Shifter preference - Potenza or Chorus?

[p nut]

This is my first build with Campagnolo drivetrain. I bought a Potenza groupset a while back and recently acquired the frame, so now it's time to start the build. Along with the frame, a set of Chorus 11sp shifters were included.

I am wondering if it would be better to use that instead of the Potenza levers? I read up on the compatibility, and I believe what it came down to was 11sp Chorus should work just fine with Potenza. So, just curious which way I should go. Thanks.

[ghammer]

No longer a Campy user here, but it seems the potenza levers are the "one click at a time" system, whereas the chorus is the older version of several clicks at a time (which to me is the better version). Also, potenza's might not be rebuildable if that is a consideration. good move on putting chorus levers on. post a pic of your bici once assembled. would love to see it.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by p nut

This is my first build with Campagnolo drivetrain. I bought a Potenza groupset a while back and recently acquired the frame, so now it's time to start the build. Along with the frame, a set of Chorus 11sp shifters were included.

I am wondering if it would be better to use that instead of the Potenza levers? I read up on the compatibility, and I believe what it came down to was 11sp Chorus should work just fine with Potenza. So, just curious which way I should go. Thanks.

Droopy thumb button on Potenza, one higher gear at a time, Chorus non and multi higher gear shifts...Chorus may be 'clickier'...other than that they feel the same.

[Bostic]

Honest question on Chorus and better. I've had both 10 speed era and newer Gumby style levers and thumb buttons. When doing absolute maximum effort puke one's guts out style sprints and trying to go one cog harder at a time, I don't have the finesse in my right thumb to just go one gear, 19 to 17, 17 to 15, 15 to 14, etc. I push the button too hard and jump a few cogs which messes up my rhythm. Due to design, I don't have this issue with Shimano STI or Sram levers. Am I the only one? Being left handed maybe?

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Droopy thumb button on Potenza, one higher gear at a time, Chorus non and multi higher gear shifts...Chorus may be 'clickier'...other than that they feel the same.

I asked this before and I'm not sure I got an answer. Campy is saying that Potenza shifters and derailleurs are not inter-compatible with Chorus+. The racing groups' RDs have a different return spring tension than Potenza.

http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/c...shtml#comp-mec

Of course, it's also true that Campy will say that all sorts of things that we do all the time may result in malfunction, injury, and death. So, what is it? Has anybody used Potenza derailleurs with ultrashift shifters and lived? If you lived, did it work well?

And, someone enlighten me about this. Campy intends Potenza to compete with Ultegra. Shimano hasn't formally gone and defined Ultegra and DA as "racing" groups, like Campy defined Chorus, Record, and SR as racing groups. But Ultegra has Di2 as well as disc brakes, and it's functionally almost identical to DA. So, let's assume Ultegra is a racing group.

In contrast, Potenza has dumbed down shifters, no EPS, many parts supposedly not cross-compatible with Chorus+ or you may die, different crankset standard (and Centaur is now on UT??). If they want to sell Potenza as an Ultegra competitor, why all this?

[livingminimal]

Originally Posted by weiwentg

If they want to sell Potenza as an Ultegra competitor, why all this?

Because it's campy.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Bostic

Honest question on Chorus and better. I've had both 10 speed era and newer Gumby style levers and thumb buttons. When doing absolute maximum effort puke one's guts out style sprints and trying to go one cog harder at a time, I don't have the finesse in my right thumb to just go one gear, 19 to 17, 17 to 15, 15 to 14, etc. I push the button too hard and jump a few cogs which messes up my rhythm. Due to design, I don't have this issue with Shimano STI or Sram levers. Am I the only one? Being left handed maybe?

Hmmm... everyone is different, but I can reliably get one cog at a time when doing an all-out-sprint effort (sitting or standing). In my case, I my normal sprinting position I have my hand all the way in the front of the handlebar "hooks" with my index finger snugged up under the lever body, so my thumb is right next to the upshift button anyway - just a quick flick of my thumb gets the next gear. Those whose hands are closer to the bottom flats will have a longer reach to the buttons.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by weiwentg

I asked this before and I'm not sure I got an answer. Campy is saying that Potenza shifters and derailleurs are not inter-compatible with Chorus+. The racing groups' RDs have a different return spring tension than Potenza.

http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/c...shtml#comp-mec

Of course, it's also true that Campy will say that all sorts of things that we do all the time may result in malfunction, injury, and death. So, what is it? Has anybody used Potenza derailleurs with ultrashift shifters and lived? If you lived, did it work well?

And, someone enlighten me about this. Campy intends Potenza to compete with Ultegra. Shimano hasn't formally gone and defined Ultegra and DA as "racing" groups, like Campy defined Chorus, Record, and SR as racing groups. But Ultegra has Di2 as well as disc brakes, and it's functionally almost identical to DA. So, let's assume Ultegra is a racing group.

In contrast, Potenza has dumbed down shifters, no EPS, many parts supposedly not cross-compatible with Chorus+ or you may die, different crankset standard (and Centaur is now on UT??). If they want to sell Potenza as an Ultegra competitor, why all this?

All 11s Campagnolo stuff intercompatible, including Potenza and the stuff above it. 'Racing groups'...means nada.

If I was going to race, and I'm not, I'd get a cheap aluminum rig with Veloce or Centaur cuz my 'racing' is normally a crash fest.

[coffeecake]

Originally Posted by Bostic

When doing absolute maximum effort puke one's guts out style sprints and trying to go one cog harder at a time, I don't have the finesse in my right thumb to just go one gear, 19 to 17, 17 to 15, 15 to 14, etc. I push the button too hard and jump a few cogs which messes up my rhythm. Due to design, I don't have this issue with Shimano STI or Sram levers. Am I the only one? Being left handed maybe?

I am in the same situation as you. For what it's worth, I have yet to be in a race situation where being able to accurately shift one cog whilst sprinting would have made a difference in my race results. This is over 25 race days this year, but then again I am not a field sprinter and I don't have great results.

I love Campy, but I do miss the ability to precisely shift one cog while throwing the bike back and forth in a sprint like I could with my SRAM setup. For that reason, I'm considering Potenza shifters for my next race bike.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by coffeecake

I am in the same situation as you. For what it's worth, I have yet to be in a race situation where being able to accurately shift one cog whilst sprinting would have made a difference in my race results. This is over 25 race days this year, but then again I am not a field sprinter and I don't have great results.

I love Campy, but I do miss the ability to precisely shift one cog while throwing the bike back and forth in a sprint like I could with my SRAM setup. For that reason, I'm considering Potenza shifters for my next race bike.

But Potenza isn't a 'race' group so probably can't use it, sorry.

-sarcasm intended

[R3awak3n]

I have athena and chorus/record/super record.

at first athena was weird with the single click, now I don't even notice it and I actually kind of like it. Never was I ridding and though, wow, I wish I could dump more than 1 gear at a time. of course I am always JRA.

[FlashUNC]

Go Chorus. The ability to mash both thumbs down and come out in the small ring in a roughly comparable gear is a thing of beauty when the road goes vertical.

Some World Tour sprinters preferred the Escape (now Powershift) mechanism when it came out for the gear specificity issue.

[beeatnik]

The most tactile difference I experience is the soft or cheap feel of the Potenza lever. The thing feels so delicate that I worry about snapping it off with my bear paws (especially, the left shifter). If you have the Chorus shifters, stick with them and go all Potenza everywhere else. The stuff works and looks great, IMO. And, ya, being able to dump 5 cogs is legit.

[merckx]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

The most tactile difference I experience is the soft or cheap feel of the Potenza lever. The thing feels so delicate that I worry about snapping it off with my bear paws (especially, the left shifter). If you have the Chorus shifters, stick with them and go all Potenza everywhere else. The stuff works and looks great, IMO. And, ya, being able to dump 5 cogs is legit.

This^^^^^^

[ERK55]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

The most tactile difference I experience is the soft or cheap feel of the Potenza lever. The thing feels so delicate that I worry about snapping it off with my bear paws (especially, the left shifter). If you have the Chorus shifters, stick with them and go all Potenza everywhere else. The stuff works and looks great, IMO. And, ya, being able to dump 5 cogs is legit.

This sounds like a good plan.