Campagnolo or Shimano levers

stevekosky

I'm just about to oder my new bike and had decided on a Campag Veloce gearset.

Now having second thoughts as I sat on a Chris Boardman bike in Halfords today, not that I intend to buy one, but it did strike me that the grips and levers might me more user friendly than the Campag ones. They seem quite a bit larger and I could rest my hands on the hoods. There isn't so much Campag stuff around to really try in this way.

Has anyone experience that might help me decide - I would appreciate any views.

Nuggs

Oh daddy....

stevekosky

Pardon?

andyp

I'd recommend you try both, including the gear changing mechanism, then decide.

stevekosky

I think I have decided, I am just having last minute jitters, it being a long time since I was in a position to have a bike built to my specification.

Still would ilke opinions though.......................

Shadowduck

I have both Shimano and Campag, they're both fine. I prefer Campag, but that's mainly because that's what my best bike has so that's what I use most - if I used Shimano most of the time I'd probably prefer that!

Whichever you go for, if you're around the Veloce / 105 level you won't go wrong.

PS I think Nuggs was anticipating the inevitable Shimano vs Campag holy war that tends to develop in threads such as this...

JWSurrey

I too have both - 105 on the "race" bike and Veloce on the "comfortable shoes" everything-else bike.
Pays your money, takes your choice - both have advantages/differences.

I think I prefer the Campag. hoods - besides, they can be bought individually, which is useful not only if you prang them/break the ratchets, but also if you want to swap from Compact to triple.

That's as far as I want to go on the "differences between the two" debate, without donning my tin hat!

Bippa

i had shimano 105 on my old bike and never had a problem with it, but now i'm using campag veloce on my new bike i wouldn't want to change back... not saying it's better, but it's what i prefer

a_n_t

i prefer the campag hoods too, and the fact the cables are hidden.

geoff_ss

When I used drop bars I chose Campag partly because it made using a handlebar bag easier because of the more elegant cable arrangement and partly because of sentiment. I'd always fancied an all-Campag equipped bike

Geoff

tenor

Campgnolo, objectively because;
1)concealed cables
2)double/triple compatible (all)
3)significantly lighter (over 100g) compared with comparable STi
4)multiple shifts and front mech trim (best with Chorus/Record, or all pre .07 levers)
5)fully sericeable (replacable internal mechanisms, springs and hoods)
6)Better value (carbon Centaur significantly less than Ultegra). Veloce probably the best value at about £70 and still 50g less than Dura ace!
7)Campag more durable according to C+ and CW

Now for the subjective bits;
Campag ergo's are beautifully elegant. Colnago won last years CW Race bike of the Year award wearing Shimano (because the UK Clonago importers also import Sh) . The next week Colnago took out a whole page spread showing their winning bike in Campagnolo - what a transformation!
They both function equally well (when new), but the bottom line is that "one cannot be well dressed wearing Shimano".

wildmoustache

stevekosky - if you can stretch to it then centaur is the best value groupset of all in terms of price/weight/function ... it has everything record and chorus have and is only slightly heavier but costs half what record does.

JWSurrey

Just for the record (excuse the pun), I believe multiple shifting in both directions is now available on Chorus and Record levers only - not that it's ever been an issue for me.

cee

campag on the back, shimano on the front

Meds1962

Make sure you try both as what suits one person will not suit another. How comfortable the hoods are would be a major factor for me as I ride on the hoods or top of the bars 99% of the time. I found Mirage hoods so uncomfortable that I only used the bike as a last resort (and eventually sold it), whereas I am very comfortable on the 105 hoods on my other bike.

I also prefer the 105 freewheel as it is silent when freewheeling whereas the mirage one was very noisy. I don't know if all campag hubs are like that though.

Apart from that they both work very well in my experience, the higher up the price scale you go the better they get.

rampax

I have used both.
In terms of gear changing, I slightly prefer the Shimano system, as I often ride on the hoods, and like to change both up and down from this position.

In terms of aesthetics, I MUCH prefer the Campag system, primarily due to the cable routing, and the levers are just less bulky and ugly.

So... they are both good.

terongi

JWSurrey wrote:

Just for the record (excuse the pun), I believe multiple shifting in both directions is now available on Chorus and Record levers only - not that it's ever been an issue for me.

I have centaur and they have multiple shifting in both directions

I have shimano setup on another bike.

Campag has the advantage of allowing you to make tiny adjustments on the road, eg to counteract chain rub. The indexing on shimano levers is to rigid for that.

to summarise:

Shimano is Microsoft windows - it comes with most ready made bikes - it works ok, but doesn't look very pretty.
Campag is Apple mac - it's gorgeous ans feels lovely to use, but not very practical cos it's not so easy to get spare parts in far flung bike shops.

redddraggon

terongi wrote:

I have centaur and they have multiple shifting in both directions

What year though?

trig1

i have the old centaur levers on ma bianchi and the new carbon ones on my nero corsa the old alu ones you can shift right down the cassette , you canne wi the new yins.