Help! I’m trying to figure out the hierarchy of the Campy groupsets since I’m really only familiar with Shimano. How does the Centaur 10sp rank up there? For example, if you had the 2k to burn, would the Cervelo Soloist Centaur be a good choice? I’m in the market for a good commuter/racing bike and love the Cervelo. Any thoughts?
Centaur matches with Ultegra, Chorus with DA. Record is unequalled but I don’t think it will gain you much in performance, just looks and maybe durability. Centaur is a very good choice, it just doesn’t look as cool as all the carbon in Chorus or Record.
RAther than start a new thread…
Is Shimano 10spd cassette compatible w/Record 10spd rear der?
Wolfwood,
Record and Chorus have ball bearings instead of bushings like Daytona, Veloce, and Mirage have and one of the benefits is durability as you indicated.
I am curious, however, if Centaur is made with bushings or ball bearings?
No, I’m afriad the ShimaNO spacing is a bit narrower than the Campy set up.
-SD
Centuar doesn’t use the BB system, but it does have the carbon fiber bodies of Record and Chorus.
I’ve never seen one of those bushing bodied shifters wear out. The brass sleeve they ride on is bigger than a valve guide on a NASCAR engine. Unless you submerge it in aqua-regia you won’t get durability issues. The bearings help provide a lighter shift action, and the new Record Ergopower provides an additional feature to reduce the shifting effort further.
$2000 for a Centuar equipped Cervelo is a great deal, I’d also look at the Cannondale six13 with Centuar, that is a nice bike as well if Campy is what you are looking for.
-SD
Superdave,
I wore out my first Campy Mirage right ergoshifter. Now was it the bushing that wore out, I can’t say. But the shifter did fail, per Tom D. This was years ago, and in Tom’s defense, his “expert” bike mechanic at the time made me a good deal on new replacement.
I’ve never had any trouble with my Chorus groups and I have put many times more miles on those bikes than I ever put on the Mirage equipped Bianchi that was my first “real” road bike.
Having never seen the shifter, I’d bet that your “G” springs wore. This condition prevents the rear from shifting up to larger cogs. Chorus and later versions of the Ergopower levers had compensation “clock springs” that reduced the load on the “G” springs.
Chorus is great stuff, I’m glad you’ve had a good experience with it.
Enjoy,
SD
Another thing to remember is that with ANY campy shifter you can replace any of the parts in the lever for a couple bucks. No reason to not do it yourself as the numbers are all on Campys website as well as the drawings for how things all go together. If you wear out a bushing, get $10.00 order one and replace it. Though I have never worn out a lever (always on record though).
Hey Super Dave, the wife is in the process of spec a new bike by Ves and she is hoping to have the Centaur gruppo (price dependent otherwise Shimano Ultegra) one of the issues is the wheel set choice:Scirocco. Is there a significant difference in wheel quality (weight durability etc. ) to pay the upgrade to Eurus or Neutron. She rides mostly road racing and sprint/oly distance races. i cant help as I have never ridden any Campy wheels. Thanks