So why would Chorus make me happier than Veloce

[Fishbike]

I have bikes. Lots of bikes. Too many bikes. My philosophy has pretty much been buy great frames and build them up with mid-level parts. I usually play in the Veloce/Centaur/105/Ultegra/Rival world. It all works great.

So now I have a special frame -- a Pegoretti Responsorium. I am tempted to buy a CHorus groupset. But Veloce works so darn well and looks quite good and costs less than half. I have never really cared much about weight. I don't care about image. What are the real advantages of CHorus?

[oldpotatoe]

I have bikes. Lots of bikes. Too many bikes. My philosophy has pretty much been buy great frames and build them up with mid-level parts. I usually play in the Veloce/Centaur/105/Ultegra/Rival world. It all works great.

So now I have a special frame -- a Pegoretti Responsorium. I am tempted to buy a CHorus groupset. But Veloce works so darn well and looks quite good and costs less than half. I have never really cared much about weight. I don't care about image. What are the real advantages of CHorus?

11s, UT shifting, UT crank.

I'd say get an all aluminum Athena group-that would like great.

[thirdgenbird]

I prefer ultra shift and ultra torque vs power shift and power torque. The extra cog is an added bonus.

Current state, I would consider an Athena chorus mix. If you could find NOS ultra torque and ultra shift veloce or centaur parts then I would consider that route.

[thirdgenbird]

It looks like oldpotato and I are on the same page today. An all alloy Athena group would be ideal, but again, I would look for the "ultra" parts

[Mr Cabletwitch]

I had a Veloce group and a chorus group both were new around 2000. I sold the veloce group off with a bike and after 3-5k miles it just didn't perform crisp anymore. The Chorus group is still being used by me on my main road bike and performs just like the day it was new with about the same mileage.

[aoe]

What oldpotatoe said, 11s and ultra. Get 2010 Athena alloy and you still get ultra.

[summilux]

Do you really need that 11th cog? Nothing says "special" more than 10s Record alloy. Guaranteed to make you happier than either Chorus, Athena or Veloce. :)

[Joachim]

What oldpotatoe said, 11s and ultra. Get 2010 Athena alloy and you still get ultra.

2010 Athena Alloy ultrashift exists? I thought 2009-2010 Athena Ultrashift only came in wrapped carbon over alloy.

[kohlboto]

2010 Athena Alloy ultrashift exists? I thought 2009-2010 Athena Ultrashift only came in wrapped carbon over alloy.

they (Alloy Athena 11 speed UT shifters) don't exist...I went through this a few months back...Picked up a pair of UT Carbon wrapped Athena shifters from Velomine.

[choke]

2010 Athena Alloy ultrashift exists? I thought 2009-2010 Athena Ultrashift only came in wrapped carbon over alloy.I believe that there were some black alloy Ultrashift but the silver ones are Powershift.

[Joachim]

Thats what I thought. Athena Ultrashift does not exist in silver (unless personally modified).

[Bkat]

If it were me, I'd be content with either Chorus or Athena, but it's worth the step-up from Veloce for a bike like a Pegoretti.

[oldpotatoe]

2010 Athena Alloy ultrashift exists? I thought 2009-2010 Athena Ultrashift only came in wrapped carbon over alloy.

You sir, are correct.

2011/12 Athena has the all aluminum but Powershift. I gots in on my lugged steel Waterford, it works just great.

[terry]

With that frame I'd go for at least chorus, try it you'll like it.

[handsomerob]

Nothing says "special" more than 10s Record alloy.

A 10spd Record "alloy" group is a myth. It is a mash up of carbon and alloy at best. As far as I'm concerned 1st gen Record 10spd could have taken a lesson from Solomon... two parts are not as good as one whole.

10spd Chorus "alloy" is rare and expensive but exists for bikes like a Respo.

[Mr Cabletwitch]

A 10spd Record "alloy" group is a myth. It is a mash up of carbon and alloy at best. As far as I'm concerned 1st gen Record 10spd could have taken a lesson from Solomon... two parts are not as good as one whole.

10spd Chorus "alloy" is rare and expensive but exists for bikes like a Respo.

you will have to pry my alloy chorus from my cold dead hands

[Ralph]

Nothing wrong with Athena Powershift. I have one bike with Ultrashift Centaur and one with Power Shift Centaur. Don't prefer one over the other. Actually like the way the Powershift shifts a little crisper than the Ultrashift, and like the way it down shifts in front better than the Ultrashift. And sure....for that once a year when I dump some gears, the Ultrashift will do that. Just wonder how those guys won all those TDF's with equipment that would not dump gears.

However....The Chorus is a higher level group, maybe with more parts immune to rust and corrision, and for that reason I would prefer it over Athena, Centaur, or Veloce. Not for how it might work, necessarily.

But to answer your question.....based on your opening remarks....you may not be happier with Chorus VS Veloce. Just going by what you said.

[biker72]

My Seven Axiom came with Athena 11sp. Worked great. I just didn't like the "feel" of the shifting so I had Chorus shifters installed. Much better...:)
Everything else will remain Athena.

[thirdgenbird]

A 10spd Record "alloy" group is a myth. It is a mash up of carbon and alloy at best. As far as I'm concerned 1st gen Record 10spd could have taken a lesson from Solomon... two parts are not as good as one whole.

10spd Chorus "alloy" is rare and expensive but exists for bikes like a Respo.

You can get close to alloy record 10. You can modify earlier record levers with 10spd internals. Ive got alloy record 10spd shifters on my tommasini. All that would be left is the outer plate on the RD. (I just went centaur)

Like you said, chorus is the answer though. The only difference between the early chorus 10 shifters and RD were the carbon bits. Chorus really was "alloy carbon".

I haven't been privilege to buy any, but I've seen multiple alloy chorus 10 groups sell fairly cheap lately.

[fogrider]

I put veloce on a bike for my daughter and it shifts really nice. I think it upshifts up to 3 cogs a time and downshifts one cog per shift, but you can just do some rapid shifts. I have the old style record and chorus shifters and I'm used to them. weight is not a big deal to me but I like having one bike that is light!

[d_douglas]

Thats what I thought. Athena Ultrashift does not exist in silver (unless personally modified).

I personally modified mine and have the elusive alloy UT shifters :)

[AngryScientist]

chorus is a different level than veloce, across the board. as the others have said, you get the extra cog and the "ultra" bits.

beyond that, all you have to do is get a look at the chainrings of both in your hands, that will tell you what you need to know.

that said, they'll both work just fine, but you already knew that; and let's face it, we both know that a lower end surly or soma steel bike will just work too, but you're choosing a peg, a premium frame, it deserves some premium components, IMO.

[zennmotion]

chorus is a different level than veloce, across the board. as the others have said, you get the extra cog and the "ultra" bits.

beyond that, all you have to do is get a look at the chainrings of both in your hands, that will tell you what you need to know.

that said, they'll both work just fine, but you already knew that; and let's face it, we both know that a lower end surly or soma steel bike will just work too, but you're choosing a peg, a premium frame, it deserves some premium components, IMO.

Meh. When's the last time you wore out chainrings on a road bike? When I think about the riders I've most respected, most don't really spend that much time thinking about the bike- well worn saddles, electrical tape fixes on the torn bar tape, a new 105 derailleur replacing the Dura Ace that tore off during a muddy race. I've not had the pleasure of riding a Peg, but I bet you could tell you were on something special even if it were brush painted with latex interior. Likewise, I'd spend on what you can feel- the right saddle, the right handlebar, good cables and brake pads, the best tires and good wheels. Since pretty much any components you're considering work flawlessly (when adjusted and maintained), the rest wouldn't matter with a blindfold, it's just vanity scratching. Not that there's anything wrong with that...