zensuit

Just went from a full carbon Record bike to a Centaur equipped Scott. Folks, the levers are cool looking and the stuff works flawlessly.

IMHO, spend the money on lighter wheels...

Z

flythebike

I have a Centaur Rear Derailleur on my TT bike. It works great.

Grasschopper

WHAT!?!? You sold the C40? You got a CR1 I assume?

zensuit

Dig this, Chop...rode the C-40 for a year with nagging back pain and a real issue with fatigue leading to Power loss. Couldn't stay with the A group riders on rollers or flats (always could before) and was having trouble finishing even Metric Centuries at reasonable speed. One day, on a whim, I rode the fast training ride with my "Rain bike", an Orbea Volata (super tight Crit geometry) with Campy Mirage and average about 23 mph for 20 miles before cruising in the last 10 miles (I skipped the mountain, okay????) at about 20 mph. Near the end I felt like I had hardly ridden at all. Rode my next Metric at over 20 mph despite rarely finding anybody to share the work with, again on my Orbea, and realized that a bike that doesn't fit, doesn't fit...no matter how cool it is. This after tons of stems, spacers, and other stuff to try and get things right.

I had test-ridden a CR1 pro a long time ago and it suited my big gear mashing style better anyway so once I was able to sell the C-40 for more than I originally paid for it the deal was done. It also is a lot quicker handling on descents and I realized while testing it that part of my problem with descending was that I couldn't adjust to the cruiser like handling of the C-40. I actually feel more confident with a twitchier bike. Lol.

The Scott is terrific. I like the stealth black and I'm sprinting like a much younger guy, even climbing pretty well. It's going to be a fun year.

Grasschopper

Coll...then there is only thing left to say:

cs1

I just put together a 1995 Waterford 1200 with full Daytona 10 speed. It has Ambrosia 32 hole rims with Daytona hubs. It shifts just as well as an all Chorus bike I had. A really good buy for the money. If you like the look of aluminum over carbon stick with the Centaur/Daytona. Flawless performance and much nicer looking than anything Shimano makes.

Tim

EURO

Centaur...Veloce with different stickers.

ImprezaDrvr

Chorus...Centaur with more bling.

Any more, they're getting more and more similar across the lines. That's a good thing in my book. I'm hoping to build up a dedicated race bike that I can crash and not cry about it. Thinking about Centaur with some Chorus here and there.

EURO

Nope.

Chorus...Record with different stickers.

zensuit

Your point is? Veloce shifts just fine too...still rather spend the money on wheels

SDRider

So, what about the other bike didn't fit? Was it too big? Too small? Top tube too long?

flythebike

Not sure he had a 'fit' issue. The geometry on those Colnagos is just so laid back, like 71 degrees or something. That can make your pelvic angle real different, regardless of top tube length and whatnot.

ImprezaDrvr

Don't miss the forest for the trees. Point is that there's less and less of a noticeable peformance difference between the groups.

zensuit

As the other poster said, too laid back geometry for my build and flexibility, which really would be a fit issue. FWIW, In my first incarnation as a rider/racer in my early 30's I rode a Cannondale Crit frame as my all purpose road bike with no ill effects. More agressive seems to suit me better.

Z

zensuit

Imprezadrvr...for a race bike, I would build it with Veloce 9 speed...shifts great, you can buy different cassettes all over the place for different conditions, and if you need more than 9 gears in the rear you are probably being sponsored anyway.

Z

EURO

My point is DON'T BUY CENTAUR. It's a marketing scam from the 'impeccable craftsmen' at Campagnolo.

I have Xenon on one of my bikes. Beat that.

ImprezaDrvr

I've got 10 speed cassettes and the like as it is. Besides, it's pretty much a pipe dream at this point. Although, those Pedal Force carbon frames are cheap.

galen_52657

I have a bike with no shift levers...I just reach down and pull the cables... so there...

classic1

Is that better or worse than Xenon?

gcasillo

Yeah, well I have a bike with no brake levers...I just reach down and grab the rims...so there...

CastIron

Oh yeah? I ride my nephew's tricycle. It's got Campy streamers on the bars. I get all macho about being on a 'fixie' too.

Namenda

Rims? You have rims? I have to carry a bare frame through flaming lava pools, barefoot. And I'm grateful to have those lava pools.

Portlandonian

Lava Pools? I swim my bike through oceans of sulfuric acid and piranhas. Then I fight my way through a jungle of wild pygmies and tarantulas with bladed spokes. And after that I turn into a 10 foot tall death robot.

Namenda

Yes, but are they ill-tempered piranhas?

otoman

No, but they are ill-tempered seabass