Road Cycling - STi vs. Campy

So what system do you prefer? Since Shimano has moved STi over to mountain biking I've decided that when I get my road bike its campy.

I hate having my break lever, and shifting lever be the same thing

I have never seen the Campy version

Brendon

Some enterprising soul should make index inserts for Ergo rear levers to make them straight-across Shimano compatible :D

I like some things about each alternative. All of the following is based on my experiences, and other peoples' experiences are bound to vary:

Campy pros

Rebuildable
No cable sticking out the side
Brake lever doesn't swivel sideways
Shift lever doesn't actuate your brakes
Designed for Campy calipers, which rock
Possible to replace brake hood from the front

Campy cons

Springs and ring break, making rebuilds necessary on heavily-used levers (maybe this has been remedied since I had to deal with them a lot)
Shift cables prone to fraying/breaking off sometimes
Front shifting not really indexed (ducks a tomato thrown by John E)


Shimano pros

A bit more affordable
Internal failures rare
Indexed + trimmable front shifting on almost all models
Not noted for fraying/breaking shift cables
Allows a bit better grip when upshifting rear/downshifting front (thumb can remain wrapped around hood)
Built for Shimano-based drivetrains, which offer more cassette combinations and enjoy wider availability
Inline gear indicator is available (hey, don't mock me, they've got their place)

Shimano cons

Failure = dead lever, unless you are Jedi
Indexed front shifting not a plus in everyone's viewpoint
Ugly cable sticks out the side
Brake lever may actuate when you're going for a downshift
Hood replacement means taking out the shift cable or taking the lever off the bar

STI, because it's the only thing i've ever used outside of test rides. the campy stuff i tried (everything from veloche to record) didn't feel too good to me, the front deraileur was giving me trouble on every campy bike i test rode. and besides, STI just gives you that silky smooth shift feeling :)

I own both, it is really a personal preference what you go with. Personaly I would go with Campy since I don't like the feel of the brake lever since it moves to shift, so when I hit the brakes i can feel it move to the side. It does not effect performance but I just don't care for the feel.

I've been using the Ergos for the last 10 years. I think STIs are alot smoother right out of the box where the Ergos take some time to break in where it's nice & smooth. What I observed is that most Euro bikes here are equipped with Campy, whereas alot of domestic frames are dressed with Shimanos in general.... But it's almost like deciding whether you want a Chevy or a Ford truck....

I prefer campy because the shifting and braking are not mized together. But they should make campy and shimano parts interchangeable.

I prefer the feel of Shimano over Campy. The campy stuff just does not fit my hands that well where the thumb shifter sits.

Originally posted by mechBgon
Some enterprising soul should make index inserts for Ergo rear levers to make them straight-across Shimano compatible :D



Ergo levers basically already are straight across compatible.

Originally posted by RacerX
Ergo levers basically already are straight across compatible. Meaning, 10 Campy <--> 9 Shimano and 9 Campy <--> 8 Shimano, is that correct?

anyone got fotos of the Campy system?

Brendon

Originally posted by NZLcyclist
anyone got fotos of the Campy system?

Brendon Here are the top Campy brake/shift levers for '04:

http://www.campyonly.com/images/rumors/2003/2004_range/2004_record_ergo.jpg

Originally posted by mechBgon
Some enterprising soul should make index inserts for Ergo rear levers to make them straight-across Shimano compatible



Several years ago I did not like the bar-end shifters on my Shimano equipped Santana road tandem. Having Campy Ergos on my regular road bike, I wanted the same for my Santana. What I did was I got rid of the bar-end shifters and installed SACHS Ergo brakes/shifters. I also replaced the stock Shimano XTR rear derailleur for a SACHS derailleur. That combination was compatible with the Shimano XTR 8-speed cluster.
My other option at the time were to install CAMPY Ergos & CAMPY rear derailleur AND re-space the Shimano 8-speed cluster with these spacers that were popular & available at the time for these conversions. I remember I didn't opt for that because these spacers only worked with Dura Ace clusters which came apart cog by cog. I had an XTR cluster on the tandem.

Originally posted by RacerX
Ergo levers basically already are straight across compatible.

Are you sure????? Are current Ergo levers compatible with current Shimano rear derailleurs or you must have both Campy levers and derailleurs for Shimano wheel compatibility?? .....and visa-versa.....??

I like the ability to shift from multiple positions with Campy. I have Shimano Acera on my MTB ( which I use only as a road bike). The rapid fire shifters are good for the straight type handle bars. I prefer Campy for my Bianchi with SuperEuropa 2 drop style bars. I find that it is easy to shift from just about any position that I use on the bars. Not so for Shimano the I have tested. That is with test rides only, I have no long term experience with Shimano on a road bike.

Originally posted by mechBgon
Meaning, 10 Campy <--> 9 Shimano and 9 Campy <--> 8 Shimano, is that correct?

I don't know about campy9 and shimano 8

campy 10 levers work with full shimano 9 drivetrain- meaning everything else (besides replacing sti with ergo 10 levers) being 100% shimano

Originally posted by RacerX
I don't know about campy9 and shimano 8

campy 10 levers work with full shimano 9 drivetrain- meaning everything else (besides replacing sti with ergo 10 levers) being 100% shimano


A couple of links on this subject...

http://www.hubbub.com/ergoleverswshim9.htm

http://www.hearingoffice.com/download/hearing/10_Speed_Conversion_screen.pdf