[pulser955]

I'm getting ready to order a Pro-lite frame for my commuter bike. I was going to put campy on it. But the new 105 has me interested. I hated the old Shimano leavers. But now that they are smaller and the cables run like Campy I'm thinking about giving it a try.

 

[PlatyPius]

Campy.

Cuz even if it's new, it's still Shimano...

 

[cs1]

Ribble has Centaur groupsets on sale for under $700. It's a way better group than 105 their prices were so low they're sold out. Probikekit still has some in stock http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=L0150

 

[tidi]

however,

correct me if i'm wrong but the centaur shifting is just far too light. i found that out with the 07 centaur shifters, shifting down gears on the rear was a guessing game if i wasn't really concentrating on it. wanting to shift 1 gear but so many times went 2. i got rid of them and replaced with 10 speed record. much better shifting as i knew when shifting occered due to the more positive click in gear.

 

[PlatyPius]

correct me if i'm wrong but the centaur shifting is just far too light. i found that out with the 07 centaur shifters, shifting down gears on the rear was a guessing game if i wasn't really concentrating on it. wanting to shift 1 gear but so many times went 2. i got rid of them and replaced with 10 speed record. much better shifting as i knew when shifting occered due to the more positive click in gear.

2007 Centaur had "Escape", which sucked. Horribly.

 

[jpdigital]

My personal experience...

I just bought a complete Bianchi Infinito w/ full Ultegra 6700. I thought about running it for a few weeks on the bike before swapping it out for the [mostly] Centaur stuff I already had on another bike.

I rode the bike up and down the block a few times (maybe a total of 1/2 mile) before I had enough and pretty much immediatly put the Campy on.

I have nothing against Shimano, IMO there's some things about the new stuff that really is nice, and I've actually had chances to ride the 6700 stuff on "proper" rides previously. But at the end of the day the Campy stuff just has a special character to it. Maybe if I didn't already have Campy I'd like Shimano a lot more; hard to explain, but Campy is one of those things where "once you get it, you 'get it.'"

The Shimano stuff worked fine, but there was just that something special missing. Best way I can describe the new Shimano stuff (Ultegra and by extension 105) is that it's like having Campag Centaur without its soul. (Again, just the way I feel)


(p.s. my Centuar stuff consists of pre-07 carbon crank & skeleton brakes, w/ Centaur UltraShift levers in alloy; RD is Athena, FD is Veloce; and yes, the Escape Mechanism stuff did suck.)

 

[C-40]

info...

The 2007 model shifters are nothing like the new ones. The 2009 model 10 speed shifters with the new ultrashift mechanism had very light clicks from the right finger lever only. That was changed in late 2009 to match the more distinct clicks of the 11 speed shifters.

The right finger lever lever clicks are still lighter than pre-2009 Record/Chorus (or other nonescape shifters), but they are plenty distinct to avoid accidental over shifting.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

If you don't like the "In the air" shifter cables of Shimano, go with Campy or SRAM, but try before you buy. Group remorse lasts a long, long, time.

 

[pulser955]

I will have to check out some of the local shops and see if they have any thing I can try out. My good bike is all Campy. It's like 5 year old record. I do like the way it shifts. And I like how positive it is when you do shift.

 

[cmdrpiffle]

Campy.

Cuz even if it's new, it's still Shimano...

This ! :thumbsup:

 

[Kram]

Sram.

 

[Salsa_Lover]

I just bought a complete Bianchi Infinito w/ full Ultegra 6700. I thought about running it for a few weeks on the bike before swapping it out for the [mostly] Centaur stuff I already had on another bike.

I rode the bike up and down the block a few times (maybe a total of 1/2 mile) before I had enough and pretty much immediatly put the Campy on.

I have nothing against Shimano, IMO there's some things about the new stuff that really is nice, and I've actually had chances to ride the 6700 stuff on "proper" rides previously. But at the end of the day the Campy stuff just has a special character to it. Maybe if I didn't already have Campy I'd like Shimano a lot more; hard to explain, but Campy is one of those things where "once you get it, you 'get it.'"

The Shimano stuff worked fine, but there was just that something special missing. Best way I can describe the new Shimano stuff (Ultegra and by extension 105) is that it's like having Campag Centaur without its soul. (Again, just the way I feel)

(p.s. my Centuar stuff consists of pre-07 carbon crank & skeleton brakes, w/ Centaur UltraShift levers in alloy; RD is Athena, FD is Veloce; and yes, the Escape Mechanism stuff did suck.)

It's on your head. you just convinced yourself that Campy has "something special", but at the end, they are just that.... mechanical components. ( in the same way I convinced myself that Bianchi has something the others don't have BTW )

All high end groups are good. all low end groups are... well, low end.

I've been in Shimano since forever, Dura Ace works flawlesly, looks good and is way cheaper than Record.

I did tried Campy Chorus and Record...., nothing to write home about.... and BTW it has a "Sora" style shifter

 

[pulser955]

Sram.

No way I tried it when it first came out. I just can't get use to it. If all my bikes has sram or i had just one then I could probably get use to it.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

If you already have Campy, you'd be better off to have a 2nd bike also with Campy, so that you can swap wheels.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

If you already have Campy, you'd be better off to have a 2nd bike also with Campy, so that you can swap wheels.

Oops, saw your post below. Since your other bike is 10 speed, you might consider getting 10 speed on the new one instead of 11 speed, so that you can swap wheels.

 

[cs1]

I did tried Campy Chorus and Record...., nothing to write home about

Providing you can write

... and BTW it has a "Sora" style shifter

You mean Shimano has Campy style shifters.

 

[pulser955]

Oops, saw your post below. Since your other bike is 10 speed, you might consider getting 10 speed on the new one instead of 11 speed, so that you can swap wheels.

Well I have kind of a plan I was going to get 11sp for my Ridley. Then take the 10sp parts on that for the Raleigh team frame I need to send out to get fixed. So I can go Campy or Shimano for the Pro-lite I'm ordering. It would be nice to use the ultegra open pro wheels I have had sitting around for years off an old bike.

 

[DaveG]

don't succumb to the dark side

I'm getting ready to order a Pro-lite frame for my commuter bike. I was going to put campy on it. But the new 105 has me interested. I hated the old Shimano leavers. But now that they are smaller and the cables run like Campy I'm thinking about giving it a try.

If you don't go Campy at least go SRAM. You can at least live with yourself that way

 

[DrSmile]

I use old 07 Centaur shifters on my travel bike, new 09 Centaur shifters on my Ti bike, and "old" 08 Record shifters on my "plastic" bike. They all shift the rear just perfectly, so imho all this maligning of Escape is overblown. In fact I like tapping the lever full force 3 times and knowing that it will shift EXACTLY 3 gears. I will say that the front trim is much better with the new levers though, but I prefer the feel and ergonomics of the old shifters by quite a bit. I find the new shifters too Shimano-like and bulky.Having said that once you go Campy you won't go back, so be ready to spend a fortune!

 

[Mr. Versatile]

I rode nothing, and I mean nothing, but Campy from 1963 until 2008. I now have one bike that's all Dura Ace, and another that's all Shimano 105. My suggestion...get the Campy.