DaveSSS 

That's really not accurate. It makes the assumption that a low initial cost equates to a lower total cost of ownership. I've been using Campy exclusively since 1995. It's rare when I couldn't buy Campy Record for only a little more than Shimano DA and Chorus was usually less than DA. I've used parts for 5 years and sold them on E-bay for half what I paid for them, so the cost of ownership was quite low. Some Campy parts are far cheaper, like brake/shift levers. I bought Record 11 speed shifters for $240, with cables, just a few months ago. Try to find DA 7900 for that price.

Campy chain life is so much greater that the cost per mile is usually no greater.

cuski

Not to mention re-buildable.

Ridelots24

I get it.
Its just like my wife. Works good....but i wonder if there is anything lighter,faster,better?

umd

BobLoblaw

Respectfully disagree regarding chain life. There's no magic in Campy chains. Metal is metal. They wear just like Shimano and SRAM chains. You can run them longer, sure, but you pay the price. I got 8500 miles out of an Ultegra chain once with no loss of shifting performance, but of course ended up having to replace the chainrings and cassette as well as the chain.

Not interested in a debate about the cost/benefit ratio of Campy versus Shimano.

BL

FlashUNC

Yet you've thrown out the blanket statement its more expensive, when it isn't that clear cut.

Gambutrol

If you're going to compare groups on weight alone, Rival, Centaur, and Dura-Ace would all be in the same category:
https://www.totalcycling.com/index.ph...t-weights.html
By that logic, Shimano is far more expensive than either SRAM or Campy.
However, weight isn't all your are buying in a group. I like campy because I like how their shifters feel the best and I love being able to dump multiple gears at a time.

Just find the company that has the best shifting for you and buy the groupo that is in your price range.

There's really no sense in making threads with inflammatory titles like this.

DaveSSS 

Not true at all. All metals are NOT the same. Campy chains wear differently than any other brand I've ever tested. Ridden in the same conditions, with the same lube, a Shimano chain will elongate about four times faster than a Campy chain. That does not mean that the Campy chain will last four times longer, since the rollers still wear out, but the rollers also wear at a slower rate. Ultimately you can get 30-50% more mileage from a Campy chain. Even after 6,000 miles of use, my Campy chains have no more than 1/3 of the "allowable" .5% elongation. Unfortunately, the roller spacing has increased by about .040 inch by then, so I arbitrarily trash the chain at that point, despite the small amount of elongation.

You can get more mileage from any chain and cassette by alternating the use of several chains rather than leaving one on until it's shot and then hoping the second, third or fourth new chain doesn't skip when it's installed on used cogs. What ends a cassette's life is chain skip when a new chain is installed.

If I start with a new cassette and three chains, I'll use the each one until the roller spacing increases by about .020 inch, which might take 2,000 miles for each new chain. After 6,000 miles, I'll have three partially worn chains that will NEVER skip if I continue to alternate their use at regular intervals. When the roller spacing increase to about .040 inch, I'll toss all three chains and the cassette. I would expect at least 12,000 miles of use and perhaps as many as 18,000.

If you happen to use a single chain on a cassette for a little too long and get chain skip on only one cog, you might consider keeping that cassette. A chain with only a few hundred miles of break-in can usually be mated to that worn cassette and not skip on the most-worn cog.

Bob Dopolina 

What the OP is seeing is how the three main component makers approach the OE market.

Shimano dominates because they give fantastic support to the OE factories and VERY aggressive pricing at the OE level. Sram does to some extent but not nearly as much as Shimano.

Campagnolo pretty much ignored the OE factories until only recently. In fact, they issued their first factory manual only this year. It still pales by comparison to what Shimano offers but it is a step for them.

IMHO Campagnolo will still remain an aftermarket company unless they dramatically increase their capacity and start working more closely with the OE, frame makers etc.

Surferbruce

I do know Sram wants BADLY to steal a big chunk of the OEM market from Shimano and I'd bet in the next few years they do. Teams switching to Sram mid-season, Lance on Sram, riders like Sastre opting for 7800- people are going to start demanding Sram and it'll trickle down to the OEM market.

NYJayhawk

My Ridley (bought in late '07) came stock with Centaur. According to their site they still spec Campy (yes, even Centaur) on several of their bikes.

Bob Dopolina 

Yes and No.

Sram does want more of the OE market. They want it because OE drives aftermarket (where the margins are) not the other way around.

Most people don't make buying decisions based on what some pro rides. They buy a bike and replace parts as they wear out.

Those who buy complete groups, and who are aware of who the pros are and what they ride are a tiny minority of buyers.

rokudan

Just out of curiosity...

I am not as well seasoned in the minute details of the sport at the top professional level as some of you may be, however I have built many top level manufacturer show vehicles in my day (albeit years ago)... And the equipment they supply us for building their demo cars, are highly modified and nothing like what is available to the general public...

Is it the same with your top level competitor's bikes/parts? Is the wheelset model Lance Armstrong runs the same you or I could buy? Are the dérailleurs the same? Or are they, like in many other competitive industries, manufactured to different exacting specs, with materials superior to what they use in the same line, that we can buy?

I am guessing that a make/model any top level pro uses, is not the same any of us Joe Schmoes could buy... But, I could be wrong...

Bob Dopolina 

For the most part they are the exact things you yourself can buy. That is what is cool about bike shwag.

For pros (their team mechanics) will modify products for the specific needs of a rider and sometimes companies will produce limited numbers for this same reason. Pro will also test new products or changes in existing products before they are released to the general public.

These cases are the exception, not the rule.

rokudan

Excellent info and insight Bob.. Very much appreciated, and very good to know!

Thanks!!

Bob Dopolina 

I am here to serve.

drdhsimon

i know i should know this....please remind me what OEM is?!

Thanks!

andr0id

Also, they don't can't deliver the same quantity as Shimano. We had a vendor that bugged us for years about putting their component in our product. Finally we said yes and said, we need 10 million of them. They had no way to deliver that many so we went back to the existing supplier. (Eventually they ramped up their capacity and we now use both vendors)

Shimano has the manufacturing capacity to deliver the quality/price level and quantity anytime you want it.

Quijibo187

Original Equipment Manufacturer

so whatever comes on the bike from the factory.

johnism

https://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?p...ajor=1&minor=5

DaveSSS 

Old parts that they are trying to get rid of. You could get new 11 speed for the same price or less.

Right now, Licktons has about the best US price on Chorus 11.

Bob Dopolina 

The running joke is that the worst thing that could happen to Campagnolo would be to receive HUGE OE orders. They could never met them.

ThinLine

Seems I hit a nerve with most of the replies.

I had (still do) 1991 campy record w/ delta brakes on my Basso Lotto (downtube shifting, ergo) and I loved it.
My buddies and I would argue daily between Dura-Ace and Record.

My preference has always been campy....NOT for the glamour or bragging rites but for their quality, precision, craftmanship and Italian pedigree.

Shimano Dura Ace/Ultegra; which I mainly ride is top notch in every respect and I admire it dearly.
Variety is all I want. Centaur or chorus is almost 20 years newer than my record and would like to see the improvements.

SRAM, I only have as a 3 speed i-motion system on my so cool swobo otis with grip twist shift. Its OK for trailering my puppies around the area.

xg43x

I have campagnolo mirage on my trek 1000 build and i have only spent 450 and that includes my campagnolo record and mavic open pro rims.

julz

Cannondale SuperSix Team (Liquigas) is campag sans crankset.