Which Groupset for new steel frame bike?

mercian man
mercian man Posts: 3
edited January 2011 in Road beginners
Am back on a bike properly after almost a decade off. Am having a Mercian steel frame built and am slowly procuring parts while it is built. I want a contemporary bike which will be ridden in anger rather than 'the odd sunday ride' does anybody have any experience of a similar build? My heart says Campy (prob chorus thought might push to record) though top-end sram red can be bought for £1000 which is tempting.
Any advice welcome!

Comments

  • I can't understand the reason why SRAM kit exists. I mean, how uninspiring to target their products at that part of the market already occupied by Shimano - not another Far East component manufacturer!
  • lemoncurd
    lemoncurd Posts: 1,428
    edited January 2011
    I can't understand the reason why SRAM kit exists. I mean, how uninspiring to target their products at that part of the market already occupied by Shimano - not another Far East component manufacturer!

    Uninspiring?

    SRAM exist to make money - about $500 million of sales in 2008.

    For a company founded in 1987 to appear twice in the 2010 TdF top three is quite an achievement given the dominance of Shimano and Campag. And they are based in Illinois.

    As for the question, unless you are planning on competing at the very top levels of cycling or have deep pockets then mid-level groupsets from any of the manufacturers would suffice (105, Force, Ultegra etc). Having said that, SRAM Red is pretty.
  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    If I was building a new bike now, I'd choose Campag Athena for shifters and mechs. Campag because I'm used to it, and Athena because it's prevailingly aluminium which I prefer over carbon.

    I'd look out for NOS pre-2006 Record hubs (because I prefer cup-and-cone bearings, and those hubs are beautifully finished), NOS Record/Chorus square taper cranks and BB, (which are still available cheap), and ancient (80's) Campag side-pull callipers, or just the rear modern ones. If I found a pair of pristine Suntour Superbe Pro cranks I'd have them.

    So there you are. One person's ideal(ish) "groupset".
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Campy natch! I mean FFS it'll have campy stamped on the axle dropouts, well mine did.

    I regret selling mine however I'm confident the friend I sold it too is going to restore it as it should be.
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  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    Could someone please tell me what 'Campy' is?
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  • Canny Jock
    Canny Jock Posts: 1,051
    I would probably go Campag, although I did recently see a new steel Viner built with SRAM Red and it looked fantastic.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'd have a feel of the shifters from the big three and see which ones you like best. Then choose the relevant groupset that suits your budget.

    I love the snappy shifting of Sram but much prefer the aesthetics of Campagnolo. Shimano looks a little bland but is flawless really and the Dura Ace brakes are the best of the bunch.
  • Thanks for the info - will check out athena and poss sram force
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Classic steel would need to be Athena. Polished Record alloy hubs are hard to find these days - cheaper option is Ambrosio Zenith.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    Can't beat a good steel frame :-)

    I'd love to try Campy, never used it at all. The Athena set would look best on a steel bike. But failing that I'd go for 105 unless I good a great deal on Ultegra. If I went 105 I'd used the saving over Ultegra to get some nice wheels, maybe Ksyrium Elites.
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  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    lemoncurd wrote:
    I can't understand the reason why SRAM kit exists. I mean, how uninspiring to target their products at that part of the market already occupied by Shimano - not another Far East component manufacturer!

    Uninspiring?

    SRAM exist to make money - about $500 million of sales in 2008.

    For a company founded in 1987 to appear twice in the 2010 TdF top three is quite an achievement given the dominance of Shimano and Campag. And they are based in Illinois.

    As for the question, unless you are planning on competing at the very top levels of cycling or have deep pockets then mid-level groupsets from any of the manufacturers would suffice (105, Force, Ultegra etc). Having said that, SRAM Red is pretty.
    Sram is rubbish componentry. Wouldn't ride this crap if you gave it to me, they will never achieve the professionalism and quality of the mighty Campagnolo.
  • lemoncurd
    lemoncurd Posts: 1,428
    edited January 2011
    lemoncurd wrote:
    I can't understand the reason why SRAM kit exists. I mean, how uninspiring to target their products at that part of the market already occupied by Shimano - not another Far East component manufacturer!

    Uninspiring?

    SRAM exist to make money - about $500 million of sales in 2008.

    For a company founded in 1987 to appear twice in the 2010 TdF top three is quite an achievement given the dominance of Shimano and Campag. And they are based in Illinois.

    As for the question, unless you are planning on competing at the very top levels of cycling or have deep pockets then mid-level groupsets from any of the manufacturers would suffice (105, Force, Ultegra etc). Having said that, SRAM Red is pretty.
    Sram is rubbish componentry. Wouldn't ride this crap if you gave it to me, they will never achieve the professionalism and quality of the mighty Campagnolo.

    If it's good enough for Schleck, Contador, Armstrong etc then it's good enough for me and most other mortals.

    Or are your demands of gear changing performance greater than theirs?

    The whole "my Campag is better than your Halfords" attitude is toss.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I think Sram stuff is functionally the best...
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    After having campag when I first began - I've had shimano on ally bikes since then and it works flawlessly.
    That said - a lot of people prefer campag. In operation there's no real difference between them. Ride the one you like the look of.

    May be cheaper to buy a full groupset rather than bits and pieces ?
  • Lagavulin
    Lagavulin Posts: 1,688
    Athena alloy does look class. I'd really like that on a Master X Light.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Athena, retro looking groupset on retro frame. I'm a shimano man but shimano or sram just wouldn't look right on a Mercian frame. Mercian/campag.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Try them. Everyone will have their own opinion of what is best when in reality it is what they are comfortable with. Each manufacturer has it's quirks, but there is rather more "Campag is better than anything" quoting from Campag users than you get from SRAM or Shimano users. That doesn't mean Campag is better than the rest; just Campag users are probably more insecure about their purchase. :lol:
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  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    As NapoleonD has said... the important bit is the bit you touch... the shifters. If they're not comfortable for you to use then your perfect bike will be anything but perfect. Find out which groupsets are available for your budget and try the different shifters. Then buy the groupset that you find most comfortable.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Could someone please tell me what 'Campy' is?

    +1 it has been known as Campag for years so why this sudden use of "campy". Conjures up images of pantomime dames!

    In answer to the OP I think that Campag produce the more "retro" looking groupsets that are currently available although I'm not a fan of the skeleton brakes.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    Pross wrote:
    Could someone please tell me what 'Campy' is?

    +1 it has been known as Campag for years so why this sudden use of "campy". Conjures up images of pantomime dames!

    Someone would want to tell Campagnolo then - their own website is littered with "Campy" references, from the "Campy Tech Lab" to their customer community section "MAD4CAMPY" , which sounds like an Alan Carr / Louis Spence fan club.
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  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    LangerDan wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Could someone please tell me what 'Campy' is?

    +1 it has been known as Campag for years so why this sudden use of "campy". Conjures up images of pantomime dames!

    Someone would want to tell Campagnolo then - their own website is littered with "Campy" references, from the "Campy Tech Lab" to their customer community section "MAD4CAMPY" , which sounds like an Alan Carr / Louis Spence fan club.

    I've always used Campag. However after seeing them call their own R&D Dep "Campy Tech Lab" the stuff is getting binned and being replaced with some jap crap.

    TBH I think they're trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator - Americans
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  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    SRAM are American surely?
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  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    For a steel frame bike, imo alloy Athena for winter use or carbon Chorus/Record for summer.

    I wouldn't bother with the other two manufacturers if you want something befitting and classic looking.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    For a steel frame bike, imo alloy Athena for winter use or carbon Chorus/Record for summer.

    I wouldn't bother with the other two manufacturers if you want something befitting and classic looking.

    Read agricultural looking and manufactured with a hammer and forge and not machines like SRAM and Shimano. :wink:
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • thiscocks
    thiscocks Posts: 549
    Campag Athena looks nice but what would put me off would be the single pivot brakes which are alot less effective than the dual pivots (even the later single pivots like Athena). I would presonally go for some older Chorus(late 90's/early 00) or pre 04 Mirage (for the best bang per buck) which was considered much better quality than the current lower spec Campag, and I think is better made than the later Veloce and Centaur groupsets.
  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    philthy3 wrote:
    For a steel frame bike, imo alloy Athena for winter use or carbon Chorus/Record for summer.

    I wouldn't bother with the other two manufacturers if you want something befitting and classic looking.

    Read agricultural looking and manufactured with a hammer and forge and not machines like SRAM and Shimano. :wink:

    How many carbon fibre tractors you seen lately?
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  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    thiscocks wrote:
    Campag Athena looks nice but what would put me off would be the single pivot brakes which are alot less effective than the dual pivots (even the later single pivots like Athena). I would presonally go for some older Chorus(late 90's/early 00) or pre 04 Mirage (for the best bang per buck) which was considered much better quality than the current lower spec Campag, and I think is better made than the later Veloce and Centaur groupsets.
    Athena employs a dual-pivot front brake / single-pivot rear in line with standard Campag practice. All of their brakes have used this arrangement for some years- excepting some cheaper ones which were/are both dual-pivot.

    FWIW, I don't think single-pivot brakes are "less effective": they are designed with a lower mechanical advantage, meaning you need to squeeze the lever harder for a given clamping force at the calliper. Because there's no servo component in bicycle brakes, mechanical advantage is the only consideration. I prefer that older MA, which is more tolerant of misadjustment and pad wear, and with which I could still send myself over the handlebars.
  • thiscocks
    thiscocks Posts: 549
    Sorry I assumed you meant the old 90's Athena! (which would look good but have the older single pivot brakes). Obviously a bit trickier to find and fairly pricey too- but less than the new Athena, with better looks.

    10_11.jpg
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    Just ordered from my LBS a new Athena 2011 set, I run record 10s on my best bike and record 10s on my trainer, but I'm restoring a nice Geoffrey Butler for luxury Sunny Day rides, but wanted a modern twist along with the Candy Apple Red paintwork, so the Athena was the only option.

    No issues with tools either, just made sure I ordered a couple of KMC 11s quick links.