Campy vs. shimano

Im buiding up a Tri bike, no STI. I was wondering if there is much difference between shimano and camy. Do they both shift as well. Is camy harder to maintain… any input would be helpful. I am in position to get good deal on campy, but if its not as good or durable then I will pass. thanks

What level Campy? That is the question.

Campy is very nice. I will probably get it when I get my lifetime bike frame. My past experience with Campy is that it is stiff when you get started, then it breaks in. You can rebuild parts from about the third tier gruppo up, especially Ergopower stuff. Campy is really pushing the envelope on their technology.

When will Record9Ti swallow the hook?

just wanted to say this!!!

Once campagnolo, forever campagnolo :slight_smile:

you don´t want to use fishing components do you?

Sergio Marques

I like Campy brakes b/c they are a bit smaller and more aero-looking than DA but Campy has nothing to compete with the functional beauty of the DA 04 chainring. That alone justifies the nod to Shimano, unless perhaps you are using an italian frame and want italian components.

“Campy has nothing to compete with the functional beauty of the DA 04 chainring”

well obviously you never saw “live” the state of the art 2004 record carbon cranks. And even the 2004 chorus would be better than dura ace.

I must remind you that a few months back at the beginning of the year every one was saying “what do i need 10 speed for” and now that shimano took the steep that campy as made for a long time, every one is saying “WOW i want that”

I do believe that campy record is untouchable as the most advanced and reliable component group on the market leaving Dura-ace at the level of chorus.

and of course… all the carbon on campagnolo its sooooo sweet :slight_smile:

Thats just my opinion.

Sergio Marques

I will let this photo of CHORUS do all most of my justification in the art of providing the best groupset for any bike out there. Now, I ride Record on most of my bikes (Record/Chorus on the Ultimate). Notice that campy when they made new parts for Record - they took “old” record and made it Chorus…why does ShimaNO not take “old” DA and make it Ultegra?

http://www.campagnolo.com/pics/03_GR_CHORUS.jpg

Okay…I will post Record10 too…to beautiful to not post.

http://www.campagnolo.com/pics/03_GR_RECORD.jpg

Well yes, if you are set on carbon cranks then shimano is not for you. Carbon cranks will be a bit lighter, and so will your wallet. As for supposed performance benefit? Look at what the pros ride. And as for aesthetics? The DA 04 crankset is clearly the winner. While we are at it, I have also heard Record owners complain about the brake levers. The writing is on the wall - DA 04 will effectively make Campy the Betamax of groupsets (hence the rabid/blind loyalty shown by the dwindling few that had the misfortune to have campy specced on their bikes).

John…you are just not so bright now are you? Is this comment due to your feeling inferior about not owning Campy? Cant afford it (or unwilling to afford it)? Did you notice that DA10 cost’s MORE than Record (oh, shit - didnt mention that did you?).

Who are these people complaning about the Record Lever? Let them speak up - best I can tell it is ShimaNO was is changing the swing on THEIR lever to try and correct the “brake and shift” that can occur with STI levers. I even have seen MANY posts about all the people who PREFER ANY Campy lever over ShitmaNO and ride a groupset with Campy levers and ShitmaNO drive systems.

Now…as for looks…I think that the DA crankset is ugly myself (but who cares about looks). I KNOW they copied a 10 year old Magic Motor Cycle BB design - nothing ground breaking about that setup at all. How about the fact that even if the BB is stiffer - could you flex the old BB? NO, you couldnt…so who cares if it is stiffer according to some machine that can exort 500tons on the damn crank arm 600times a second (or what ever it is). It is about time ShitmaNO put a little less money into their Ultegra Golf Clubs and Fishing poles and caught up to the 10 speed world that Campy perfected.

http://golf.shimano.co.jp/ultegra/driver/405/img/405main1.jpg

I am willing to bet you are riding RX100 arent you? “Blind loyalty”…jesus, you are a patsy for shit. You obviously have NEVER ridden Campy and thus need to keep your ignorant comments to yourself. But then again - ShitmaNO is willing to GIVE their components to more teams than Campy can afford to GIVE components too…that means ShitmaNO MUST be better does it not?

Dude - you might as have posted:

(1) Judaism or Christianity?

(2) Apple or IBM

(3) Tastes Great or Less Filling?

(4) Crunchy peanut butter or smooth?

Yes Shimano makes fishing reels and yes Campy is more expensive but they are both top notch machinists. Both of their top of the line products and 2nd and 3rd lines are pretty damned good compared to products from 4-5 years ago and neither will be an excuse when you don’t podium. Shimano makes reels? So what - tells me they know a lot about smooth gearing. You see a lot of DA in the peleton? That tells me they also SPONSOR more. Comparing weight is idiotic unless you’re talking about kg not grams. The difference over all won’t make you that much faster or slower, even if you’re climbing Mt. Washington (well, maybe then). But take a leak in the morning before a race and you’ve equalized the difference.

So to answer your question - no, there is not much difference between them and they both shift well.

Like the difference between Judaism or Christianity - exactly muppet. But although we understand this it sure is fun riling folks who name themselves after a campy component! You can almost see the vein bulging in record9ti’s forehead as he types! (like telling pat robertson that the bible is a good book but no less a source of divine knowledge than the Koran or Upanishads).

Campagnolo Mirage hubs do not have a sterling reputation nor do Shimano Sora STI levers. But if you are buying at or above the Campagnolo Veloce or Shimano Tiagra levels you should have no problems with either manufacturer.

Ignore the component zealots, they are the fat slow guys you will be passing on the lap courses.

Hey - I resemble that remark john!!!

(please dont take offence to internet babble)

King (of nothing) bunnyman here!!! Let’s sort this out before it gets really ugly.

RecordTi9: You know I respect you, brotha. I know that parts of the thread was designed to rile some of you Campy-philes up. Good defense on your part. But maybe calling it “ShitmaNO” could have been a bit much. We know there is no changing your mind. I like Campy, myself. I have rebuilt many Campy components. You know it’s the best, and that’s all that matters.

John the Savage: I don’t know you quite as well, but since you’re a poster here who does not troll, I know you were just funnin’ RecordTi9. I run Shimano right now, as it is my first non-freewheel, non downtube shifter gruppo. I ran Campy for years and years before, but am impressed with Shimano, as well. We know your mind can’t be changed. You know it’s the best and that’s all that matters.

One can argue that Shimano has too many tools in the fire, one may argue that Campy is doing this carbon stuff a bit too much and costs too much money. I happen to disagree with both arguments. Campy is great, Shimano is great. The consumer can’t lose, and both are working to get your hard-earned dollar, pound or Euro.

Agree to disagree, right? Both make stuff that everyone likes. No let’s have a group hug and sing Kum bah ya…

Yes, all this for me is in jest as a means of avoiding doing anything productive at work (I can hear practically the U.S economy tanking). I do happen to think that the look of the DA04 crank is pimp, even more pimp than the solid DA TT chainring that I was going to get before I saw the new crank. And, as we all know, the most important thing is to look pimp out on the course because, lets face it, chicks dig pimp rigs. In any case we’ll probably find out that Shimano and Campy are actually run by the same shadowy uber-corporation run by Dick Cheney. :slight_smile:

PS. What does it mean “to troll”?

I’m totally a Campy especially when comparing the ergo levers and such. Hands down campy as it is cleaner with both lines hidden and it shifts just as well only longer, the Shimano is very cristp but has a shorter life. When talking about the aero shifters, the DA sure has a nicer look. I’ve used both and can’t comment which is better. Since all my components are Campy, that’s what I’ve stuck with. On my cross bike I even went all campy with some very cheap closeout Mirage components and it worked as well as the Ultegra stuff, only longer. The first ultegra shifter I got had crashed internally and so I did a search on Ultegra and ran into a web site that people can rank products. Many said their ultegra shifters crashed and wouldn’t shift after a season or so. I’ve just had better luck with the Campy, and I like the Italian thing. Normally that means, not quite as good, costs alot more, but who cares. Sorry to ramble.

If money was no object and I wanted to build a road bike with the best of everything then Campy Record would be the only way to go. However, this is about a tri bike. Slowman has a thoughtful write up : http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/prodreview/components/campyvda.html

Be different, go with Campy. You will be in an exclusive club with Cameron Brown and Chris Lieto, the only two pros that come to mind who run Campy, though I am sure there are at least a couple more… The only drawback would be wheel selection, though the only wheels that you might want to use but couldn’t would be the HED3’s and the Renn disk (though conversion cassettes do work and Renn is coming out with a Campy version next year).

The deciding factor for me would be my road bike setup. If I were running Shimano on it, and there were any chance that I wanted to swap wheels between the two bikes, I would stick with Shimano. If this is not a consideration, then I really can’t see a technical reason to go with one over the other for a TT setup.

<<PS. What does it mean “to troll”? >>

Troll: (verb) 1: A post created for the express purpose of starting a “flame war” amongst participants.

              2:  Circling the Wal-Mart parking lot with Timberwolf in his '88 Camaro Z28 IROC (Ignorant  

                   Redneck Out Cruising) while blasting old Scorpion tunes trying to pick up some trailer park  

                   hotties.

http://www.campyonly.com/images/rumors/2003/eurobike/record_crank1.jpg

And then there is this…not Campy though…