"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Stick to Campy, or switch to SRAM (when racing with a Shimano team)?

So this year, my team will have wheels for us to use as spares in races. Not sure which models, but either high end aluminum Bontragers, or their carbon clinchers. However, they'll all be DA cassettes.

And, I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one of the 12 guys at that level riding Campy. I WILL have my own spare wheels, a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elites, so I guess I'm covered in that area.

I'm just concerned that having spare parts on long trips might be a problem. The whole "domestique giving a wheel to his GC rider" thing comes to mind as well.

I can get a pretty decent deal on SRAM stuff through my college team, as the Prez there is a USAC teammate of mine as well. I'm leaning towards SRAM because it concentrates the shifting mechanics into one shift lever, and the hoods are more comfortable, for me, than Shimano. Not to mention the cassette compatibility. Of the three, I like Campy the best, but I don't want any issues with it down the road.

So, stick with Campy, or head over to SRAM?

if you've got a heavy schedule with your team, and they have spare wheels, then i'd get rid of the campagnolo.

I just switched to SRAM from Campy, also due to sponsorship. I do like the SRAM stuff, and think I'll stay with it. That being said, you can throw a 10 speed Shimano wheel on a 10 speed Campy and it will work in a pinch. Hell, HED disc is Shimano only and I ran full Campy with that for 2 seasons. Cross bike was full Campy with Shimano wheel too.

So the answer is, depends. :)

Might try JTEK shiftmate as a cheaper stop gap. The reports eem to be mixed however, some love it, some not so much.

So this year, my team will have wheels for us to use as spares in races. Not sure which models, but either high end aluminum Bontragers, or their carbon clinchers. However, they'll all be DA cassettes.

And, I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one of the 12 guys at that level riding Campy. I WILL have my own spare wheels, a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elites, so I guess I'm covered in that area.

I'm just concerned that having spare parts on long trips might be a problem. The whole "domestique giving a wheel to his GC rider" thing comes to mind as well.

I can get a pretty decent deal on SRAM stuff through my college team, as the Prez there is a USAC teammate of mine as well. I'm leaning towards SRAM because it concentrates the shifting mechanics into one shift lever, and the hoods are more comfortable, for me, than Shimano. Not to mention the cassette compatibility. Of the three, I like Campy the best, but I don't want any issues with it down the road.

So, stick with Campy, or head over to SRAM?


If you can afford to do it financially, I'd say make the leap so that you're compatible across the board with your team mates. (this coming from a guy who rides campy).

Yeah I've committed to racing >20 races with the full team, more or less, and another 10-15 with some but not all.

Sounds like the Campy is going on the TT bike. Crap.

Yeah I've committed to racing >20 races with the full team, more or less, and another 10-15 with some but not all.

Sounds like the Campy is going on the TT bike. Crap.

I'm a Campy guy but a switch here makes sense.

Yeah I've committed to racing >20 races with the full team, more or less, and another 10-15 with some but not all.

Sounds like the Campy is going on the TT bike. Crap.

campagnolo may not be the best gear out there, but it's certainly not crap.

Might try JTEK shiftmate as a cheaper stop gap. The reports eem to be mixed however, some love it, some not so much.

Give the JTEK at try. I'm running Campy wheels on a Shimano bike. $35 and you do not have to change groups and the shifting has been good so far as well.

campagnolo may not be the best gear out there, but it's certainly not crap.

I meant that I'm not going to like giving up my Campy.

I think a properly adjusted, broken in Campy drivetrain is as good as it gets.

All the neutral support guys say 10speed is 10speed. In a race situation, you just want a wheel. I don't know how they do support where you race, but a lot of places do wheels in, wheels out. Meaning you put wheels in the pit or support car, and they will give you a wheel a wheel of the same speed when you need it. Or if you get a wheel from neutral, they'll just give you a wheel of the same speed.

I meant that I'm not going to like giving up my Campy.

i know.


I think a properly adjusted, broken in Campy drivetrain is as good as it gets.

I don't. :D

All the neutral support guys say 10speed is 10speed. In a race situation, you just want a wheel. I don't know how they do support where you race, but a lot of places do wheels in, wheels out. Meaning you put wheels in the pit or support car, and they will give you a wheel a wheel of the same speed when you need it. Or if you get a wheel from neutral, they'll just give you a wheel of the same speed.

think maybe I could get them to give me a faster wheel instead of one of the same speed?

Shiftmate. Works great, holds up fine for me, even in the mud (I have a Campy CX bike, but my road bike is Shimano, and they share Shimano 10speed wheels). Besides, it's only $35-why not try that instead of spending a ton of money for no reason?

Keep the Campy and build up a SRAM bike.

I'm a Campy guy but a switch here makes sense.

Ditto.

Keep the Campy and build up a SRAM bike.

why do you hate thriftiness?

Shiftmate. Works great, holds up fine for me, even in the mud (I have a Campy CX bike, but my road bike is Shimano, and they share Shimano 10speed wheels). Besides, it's only $35-why not try that instead of spending a ton of money for no reason?

Clearly you have not spent much time around here. This board is all about spending a ton of money for no reason.:D

Clearly you have not spent much time around here. This board is all about spending a ton of money for no reason.:D

Actually spending tons of money for little reason, half the fun is finding some justification.:)

Use downtube shifters. That way you can switch it to friction should you swap wheels. :)

Keep the Campy and build up a SRAM bike.

I think going Campy to Sram is a lot harder than going from campy to shimano. I know it takes more than a few test rides to get used to it, but I always shifted the wrong way when I rode a sram bike.

I think going Campy to Sram is a lot harder than going from campy to shimano. I know it takes more than a few test rides to get used to it, but I always shifted the wrong way when I rode a sram bike.

seriously. how hard can it be? professional bike racers do it all of the time. they're not exactly renown for their intelligence.

campagnolo may not be the best gear out there, but it's certainly not crap.

:lol:

I meant that I'm not going to like giving up my Campy.

I think a properly adjusted, broken in Campy drivetrain is as good as it gets.

You know, I was reluctant to go to SRAM because I liked the Shimano double-levers, and thought I wouldn't like the double-tap as much.

I was wrong. Love almost everything about the levers. Ultegra feels almost cludgy (for lack of a better word) to me now.

just ride a fixie

Or you could just get Shimano and ride the same stuff the rest of your team rides. In case of a mechanical far away from home, its likely someone is going to have the part you need.

Give the JTEK at try. I'm running Campy wheels on a Shimano bike. $35 and you do not have to change groups and the shifting has been good so far as well.

+1 Perfect shifting for me. It's certainly worth a try before spending serious money on a group change.