive Cyclist
Attn: Service Dept.
Order # XXXXX
2222 Cantrell Road
Little Rock, AR 72202

If you need a refresher on the (surprisingly easy) procedure for removing your crankset, you can click here to see the Campy instructional manual for Ultra Torque cranksets. Please note that this upgrade is good for Record, Chorus, and Centaur crankset, and that it doesn't matter whether it's a 53/39 or a 50/34 chainring combo. Also, there is NO need to remove or to send us your bottom bracket cups. The Ultra Torque crankset/bottom bracket system is unique in one important respect: Unlike Shimano or FSA, the Ultra Torque BB bearings aren't housed in the BB cups themselves. Rather, since each crankarm has a BB spindle molded into it, the bearings are pressed on at the spindle/arm interface. This is why we need both crankarms, but not the cups. We have custom-fabricated tools to remove the stock bearings and press on the new set.

We will perform the upgrade and ship your crankset back to you via UPS Ground within 2 business days of receiving it. For an appropriately increased shipping cost, we can accommodate requests for expedited shipping (i.e. UPS Next Day Air or 2nd Day Air). Please include such requests in writing when you ship your lever to us. You will receive an automated email from us with your UPS tracking # on the evening we ship your crankset back to you. Please ship your crankset to us using a trackable method (UPS, FedEx, DHL, or USPS Certified Mail). Also, include your full contact information, your order number, and any special instructions or requests in this shipment.