[Guest]

I'll turn 50 this year. Ride at least 3,500 miles annually since my early 20's. Have been a Shimano guy since forever. Have never owned Campagnolo, only ridden it once, years ago, when indexed downtube shifters were "it".

Two current bikes are both 9 speed Dura-Ace. Have no need or really, any interest in upgrading to 10 speed. I really like Dura-Ace. It's comfortable. Don't have to think about triimming the FD after changing chainrings, it just happens, a hardwired response comparable to breathing, blinking, etc.

So, back on topic. 50 this year. Waist deep in my midlife confrontation (less dramatic than a crisis), Colnago frame is on it's way to my front door via my friendly brown clad UPS driver. AND all of a sudden I have this completely impractical thought to make the switch to Campagnolo components for this build. It's pure emotion, it has to be. Did I mention I really like Dura-Ace. Hell, maybe I really am closer to a crisis than a confrontation. When I explained to my lovely wife of nearly 30 years of my unexpected yearning to try a new, sexy, dark, Italian "gruppo" after all these years, her simple retort was something to the effect of "this better not be something in that "Podium" section or you will rue the day". Uhhh.......yeah.

I've ridden Pino's for more than a decade, so hurtling the "purest" idea that an Italian heritage bike (notice I didn't write "built") must have Campagnolo components will result in a big, fat...........nothing from me.

So what's the problem? Did you catch the part where I'm old. The part where I don't have to "think" riding Dura-Ace, everything falls into place, shifting just happens without a thought, chain rub on the FD is trimmed with no memory of such an event. The idea of that little lever on the side of the shifter to downshift. It's intimidating. I'll have to "think". I'm old, I don't like to be embarassed riding with friends. I certainy don't want a Schleck event - the horror.

So you older guys who have taken the plunge and sipped from the Campy waters after years of Shimano...........I'd like to read your experience. If you can use the 16 font option in your reply, it will help me as much as your response itself.

Also, if anyone can get my DVD player clock to quit binking "12:00", PM me.

 

[STARNUT]

I'll give you a good reason..... Because the euro is tanking Super Record is now cheaper at w/s prices than 7900.

Starnut

 

[Guest]

I'll give you a good reason..... Because the euro is tanking Super Record is now cheaper at w/s prices than 7900.

Starnut

The current pricing is part of the appeal, although I'm looking at Chorus, as Super Record would be full out crisis mode and require I get a weave on my chest hair as well as wear skimpy little italian designer underwear and drink prosecco for breakfast.

And pricing won't cover my faux paux of not being able to downshift that little switch while in the drops or constant chain rub because I can't dial in the FD.

 

[ericjacobsen3]

I am not a recent convert to Campy but I have had plenty of 2nd bikes w/ mid range Shimano. I test rode 7900 levers have some sharp edges on the back of the hoods that hurt my (apparently) soft doughy office hands (from a quick test ride). For this reason the current Campy I would say is better ergo than 7900. Shimano braking is supposedly a bit better but Campy is pretty good, especially with the latest levers.

If you set up clicks for no big ring trim, 11-speed Campy does not rub, not from the smallest to second largest cog (when in the big ring). This assumes you have a stiff frame -I have a Madone. A noodly steel frame might rub without trimming. Small ring you need to trim.

The Campy shifting probably has a bit smaller rideable range of adjustment than DA (though I guess DA slipped sum now that the housing is hidden). Still, after settling in 11 speed works well, provided you do not have internal cables that on some bikes makes extra friction.

I recommend getting Chorus. I did but upgraded the brakes to Record. Ribble has Chorus for about $1060 now after the 10% discount code running for Campy. They probably would allow and upgrade but separate piece parts are not much more than the group, so you could pick and chose between groups.

So far the Chorus durability has been excellent, almost getting smoother with time shifting wise3. I have about 3000 miles on my chain and it is not close to showing any wear on the strictest measure of the Park chain length tool.

Finally, I suggest only getting Campy if you work on your bike yourself, as the prices from a shop are almost double of Ribble in England, and Campy is a bit less of a set it and forget it parts group. Finally there are not all that many shops who know Campy anyway. If you do install yourself, get the $40 Park 11-speed chain tool and not the $200 campy tool.

Good luck with your plans. Of course there really is nutin' all that wrong with Dura Ace but a Campy equipped bike does break the Shimano and now SRAM monotony in the bike population.

 

[SwiftSolo]

I'll turn 50 this year. Ride at least 3,500 miles annually since my early 20's. Have been a Shimano guy since forever. Have never owned Campagnolo, only ridden it once, years ago, when indexed downtube shifters were "it".

Two current bikes are both 9 speed Dura-Ace. Have no need or really, any interest in upgrading to 10 speed. I really like Dura-Ace. It's comfortable. Don't have to think about triimming the FD after changing chainrings, it just happens, a hardwired response comparable to breathing, blinking, etc.

So, back on topic. 50 this year. Waist deep in my midlife confrontation (less dramatic than a crisis), Colnago frame is on it's way to my front door via my friendly brown clad UPS driver. AND all of a sudden I have this completely impractical thought to make the switch to Campagnolo components for this build. It's pure emotion, it has to be. Did I mention I really like Dura-Ace. Hell, maybe I really am closer to a crisis than a confrontation. When I explained to my lovely wife of nearly 30 years of my unexpected yearning to try a new, sexy, dark, Italian "gruppo" after all these years, her simple retort was something to the effect of "this better not be something in that "Podium" section or you will rue the day". Uhhh.......yeah.

I've ridden Pino's for more than a decade, so hurtling the "purest" idea that an Italian heritage bike (notice I didn't write "built") must have Campagnolo components will result in a big, fat...........nothing from me.

So what's the problem? Did you catch the part where I'm old. The part where I don't have to "think" riding Dura-Ace, everything falls into place, shifting just happens without a thought, chain rub on the FD is trimmed with no memory of such an event. The idea of that little lever on the side of the shifter to downshift. It's intimidating. I'll have to "think". I'm old, I don't like to be embarassed riding with friends. I certainy don't want a Schleck event - the horror.

So you older guys who have taken the plunge and sipped from the Campy waters after years of Shimano...........I'd like to read your experience. If you can use the 16 font option in your reply, it will help me as much as your response itself.

Also, if anyone can get my DVD player clock to quit binking "12:00", PM me.

I'm 66 and been riding Shimano XT & XTR, dura ace from 86 until last year. I love Shimano.

Shifted to Record last year. Mainly because I do some really steep crooked descents and have never liked the low brake pivots on shimano hoods (I ride from the hoods when it gets really steep and crooked). Along with long descents come long climbs where the 21-24-27 jumps are a bit annoying because the spacing is a bit big from 21-24.

Campy 11 solved those issues with a high and powerful pivot on their hoods and their 11 speed cuts both of those jumps by 33%. Please note that their calipers are $hit (the only flaw in the groupo) compared dura ace or especially some of the aftermaket calipers like eebrake.

The bonus I never really expected was the comfort of their hoods and the seamless shifting chainrings in either direction. With practice, you will quickly learn to simultaneously drop or gain the right number of cogs simultaneous with changing chainrings (you can drop as many as 4 at a time).

Finally, I've learned to really like their 11 speed 12/29 cassette as it allows me to keep my cadence high on steep climbs.

Do it--you wil never look back (once you train your auto shifting response to the new system).

 

[spookyload]

Do it for the change. You are getting a Colnago, put some Italian parts on it. Your bike will not ride by itself, and you won't get superfast from the parts, but it will be different. Sometimes different is good. The biggest fear you should have is you will like it and want to swap over the other bikes. I currently run Record 10 on my road bike and Dura Ace 10 on my cross bike. I like them both. I ride them both. It will take time to make shifting second nature like you are used to, but different is sometimes good.

 

[kjmunc]

Do it because Tullio was a genius like no other when it came to inventing and innovating

Do it because Campy = Passion

Do it because you never hear anybody roll their eyes and say "I can't believe he bought THAT bike and put Campy on it......"

Do it because you owe it to yourself after all these years of riding to at least try Campy

And like Spooky said above, do it for change. Change is good. So is Campy.

Good luck and happy riding!

 

[Guest]

Do it because Tullio was a genius like no other when it came to inventing and innvating

Do it because Campy = Passion

Do it because you never hear anybody roll their eyes and say "I can't believe he bought THAT bike and put Campy on it......"

Do it because you owe it to yourself after all these years of riding to at least try Campy

And like Spooky said above, do it for change. Change is good. So is Campy.

Good luck and happy riding!

KJ:

You should contact Campagnolo and offer your services, your passionate response is better than most of Campy's print ads of late.

Ribble has Chorus for about $1060 now after the 10% discount code running for Campy

Thanks for that head's up, eric. Chorus 11 speed for a grand US $ via UK mail order, if I were a US retailer I'd not be thrilled with Campy.

I'm 66 and been riding Shimano XT & XTR, dura ace from 86 until last year. I love Shimano.

Shifted to Record last year. Mainly because I do some really steep crooked descents and have never liked the low brake pivots on shimano hoods (I ride from the hoods when it gets really steep and crooked). Along with long descents come long climbs where the 21-24-27 jumps are a bit annoying because the spacing is a bit big from 21-24.

Campy 11 solved those issues with a high and powerful pivot on their hoods and their 11 speed cuts both of those jumps by 33%. Please note that their calipers are $hit (the only flaw in the groupo) compared dura ace or especially some of the aftermaket calipers like eebrake.

The bonus I never really expected was the comfort of their hoods and the seamless shifting chainrings in either direction. With practice, you will quickly learn to simultaneously drop or gain the right number of cogs simultaneous with changing chainrings (you can drop as many as 4 at a time).

Finally, I've learned to really like their 11 speed 12/29 cassette as it allows me to keep my cadence high on steep climbs.

Do it--you wil never look back (once you train your auto shifting response to the new system).

Swift, your post carries the most weight for me, thanks.

Do you have Record calipers or Chorus? As eric wrote, I can buy group piecemeal and buy record calipers for little more than Chorus. Thoughts?

Thanks folks, this is getting to be a painless decision.

 

[C-40]

about brakes...

I'm 57 and been using Campy since '95. I totally disagree about the brakes. Even with my small hands, I have no problem producing all the braking power I need for Colorado mountain descents. I dislike brakes that can lock up a wheel with a light touch. It's far easier to get into trouble with that type of setup than one that requires a stronger grip.

There should be no noticeable difference in the operation of Record and Chorus brakes. The only difference is the bushing on the pivot rather than a ball bearing. I've owned both at the same time and never toticed any difference.

I did get some Record brake pads from '07 that I didn't like. They had a gritty sound and kept pulling aluminum particles off the rims. I replaced them with KoolStop salmon colored pads. I got another set of Record brakes the next year and the pads were fine.

As noted, you can setup the FD so the cage has minimal clearance on the right side of the chain and never need a trim click from the big ring. This setup should use 3 clicks of the finger lever to cover the full range of travel. From the little ring, you will need one trim click of the finger lever is use the smallest 2-3 cogs.

 

[wr7r]

I recently converted to Campy about 4 months ago. I don't thing I would ever go back to Shimano. I like Campy because they separated out the gear shifts, which I always got confused with on the Shimano, which makes they easier to use. It does take a little time to get up to the thumb shifter, but that can can be over come.

 

[Guest]

I recently converted to Campy about 4 months ago. I don't thing I would ever go back to Shimano. I like Campy because they separated out the gear shifts, which I always got confused with on the Shimano, which makes they easier to use. It does take a little time to get up to the thumb shifter, but that can can be over come.

How long had you ridden Shimano before the change to Campy?

 

[ronderman]

I rode shimano for 18 years. I ride Campy now. I have evolved. I have ultegra on one bike and campy on the other - there is no question campy is better. No question.

 

[Guest]

I rode shimano for 18 years. I ride Campy now. I have evolved. I have ultegra on one bike and campy on the other - there is no question campy is better. No question.

Quantify "better" for me. I've never had a "quality" issue with Dura Ace, ever. Never had a part break. Never had a warranty issue, never been stranded, etc. Now if you're referring to ergonomics, then I'll sit up and take notice. I've spoken with folks who have ergonomic issues with the 7700/7800 Dura Ace shifter/brake hoods. I'm still riding 9 speed on both bikes, so not an issue right now.

This is an ego thing for me, pure and simple. Both Dura Ace and Chorus are way, way above my pay grade as far as what is needed based on my ability, I'm sure more entry level Campy or 105 Shimano would be just fine. I'm just concerned with induging myself with Chorus, only to find that it was no indulgence at all from a practical, mechanical standpoint.

My biggest concerns are:

That little thumb button, and;
Keeping the drivetrain well adjusted (as in quick, concise shifting + quiet), and;
Finding local wrench in central Iowa (I do minor adjustments, but I don't wrench and have no interest in investing in a bunch of Campy specific tools).

 

[C-40]

about maintenance...

If you don't care to wrench, then maybe you should stick to Shimano. If you buy all of your spare parts like chains and cables from the LBS and pay them to install, then stick with Shimano. You'll quickly be whining about the outrageous prices for Campy parts that are not purchased from the UK. I buy all of my parts from the UK and buy enough chains and cables for 2-3 years, all in one order. Tires are also about half the price at the LBS.

There are almost no special tools for installing a Campy groupo. The cassette lockring tool is different than Shimano and the 11 speed chain requires Park's pin flaring tool, at the minimum. If some company would get their 11 speed master link on the market, then the chain tool would not be needed. Right now, Forester has one, but I'm not paying $20 for a master link. KMC's link is still not readily available and it's not considered to be reuseable, so it's no miracle either. I'd like to see a Wipperman connex link, but it's been almost 2 years since 11 speed came out and still no master links.

Installing the crank requires the same tool used for Shimano outboard BBs. The center fixing bolt for the crank spindle requires a standard 10mm hex bit with a 3/8 or 1/2 inch square drive.

 

[ronderman]

Look, Dura Ace 7800 is/was a great set. It worked, it needed little maintenance, it shifted, it was quiet, the cranks were stiff and the brakes worked. It looked nice to boot sans the external cables. I just rode a buddies cervelo with 7800 and forgot how that set just worked.

Campy is the same - I have chorus and it works, it needs little maintenance and like all your above points it never leaves me stranded and I have no warranty issues. Here is where it shines:
1. The hoods are the best hoods out there. Very comfy and ergo shift rocks. My ultegra 6900 or whatever it's called is a mess and I'm 6'3" and the hoods are way too big. Plus on ultegra you can only do two shifts on the upshift - way lame.

2. Braking - man, campy braking while not as strong as shimano, is just better. Think of it as anti-lock brakes. The modulation rocks. Yea, the thumb thing is what it is, but I have no issue and I know guys with 8 year old campy record and they have no issues.

3. C40 is right, campy requires no special tools outside of the chain tool and park has a part for it. Anyone who can't or won't do campy can't do a good build. These are the same fools who don't measure items, throw chains on and the shifting goes to crap inside of 500 miles. Campy isn't the issue, it's the person doing the wrenching. C40 is right, buy the extra parts online and stock them. Chains really aren't meant to be broken anymore, plus you can change them every few thousand miles anyway.

Here is what I can say, is Campy making me faster? No. I would be just as fast or slow with SRAM or Shimano. Heck even 105 would make me the same speed. Is campy better? You bet it is.

 

[mcteague]

I been riding long enough to have owned Nouveau Record and Shimano Crane dérailleurs. In the old days Campy was better at shifting under load but Shimano had a crisper feel. After my Condor Italia was totaled by a car I got a new Eddy Merckx with Super Record. The shifting sucked. It would ghost shift at strange times no matter how much tweaking I did. Simplex retro friction levers, popular with Campy pros, helped a bit. I dumped it for the, then new, Dura-Ace SIS. I did not like how loud the clicks were but everything else was great.

So, I stuck with Shimano over the years and watched Campy very slowly adapt to click shifting. With DA 9 speed I was getting tired of the shape of the hoods which made my hands go numb. I bought Record shifters and an adapter to make it work with the Shimano drive train. Slowly but surely all the bits moved to the Italian brand.

I really love the shape of the new style shifters and, while Shimano finally hid their cables, Campy had done it years before. Centaur is the best value IMO and I find myself replacing old Record\Chorus parts with it. My only issue is that it is nearly impossible to find parts or knowledgeable techs even in big cities. I do 99% of my own work and buy parts from ProBikeKit. In the end, I just have that special connection to Campagnolo that I never had with Shimano.

Tim

 

[Pirx]

Please note that their calipers are $hit (the only flaw in the groupo) compared dura ace or especially some of the aftermaket calipers like eebrake.

Huh? I wonder what this could even possibly mean. First of all, as far as I can tell, there is no meaningful difference in function between brake calipers of any brand, period. Heck, the 20-year-old single-pivot Dura Ace brakes on my first real racing bike work exactly as well as the newest Dura Ace, SRAM, or Campy. The only difference between brakes that you will ever see is due to different pads. Throw on identical pads (say, SwissStop, or KoolPads) on different brakes, and you will not be able to tell the difference.

 

[STARNUT]

the brakes are not that bad. They do have a single pivot in the rear and a double pivot option for 2011. They don't have as much power as DA or Sram but don't suck.


@mcteague. You're not locking hard enough. I'm in a smallish (1 million metro) city and I can rebuild an escape shifter in 7 minutes and a QS in about 15 provided I have all the parts and can remember the way the q springs go in :lol:.


Starnut

 

[SystemShock]

Huh? I wonder what this could even possibly mean. First of all, as far as I can tell, there is no meaningful difference in function between brake calipers of any brand, period. Heck, the 20-year-old single-pivot Dura Ace brakes on my first real racing bike work exactly as well as the newest Dura Ace, SRAM, or Campy. The only difference between brakes that you will ever see is due to different pads. Throw on identical pads (say, SwissStop, or KoolPads) on different brakes, and you will not be able to tell the difference.

I'm old enough to have ridden in the single-pivot brake days, and I have to say, I think dual-pivots offer more power, all else being equal. I upgraded my '87 Bridgestone to dual-pivs a loooong time ago, was happy with the change, and never looked back.

Maybe you could say that pads matter more than dual-pivot vs single pivot, but I can't say it doesn't matter at all.
.

 

[Pirx]

Maybe you could say that pads matter more than dual-pivot vs single pivot, but I can't say it doesn't matter at all.
.

All I can say is that with those old single-pivot brakes, I could easily flip the bike over from the hoods if I wanted to. I reallly, really don't need brakes that are any stronger than that. The single pivot in the rear is a complete red herring anyway. Any rear brake I have ever seen you have to be careful not to lock the wheel, and that is true for the newest Campy single-pivot rear brakes as well. Why anybody would want stronger braking than that in the rear is beyond me.

In summary, and IMHO, if it's functionality you need, rather than bragging rights, then Campy brakes work perfectly. That's all that matters to me.