ilovecycling

Hey guys and gals,

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Chorus 11s group, but don't know what brake option to go with. I guess Campy has recently made dual-pivot brakes an option after claiming before that they had "too much stopping power" and added unnecessary weight.

What's your take on the dual-pivot brake option for the front only vs. having both front and rear dual-pivot? I think all the brakes I have used in the past have been dual-pivot, including Rival, Red, and 6700. I never really had any issues with how they worked.

Also, if anyone knows where to get a full Chorus 11s group for less than $1279, please hook a brotha up! That's the lowest I've found and it's on eBay.

Thanks!

wkg

I like dual pivot breaks a lot. Nice and powerful and if they get off center it's really easy to move them and center them around the rim.

I have never used single pivot breaks but I've heard that in order to re-center them if they get off you have to actually manipulate the bolt (w/ hex wrench) and you can't just simply center them by hand.

Dual pivot also has more stopping power. Excessive stopping power in my opinion is only a downside if you run your pads too close to the rim surface which increases the possibility of locking the brakes up. A little extra distances improves control over how much force you're putting into the brake and allows for good modulation and better finesse.

Single pivots are lighter. Not sure about any other advantages.

That being said you can buy very very light dual pivot brakes, KCNC, EE Cycleworks, etc. Some of them are very expensive though.

I <3 Robots

According to Campy, front double for "stopping power" and rear single for "modulation"

Drew Eckhardt 

Ribble. $1162 at current exchange rates.

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/groups..._GS_CAR&bike=1

If you're going to ride Campagnolo (I've been a satisfied user since 1996 and strongly recommend the experience) you really should be familiar with the UK online retailers (ribble, shiny bikes, wiggle, etc.)

The single pivot rear is probably only useful when your frame/rear wheel are too light and flexy since the effects of brake drag will be less pronounced than with a double pivot that's fixed at the center.

JamieElenbaas

I'm not sure why you would go to the dual pivot in back.

I ride with Athena dual in front and single in back and I have NEVER felt a lack of breaking power in back. Perhaps it's my poor riding style, but during a 'panic' situation I over braked in back and had a brief rear lock up on dry pavement on level ground.

I don't know what I would do with additional braking power back there.

As for centering, it's never been much of an issue on either end.

AEO

it's not really necessary to have dual pivot in the back, since most of the braking should be done by the front.
I think shimano and sram do it because it is cheaper to have one set of tools making 2 brakes, instead of 2 sets making 2 different brakes.

That and I think it's because single pivot brakes don't open up as much when the QR is opened.

ilovecycling

Thanks for all the replies!

I'll probably just go with dual pivot for both front and rear. I swear I checked Ribble the other day and it was like over $1300. Do the exchange rates change that quickly? Also, approximately how long does it take to get something from them? This particular eBay seller is willing to do $1219 for the full custom spec'd group. I'm thinking I should just pay the extra $ to get it sooner and from the U.S. I've also purchased from them before and they are great to deal with. Never purchased from the UK, but it seems like more of a hassle. I tried buying something from PBK once and the nonsense I had to go through for credit card verification was so annoying that I stopped half way through and bought from somewhere else for a little more $.

carpediemracing 

https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...ot-brakes.html

I'd get the dual pivot just for the "center by hand" design. You can center it whenever, in half a second. So if you borrow someone else's wheel in a fondo etc you can recenter in a heartbeat.

Functionally no difference. Both will lock your rear wheel, both can be modulated well.

ilovecycling

Hmm, you guys bring up good points. I've locked up the rear wheel before in a panic/emergency situation, but I feel like that would happen regardless of what type of brake is being used. Maybe I should just go with the single-pivot rear to save some weight. Any idea how many grams are saved here?

wkg

Read CDR's blog post. That should tell you what you need to know.

And yeah, if you are ever in a situation where your single pivot brake gets knocked out of alignment (could happen in a huge variety of ways), you will probably wish that you had dual pivot.

ilovecycling

This is also a good point. I'm super ocd when it comes to my brakes being perfectly centered. I check for it all the time like a mad man. It would be really frustrating if I was out on a ride and noticed my brake being off-center, but couldn't do anything about it. I may go for the dual pivot rear just for the ability to adjust on the fly.

Then again, is this ability to adjust dual pivot brakes on the fly the same reason they go off-center in the first place? If the single pivot has a more secure "set it and forget it" mounting bolt, then I think I'd like that.

kissTheApex

With current exchange rate Shiny bikes has Chorus group for ~$1060+S/H. I believe there was a US based shop/person that price matched when you e-mail him, but the name of the website escapes me now.

Trucker Dan

Velomine.com is the place to go if you want to get it from a usa seller. I have heard of warranty problems from uk sellers. Ignore the price on his webpage and email him for his best price. He's very easy to work with.

I got a single pivot rear with my super record group. Works well and I think it looks a lot cooler than a dual pivot. Campys front brakes aren't as good as shimano. They work good enough but you might be a little let down in performance.

Drew Eckhardt 

I placed my last Ribble order on Thursday December 1st at noon Pacific time which was after close of business and it arrived at my house Tuesday December 6th three business days later. Shipping was $11.13 for two cassettes and two chains.

I also ordered a pair of cassettes from Velomine in Springfield, IL on the 1st before close of business. They arrived on December 7th and shipping cost $11.20.

The shipping time and cost difference between US and UK suppliers are often surprisingly uninteresting.

Payment worked the same for both since I used paypal.

ilovecycling

I would love to know who it is.

Trucker Dan- I will send an email and see what he can do. Thanks for the tip.

ilovecycling

Can you elaborate on why they aren't as good? Is it the lever feel, or is it just sheer grabbing power that isn't as good? I once squeezed the brake levers on a SR (maybe Record) group at a bike shop in IL, and I swear they were the smoothest, most heavenly feeling brake levers I'd ever felt. Back then I didn't even know what Campy was, but the feel of the brake lever has not escaped me. Maybe it was a sign of what was to come 2 years later.

BarracksSi

I had a Chorus 11 bike for a week with the single-pivot rear brake, and I dug it. I didn't encounter a situation where it got out of alignment or anything, but like JamieElenbaas said, it's still plenty of braking power for the rear wheel. I didn't have to concentrate nearly as much on how much I was squeezing both levers to avoid locking up the rear.

ilovecycling

Gosh, those prices at Shinybikes.com are crazy low. I'm tempted to get Record (with the Chorus cassette option) now because it's only $1375. That's only $300 more than Chorus, while everywhere else it's like a $500 difference. I know I could probably save $300 and stick with Chorus, but hey $1375 for Record is more than reasonable for the extra carbon bits and associated bling factor.

Competitive Cyclist did a video review of Campy 11-speed groups in 2009 and said the Chorus levers pivot on bushings, while Record and SR pivot on ball bearings. For those of you that have tried both, is the difference in lever smoothness noticeable? I could save 100 grams by going with Record, but I'm not really a weight weenie. I'd be upgrading to Record for the sex appeal more than anything.

Drew Eckhardt 

By mid-year 2009 all Campagnolo Ultrashift levers used bearings, even Veloce.

thirdgenbird

i really like my single pivot rear brake. it will still lock up the rear wheel if you give it everything but it does seem to modulate better.

i found it took a little more care in setting up but dont recall it ever getting knocked off center.

at 300 the upgrade would be tempting

ilovecycling

Okay, so I think I'm going to go with Record and the single-pivot brake. If anything, it costs less and I just want to give it a try. I could always find someone online to trade with if I decide I want a dual pivot.

The final question becomes should I get a braze-on or 35mm clamp FD. I think this group will end up on my caad9, but there's always the chance that it'll end up on another bike of mine with a braze-on tab. I could always get a braze-on to clamp adapter for $25 and play it safe, but I'm wondering if the clamp-on version will be inherently stiffer on the caad9 vs. having the adapter. What do you guys think?

thirdgenbird

i think record or a record chorus mix with a single pivot rear is a great option.


i still ride 10spd campy which allowed you to quickly swap clamps. over they years ive picked up a 35mm and braze on mount for my 32mm equipped front derailleur. im not sure if i will ever use them but the "just in case" was worth the $20 it cost me. they literally fit everything from 8spd veloce to 10spd record.

if i were in your shoes with an 11spd derailleur that cant be changed i would probably buy a braze on derailleur with a campagnolo adaptor. not all braze ons are the same and i have noted a shifting difference with them (using 10spd). ones within campys spec work perfect while others seem touchy to set up, but you can get it.

trickky

I have the single pivot 2011 SR in the rear. I prefer the feel of the single pivot, the stopping power is great, I could care less of any weight difference and brake centering hasn't been an issue...Either way, you'll be happy with the brakes as well as the entire gruppo.

ilovecycling

I just ordered it! Record w/ Chorus 12-27 cassette, single-pivot rear brake, and braze-on FD.

Now I just need to sell my Dura Ace c24 clinchers to fund some Campy-compatible wheels!

Thanks to all those that replied and helped accelerate my decision to spend $1400! What would I do without BF? Oh yeah, I'd probably be loaded with cash right now.

ilovecycling

Btw, in case anyone is curious it ended up costing me $1426 shipped. Not too bad IMO. I paid $200 more than that for the Red group I'm trying to sell right now. Not sure why people keep saying "Campagnolo is too expensive."