RJM

I think I'm the only one who prefers the look of Dura Ace 9000 over anything Campy.

coasting 

no. i think all of shimanos stuff looks better than campy. that's not a better or worse judgement, just personal taste.

kansukee

Campagnolo actually pays good wages to their employees. I ride it because of its tradition, unequalled quality, fit and finish. And it's good not be part of the mob that ride basically the same bikes with different color schemes.

D1andonlyDman

So it's the scarcity and difficulty in hiring of qualified employees, then, that explains the higher cost for Campy

popeye

I prefer to ride D/A but it really sucks to have to trash a shifter for a broken spring.

Nachoman

I wonder what the cost difference is (parts and labor) between replacement of a shimano shifter versus replacement of a compagnolo shifter spring.

bruce19

I'm Italian. I grew up in a neighborhood of Italian immigrants. In 1997 I sold my BMW R100RS and bought a Ducati. Have owned Ducatis ever since. This is not a fair question.

zx9rmal

Stay on top of those belts! I had a couple of Ducs. Cool bikes. Today, I'm good with my ZX-14R.

headloss 

Can't just change a Campy spring anymore like you could on the old Ergos (g spring itself is like $4). Newer version requires a new shifter body... on the plus side, a Super Record shifter body can be picked up for under $100 which is way cheaper than replacing the shifter and anyone with average mechanical ability can do the swap.

Greenfieldja

Campagnolo strives to be an exclusive brand as part of their company's/family's mission statement. They are not trying to capture the bulk of the cycling market share and specifically consider themselves to be more boutique than their competition.

Shimano has always controlled a greater portion of the market as they provide a greater range of components for OEM bike makers to choose from.

Even here in Europe, whether Belgium, Italy, Germany, UK, Netherlands, etc...Shimano is much more ubiquitous than any other component maker, followed by SRAM and then Campy as it pertains to road bikes...for mt bikes SRAM may have as much or more of a market share as Shimano and Campy is non-contender as they for quite some time have not had a product line devoted to mt bikes. That certainly reflects what one sees on the market in the US as well.

I think the most relative question was posed earlier on...if Shimano is much more massed produced and outsells Campy, why do their prices approximate Campagnolo's? The answer to that question is that folks are willing to pay for it.

-j

rjones28 

... because they don't also sell fishing tackle?

RJM

Shimano makes awesome fishing tackle.

Stucky

And they are wise to pursue that plan. No sense trying to fight a giant for a piece of the giant's pie. Better to offer cake for those who aren't so interested in the giant's pie, anyway. Kind of like how Ebay used to be a great site, when they pursued the business model which made them unique and appealing. When they decided to directly compete with Amazon, they took on a formidable competitor with whom they formerly had no interference; and in doing so, screwed up their own site and drove away the customers who loved them for the uniqueness and vision they had had in the beginning.

Could you see Campy making below bottom-level junk components for Walmart bikes?! It would be a no-win situation for either company. It would dilute Shimano's business; and cost Campy a fortune just to get in the game, while offering little benefit; and at the same time, make their brand less appealing to many who are willing to pay for it, because it is "high-end".

Monkey D.Luffy

Shimano Stella is the best derailleur.

garysol1 

Here is my experience. I was a diehard Shimano user but I always dreamed of riding Campagnola. I always thought of it as being the best of the best so I saved and I saved and finally I purchased my Super Record group. I was so happy. After riding it for a month or so I realized that it was meh at best. I did not like the thumb trigger and felt the shifting was a bit harsh and mechanical feeling. I took off the Campy group and put my DuraAce 7800 back on. I have ridden Shimano ever since. Just because it is more expensive does not make it superior. Different yes, better not necessarily.

coasting 

the voice of reason.

Stucky

So let's see; Even Shimano Sora no longer has thumb-button shifters....but Campy does, even on their highest model? (I've never ridden Campy- but just as with lots of other cycling-related things, I wish there was a way to try it, without having to buy it or steal a bike )

Katiesmalls

I think DA is much more competitive and innovative, at least the last 15 years or so, but there is no denying the Nuovo record rear derailleurs are sexy. Plus there is the history, but as generations die off that changes also.

coasting 

this thing about Italian history makes me laugh. you know there are Taiwanese makers who just put Italian names on their products? You know there are "Italian" brands that are just recent start-ups who come to Taiwan get manufacturers to make their historic branded goodies?

garysol1 

BTW.... Any company that wants me to buy their tool that retails for $280.00 so that I can install their chain is obviously delusional. That tool is so obviously over priced I have to wonder how much they are inflating the prices product simply because of the name...

sced

What's bad about thumb shifters?

garysol1 

Nothing if you have big enough hands that allow for your thumbs to reach them while in the drops. I had to come back up to the hoods to reach them...

scott967

I was in Vincenza a couple months ago and thought it would cool to check out the operation but it is a non-descript building in a non-descript industrial complex (other than sign on roof nothing to see) and they seem to have zero concept of marketing.

There's a custom builder in town (Cicli Liotto) that does Campy builds and thought it would be nice if I had time to get a build (Corsa Aquila) from them.

scott s.
.

coasting 

did you feel the history?

Alias530

How are you going to compare a mid level groupset to a top of the line groupset (relative to the offerings of the brand) just because it costs the same? That's the point of this thread--Dura Ace 9000 is $1,200, Super Record is $2k and Dura Ace Di2 is $2,200 while Super Record EPS is $5,000