Trev Doyle

Here is my question, I am presently riding a Pinarello Prince with 9spd Dura Ace. I like it fine, but I think I would like to make the switch to Record 10 spd. I have tried out the Campy stuff "in store", but have not ridden it on the road. I am basically assuming it is as good or better than Dura Ace. I am not looking to start a shimano vs. Campy thread, but the little thumb shifters on campy stuff really bugged my hands. It felt like when I ride in the hoods that I was always touching the triggers. The Dura Ace (honestly) felt more natural (or even more ergo).

Do you get used to it, or what.....was the bike I rode somehow set up wrong? What's up? Anyone have that problem?

jimbud

No, not really. My first bike was Campy equiped so I had to get use to Shimano.

Patriot

No, the little thumbshifters are set back so they are easier to reach from the drops. That way, you can upshift when in a sprint. The ergonomics are something that every person needs to determine on their own. Some prefer Campy ergo, some prefer Shimano. I have always preferred the Campy ergo feeling better.
I tried DA and Ultegra before, and neither ever felt right to me. How it feels to everyone else is a matter of personal preferance.

What I have always liked better is the repairability of Campy, and the available compact cranks. The micro-adjust on the front der is always a benny. Plus, the Centaur line has the most beautiful options available to date.

It really is all personal preferance. I for one, am a Campy cyclist. Unless Shimano creates equipment to satisfy some of the attributes I enjoy with Campy, they won't won't be getting anymore of my business.

That said, the outboard bearing hollowtech crank technology is very nice. That's about the only good thing I like about Shimano.

SDRider

Speaking as one who has been riding on the top of the line Shimano crank for the last few months it is a really really nice crank. It didn't sway me to build my new bike with Shimano though. I'm going back to Campagnolo simply because that's what I had on my first "real" bike and I loved it. I'll give it an honest appraisal here after I have a few hundred miles on my new bike.

Just holding the Chorus Carbon Ergo shifters in my hands and clicking up and down I think they'll fit my hands better and I don't have small hands...probably average sized hands.

I do like the Shimano and I take pride in my bike but I don't really cringe on the rare occasions I've dropped my bike. I suspect I'll do that with my new bike though. I'll ride it just as hard but I think I'll cherish it more. I guess that makes me biased huh? Oh well, I'll still try to give an unbiased review after I've ridden it for a while.

CPcyclist

I went from down tube to Campy Ergo in the mid 90's. I have had the opportunity to ride several Shimano Ultegra/DA bike and find I like the Campy I am use to.


As for the thumb shifter I don't find it in the way it is right were I need it for shifting from the hoods or drops.

55/Rad

I ride both though I've ridden Shimano far more. You get used to it and after awhile, begin to feel the differences and establish personal preferences.

Most people aren't disatisfied with Record.

55/Rad

fmw

Personally, I never notice that the Campy thumb levers get in the way of anything. they seem to be placed just at the right spot. You can get to them easily from the hoods or the drops and they don't get in the way when you're cruising.

I ride both Campy and Shimano and I have to get used to the other system almost every time I ride. For me the only troublesome part is that the paddles do opposite things in the two systems. With Shimano they move the chain to a larger cog or ring and with Campy they move it to a smaller one. I sometimes miss a few shifts when I switch bikes. Not a big deal.

SDRider

Having not ridden a modern Campy equipped bike, I find the lever action on the Shimano a little too long for the shifting action. I don't dislike the shifters themselves because they are very smooth and I've almost never missed a shift (3 dropped chains in the past 900 miles-twice off the big chainring and once off the small one-this is a double BTW) and it's only just begun to not shift up one gear when I've hit the levers (probably just needs adjustment). Those are the only faults I've found with Shimano so far.

BTW-I have all Ultegra 10 spd with Dura-Ace chain, cassette and crankset.

ed073

If you're worried about it now, stick with Shimano.

don't drop the $$$$ on Record to work out you really hate it in 6 months or a year.

foxracer826

I highly recomend switching to record. If your hands are in the right position on the hoods, you will not have this problem of having your thumb touch the shifter. I don't want to spark a battle, but I think that the campy is superior for the following reasons:
1. I believe it looks better with all of the carbon parts.
2. I believe there is some weight savings, however, I may be wrong.
3. The hoods are way more comfortable than the new shimano stuff.
4. Also, the two things I love most about riding campy record is how I can fine adjust the front derailler( you might be able to do this with dura ace too, but my old shimano bike couldn't). And I like how I can shift all the way across the cassette fromt he highest to lowest gear all in one push of the trigger.

Campy is my preferance because I love the design aspect of it. Record and Dura Ace probably perform equally well, but campy tops it off with a few extras that make it that little bit better.

Fox Farm

The thumb levers don't get in the way, they are in the right place. I find the ability to easily toggle back and forth, up and down, while on the hoods to be really nice. Can't do that with Shimano. I too don't want to start the pissing contest between the two brands. Both work really well, particulary at the Dura Ace and Record or Chorus level. I suggest that you test ride or borrow a Campy bike on a ride and spend a few hours with it to see how it works. Before going to brifters 12 years ago, I did that and just never liked how Shimano's STI levers felt, both the hoods and the way the entire break lever moved while shifting. To me, they are not intuitive.

SDRider

I don't have any other point of reference but I do like the fact that you can shift down 3-4 gears at a time with the Campy shifters vs Shimano's 1 gear at a time change-it's just too slow when you start picking up speed or go from the big chain ring to the small and need to adjust the rear gearing accordingly. There are two fine tube adjustments you can make on the front derailleur while riding with Shimano and it stages the derailleur about 1/4 of the way toward shifting onto the highest or lowest gear on the crankset. It works fine but it's not the greatest system IMO. I'm curious to see how the Campy compares in that respect.

I also don't want a Campy vs Shimano war. A good honest evaluation of the differences makes for a great discussion but flame wars are completely useless.

RockyMtnMerlin

After a while they do not bother you at all. Well at least they don't bother me at all.

SteveE

I have 7 clicks on the Campy 9-speed Record front derailleur making a total of 8 positions.

catatonic

I am using mixed groups, between older chorus, centaur, and record...but musch of this still applies.

I found the campy to be far more easy to shift. Less motion to shift into a gear, plus the shift had a more positive tactile feedback than I got with my old 105 group.

the other thing I liked was how the brake levers don't move laterally under braking motions.

Fox Farm

OK, from my perspective, the biggest thing that I prefer about Campy, other than the profile of the hoods, and the brifter design, it that when you click the shift lever or thumb tap, it shifts right a way. With Shimano, you can push the shifter levers, but you have to release them for the shift to take place; a double click if you will. Click / CLICK. Two movements of the mechanism. With Campy, push the thumb button or flip the flipper lever and it's one click with an immediate movement of the derailure causing the chain to shift right a way. As for your question about adjustment of the front derailure, I have to drive a cup of coffee to follow what you are asking!

On average, the Shimano drive train does work well and feels very light to the touch. The Campy works very well but feels a little stiffer or not as gentle, for lack of a better word. It's like the difference between driving a Toyota Camry vs a Volkswagon Jetta or Passat.

Fox Farm

Drive a cup of coffee... I guess I really need to go get a cup...

demoncyclist

The easy way to not confuse shifting directions on Ergo:

The big lever moves the chain in the same direction that it pivots. The button moves the chain in the direction it pivots too.

serotta

It's a personal preference thing. It's also a hobby, a sport, something you do for fun. Spoil yourself, get which every you want, they are both very reliable and after a few rides you will be comfy with either Shimano or Campy.

I still have some old Suntour stuff, and although it doesn't hold a candle to Campy or Shimano, it still gives me great enjoyment whenever I ride that bike.

2Rodies

The sole reason I run Campy (record and chorus) is because of the ergonomics. Operationally DA and Record are equal in quality, so if you feel more comfortable on DA stick with that you are not going to gain anything performance wise by making the switch. I only run Campy because my hands fit the hoods better.

djbowen1

I went from Dura-Ace to Record and immedietly got used to it, i prefer the campy to shimano any day now.