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I Finally Rode Campagnolo!

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

I Finally Rode Campagnolo!

Old 04-18-16, 01:42 PM
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Originally Posted by PepeM
So should I switch or not?
Most definitely and get a Campy tattoo, also.
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Old 04-19-16, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Bob Ross
I just recently acquired my first Campy-equipped bike (2015 Record 11-speed mechanical) and I too am impressed with the unapologetic "CLUNK!" of every shift. It feels like it was built back in the days when mechanical engineers were the manly cowboys of new technology. It reminds me of the difference between old Ampex 300-series tape machines where the Play/Stop/Record buttons were hefty mechanical switches that required some brute force to actuate (there's a reason the phrase "punching in" developed!) and modern solenoid-equipped tape transport controls, where you can accidentally engage the Fast Forward button by farting in close proximity to the remote. Campy mechanical is the Ampex; Shimano Di2 is the Otari.

None of this is meant to express a judgement, just an experiential observation. My next bike will almost certainly have Di2!
Campy is so clunky, it's slick.

Shimano is so slick, it's telepathic.
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Old 04-19-16, 08:13 PM
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I wouldn't mind trying sram component groups, why not? I'm curious about etap, and I'm sure it's great, but it's not without it's share of criticisms. The system supposedly shifts a bit more slowly than it's competition, which should not be an issue with electronic shifting.

As far as double tap, who knows, I may love it, I may not. I'm sure it works well enough. It is a bit telling that sram is rarely if ever specced on road bikes anymore. .

I don't think they'll go out of business any time soon, but it's not clear how their 'meat and potatoes' mechanical road groups offer anything that is clearly better or even different compared to shimano or campy.
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Old 04-19-16, 10:20 PM
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Originally Posted by redfooj
didnt add my caveat: older ergopower have the longer transverse thumb tabs. the newest ones with angled tabs must be easier. mine is the older style, which requires a bit of a crook of the thumb from my medium-sized paws.


Not the good stuff. Athena (now potenza) and veloce use this lever arrangement. Chorus and up have levers in the original position to allow sweeping shifts. EPS, with no mechanical parts, uses the sloping buttons.

Ive been test riding a lot of bikes for work lately, and all had Shimano. I forgot how much I hate it. The ergos don't work for me, the lever throw is too far, I can't shift up more than one at a time, it's harder in the drops because there's so much effing throw, and every time I shift the brake lever from the hoods I seem to apply the brakes a little. Not to mention I can't shift from the tops by reaching out with my pinky.

Ive tested plenty of bikes with SRAM too, and I still can't get my head around double tap. I doubt I could remember how it works when cross eyed in a sprint.
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Old 04-19-16, 11:02 PM
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Originally Posted by CafeVelo
Not the good stuff. Athena (now potenza) and veloce use this lever arrangement. Chorus and up have levers in the original position to allow sweeping shifts. EPS, with no mechanical parts, uses the sloping buttons.

Ive been test riding a lot of bikes for work lately, and all had Shimano. I forgot how much I hate it. The ergos don't work for me, the lever throw is too far, I can't shift up more than one at a time, it's harder in the drops because there's so much effing throw, and every time I shift the brake lever from the hoods I seem to apply the brakes a little. Not to mention I can't shift from the tops by reaching out with my pinky.

Ive tested plenty of bikes with SRAM too, and I still can't get my head around double tap. I doubt I could remember how it works when cross eyed in a sprint.
Which shimano groups have you been using? The latest tiagra, 105 and especially ultegra 6800, have very short lever throws. The short throw effect is even more pronounced with 6800 since the derailleur springs are so heavy and therefore shifts are completed so quickly. To say that you accidentally brake "every time" you shift means that your brakes are badly out of adjustment, your shift technique is laughably poor, or that you are massively exaggerating.

The previous version of tiagra has longer throws but the latest iteration of tiagra is much closer in design philosophy to their higher end groups. Very light action, light click, short throw, very fast shift.

Also, how are the brakes adjusted? If the pads are a tenth of a millimeter from the rims, then maybe you'll have a problem. Otherwise, I have no problems braking accidentally while shifting.

By contrast, super record has literally, super long throws. I enjoy it, but it's very different from shimano's approach.


One thing that hasn't been mentioned is braking quality. Shimano is far superior in this regard. I find everything from 105 on up is superior to campagnolo super record. I don't know if it's the 'skeleton' calipers flexing too much or whether campy decided pros need less power, the difference is obvious.

Multiple upshifts require Di2. I would love to see it on shimano mechanical.

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Old 04-19-16, 11:11 PM
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Originally Posted by usatrump
Which shimano groups have you been using? The latest tiagra, 105 and especially ultegra 6800, have very short lever throws. The short throw effect is even more pronounced with 6800 since the derailleur springs are so heavy and therefore shifts are completed so quickly. To say that you accidentally brake "every time" you shift means that your brakes are badly out of adjustment, your shift technique is laughably poor, or that you are massively exaggerating.

The previous version of tiagra has longer throws but the latest iteration of tiagra is much closer in design philosophy to their higher end groups. Very light action, light click, short throw, very fast shift.

Also, how are the brakes adjusted? If the pads are a tenth of a millimeter from the rims, then maybe you'll have a problem. Otherwise, I have no problems braking accidentally while shifting.

By contrast, super record has literally, super long throws. I enjoy it, but it's very different from shimano's approach.

Multiple upshifts require Di2. I would love to see it on shimano mechanical.
Ultegra 6800 and dura ace 9000. I sort of drape my hands over the knob of the hood as a neutral position and roll my finger around to the shift lever to shift. No problem with campy but it's a real issue on Shimano. I do like my brakes really sensitive so there's not a bunch of useless pull before something happenes, but at the ultegra and up level I shouldn't have to compromise the way I like my brakes to feel so the shifter works without me making the brakes actuate. I know I'm not alone in my distaste for Shimano over the multi-purpose nature of the brake lever. Something so critical shouldn't have so many functions.
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Old 04-19-16, 11:20 PM
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Originally Posted by CafeVelo
Ultegra 6800 and dura ace 9000. I sort of drape my hands over the knob of the hood as a neutral position and roll my finger around to the shift lever to shift. No problem with campy but it's a real issue on Shimano. I do like my brakes really sensitive so there's not a bunch of useless pull before something happenes, but at the ultegra and up level I shouldn't have to compromise the way I like my brakes to feel so the shifter works without me making the brakes actuate. I know I'm not alone in my distaste for Shimano over the multi-purpose nature of the brake lever. Something so critical shouldn't have so many functions.
I like to set my pads fairly close to the rims as well, but rarely if ever have a problem with braking accidentally. Again, this must be a problem with your shifting technique. It only takes the most minor amount of practice before you are shifting perfectly from either the drops or hoods. Shifting does not "make" the brakes actuate. That's just bad technique. Either that, or sheer exaggeration on your part.

Personally, I love the feel of shimano brake hoods and levers.

Also, there are only two functions of the levers: braking and shifting. It is theoretically possible to accidentally brake while shifting, but it's just anti shimano propaganda to claim that shifting 'makes' the brakes work. That's just ridiculous. Practice a little bit and the problem is non-existent.

I can respect the fact that people have preferences but outlandish exaggeration is not the way to get your point across.
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Old 04-20-16, 05:49 AM
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Originally Posted by usatrump
I like to set my pads fairly close to the rims as well, but rarely if ever have a problem with braking accidentally. Again, this must be a problem with your shifting technique. It only takes the most minor amount of practice before you are shifting perfectly from either the drops or hoods. Shifting does not "make" the brakes actuate. That's just bad technique. Either that, or sheer exaggeration on your part.

Personally, I love the feel of shimano brake hoods and levers.

Also, there are only two functions of the levers: braking and shifting. It is theoretically possible to accidentally brake while shifting, but it's just anti shimano propaganda to claim that shifting 'makes' the brakes work. That's just ridiculous. Practice a little bit and the problem is non-existent.

I can respect the fact that people have preferences but outlandish exaggeration is not the way to get your point across.
Actually, I too have the same brake problem sometimes shifting Shimano. Happens a lot with gloves on my various bikes. I also agree that the Athena throws feel shorter than my Ultegra 6800. No need to get personnel with the guy just because you see them differently. All your references to clunky seems to me like a poorly tuned groups independent of the brand.
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Old 04-20-16, 07:43 AM
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My other thing with Shimano is how soft the shifts are. I can't feel if I've actually shifted half the time. Campy has a nice solid click and an audible noise.
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Old 04-20-16, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by oldnslow2
Wait till Rotor and FSA have their groupsets out. Then there will be 5 options.
Six. Don't forget Microshift.
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Old 04-20-16, 01:22 PM
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Sam got banned again?
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Old 04-20-16, 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by growlerdinky
Sam got banned again?
Didn't take long.

Back on topic, I replaced my worn out Ultegra 9speed shifters on my tandem with Microshifts and those things are sweet. I've since sold it to a guy that rides Campy and the last time that i saw him, he told me they were the best combo brake/shifters that he'd ever had.
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Old 04-20-16, 03:22 PM
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I've been riding Campy since 1985.


Cue Paul Simon: "Seein' me and Tullio down by the schoolyard"

i
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Old 04-20-16, 07:42 PM
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My 5800 bike shifts politely. My SR bike shifts robustly. I like them both.

Hey, Sam!
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Old 04-20-16, 09:21 PM
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I started on 6600 Ultegra, then I moved to Chorus 11sp, and fell in love. I tried a bike with 6700 and it was HORRIBLE. I understand why they released 6800 so quickly. I now have a gravel bike running the 685 hydro levers, and Shimano really hit it with the new 105/Ultegra, but I would still prefer Campy. The shape of the hoods and the thumb shifter feel right to me. Only ridden a SRAM bike around the block, and the shifting wasn't bad, but I did not like the shape of the hoods. This was 5 years ago though...

As long as it shifts relaibly, I am happy.
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Old 04-21-16, 12:24 AM
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Originally Posted by American Euchre
I don't think they'll go out of business any time soon, but it's not clear how their [SRAM] 'meat and potatoes' mechanical road groups offer anything that is clearly better or even different compared to shimano or campy.
I can't speak for Campy but SRAM is a totally different shifting experience from Shimano. What's not clear about it? I've used both of them plenty and they both work well but they get the job done in different ways. Mostly it comes down to feel and what you prefer but thank goodness we have options here in the ol' USA. Or elsewhere.
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Old 04-21-16, 06:51 AM
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I'm riding a Nuovo Record group from the late 60's. Love the downtube shifters with the little rubber booties on them.
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Old 04-25-16, 06:41 PM
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Originally Posted by TrojanHorse
I can't speak for Campy but SRAM is a totally different shifting experience from Shimano. What's not clear about it? I've used both of them plenty and they both work well but they get the job done in different ways. Mostly it comes down to feel and what you prefer but thank goodness we have options here in the ol' USA. Or elsewhere.
I've read some reviews critical of double tap; some just don't like to upshift and down shift with the same lever moving in the same direction.

I'm sure it works well enough.
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Old 04-26-16, 02:40 PM
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Started road riding back in the day on a Schwinn Paramount with Campy stem shifters. I sure miss that bike. I ride Microshift and SRAM now and here is why. My hands don't get along with Shimano hoods and I don't like the brake lever shifters. I simply can't afford a bike with Campy. I have a Nashbar/Microshift 2x9 setup on my cyclocross commuter and my Roubaix came with Apex. My previous road bike was equipped with Force. I also like the solid, audible shifts SRAM provides vs Shimano.
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Old 04-26-16, 09:11 PM
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I still have a LOT of Record 10 to use up.
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