Shimano Virgin

amc

For the first time today I rode (and raced) with Shimano!
When I were lad the shifters on my Peugeot were on the downtubes and I did not care (and cannot remember) who made the gears. Then 10 years back on recommendation of a pal and nothing else I pumped for Campag and since then have stuck to what I know and looked on bemused in the Campag V Shimano debate.
But two weeks ago I was knocked off on way to a race - i was fine but bike was a right off. Today I borrowed a pals Trek with Ultegra.
The actual changing gear process was very good. The shift felt more buttery than Campag - quieter and perhaps less re-assuring but that would prob change with time. In terms of efficiency in changing gear I thought the two were neck and neck. It was the legs not the gears that let me down in the race today but i was struck by...
How on my bike, the Ultrega cables didn't run inside the handlebars, making it look a bit messy and making think Campag really does look a lot better.
How the hoods really do stick up like a six shooters - to me they don't offer as good as variety as Campag as the hoods were prob higher than the 'bar' position. It just felt too high when out the saddle where Campag offers three different height positions and feels good out the saddle on the drops or hoods.
How when changing gear on the drops (admittedly shallow drop bars) my little hands had to reach up - starting to feel sore/unnatural within 30 mins of racing. I also felt - although wearing bulking winter gloves - it was a bit of reach to the brakes from the hoods.
The likely price of my insurance replacement bike means i'll prob have Shimano - so Shimano fans are the things that seemed wrong to me solvable???
I'd appreciate all your thoughts.

alihisgreat

can't answer all of your queries, but it sounds like you were using an older groupset.


The new stuff has the cables routed along the bars, nothing sticking out.

secretsqizz

Sounds all a bit suspect... writes a bike off .. en route to a 'race' and gets to borrow a bike..?
ho hum.. AND posts in 'Beginners' trying to flame up some old hash about whether Shimano up to Campagnolo...
like we all ride what we can afford in most respects anyways

mamba80

Simplex friction levers fitted to your Peugeot... as for the rest of it, No, get the ins money, save up and buy a campag equipped bike, you ll be happier by the sounds of it.

amc

So suspicious 'secretquizz' - i didn't borrow the bike on the same day as the crash.
In terms on shifting I thought the two were equal - i just wanted to know if i can tinker with Shimano to make it work better for me rather than rehash a dull old debate. Honest Indian.

g00se

Hi,

I'm another Campag user - but I understand that you can get shims to bring the STI brake levers closer to the drops. Also, the position of the whole lever assembly would depend on the circumference of the bars and where they're fixed, so you should be able to get them into position with the right bars that suit what you want.

The more recent levers have hidden cable runs, but I've heard a lot have found there's an issue with friction on these - also, I don't think the lower end levers have the hidden cable runs - but willing to be corrected.

lemoncurd

Shimano Virgin,
Touched for the very first time...

Nik Cube

Just stick with campagnolo there are a range of group sets and a wide range of prices.
For the record I have 105 on two bikes and veloce on one I ride the campag equipped bike the most

ddraver

To be honest, it sounds like 99% or your problems could be solved by twiddling an allen key to put the levers in the position that YOU like , not what your mate likes!

Gizmodo

g00se wrote:

Hi,

I'm another Campag user - but I understand that you can get shims to bring the STI brake levers closer to the drops. Also, the position of the whole lever assembly would depend on the circumference of the bars and where they're fixed, so you should be able to get them into position with the right bars that suit what you want.

The more recent levers have hidden cable runs, but I've heard a lot have found there's an issue with friction on these - also, I don't think the lower end levers have the hidden cable runs - but willing to be corrected.

Goose is correct, low end levers (sora and Tiagra) the cable comes out the side of the hoods, but higher end levers (105 and Ultegra) the cable is under the bar tape - and no I don't notice any additional friction with this.

I agree with DDraver - it sounds like your mate's bars are angled too high, you can get the drops in any position you want by either rotating the bars, or removing the bar tape and moving the levers further down the bars.