EURO

Like 99.99% of people (even the ones who describe in great detail why it's better) I ended up with Campagnolo simply because it was on my first bike and I got used to it.

SDRider

My current bike came with Shimano. I am building up a LeMond right now though with Campy. My first real road bike was a 1970s French made bike (Motobecane Le Champion) with all Campagnolo components and I loved that bike. It was stolen from me a number of years ago and I always vowed that if I took up cycling again that I would have a bike of that quality again. That's not to say that Shimano isn't the same quality, I can't really make that statement because I have no basis for comparing the two.

I am going with a Chorus group w/Record derailleurs, Record headset and Record hubs. I can't wait to ride it!

pigmode

When I raced as a teenager, my first real bike was setup with Campy Record. Since then I've gone through Super Record, C-Record, Record Ergo BB System, and finally Record/Chorus 10 Speed. It works, it has elegance, panache, I like it, it makes me happy, it provides a viseral continuity for myself as a rider. I also much prefer Campy's (brifter) shifting characteristics.

pigmode

Good deal! I went in the opposite direction, with Chorus mechs, seatpost, and alu. cranks.

webist

Like others, I accepted what was on the bike I purchased. Shimano.

clausen

Campy of course, what else would you put on a Reparto Corse Bianchi? Plus all the other stuff everyone said.

Tequila Joe

I used Campy for years and was looking for another Campy equiped bike when my roadie was stolen. However, I found an awsome deal on my current roadie and bought it even though it came with DA.

Now that I've ridden it for a while; I've found that the larger hoods of DA fit my hands better, I now preffer ergonomics of Shimano shifitng (No Thumbies) and softer shifts.

I don't know what will come with my next bike, but if I were to build one from the frame up, I would probably choose DA.

T.J.

SteveE

My first road bikes were equipped with Suntour. In 1981 I built up an Italian frame with Campy Nuovo Record components and rode that until 2000. I ended up missing the bad Campy indexed shifting, so when I moved away from friction shifting I stuck with what I knew. I also just had to have the Record CF levers!

In addition to what some other posters have expressed about Campy - aesthetics, rebuildability, etc. - I would add that I feel more confident with brake levers that rotate on a single axis. It just feels more solid to me. Finally, I'm just an unrepentant Campy snob at heart. YMMV.

DRLski

I've already got two Shimano bikes, because I liked the STI shifting, but I figured I mind as well build up a third bike as a campy bike just so I can really try it out. That and I don't like the new 10spd design of Shimano's shifters. Too big and clunky for me. I'll have to give a comparision once I've done some riding on the new bike.

BTW, for what it's worth, campy is NOT more expensive than Shimano, if you know where to shop then it can actually be cheaper.

mscycler

I chose Shimano because their power dial went to a little over 400 watts, Campy's didn't. I shoulda chose Campy record since I wanted to be in the top 1000 racers in my country, but I was jealous.

Seriously, I have Ultegra 10 because that is what was on the bike when I bought it. I could have had the same bike (Orbea Onix) with a Campy group, but they didn't have it in stock. I wanted a new bike right then, and I didn't want to wait.

mscycler

fifao

I really like how the 10spd 105 looks, but can you tell me how it performs in comparison to Ultegra 10 and the old 105? Or if you have no experience with either of those, how does it perform by iteslf?

uctke283

I have always had campy, but I bought a lemond that came with Shimano. I had all the parts switched out to campy, and now I jsut upgraded it all again from 8sp to 10sp.

Surferbruce

on my latest bike(Cervelo Soloist) the frame was about half the reason i chose it, the campy centaur stuff the other half. centaur to me seems to hit the perfect balance of price and quality. i can't follow the "i'll upgrade the components later" theory. i've yet to truly wear out any modern components, and by the time i do i know there will be some new hot frame i'm gonna want.

Markedoc

My Litespeed was upgraded from Ultegra 9 to DA 10 ... recently switched my Merckx to Ultegra 10 for tool and part compatibility reasons ... I can easily use my PowerTap wheel on either, etc.

Bigger hoods work better for my XL hands too.

Fox Farm

Dito, Dito, Dito.

zakk

becasue i picked up a DA 9 sp gruppo for ~$250

backinthesaddle

I'll second that: I like brakes that rotate on a single axis. I hadn't really conceptualized it, but the Shimano brake setup was another reason I wasn't comfortable with the 105 group and ended swapping out to Campy

Snicklefritz

Where are you finding these deals??

cycle17

Both my bikes are Treks and one came with Ultegra the other with Ultegra/DA mix. My first bike was also a Trek and had Tiagra/105 mix on it, so I am confortable with Shimano and it has never given me any shifting problems. I don't think I'd want to "re-learn" a new shifting system at this point.

No Exit

'nother reason I wont switch to campagnolo is i cant pronounce it...

cuda2k

My first two road bikes were Japanese made lugged steel bikes so I hung Shimano on them. Replaced the old school Shimano 400 on my Jap made Schwinn for 7speed 105 gear. My repainted Centurion (aka Barracuda Mk.I) now has a first gen Shimano 105 group on it. I have a Dutch frame at home that originally came with Campy that I'd love to hang campy on but just don't have the $$ right now. so the 7speed 105 gear gets to go on that frame for the time being.

That said, I like the feel of the Campy levers much more than ANY (STI or just aero brake) Shimano lever I've ever used. The Tektro R200A (also sold as Cane Creek SCR-5) levers that I have on my bike(s) are a Campy knock-off design. I love the feel of them and hopefully will provide a smooth transition to a campy group one day down the road.

cydewaze

At the time I built my bike, I had a limited budget and Shimano was cheaper than Campy. Plus, I had no experience with Campy, so I went with what I knew and what I could afford.

When I re-spec'd the bike recently, I stuck with Shimano because I thought it would be weird to have a Shimano/campy mix on my bike.

The_Guru

Despite secretly wanting Campy, it's simply what came with my bike (I bought used).

zakk

guy on another message board was getting out of racing. sold me a ridiculouys amount of parts for a stupid low price. parted everything out and ended up with a full DA gruppo for ~$250.

the cranks suck, so I sold that for $40 and got a FSA megaEXO compact for $108. I've got about $600 into my current bike by hunting for deals, trades, and bartering.

bbattle

LBS said try this bike out. I did, liked it a lot, bought it. It came with Ultegra. Didn't know Ultegra from Shinola; didn't care. I'm one of those rich guys with more money than sense. But I'm having fun, that's what counts. Buy the best you can and don't waste time wondering/worrying over little things.