Centaur vs Veloce

SamuelQ
SamuelQ Posts: 66
edited February 2008 in Workshop
I've got a Pedalforce ZX3 frame sitting in my shed waiting to be built up and I need to decide on the groupset. I'm going the campag route for reasons of aesthetics, practicality and personal preference. I originally had Centaur in mind (£379 at Parker) but then my pragmatic and pennypinching side piped up to ask if it was really all that much better than Veloce (£299)? So I crave opinions from the forum is Centaur worth the extra 80 quid?

A related question - is it much cheaper to by the gruppo as whole rather than bit by bit? I know I could probably work this out for myself.... but I'm lazy.

Thanks

Sam

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Get the Centaur from Merlin and you can get the Carbon crankset for £380/£400 (depending if an offer is running).

    Then it's an easy choice.
    I like bikes...

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  • azzerb
    azzerb Posts: 208
    £80 for the extra? I'd say so.
    New Dolan Volare (not quite complete)
  • jpembroke
    jpembroke Posts: 2,569
    You get ultradrive rather than exadrive chainrings, which, I believe, offer smoother shifting than Exadrive and probably last longer. Both Veloce and Centaur have ultradrive sprockets. Centaur also has carbon ergos.

    Yes, I'd pay the extra for Centaur. A few months from now, £80 won't seem like a huge amount.
    I'm only concerned with looking concerned
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    i'd go the extra for centaur - and did last month!

    Centaur is seen as the entrance to the top-end of the campag stuff and a lot of the parts are seen as chorus without the badge / pricetag. the brake calipers for example weight the same as chorus unless you weigh the pads too - on which case chorus is slightly lighter.
    three other reasons:

    the carbon ergo levers look amazing
    the carbon rear mech looks amazing
    the (option) carbon chainset looks amazing.

    (i am not shallow.....)
  • SamuelQ
    SamuelQ Posts: 66
    Seems pretty conclusive. Centaur it is. Thanks all.
  • The The
    The The Posts: 28
    Centaur...

    Sure, you still get the Escape shifters (I'm considering upgrading to Chorus shifters because of this), but overall it's a good deal for the small premium you pay over Veloce.

    And, if you get the carbon crank, the group is just 75g heavier than Chorus (according to Cycling Plus).
  • Yorkman
    Yorkman Posts: 290
    redddraggon wrote:
    Get the Centaur from Merlin and you can get the Carbon crankset for £380/£400 (depending if an offer is running).

    Then it's an easy choice.

    It is still on offer, thanks again for the pointer, mine looks all nice and shiny.
  • onehipwonder
    onehipwonder Posts: 129
    I've got Veloce on one bike and Chorus/Centaur mix on another and to be honest the Veloce works just as well if not better. I've just bought a 2nd hand titanium frame and had this very debate and went for veloce as I got it for £254.00 from shiny bikes, which meant that I could spend a little more on the wheels.
  • gundersen
    gundersen Posts: 586
    good thinking onehipwonder
  • acorn_user
    acorn_user Posts: 1,137
    I don't like carbon, so I would buy Veloce. I have 05 Centaur, and it is very nice mind.
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    I'd get on Ebay and buy some Chorus / Record.
  • aarw
    aarw Posts: 448
    just stay away from no1bikebits on ebay.....
  • onehipwonder
    onehipwonder Posts: 129
    Just seen an advert on the back of the comic for Merlin cycles who are selling 08 Veloce for £225.00 and free posting :D:D

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