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Shimano vs. campagnolo

Hi!
What is better Shimano or Campagnolo? What do you think?

Cadence Performance gives a unique opportunity to test out 2 significant new product launches from the component industry’s undeniable leaders: Campagnolo Athena EPS and Shimano Dura Ace 9000.

WHEN : Saturday, Dec. 1st at 12:00pm
WHERE : Cadence at 2a Anerley Hill, SE19 2AA - Crystal Palace. London
0208 676 8825

There’ll be two presentations followed by a Q&A session and YOUR CHANCE to test-ride the groupsets afterwards on our Tacx Genius Virtual Reality turbo trainers.

CADENCE PERFORMANCE
0208 676 8825
http://www.cadenceperformance.com
@cadenceperform
http://www.facebook.com/cadenceperformance

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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33 comments

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Flying Scot | 9 years ago
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You do all know this is a 4 year old thread and I understand no one died during the comparison

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Nick T | 9 years ago
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How can you expect to put people on a 4th tier electronic groupset, followed by a top tier mechanical from a rival brand and expect any sort of comparison? This whole situation will create more questions than it answers.

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Flying Scot | 9 years ago
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SRAM does have the repuation ( on road kit) of wearing out, I know a few people who will never use it again, I have no experience myself though.

Campag do actually make extensive spares available, the few that Shimano do are usually virtually unobtainable. I see the tears regularly with broken Shimano shifters, if it's not the blade or cable, it goes in the bin.

If you are in the game for the long haul and you do your own repairs, it's Campag all the way.

All 3, of course, work very well, in their own different ways. Ergopower isn't going to lose the thumb button, as it's part of their ergo concept that separates the motor functions of your hand .....if they ditched that, it's a bit embarrassing !

Dura Ace is a Skyline, Record is a Ferrari, very similar, but even though one is higher maintenance.....there are still more on the road than have been scrapped.

A look at one bike here, Record hubs....circa 1988, Record Gruppo, circa 1993, Athena chainset, circa 99, I have lots of old campag hubs from the 60's and 70's, still going strong and lots of shops still have parts on the shelf.

In my own opinion, the kit that got closest to campag for quality was sun tour, they're long gone now though, the brand being owned by someone else churning out cheap rubbish.

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mrmo | 9 years ago
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can't stand the shape of Shimano levers, as for SRAM, over priced cheese!

that leaves Campag.

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rggfddne | 9 years ago
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Shimano is better, because it's on my bike right now, thus I can use it right now.

Other than that, who cares, it's a sodding lever.

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Jimmy Ray Will | 9 years ago
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I'm running Shimano Ultegra 6800 this year, and I have to say I am mighty impressed by it.

The teams equipment selection choice was hilarious this year... do we use Dura Ace or Ultegra Di2. Most riders were happy with either, and accordingly, if people didn't mind Ultegra Di2 then they'll be fine with mechanical Ultegra... Darn it!

Right though, its good stuff.

The 11speed shimano is so much better than the previous 10speed systems and for me has put Shimano back on top.

Looking at Crank designs, calliper designs and front mech designs they are ahead of Campagnolo offerings.

SRAM's brake calipers are really good as well... where as Campagnolo calipers are simply the same design as they were using 10 years ago.

Campagnolo's lever designs are the most comfy, although I quite ironically find their shifting a bit plastic these days... Campagnolo are definitely third here IMO.

Campagnolo have updated their front mech design to bring it in line with Shimano... which they had to do as Shimano's shift is/was so much better than Campagnolos. This leaves SRAM trailing.

What have Campagnolo done with the rear mech? At least they are trying, no one else has developed anything new for a while now.

Not sure about the new Campagolo 4 arm cranks... I think they are ugly. To me it looks like they are acknowledging that Shimano have got it right, but by forcing the use of carbon into the cranks, it makes for a pretty industrial and not at all pretty crank. Which I hope they change before hitting the shops.

Their previous/current cranks are beautiful to look at but hardly the most hard wearing (bearings) or indeed stiff. Again, Shimano has been leading here.

Objectively speaking, if day to day performance is your bag, then Shimano 6800 is the privateers choice (IMO)... if you re looking for something that will last well (although I have no qualms about the Shimano 6800's longevity), is beautiful to look at and feels lovely to use, then Campagnolo Chorus is a great bet... A bit more cash, but lighter.

If you are simply looking for the least weight, then go for Force... although in my experience it is the least well put together of the three...

If money was not a factor, my emotional choice would be Campagnolo EPS Super Record.

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LondonDynaslow | 9 years ago
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I wasn't planning on a tattoo anyway but I do get a pang of regret that I can't wear a cap or t-shirt with a Campag logo on it without feeling like a fraud. The Shimano version really doesn't compare. Oooh, but thanks to Mr Google, I've just found one that SAYS "Shimano" but in "Campag" style script. How about that for geek chic! #Iwantone

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truffy | 9 years ago
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I never liked the fact that the Shimano brake lever moves laterally. I understand that is not the case with Di2. But I'll have to get over the mental hurdle of plugging a push bike into the mains first before I can try that.

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therevokid | 9 years ago
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yes, I do .... much nicer feel ... but that's my opinion  1

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LondonDynaslow | 9 years ago
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Shimano has trickled down the more ergonomic style of shifter to Claris (which is 3 levels below 105) and yet even Super Record EPS still has thumb shifters. Does anyone actually prefer that?

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bashthebox | 9 years ago
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That's true enough, but there's bugger all difference, really, between the big three. Go with what you like.

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bikemadjo | 11 years ago
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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!!!

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Jkefunk replied to bikemadjo | 9 years ago
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"there is a reason most of the pro teams run it!"

Yes, they get paid to use it, that's why most teams run shimano

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mattsccm | 11 years ago
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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.

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Chris James replied to mattsccm | 11 years ago
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mattsccm wrote:

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.

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russyparkin | 11 years ago
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CAMPAG! the rest are just making up the numbers. and no dont disagree with me. just accept im right.

campag campag campag etc

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700c | 11 years ago
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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..

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700c | 11 years ago
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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!

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notfastenough replied to 700c | 11 years ago
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700c wrote:

...campag much more about feel, is lighter, way more comfortable on the hoods and slightly cheaper

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.

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londonplayer | 11 years ago
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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.  7

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The Rumpo Kid | 11 years ago
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Campag have a nicer looking logo. (An important distinction when considering a tattoo).

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charliemac74 | 11 years ago
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Who cares, as long as helmets are made a legal requirement?

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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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

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Raleigh | 11 years ago
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But is there such a thing as a wrong opinion?

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TheHatter | 11 years ago
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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)

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Raleigh | 11 years ago
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There is only one answer to this question.

SRAM.

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Coodsta replied to Raleigh | 11 years ago
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Raleigh wrote:

There is only one answer to this question.

SRAM.

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  1

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roughwaters99 | 11 years ago
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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....

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Gkam84 replied to roughwaters99 | 11 years ago
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roughwaters99 wrote:

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....

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

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giobox replied to Gkam84 | 9 years ago
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Gkam84 wrote:

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

Surely with the constant recalls SRAM is more like the Toyota of groupsets?

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