I have used and been a big fan of Shimano for years but now since the new 10 speed stuff seems to have become very expensive I thought I would give campy a try since my wife really likes her 8speed Veloce shifters. Anyway, I know the current Shimano groups are as follows:
7800 Dura Ace 10
6600 Ultegra 10
5500 105 9
4400 Tiagra 9
3300 Sora 8
2200 2200 8 (OEM mostly)
What about campy? How do the groups fall from best to worst? Which campy group would be like Shimano 105 which is a great all around group, lasts long, and is perfect for the hard-core recreational (non-racer) cyclist?
Thanks.
Campy Kits - What are the levels?
Thu, 08/25/2005 - 8:39am
Thu, 08/25/2005 - 8:49am
#1
What about campy?
http://campagnolo.com/newprodc.php
In some circles Record is the best. Chorus matches Dura Ace, Ultegra matches Centur, Veloce is next, then Mirage matches up well with 105.
Veloce is all you need. Chorus is the best buy for super performance. And Record will impress all your friends. (pretty much Chorus with some Ti screws).
Fri, 08/26/2005 - 5:12am
#2
Centaur
go centaur. has the exact same mechanical workings as record and chours, just none of the carbon or ti materials for the extra few grams of weight-less-ness. (per my bike shop pro.) really really good value for the money. I've been riding my centaur outfitted bike for three years now and have been very happy with its performance. needs very little adjusting, rides smooth and sweet. and I ride a lot, year round.
Sat, 08/27/2005 - 4:29am
#3
Centaur...Not Exactly
"The X-Person writes: ""go centaur. has the exact same mechanical workings as record and chorus.""
Pretty much true, except for a very important part: the shifters. With Record and Chorus, ball bearings are used for pivot, making them somewhat smoother than Centaur, which uses a bushing."
Sat, 08/27/2005 - 6:16pm
#4
hmm so my bike-store guy mislead me or is mistaken or isn't such a pro. oh well, I'm still pretty happy with centaur.
of course, when it comes time to overhaul the bike, I will probably dig into the pockets to find the $ for chorus or record.... a little easier to do when that is ALL you have to buy...
Fri, 08/26/2005 - 5:56pm
#5
Campy Record
It is true Record trades out some parts for lighter bits, but the finish is also much better than Chorus.
My wife, who is not that interested in bicycles, described the parts as like jewelery when I opened the boxes...
Sat, 08/27/2005 - 4:19am
#6
jewels
oh, it is so true. I definitely lust after the sheen and heft and lusciousness of the record parts - but if you aren't flush with the cash and need to get the best bang for your buck, centaur gives you the performance and leaves you with some extra wherewithal to put into a better set of wheels.....
Thu, 08/25/2005 - 8:58am
#7
BTW, the 2006 Shimano 105 will be 10 Speed, at a much lower price point.
It'll probably only be a couple of months before it is available.
http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/UAN/641/v/1/sp/
Sat, 08/27/2005 - 8:28pm
#8
SRAM, too
10-speed road group coming soon:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2005/news/08-26
Sat, 08/27/2005 - 10:02pm
#9
The Campy 10 speed wasn't such a big deal for me, except for the addition of the 13-29 for my old knees.
Now, with the compact crankset, what is the big deal?
Sun, 08/28/2005 - 12:17pm
#10
Shimagnolo
Why not use both?
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/kits.html
