Shimano vs Campagnolo vs SRAM - for touring and travelling

GyatsoLa
GyatsoLa Posts: 667
edited October 2009 in Road buying advice
Ok, I don't want to start the usual arguments about these groupsets - what I'm interested in is if anyone has comments about the suitability of the upper ends (depending on cost) of the main groupsets for a bike I'm considering putting together that I'd use for both cyclesportifs and light touring - most likely in continental Europe, US and maybe parts of Asia (specifically Japan). Relevent issues for touring would be:

1. Ease of sourcing spares locally

2. Ease of doing bodge repairs if necessary 'on the road' (i.e. things like not needing specialist tools, etc.).

3. Cable routing (especially for fitting handlebar bags).

4. General reliability issues.


Suggestions please? I'm looking at Ultegra equivalent.

Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    I would guess that Shimano will be more widely available.

    For bar bags, you can fit extra long outers for the gear cables on Shimano, so they go around and under the bar bag, works well, especially with good quality, flexible outers (like Avid Flak Jackets).

    New Ultegra and DA have under the bar tape routing for the gear cables, though I don't know how efficient this is.

    Some people advocate bar end, rather than STI shifters for expedition touring as they are simpler, more reliable, less prone to crash damage, and Shimano STI's are virtually unrepairable. Personally I would probably use STI's but could easily take bar end shifters as a cheap back up for if the worst happened.
  • akkers
    akkers Posts: 140
    I ride Record, but in this case for what your looking for Id go Shimano
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Alfa has hit the nail on the head, plus the DA bar end shifters are only 70 quid so a cheap spare to carry.

    TBH most things you can take with you for spares.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • amck111
    amck111 Posts: 189
    Shimano. It got Mark Beaumont round the world :wink:
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    amck111 wrote:
    Shimano. It got Mark Beaumont round the world :wink:
    Except he used a Rohloff geared hub and twist shifter didn't he?

    I reckon Rohloff would probably be the ultimate answer for the serious tourer.

    Actually, I met a German guy whilst touring in the Netherlands a few weeks ago, he was stranded at the campsite as his fairly new Rohloff hub (2000 miles) had developed a serious oil leak. Rohloff were sorting it out, sending spares to a local dealer, but this is contrary to the bullet-proof reputation they have. Despite this he still raved about the hub and said he would buy again.
  • GyatsoLa
    GyatsoLa Posts: 667
    Actually, I have a Rohloff! its on my mtb/expedition touring bike. They are great, and ideal for out and out adventure touring. You get the odd oil leak, but they are capable of running pretty much dry.

    But as I want a lighter, faster bike to complement my tourer, I'm going back to the old wire and spring contraptions. Call it my retro mood. 8)
  • amck111
    amck111 Posts: 189
    alfablue wrote:
    amck111 wrote:
    Shimano. It got Mark Beaumont round the world :wink:
    Except he used a Rohloff geared hub and twist shifter didn't he?

    I reckon Rohloff would probably be the ultimate answer for the serious tourer.

    Actually, I met a German guy whilst touring in the Netherlands a few weeks ago, he was stranded at the campsite as his fairly new Rohloff hub (2000 miles) had developed a serious oil leak. Rohloff were sorting it out, sending spares to a local dealer, but this is contrary to the bullet-proof reputation they have. Despite this he still raved about the hub and said he would buy again.

    Shimano, I mean Rohloff :oops: Not sure what made me think he used Shimano!
  • MrBlond
    MrBlond Posts: 161
    I use campag simply because I prefer it, but choice of gearing seems a bit limited if you're going to be heavily loaded.

    I think the most flexible option would be 9 speed shimano - can use with MTB kit, cassettes, shifters etc.
  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Another vote for Shimano. Mainly due to the availability of spares most places plus more gearing and shifter style options. The only disadvantage for GyatsoLa would be the STI shifter cables getting in the way but as mentioned the new Ultegra-Dura Ace shifters run the cables under the bar tape and some bar bag mfrs have adapters to get around external shifter cables.
  • 2alexcoo
    2alexcoo Posts: 251
    I had no problems using a bar bag with old style STI shifters - the bag pushed the shifter cables down a bit but this didn't cause any problems.
    Alex
  • rjh299
    rjh299 Posts: 721
    I use shimano thumb shifters. Reliable and most easily sourced.
  • GyatsoLa
    GyatsoLa Posts: 667
    Thanks for the feedback folks, I guess the big bad S it is.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    yes - another vote for shimano here - and from a campag user (oh the shame!)

    also - re bar bags, the latest ultegra has bar-routed gear levers so no problems with the bar-bag at all!
  • gerarden
    gerarden Posts: 2
    ime looking at changing from durace to sram i have a ridley 2 yrs old a fair bit of milage looking at a lapeare with sram lovely lookin bike its the xelius 700, but ime a bit worried about gettin used to the different shifters on the sram or should i stick with durace
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    Got Record on the nice bike, but another vote for Shimano from me due to parts availability. Not that it's a huge issue, but I have once needed a new rear mech when touring and would have been stranded with Campag (got Ultegra 9-speed on the tandem which we tour on).

    Don't reckon there's a big problem with STI though for what you're suggesting - you're not going to be far from a bike shop for spares if you need, and personally I've not yet killed an STI shifter either. Definitely prefer it to the bar ends we had before. Don't use a bar bag, so that's not an issue.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    For my take, I suppose it would be Shimano - but not based on reliability, only on the fact that you might be able to get a replacement. In terms of reliability - Shimano STIs are the worst and I wouldn't recommend them for really remote touring - at least with a thumbshifter or bar end control you can gerry something up to work in friction mode. IME STIs are uneccessarily complicated - compare the internals of the three makes and you'll see why. Their shape also comes off worse in a crash - with SRAM or Campagnolo, you might just scuff the levers, whereas with STI's it's quite common to break the lever body and end up with no brakes or gears.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • gerarden
    gerarden Posts: 2
    done the deal today on the lappeare spoke to a guy on sunday and he made the same change he likes the sram, its more getting used to the new double tap that worried me rather than getting spares, it seems to be used a lot now by some of the big cycling teams so here goes thanks for the tips will let ye know more when ive riden for a few weeks.

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