Does it REALLY matter??

zedders

I put my first post on a few wks ago saying I had up to £2.5K to spend on a new bike! (the misses went mad). I had lots of replies and thank everyone. I took everyone views on board & have finally decided! I have made my mind up and WILL NOT WOBBLE! Am going for a RIBBLE SPORTIVE all in for around £1600 quid (that will please the misses). Only one question left to answer! CENTAUR CARBON or ULTEGRA SL groupset ?

I've been using Sora for 18 months on my 1st road bike and its been fine for me, so whatever I choose is going to be miles better anyway. What I would like to know is those who have more than one bike - do you stick with one brand on both bikes or not? Is it going to cause me issues if I go for Centaur, using my 2nd bike with Sora? Or will it be too "different" for me, etc. Am only thinking Campag because I'm half Italian - which isn't really a good reason is it!

Pls don't ask me to test ride etc. I like both! Surely after a few hundred miles & getting use to it, I would be happy with either one in the end? Someone out there will say something to push me one way or the other. The balls in your court guys - Simples.
Cheers in advance - ZEDDERS.

markos1963

I,m not pro or anti any groupset but I would stick to one or the other for the simple reason of tool purchasing. If you plan to do some servicing or repairs you don't want to have to buy two different sets of tools.

brownbosh

If there is no real preference keep with the same make. Sora and tiagra are rubbish but SL is very nice. It will feel fantastic!

Scrumple

+1 on Ultegra

cougie

All my kit is Shimano - cos when I got into cycling Shimano was being really innovative, and Campag wasnt. Will help if you stick to one set for swapping wheels and things over if the need arises - but really there isnt much performance difference. And dont forget SRAM !

gethin.norman

I think it is safe to say either will work well - the one noticeable difference (apart from the look) will be the hoods and how you change gear.

So i would make the choice on which you think looks better (being on a bike you think looks good certainly adds something to a ride) and which hoods you prefer.

I just went from 105 to sram force and really like hoods (and hidden gear cables for that matter), but this is a very personal choice so just go for what you think looks the best...

Pokerface

+2 Ultegra

Smokin Joe

Centaur 8)

pedal_power

Honestly, no it doesn't matter! However i try and stick to Shimano across my bikes since they work well, easy to get spares and if u ever get a problem can change from bike to bike.

I'd also say in all honesty Tiagra is fine, i've tried bottom end to top end stuff and at the end of the day u stick them on the bike and forget about them as they do their job. You'll never notice the difference apart from your wallet.

ellieb

Have a look at how you change gear. I have both Campag & Shimano. Personally, I am not that keen on the thumb shifter & perfer the way Shimano do things.: You might think differently. It would make sense to try them out if you can.

Monty Dog

Ultegra gets an upgrade later this year and ditches the old style, ugly hoods - your bikes gonna look dated in a year. The new ergos have the best shape of any gear shifter too - upgrade to the carbon ones and everyone will think it's Record too.

fnegroni

Zedders, You are half Italian so you have half a reason to buy Campagnolo.
I am 100% Italian, and I have *no* reason to buy Campagnolo.
Do the maths.

zedders

Thanks for your comments so far gents.

Just thought I'd add that if I go with Centaur I would get the Zonda wheels and if I go with the Ultegra I'd go with the Ultegra wheels, if that makes any difference to peoples views.

I'll be placing my order with Ribble tomorrow( on my day off)!
Cheers.
ZEDDERS

billy whippet

no reason whatsoever not to have different bikes with different groupsets - you'll never swap parts etc. Make the change now to campag and you'll never regret it - each time you use campag, it brings a little joy in to your life - without exception, shimano (inc ultegra) is ugly and mass market - the equivalent of a low rent japanese hatchback... sure, it will do the job, but with absolutely no joy. If you've even looked at a campag groupset, I don't know how you can consider shimano... keep the shimano for teh rubish commuter hacks where you don't mind seeing the groupset get destroyed by winter grime..

ACMadone

Ultegra +3

chipperleenie

The only reason to stay with Shimano on both bikes is if you want to swap rear wheels over so the gear changes still work smoothly. If your just about to go on a ride and find your rear wheel flat you can quickly change a wheel over rather than replacing the tube.

Otherwise I would go for Campag every time. Lasts longer, looks better.
does the latest Ultegra still have those cables coming out of the side of the levers? That is a big down side for me - at least the latest Dura Ace have got rid of that.

northpole

Maybe I was unlucky but I had no end of problems with the shifters on my campag veloce over a number of years. My current bike has dura-ace and in over a year's use I have not had to so much as adjust the cables. Completely problem free.

Starting from scratch, I still much prefer the campag gearshift - much more intuitive to me. And I'd assume that I had been unlucky with the veloce.

Peter

Anonymous

I'd like to get my next project (probably with steel or titanium frame) built up with campag but all my other bikes are shimano/sram so I just wouldn't change due to lack of compatibility. Shame.

I think the best value groupset out there by far is Sram Rival.

fast as fupp

you should be aware though that shimano groupsets are made of condensed poo

Anonymous

Heh heh, bear in mind there was a group buy of Wiier Le Roi frames for 250 quid recently a few months ago, direct from the factory on another bike forum...
That's 1000 quid for a Wilier sticker!!

Wilier were none too pleased and the thread was deleted however it was after several happy owners received their frames.

The guy who sorted it now does his own frames from the factory and badges them as Neo Exile

Frank the tank

Stick with Shimano, INTERCHANGEABILITY IS THE THING if you wreck your rear wheel for instance you can drop one in from your other bike. If your new bike is Campag you couldn't do that.

Anonymous

Frank the tank wrote:

Stick with Shimano, INTERCHANGEABILITY IS THE THING if you wreck your rear wheel for instance you can drop one in from your other bike. If your new bike is Campag you couldn't do that.

Indeed... (Or Sram, as Sram - Shimano is interchangeable...)

zedders

It seems as though more as saying go for the Ultegra for INTERCHANGEABILITY etc, but you Campag boys seem a bit more expressive/passionate!
Am still torn. Maybe I should give Campag a try? At least I can say I've used both! & it will only be the second bike I've brought. Am 60/40 for Campag, and I don't know why? It seems obvious to go for the Ultegra for reasons already stated.... :?

Anonymous

I know how you feel but through experience I'm glad I went for Sram, I didn't need new tools, I can use my powertap on all my bikes.

billy whippet

so, heart or head? practical or poetry? plain jane shimano or exotic campag? in 20 years of cycling 15000 miles a year i've never 'wrecked a wheel' and needed to interchange. sorry, but just can't see why you'd want the equivalent of a daewoo matiz when you could have the equivalent of a pininfarina masterpiece? you'll regret shimano everytime you see what you could have had, particularly when the alternative is cheaper and works better, even in wet and grime...

Anonymous

billy whippet wrote:

You'll regret shimano everytime you see what you could have had

Incorrect

All the big 3 make very good groupsets that personal preference plays a big part in. A lot of the campy crowd seem to be more vocal as though they have to try and justify their choice.

They don't need to be!

It's all good.

billy whippet

napoleond is right, they all do work well... but never remotely had to justify my choice, just want to share the joy!

guilliano

All I know is what I have been told many times..... Shimano wears out, Campag wears in. How true this is I have no idea, but I'm going for a Shimano equipped bike personally

Frank the tank

As has been stated previously all three groupsets work excellently. Make your choice on price alone if you can't come to a decision by any other means.

eh

Can I just point out that if you are using 8 speed Sora by some weired twist of fate it is actually more compatible and similar (downshift button) to 10-speed Campag.

So I'd go with Campag because your old kit won't work with Ultegra anyway.

fast as fupp

its also a well known fact that shimano-heads have cloven hooves and stand to wipe :shock: