Road Cycling - Sora Vs Record. (noob alert :( )

Sorry for this but I've really got to ask. Me and 2 friends are all looking to get into biking to do some long distances and perhaps eventually some racing. Unfortunately because I've got a little bit of history in mountain biking my friends are looking towards me for advice.

Anyway, a bike shop in the area has a 2003 Orbea frame with Campag Record components on it. Took it for a ride but for various reasons hated it. But the thing was a bargain so I had to ride it again to make sure. Sure enough second time around I still hated it. Thing just seemed clunky and not so nice. Just by way of comparison, straight after I took my sisters 2003 Giant OCR 3 with Sora components on it for a ride, and incredibly I have to say that it was much better. Shifting was smoother and faster. Bike was so much nicer to ride. Which has got me perplexed. How can one of the supposedly worst component groups seem so much nicer to a noob than supposedly one of the best? What should I be looking for? And my big problem. How do I convince my extremely cynical friends that it's worth spending extra money on something with better components when at the minute I personally can't see any benefit to them? I really would like to stop them (and me) making a mistake and feeling like we have to upgrade in 6 months time if I can.

So yeah, I know you guys hate these questions, but if anyone can give me an insight into how to judge these components better I'd really appreciate it.

Perhaps it was poorly tuned?

A well-tuned LeCar will perform better than a Mustang misfiring on four cylinders.

Thanks FatBomber. Yeah I guess that could always be the case.

Am I wrong in my suspicion that buying a road bike for the first time is a bit of a leap of faith? That one has to come to grips with the fact that the worth of the extra money spent might only become apparent months after and even then not be to a level like it's night and day?

I agree with FB. Some other considerations are the Orbea didn't fit you. And secondly, Campy stuff does have a bit of a break in period after which it is buttery smooth.

Thanks FatBomber. Yeah I guess that could always be the case.

Am I wrong in my suspicion that buying a road bike for the first time is a bit of a leap of faith? That one has to come to grips with the fact that the worth of the extra money spent might only become apparent months after and even then not be to a level like it's night and day?

You are not wrong.

Moving anto anything new requires a certain leap of faith. My first road bike was purchased over the internet and I hadn't ridden one since I was 12. THAT's a leap! What you are doing is what most people would say is the intelligent thing to do.

In my experience there is a certain amount of difference between the gruppos, but my experience has been limited to 105 and Ultegra. My bike with 105 works as well as I could expect, but the bike with Ultegra works just a little bit better. Shifts are a little crisper and the levers feel better in my hands, but all of that is entirely subjective.

I have no experience with Campy, so I cannot say anything with any authority regarding it's performance, but Record should work like a dream.

Keep trying things until you find what feels right to you. Don't be swayed by the "bargain" if it will make you miserable and will gather dust from not being used.

Perhaps it was poorly tuned?

A well-tuned LeCar will perform better than a Mustang misfiring on four cylinders.

Actually, a well tuned Yugo will even perform better than a misfiring Ferrari.....

Actually, a well tuned Yugo will perform better than a misfiring Ferrari.....

Those Yugo's did have deceptive speed...

But on the other hand.........it took almost 10 years for my new '93 Record Ergo groupo to break in to a point where if felt just as smooth & nice as a right-out-of-the-box Shimano of any level.

Yeah the Orbea didn't really seem to fit nice. I'm 5 ft 10 with a 32.5 inseam so I think I should be on a 56. But this was a 54 with admitedly long stem but it seem like a crazy long straight armed reach. I keep on looking at these pics of the dudes in the Tdf and they seem to have their elbows at 90 degrees when on the hoods. But all the 56's I've been on are a real stretch. Okay I know you'll find this hard to believe but my sisters bike is a 44. I just put a long seat post in it and it feels to fit me perfect. I think my bodies sense of fit might be all out of whack after riding small framed mountain bikes for so long.

One of my mates looks like he's going to buy a bike with Tiagra unless I can talk him out of it. I might have to get my other mate to get Ultegra and I'll get 105. I'm sure after 6 months it will become apparent who's got best value for money.


But on the other hand.........it took almost 10 years for my new '93 Record Ergo groupo to break in to a point where if felt just as smooth & nice as a right-out-of-the-box Shimano of any level.

Eek. If they're going to feel clunky for so long why do people buy it. Sure it's nice to have some stuff that will last. But I'm not sure if I'd still own a bike 10 years later, let alone wait for it to break in.

My road-bike is a triple DA (27 spd), and my commuter is a triple volce (27 spd)(I can never spell this right, so forgive me). Volce is significantly down the gruppo line for campy, but I find that the two shift equally quickly and smoothly. I even prefer the campy in some circumstances because the front der. adjustment for campy is more flexible. The big difference I find is the thumb shifters vs the two-paddle shifters, but after getting used to the thumb-shifters, I find it equally easy to shift. I'm gussing if you had that much dislike for the record group, it was poorly tuned, or the bike had other issues causing you to dislike it.

I'm gussing if you had that much dislike for the record group, it was poorly tuned, or the bike had other issues causing you to dislike it.

As for tune, well it hit all it's gears okay. Just not very crisp. But yeah I guess they could tune that up.

I guess part of it could have been unrealistic expectations. I expected this bike to blow me away but it didn't. Perhaps what this is telling me is not to go beserk. Just get a nice solid mid specced bike, and that will be good enough to last me until I can get a feel for this stuff and make a proper judgement for my next bike.