Shimano vs. campagnolo

Shimano is like driving a Honda Civic. Great quality and it will go on and on but when has anyone felt passionate about a Honda Civic? Campag is a Maserati: yes it'll probably go wrong at some point but it's fantastic until it does.
A simple choice between reliable conformity or soul....

There is only one answer to this question.

SRAM.

I always saw it the other way round

Campag as a Fiat Punto
Shimano as a Nissan Skyline

But then SRAM came to the party and with them now building in Germany I will compare them to a top class Mercedes and typically reliable like German manufacturing is

my heart says Campy while my brain says Shimano - but cycling is all about the heart.

ps bit unfair pitching Athena (3 or 4th on the rung) against DA (top of shimano;s GS's)

I'd second this. Having used all three SRAM gets my vote these days. But of course it's just an opinion & we're all entitled to them, no matter how wrong they are

But is there such a thing as a wrong opinion?

Well as much as I prefer SRAM, I've hardly had any of their parts of the years.

The is no wrong opinion though. Its like whether you drink tea or coffee. Nothing wrong with either, people like different things. With all being are the same kinda cost these days, its up to personal preferences

Who cares, as long as helmets are made a legal requirement?

Campag have a nicer looking logo. (An important distinction when considering a tattoo).

I've been told that Campy lasts longer because it is better made. However, that doesn't sound much of an advantage if it's more likely to go wrong.

Comparing Shimano to Honda insults Honda. When a Honda needs maintenance it can be repaired. You throw Shimano away. Indeed, this years Shimano often does not even work with last year's stuff so you have to replace everything. A better comparison would be that Shimano is Yugo if Yugo had a better reliability record

Campagnolo parts last far longer. You can argue about ergonomics and which shifting you prefer (Vague & mushy but requiring less strength or more positive and tactile but requiring a slightly longer throw) but Campagnolo is simply better quality stuff. It almost never wears out and is repairable after an accident.

Shimano is also over priced. I mean really really, it is made in China or Malaysia where the labor cost is practically nil. Why does Dura Ace cost as much a Super Record given the higher production cost in Italy?

I think Campagnolo has real problems with marketing their products but not in the design and manufacture of their products

Its an age old debateand I'm probably not adding much here, but..

Its 2013 and I'm still riding on 2009 veloce. Approx 2500 miles pa. One bb replacement so far. i have on several occasions borrowed the girlfriends 105 equipped bike, where shifting is clunky in comparison, campag much more about feel, is lighter, way more comfortable on the hoods and slightly cheaper

Both need about the same amount of maintenance (10s) and appear to have the same reliability

Know which id rather have

Campag all the way!

I've nothing against Campag, I built my first bike with it years ago, but:

Shimano Ultegra 2012
£625-650
2441 grams

Campag Chorus
£889
2096 grams

SRAM Force
£660
2013 grams

This assumes that you aren't putting Record against the others, which will obviously push the campag cost up further.

Point taken about cost and weight at the higher end, I was specifically referring to the veloce v 105 comparison and my experience with them. I haven't ridden anything else so can't really comment..

CAMPAG! the rest are just making up the numbers. and no dont disagree with me. just accept im right.

campag campag campag etc

I despise the throwaway anature of shimano. Its so wrong especially in sport that likes to spout its green credentials.
Stripping Ergos is easy, STi, not a hope.Still using my 8 speed Record ergos. without any maintainence since I bought them used in '91. On my CX bike.

Fair dos, but my winter bike is still on the original 105 STIs since 2006 without any problems. The shifting is just as good as new.

And it's only the shifters that aren't repairable.

A bloke at work has just bought some new cones for his Campag wheels. Over £60. Sometimes repairability is a liability.

Russyparkin (Yogi)
You are soooooo wrong it has to be Shimano, there is a reason most of the pro teams run it!
It's reliable, quality shifting, need less maintenance than sram and Campag which are both chaf and nasty!!!