Are they close enough to be able to mix campy shifters with a 105 caliper? Do campy brakes work any better?

The leverage and cable pull are 100% compatible.

I know you can mix and match brakes. The mechanical advantage on the levers is different. Someone listed it here within the last year. Campy seems to want everything just a little different than Shimano. Good luck


Tim

Even if the leverage ratios are a bit different, in practice they completely interchange. I have Campy Ergo brifters on two bikes with Shimano DP brakes, one set of Dura Ace and one set of Ultegras. I also have a couple of bikes with Shimano STI brifters and Ultegra DP brakes. The "feel", modulation and braking power are identical with both set-ups.

BTW, all of my brakes have Kool Stop salmon pads so they are identical in that regard. If someone reports a noticable difference when they mix-and-match brake and lever manufacturers, they may be seeing differences in brake pad composition.

There is one difference that will keep you from using Campy brakes with Shimano levers: open the caliper to remove the wheel. Campy's release is on the lever, not the brake.

Very good point. The opposite is true if you use Campy levers with Shimano brakes like I do. You have two quick releases, one on the brake and one on the lever, and the calipers can be made to clear any tire.

Yeah, good point, forgot about that. Campy would probably have to significantly change the leverage ratio (to about linear pull) so make their levers incompatible with other manufacturers brakes.

Dura Ace brakes are a great option with Campy.
I have a friend who rides Campy Chorus/Record on all his bikes, but picks Dura Ace brakes with Record levers for race day. Makes for a wide potential tire release also. Shame cassettes don't match as easily...