I run both, can't tell the difference. If you can live without the carbon, go for Centaur.

I run Centaur, and apart from the porn-carbon factor that Chorus brings, I don't think you can tell the difference. Just my $0.02 though.

Most of my tri-buddies use Shimano. I feel sorry for them.

You are right about the bang for the buck, cant be beat...weight and carbon are the only real issues here - plus the "record" style 4 arm crank now on Chorus is oh so sexy

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I'd second Centaur. I run full Centaur on my road bike, and my TT is also mostly Centaur with Chorus crankset (4 arm is sexy) and Record bar-end shifters. I like having "cheap", all-metal components I can easily replace everytime my bike hits the deck at 50+ km/h - happened thrice this past season.

Get Centaur and buy a(nother) nice set of race wheels with the cash you've just spared.

Greetings,

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Ricardo Wickert | Team Magnesium Pur - Germany | My sporadically updated blog: The Thin Grad Line | My team-issued TT bike: Trek Speed Concept 9

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If cash is an issue at all, Centaur is just fine. You will not be one single second faster (in any measure) with Chorus. I have run 2004 Veloce, Chorus, and Record. The ONLY real difference is that the Veloce crank has a duller finish and the chainrings look cheap. I can't tell the difference otherwise.

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Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

So you'd definitely go with even Veloce over say Shimano 105 or Ultegra? I'm looking at road bikes right now and I'm leaning towards the Campy outfitted ones; in my price range I can get Veloce, or I get Ultegra at the same price, or 105 for like $300 less. Am I 'right' in leaning towards the Veloce?

Yes - Veloce over Ultegra any day of the week (and twice on Sundays).

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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Ultegra is definitely better than Veloce. Centaur is about even, although I'd prefer the Ultegra cranks. to the original poster, I'd go with Centaur, swapping for Chorus cranks/BB or even Shimano cranks/BB (which will, in my experience, work perfectly). and I'd get those nice race wheels.

I'd do Veloce over Ultegra for sure. But I'd swap out that crank for Centaur. There's just something cheap-looking about the Veloce crank. The BB is fine, though.

Nothing wrong w/ Shimano stuff, but I really don't care for the hoods/levers personally, and that's 90% of what you actually notice when riding. Plus, it's nice having both cables hidden the way Campy does. Can't figure out why Shimano hasn't done that.

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Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

Brakes and cables are two of the main things pulling me toward Veloce.

Go with Centaur but use Chorus cranks and bb... the Centaur cranks and bb are heavy.

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Centuar Alloy cranks are lighter than Chorus alloy cranks.

Regards,
-SD

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https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era

I have been a Campy fan since the Neuvo Record line came out and have used it almost exclusively since then (there was that one fling with Suntour Superbe, but....). I continue to test ride Shimano bikes, but always enjoy the feel of Campy.

Anyway, as far as price-performance, Ultegra more or less equates to Centaur and Dura-Ace to Chorus. For a tri bike, any of them work well. The big question is which shifting and braking feel you prefer. I like the feel of Centaur/Chorus and went with it for my bike. However, I installed an FSA carbon crank and BB because it has a J angle like the old Super Record cranks and I prefer that.

One drawback is that at most races I've been at, if you have Shimano 10 speed and have a problem, then can probably do something. Campy 10, you are out of luck. For that reason I have stayed with my Campy 9.

Bottom line is decide what feel you like and can afford, then go with it. Whatever you decide, I am sure you will be happy with it.

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"The men who try to do something and fail, are infinitely better off than those who try to do nothing and succeed." Lloyd James

I just looked it up... and you are right. I guess I thought that when campy went to the Record arms on the newer style Chorus crank that the weight went down. Thanks for pointing it out I stand corrected. - Ron

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I think what it comes down to is, which lever do you like best. The bottomline is that both with a Shimano and a Campy lever, when you push it, the derailleur shifts. People who think that one (whichever one) is absolute junk and the other is the gateway to heaven are not very serious, both are good quality components (starting at a certain level). So the only thing that matters is, does your hand like riding on the hoods much better with one system than the other, or do you feel more comfortable shifting from the drops with one or the other. This is very personal. For me, I like the clean design of the Campy lever, but my hand fits better on the Shimano lever.

And the other thing that is important within each brand is that you get a certain level, the sweetspot of performance and value. If you can afford it, get Ultegra level (especially this year) or Centaur level. Above that, if you have the money then by all means get DuraAce, Chorus or Record, but you'll get the brunt of the performance at Ultegra/Centaur level. In fact, I personally prefer the Centaur Alu lever on the Ergopower over the Record carbon lever.

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Gerard Vroomen
3T.bike
OPEN cycle

Many people don't realize that Chorus is the equivalent of Dura Ace and Centaur the equivalent of Ultegra. Record is above and beyond Dura Ace.

Just because Shimano raised the price of Dura Ace (and Ultegra) doesn't make it equal to the quality and performance of Record, and so it goes down the line.