Which Campag Groupset - Decision Made

fleshtuxedo

Bought a new Guerciotti (it's a Scuro RS) frame and it needs Campag on it, but I need to decide what groupset.

It'll be sportived, raced, ridden in the Pyrenees in June, but it'll also be a sort of "forever" bike that I'll keep until I'm very old. Consequently, it's not just about performance.

I think it's between Chorus, Record and Super Record. My current thinking is Record 2010 (I can get for under £1000).

Record 2011 is about £250 more, and as far as I can see the main difference is a few grams more carbon and some red "11s" painted on the components.

Super Record 2010 can be had for £1250 ish and has ceramic bearings etc, so I quite fancy that, but not sure if it's worth the extra.

Super Record 2011 just seems too much more cash.

Chorus would I'm sure be excellent, but falls a bit short of the "forever" bike status in my head.

Any views to help me decide?

majormantra

This won't be the last bike you ever buy. Nobody (except maybe bearded types getting custom steel) buys one bike and rides it til they die, so don't overthink it.

IMO Chorus or Record - there's just not enough of a benefit to SR. Ceramic bearings will make bugger all difference. Oh, and and if you want to keep everything matching as stuff wears out, don't forget that the pricier groupset has pricier cassettes and chains. Sure, you can use any 11 speed bits but you know you won't want to downgrade.

what brakes

chorus is more than enough unless your after saving weight! this is where record is something like 200grs less than chorus! other than that you wont know the difference apart from the record which has prety much everything in carbon.

Chip \'oyler

Unless you can afford Super Record then I'd go for Chorus cos Record isn't much of a step up to warrant the price difference

Chrissz

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Unless you can afford Super Record then I'd go for Chorus cos Record isn't much of a step up to warrant the price difference

My thoughts entirely!

If you are budget conscious go Chorus - all the main benefits of Record without the price.

If you can justify/afford Record then you need Super Record!


As a victim of marketing I am worrying that I currently have SR11 '10 on my steed and I NEED SR11 '11 for the red graphics which would fit in nicely with my frame and clothing

stuaff

Don't rule out Athena, it's easily the best value 11 speed group- and you can always upgrade any parts you don't like the look/quality of.

giant_man

Personally I would either go for Chorus or Record 2010, I wouldn't put SR on it as echoed by others.

rc856

I've had my Chorus groupset for 5 or 6 years and it's still going strong. As far as I remember, it's been pretty faultless.
If I had the money, I would've got Record....just because it's Record.

eiger30

As others have said go with Chorus, I have it on both my bikes. The set on my winter bike is 9 speed that I purchased in 1997 and nothing has every gone wrong. My summer bike is a bit more upto date 11 speed from 2010.

onthefells

Interesting debate, when I got my C50 I had a heart v head, campag v shimano argument...particularly cus my other bike has Ultegra it would have made swapping wheels v easy and enabled me to get some aero ones to go with my lightweight Easton ones on the other bike

Anyway to cut a long story short I got Record and I have to say Ultegra is cheaper and better!!! plus I've got 2 similar wheelsets....moral of story go with head not heart!!

Anyway to your question Record isn't worth the extra and I'd bet my bottom dollar Super record is a bigger waste of money!! I'd spend whatever you save on the groupset on a better pair of wheels.

balthazar

I'd go Athena. Things have a sweet spot. That's Campag's.

giant_man

balthazar wrote:

I'd go Athena. Things have a sweet spot. That's Campag's.

+10,000 .....

jimwin

balthazar wrote:

I'd go Athena. Things have a sweet spot. That's Campag's.

Ditto.

fleshtuxedo

Thanks for your thoughts so far, please keep them coming.

I've found 2010 Super Record for just over £1100 and I think I'm leaning that way. I know it's an unnecessary extravagance, but you only live once :oops: I agree that Athena and Chorus are probably better value, but I want the bike to really excite me every time I take it out, and I think that means pushing the boat out. It's not like I fritter money on pubs, cars, hifi or anything else.

Chirg

Biggest difference I have found between Chorus and Record are the brake callipers. The Record ones have bearings rather than bushings and have better modulation (I have both). Also worth mentioning that many people who buy Record or Super Record use Chorus cassettes due to the price and as the former two have titanium sprockets which wear faster.

2010 Athena was a great groupset and I would agree with the above that it was the sweet spot. Although still great value, for 2011 it has been downgraded to powershift, rather than ultrashift which the rest have, so missies out on shifting up several cogs at a time. The crankset is also powertorque rather than ultratorque. I think Chorus is now the sweet spot, but would upgrade the brakes to Record if you can. Just ordered Super Record for my new bike though

balthazar

Chirg wrote:

2010 Athena was a great groupset and I would agree with the above that it was the sweet spot. Although still great value, for 2011 it has been downgraded to powershift, rather than ultrashift which the rest have, so missies out on shifting up several cogs at a time.

I didn't know this. Ugh. Why do they do that?! My seven year old Centaur levers can cover at least half of the cassette in one throw, both directions- and Athena is ostensibly more expensive. (Didn't they do a similar gaffe a few years back, in 2006 or so?)

fleshtuxedo

Power Torque was why I discounted Athena in the first place (well, that and the fact I want something more high end if I'm honest) - it's weird that Centaur and below are 10 speed, Chorus and above are Ultra Torque, and Athena is left in a no man's land as the poor cousin of the 11 speed groups. You'd think they'd make all 11 groups UT.

Tom Butcher

Get Record, from what you say I think you might always look at the bike with slight regret if you get Chorus, Record is Record though - you have the classic word written on it so no need to go Super Record.

Depends how you look at your bikes really, nobody needs Campag Record but some people want it - if you don't buy it you'll still want it so why not get it if you can afford it.

magliaceleste

I've got older Super Record (2008) on one bike and new 2011 Athena on the other.

I've posted this before (last time!) but the new Athena outshifts the older pre 2011 Super Record. Really is good going from one chainring to the other or from gear to gear. Main downside is no multi-shift. Value for money is very good in comparision to the higher end groupsets. Powertorque is easy to fit, less easy to remove for maintenance than Ultra Torque but my understanding is that it is more tolerant of badly made BB shells, alignment or width.

Contrary to the opinions above, IMO Super Record cranks are worth the extra for the CULT bearing. They really are very good. No maintenance except for a bit of light oil, no rust, work as well today as they did two years ago. The rest of the SR groupset, not so much.

I had to pick one groupset for value/quality it would probably be Record with a crank bearing upgrade to CULT when they wear out.

giant_man

Get 2010 Athena for a discounted price and Ultratorque, result.

stevec205gti

From a completely snobbish point of view - Record. This is purely from an image point of view, but it sounds to me like you've the opportunity to build yourself a dream bike, and if you can get Record then go for it, as you'll only end up thinking 'i could have had that' every time you see it on another bike.

I'd avoid mid-range campag stuff, if only for the fact that campag seem to happily drop lines and stick in new ones where ever they like. I've a 2006/7 Centaur set up on my bike, and was quite happy that I'd managed to get myself a decent top of the midrange campag groupset with the order of things being Record, Chorus, Centaur, Veloce etc. They've since decided to dump in a couple of extra groups above the Centaur, which in my mind devalues the older stuff that was further up the ladder. A bit snobbish I know, but if I tell people what set up i've got it's now a lower end groupset compared to the better quality groupset I know it is. Anyway - rant over lol

northpole

You've asked the question and I suspect you want Record. In your position if funds permitted, I wouldn't hesitate - Record. Otherwise I'm sure application of logic may suggest there is nothing wrong with Veloce. Logic doesn't always prevail hence -> Record!

Peter

wicked

balthazar wrote:

Chirg wrote:

2010 Athena was a great groupset and I would agree with the above that it was the sweet spot. Although still great value, for 2011 it has been downgraded to powershift, rather than ultrashift which the rest have, so missies out on shifting up several cogs at a time.

I didn't know this. Ugh. Why do they do that?! My seven year old Centaur levers can cover at least half of the cassette in one throw, both directions- and Athena is ostensibly more expensive. (Didn't they do a similar gaffe a few years back, in 2006 or so?)

I think Campag realised they had shot themselves in the foot with Athena. It was so bloody good people did not really have much reason (beyond saving a few grams) to get the higher end groupsets so for 2011 it was downgraded. Now people in the know will want at least Chorus.

Anonymous

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/ZXC ... a-groupset

wicked

NapoleonD wrote:

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/ZXCAATH/campagnolo-athena-groupset

I know I bought one a while back And they did not add £75 for a carbon chainset!

Velonutter

I'm hearing all the stuff about downgraded Athena, which I'm struggling to agree with.

I run Record on my Best Bike, Record on my trainer and Centaur on my turbo bike, I'm just building a classic and went Athena Alloy for its looks, but insisted on the new 2011...why, well Ultra torque although brilliant is prone to the ingress of crap into the bearings, I avoid this by regularly stripping down my cranks and cleaning them, however those not mechanically minded might not.

Powertorque was introduced to make changing the bearings easier, to prevent the ingress of crap, not too mention a better balance whilst riding. IMHO it is better to introduce it in the mid range and test it then implement it through all the range once proven.

I went Athena on my classic purely for the looks, I didn't want carbon. As for the powershift etc. if you are racing then I can see it as a problem but for 95% of us out there it will not make a jot of difference,

If you are building this bike as the very best you can afford, then Record or S/R, for the sheer poseability, however if you are racing then Chorus is just brilliant for the money.

balthazar

Velonutter wrote:

As for the powershift etc. if you are racing then I can see it as a problem but for 95% of us out there it will not make a jot of difference,

I haven't raced for twenty years (since before handlebar shifters, in fact!), but I'd be pretty annoyed if I replaced my shifters with new ones which only changed one gear at a time. A long throw is regularly helpful (especially where I live, with short steep climbs and descents), and I can see no benefit to such a limited function.

I don't usually give a damn for all the subtleties of gear function that people here get excited about, but this is an important one for me.

fleshtuxedo

I'm the same as Balthazar, I often want to change lots of cogs at once, even on easy rides. Maybe if you live in Norfolk it's not so important, but virtually every ride here in Yorkshire has me all over the cassette. The 2010 Veloce on my winter bike can do 4 or 5 cogs down the cassette in one go and there's no way I'd go back to one cog at a time.

neeb

Bought a new Guerciotti (it's a Scuro RS) frame and it needs Campag on it, but I need to decide what groupset

My Scuro RS (not the Guerciotti version unfortunately) looks nice in Record. It's last year's Record though, so it doesn't have the red bits. It may be worth the extra money for the red bits.

It's really mostly an aesthetic choice between Chorus, Record and SR. That and the slight weight differences, which are small enough to be effectively aesthetic. Decide how much you are willing to spend on looks/bling and make the choice that way.

Super Record is too bling even for many of the pro teams running campag, which sort of gives Record a more manly aura...

Elio

As a Guerciotti afficionado I feel I have to put in my 2 cents worth: forget about all the rational arguments and 'using your head instead of your heart'.Just give her the best you can afford, she deserves it. But... she's a demanding lady so it'll have to be Chorus at least

Evil Laugh

FleshTuxedo wrote:

Thanks for your thoughts so far, please keep them coming.

I've found 2010 Super Record for just over £1100 and I think I'm leaning that way. I know it's an unnecessary extravagance, but you only live once :oops: I agree that Athena and Chorus are probably better value, but I want the bike to really excite me every time I take it out, and I think that means pushing the boat out. It's not like I fritter money on pubs, cars, hifi or anything else.

Then spend your money on the wheels, not the groupset.