Last time I looked, I could get a Record 11 group for $1500 or an SR group for $1800. If money is a issue, Chorus is about $1100 and Athena $7-800. You can mix and match as desired. I can buy 3 chorus cassettes for price of one SR, so Chorus it is. They also last twice as long.

Totall OT, but to me their excessive use of that carbon weave makes it look like some sort of Euro-trash version of camouflage pattern. Kind of like the Euro equivalent of "Realtree".

Buy a Chorus FD and RD - no carbon cages. There's not much weight difference. That leaves the shifters and the RD body. No cure for those areas, unless you step down to an Athena RD.

Ah, good tip. I didn't know that....obviously

I actually rode around on this (not my bike) and I absolutely HATED it. The owner was not super thrilled as well because it needed to be tweaked frequently to be running optimally.

Things I did/do like about SR11 is that the brake lever actuation is the best I have ever felt from any manufacturer. Also, the crank as well as brake calipers looks really nice in my opinion.

If I lived somewhere with real mountains, and not the hill we call Bear Mountain, I might see how SR11 would be convenient, since it can shift down more than 2 cogs at a time.

However, Di2 basically solves any and all of these issues, be it cable routing, cable pull ratio, shifting under load, cross chaining, etc.

It also solves that problem people have with extra cash laying around...just sayin....

Anybody know if SRAM needs low friction cables to do it's magic?

Low friction housing will improve the shifting of any brand, including SRAM.

So will unicorn blood. I hear it's lubricity is un-matched.

What didn't you like? I've got three bikes with 11 speed and they all shift as well as anything I've ever ridden. None of them required a single adjustment after the cables seated in during the first few rides. That's normal with any cabled system. Two of my bikes don't even have frame mounted cable tension adjustment.

Some people have been unable to fix their cable friction issues, and others don't even know they have it. They just keep changing the tension adjustment in an attempt to fix the problem. That approach will never work. The best thing to do is start all over with new a new cable and housing on the right side. I would try Shimano or Yokozuna housing with a Campy cable. I also recommend the behind the bar routing, not the front. Make the housing lengths generous. I increased the rear loop so it's a least an inch longer than the Campy precut housing.

Jagwire + cablehousing ends properly cut and dressed + cable portion that rides in the housing treated with Dow G-1050 (I have a tube of 50's era precursor my Pop gave me) = ultralow friction cable setup

To keep it that way boot the ends of the housing to keep the crap out, especially if you ride in sand mixed with salt and frozen sludge.

This is why I use SRAM. BTW, where can I get some unicorn blood?

I did not really like the shifting actuation, particularly going to a lower gear. It required more throw than I would have liked. Plus, people dog on SRAM's "clunkiness" but SR11 isn't necessarily the smoothest mechanically, either (if you've ever ridden Di2, you will know where the bar is set in that regard--the "mouse buttons" also play a role with respect to mechanical smoothness).

While I did like the hood shape initially, I could see immediately that it limited the possible positions for long distance rides, where I like to plop my hands on top of the hoods (Campy 10 had a better shape in this regard).

Furthermore, I'm usually riding in the drops on my weekend hammerfest rides. shifting to a higher gear with the right thumb shifter is a real p.i.t.a. in this regard.

Again, if I climbed a lot I think I would seriously look at SR11 as well as compact gearing; however, there are no mountains to climb in NY. Therefore, for the type of riding I do, there are better options for me at a better price.

I am not saying that SR11 is worse as a groupset; I am saying for my own utility, there are better options in terms of price and what I need/want.

I've been using stainless cables with the housing ends lubed with teflon grease. It actually works better than the Gore Ride-On cables that come with SRAM Red.

I'm tempted to try some Yokozuna Reactions after this winter is up but it just seems crazy to spend $50 on cables when you can get stainless for $5 a pop...

After using Campy since 1995, I think the new brakes/shift levers are an improvement in every respect. I've got small hands with short fingers. I find the brake hood more comfortable by far. The finger lever throw to lower gears has been reduced from what was required with any previous ergo lever. The lever is also easier to move. It still has the ability to shift 3-cogs larger (compared to only two with 7900). Braking from the hoods is better than before. If you were getting clunky shifts, particualrly to smaller cogs, the shift cable tension was just too low - perhaps an attempt of fix cable friction.

Using the thumb button from the hooks is not a high point, but even my small hands can do it. I prefer that penalty to tap,tap,taps.