Picked up a new bike yesterday. I had a grand to spend under the Cycle to Work scheme and had looked at, amongst others, a Specialized Roubaix, Pinarello Galileo and Orbea Onix. In the end I went for a Time Speeder ($hit name). Full carbon fibre with a Campagnolo Veloce groupset.
Here's a stock image:
Mine has black bar tape, a black saddle and the wheels are Campagnolo Khamsin which are laced differently. I will be removing the decals from the wheels at the first opportunity (one started peeling off after the first ride).
The paint job's a bit uninspiring, especially compared with the very sexy Orbea, but the fit was perfect right out of the box and that swung it.
I've never had a bike with Campagnolo gear before and I must say it seems a lot nicer that the Shimano 105 gear on a few of the bikes I road-tested. I'd say it's every bit as slick as the XTR gear on my Sugar 1 XC bike but a little noisier. The freewheel is very clicky and will save me fitting a bell
Should I shun Shimano users now? I refuse to start using the word 'Campy'.
I rode it into work this morning with a little trepidation. It'll take me a while to get used to those brake/gear levers. It's the first new road bike I've had since passing my 11-plus (in 1969!) and I'm used to using flat bars with XT/XTR integrated levers, everything seems wrong now that I have to think about where everything is when braking and changing gear.
Having said that, I did the journey in the same time that I usually do as I was a lot quicker on the straights (with a lot less effort too).
I've fitted my SPD pedals at the moment as I didn't want to have to get used to a new clipless system. What's the consensus on moving to road cleats? I like the look of SPD SLs, would it be totally wrong to put Shimano gear on a Campagnolo bike?
Here's a stock image:
Mine has black bar tape, a black saddle and the wheels are Campagnolo Khamsin which are laced differently. I will be removing the decals from the wheels at the first opportunity (one started peeling off after the first ride).
The paint job's a bit uninspiring, especially compared with the very sexy Orbea, but the fit was perfect right out of the box and that swung it.
I've never had a bike with Campagnolo gear before and I must say it seems a lot nicer that the Shimano 105 gear on a few of the bikes I road-tested. I'd say it's every bit as slick as the XTR gear on my Sugar 1 XC bike but a little noisier. The freewheel is very clicky and will save me fitting a bell
Should I shun Shimano users now? I refuse to start using the word 'Campy'.
I rode it into work this morning with a little trepidation. It'll take me a while to get used to those brake/gear levers. It's the first new road bike I've had since passing my 11-plus (in 1969!) and I'm used to using flat bars with XT/XTR integrated levers, everything seems wrong now that I have to think about where everything is when braking and changing gear.
Having said that, I did the journey in the same time that I usually do as I was a lot quicker on the straights (with a lot less effort too
).I've fitted my SPD pedals at the moment as I didn't want to have to get used to a new clipless system. What's the consensus on moving to road cleats? I like the look of SPD SLs, would it be totally wrong to put Shimano gear on a Campagnolo bike?
