Does anyone run Campag on one bike and Shimano on another?

[MichaelM]

O.K. try not to get too emotional!

I was in a shop today asking about Campag kit. LBS man asks me why I want to change from Shimano to Campag. Some of my parts need changing anyway, and I like the clean front end says I.

He advises me that going from Shimano to Campag I'll notice a difference in the quality of the changing (i.e. he reckons Campag is not as smooth).

Is he right or did I just happen to come across someone with a biased view? I suppose in theory the extra bend in the cable will induce more drag on the cable - how much effect this has in the real world I don't know.

Anyone with experience of both care to comment?

Cheers.

 

[fossyant]

Ohhh No......................................

 

[gbb]

At the lower end, i have Xenon on one, Sora on the other.

There is a difference in shifting..Xenon is 'clunkier'...but only slightly..and not in a way thats 'bad'. Just seems faster to change and more positive.

Sora is smoother, but seems slower to shift.

I dont have a preference...theyre just different. It doesnt affect any aspect of the ride, its just different.

 

[MichaelM]

Ohhh No......................................

I know... but it really happened.

First club midweek run tomorrow, everyone else will be on their Ti/carbon bling, I'll be on the lemond.... with 2KG aksiums and Specialized armadillos. I really should decide whether I want to upgrade or buy a new bike. It looks nice, but compared to the road bikes in the club it's built like a tank.

 

[Chuffy]

It looks nice, but compared to the road bikes in the club it's built like a tank.

Gravity training. And how much more satisfying when you keep up on a non-bling bike?

Baggy runs Sora on her Dawes Horizon and Veloce on her Pearson Audax. She rides mostly on the hoods but they have different angles, the Sora levers are more upright, the Campag levers are flatter. The Campag levers give her achy hands and neck, the Sora levers don't, but this may be due to the set up and her particular bodily circumstances. You may find it's different for you.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I know... but it really happened.

First club midweek run tomorrow, everyone else will be on their Ti/carbon bling, I'll be on the lemond.... with 2KG aksiums and Specialized armadillos. I really should decide whether I want to upgrade or buy a new bike. It looks nice, but compared to the road bikes in the club it's built like a tank.

My 2004 TCR1 looked the same this evening at the club next to a very sexy Colnago (no, really, not garish at all), and a couple of Cervelo's

There was a lot of cash out on the roads of Oxfordshire tonight.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

I run a Campag Centaur groupset on my Wilier, and a bottom end Shimano mix on my Giant, they both do the job, but the Campag is better quality, obviously there is a world of difference at these levels, but I'd say that an Ultegra groupo which is sort of comparable with the Centaur in the respectiveCampag/Shimano line ups would do the job as well.

I would sum it up by saying that the Campag stuff has the pedigree, it has a more positive change, some would say clunky, nay even agricultural! whereas the Shimano will have that slightly smoother change, but they both achieve the same result, depends on whether you want stuff on your bike made by an Italian company that mills parts for Ferrari. Or a Japanese company that makes fishing tackle!

I'll be taking my Shimano truvativ sram mix off my winter bike and replacing it with a Campag Mirage groupset.

At the end of the day, you pays your money etc etc, the guy in one of my LBS always likes to say,"Campag wears in, Shimano wears out"

 

[Andy in Sig]

Of course if you've got any style at all you forget all this cheap tat and just get a Rohloff.

 

[Tynan]

the fella at Condor doing my new bike defo pushed me to campag at the low (bottom) end of the respective ranges

10 speed and very interchangeable and upgradeable, that's all I can remeber but he was very sure, Xenon

getting tired of waiting now, week six of the 'five weeks for sure' delivery time

 

[MichaelM]

getting tired of waiting now, week six of the 'five weeks for sure' delivery time

At least you've managed to make a decision, I've been umming and ahing since at least last Aug!

My wife says that I don't actually want a new bike - it's just the chase that I'm interested in!

 

[Tynan]

yuk yuk

I most defo do need one, the minor repairs the LBS has done for me for £15 now and then to keep it runing have all been prefaced with 'not worth spending the money on it'

It's manfully done a job for me since Sept, I thought it was going to have go for a month but it's been seven months now with two more weeks to go and the poor old thing is on it's last legs, new seatpost last week (from the odd and spares box), gear train about to collapse, brakes decrepit, it's sad

 

[John the Monkey]

10 speed and very interchangeable and upgradeable, that's all I can remeber but he was very sure, Xenon

It's nice stuff, by all accounts - the change from 9 to 10 speed is accomplished by changing a small part in the shifter, and I believe that the shifters are LBS serviceable too.

I was tempted, but already way over my budget before I got anywhere near to the Campag equipped bikes pricewise in my LBS

 

[fossyant]

I wouldn't get too hung up about weight - Aksiums are fine wheels, if a little heavy, but they are very well priced.

The engine is far more important than the bike - easier to build your fitness and loose a few kg's than on a bike.

I kicked the ass out of a number of cyclists on Sunday, and I was on my old 9kg Ribble 653....shot past a guy on a Van Nick Titanium climbing the Snake Pass.... "Morning...bloody windy !" I said as I flew past....

I'd upgrade when bits wear out.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Not my choice of wording, I read it somewhere, but it probably referred to much earlier Campag componentry, having tried both I prefer Campag, that's why I shall be switching my winter bike over to Campag.

 

[Sluggo]

I have Campag Record 2007 on my best bike and 9spd Ultegra on the training bike. It's a bit unfair to compare the two but the shimano shift is much softer and slower but the shift on the Record is like pulling a trigger on a gun - firm confident click on the levers and frighteningly quick change (I almost have to look to check the chain's moved). Also I notice on the Campag I can change smoothly under load (e.g. going uphill)but on Ultegra I have to ease off to change smoothly. I was nervous buying Campag after always using Shimano (but had to have it for an Italian bike!) but definately don't regret it. In terms of function the Record is a light year away from the 9spd Ultegra but like I say a fairer comparison would be against the latest 10spd Dura Ace.

This issue polarises people too much (unnessessarily). I reckon if you've never had Campag give it a go, chances are you'll like it, if only for the change.