Shimophobia...I got it.

[Lewis Moon]

I was just looking at a pair of shoes down in the classifieds and an odd thought struck me: I have Shimophobia; the fear of having anything made by a certain Asian fishing tackle company (that shall not be named) on any road or cross bike I own. It would seem that it also extends to shoes...Even though the price is great and the fit looks to be good, I can't bring myself to even think of buying them. I'll even buy ScRAM before I'd buy the Parts That Shall Not Be Named.
I've been a Campy guy since God was a boy (early '70s). Can I be helped...do I even want to be helped?

[fiamme red]

I've been a Campy guy since God was a boy (early '70s).Eddy Merckx was already a grown man in the early 1970's. :)

[bargainguy]

..I'll even buy ScRAM before I'd buy the Parts That Shall Not Be Named...


Holy cannoli, see if there's a local support group.

[witcombusa]

Your loss, SHIMANO has, and will continue to make great kit. :banana:

[christian]

1) I am also a Campagnolo fan. But SPD-SLs are the best road pedals, full stop.
2) On the MTB side, I'm Shimano-Shimano-Shimano!
3) They do make great fishing tackle. I use a Sedona 2500 FD as my main bass reel. Nice stuff.

[malcolm]

I've always been a campy guy, but my wife's bikes usually had shimano. My mtn bikes have shimano one with sram, both work great, shimano looks better.

I've also been an avid offshore fisherman, marlin and tuna although I've not done it since I sold my boat some five years ago. Over the last 10 years of fishing I transitioned all my big game reels to shimano 2 speeds from penns, much better reel right out of the box in my opinion.

[GeorgeTSquirrel]

Science fiction movie aesthetics and STI aside...

At least they make more than one hub and in a color other than black.

[Lewis Moon]

Holy cannoli, see if there's a local support group.

Caveat: The only ScRAMish stuff I own are Avid Shorty Ultimate brakes, because they are fabulous, and Rival cranks, because Campy doesn't make a 180 in compact.

[choke]

I was just looking at a pair of shoes down in the classifieds and an odd thought struck me: I have Shimophobia; the fear of having anything made by a certain Asian fishing tackle company (that shall not be named) on any road or cross bike I own. It would seem that it also extends to shoes...Even though the price is great and the fit looks to be good, I can't bring myself to even think of buying them. I'll even buy ScRAM before I'd buy the Parts That Shall Not Be Named.
I've been a Campy guy since God was a boy (early '70s). Can I be helped...do I even want to be helped?Other than the part in blue, I'm really not seeing a problem here....:confused:

[jtakeda]

Not afraid of shimano, I've just dove so deep in the campy rabbit hole that it would take too much to switch all my bikes.

Shimano is on my mtb and is fantastic.
No disrespect to shimano, I just don't want to source out 5+ groups and wheels and do the labor to switch out the parts from campy.

[oldpotatoe]

I was just looking at a pair of shoes down in the classifieds and an odd thought struck me: I have Shimophobia; the fear of having anything made by a certain Asian fishing tackle company (that shall not be named) on any road or cross bike I own. It would seem that it also extends to shoes...Even though the price is great and the fit looks to be good, I can't bring myself to even think of buying them. I'll even buy ScRAM before I'd buy the Parts That Shall Not Be Named.
I've been a Campy guy since God was a boy (early '70s). Can I be helped...do I even want to be helped?

Guess I have spamophobia then altho I don't fear the stuff just would rather walk than use it. I would rather have Tiagra on a Spec-Ed than red onna Colnago.

[rzthomas]

1) I am also a Campagnolo fan. But SPD-SLs are the best road pedals, full stop.
2) On the MTB side, I'm Shimano-Shimano-Shimano!
3) They do make great fishing tackle. I use a Sedona 2500 FD as my main bass reel. Nice stuff.

Absolutely agree with points 1 and 2. Have no idea about #3.

SPD-SL pedals are the best pedals on the market. Nothing else really compares to the durability of their bearings and the cleats.

I went from Shimano to Campy and back to Shimano. All the stuff works fine. If you're scared of buying Shimano because your fancy yourself some kind of elite cyclist with impeccable taste, then I guess that's your bag, but that's silly.

[Fatty]

Your loss.

[FlashUNC]

If you have a friend who lets you ride fishing equipment, they're not really a friend.

[velomonkey]

Hold on, I'm a campy guy - always wanted it and couldn't afford it. So rode Shimano for around 18 years, but went campy about 7 years ago and don't plan on going back.

With that said - ride SRAM before Shimano. Bro, that's just waco. Also, their skewers are wicked nice. Dura Ace skewers are for sure better than Record skewers.

I really don't have an issue with Shimano - SRAM on the other hand, I'd just assume leave it.

[fiamme red]

If you have a friend who lets you ride fishing equipment, they're not really a friend.http://www.surflandbt.com/reports/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PeteBeard.jpg

[chengher87]

To me, Campagnolo is the beautiful girlfriend I just can't seem to stay away. One on hand, the components are just beautiful. I like the aesthetics of Campy shifters, FD, cassettes, RD, cranksets, hell, the chains look more elegant. But....I don't like the crankset set-up. The retaining clip is a bit of a pain relative to shimano's system. While I love the ultra-torque hirth joint system, I hate having the bearings installed on the crank arms and am not a fan of the wavy washer preloading the bearings. The bearings seem to last not quite as long as super cheap Tiagra bottom brackets from Shimano. I also do not like their hidden 135bcd and 110/112bcd crank arms.

I also don't like that Campy went carbon (material and aesthetics) everything. Bring back the beautiful silver alloy groupsets!

I have Shimano cranksets (and cassettes, full disclosure) on otherwise Campagnolo builds. Even though I think the hollowtech II cranksets are pretty ugly. For one, I think their chainrings shift the smoothest. Second, Campagnolo's bearings are not sealed quite as well, so I have to be more pro-active especially after particularly wet rides in checking for water seeping into the bottom bracket and bearings. Is there some benefit to having the bearings on the crank arm spindles that I am not aware of? I think I have more campagnolo specific tools than I do general tools.

For my money, the Shimano's 7700 group was probably the greatest groupset I've ever ridden.

[firerescuefin]

I believe the OP's original post was in jest. If you read it and thinks it's "go time" ......then you need to cut down on your monday AM coffee intake.

[Seramount]

in 50+ years of riding, I've never had a single Campy bit on a bike.

it bothers me not.

[oldpotatoe]

in 50+ years of riding, I've never had a single Campy bit on a bike.

it bothers me not.

But yer in Texas

[Lewis Moon]

Hold on, I'm a campy guy - always wanted it and couldn't afford it. So rode Shimano for around 18 years, but went campy about 7 years ago and don't plan on going back.

With that said - ride SRAM before Shimano. Bro, that's just waco. Also, their skewers are wicked nice. Dura Ace skewers are for sure better than Record skewers.

I really don't have an issue with Shimano - SRAM on the other hand, I'd just assume leave it.

As my wife the shrink sez: Phobias are non-rational (she HATES snakes)

[Lewis Moon]

But yer in Texas

Obviously a very HIGH threshold for bother there.

[mcteague]

I have Campy on both of my bikes but have Shimano shoes on my feet. They just seem to fit best. Tried many other brands but am doomed to wear them it appears.

Tim

[Lewis Moon]

I believe the OP's original post was in jest. If you read it and thinks it's "go time" ......then you need to cut down on your monday AM coffee intake.

Heh...I wish it were in jest. ScRAM stops at the cranks and shorties...both bits that either Campy doesn't make or, are better (gasp) than Campy.

And I will say that the Rival Cranks are MUCH better looking than Shimanos. Shimano cranks remind me of this:

http://iloapp.top10films.co.uk/data/_gallery/public/4/1259849557_resized.jpg

[Joachim]

Finally!!! A Shimano vs Campy thread. tubulars vs clinchers? And steel bikes cant be raced. They are too slow.

[firerescuefin]

Heh...I wish it were in jest. ScRAM stops at the cranks and shorties...both bits that either Campy doesn't make or, are better (gasp) than Campy.

And I will say that the Rival Cranks are MUCH better looking than Shimanos. Shimano cranks remind me of this:

http://iloapp.top10films.co.uk/data/_gallery/public/4/1259849557_resized.jpg

Funny the timing of your post. I am literally starting to put my Gravelbike together today. First Shimano build in 15 years. I weighed the options and it just made more sense for this bike. Really wanted to do Chorus (and could have)...but went with 9000 instead.

[fiamme red]

Finally!!! A Shimano vs Campy thread.It's about time! When was the last Campy vs. Shimano thread, 2003 (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=16)? ;)

[Seramount]

But yer in Texas

but, I've lived in other places...Oregon, Colorado, Montana...

no Campy there either...

[firerescuefin]

in 50+ years of riding, I've never had a single Campy bit on a bike.

it bothers me not.

....and you walked uphill both ways in the blowing snow to school...barefoot. :fight:

[eippo1]

Funny the timing of your post. I am literally starting to put my Gravelbike together today. First Shimano build in 15 years. I weighed the options and it just made more sense for this bike. Really wanted to do Chorus (and could have)...but went with 9000 instead.

That's what I did for my gravelbike, sorta. Went with 6800 even though the road bikes have campy. What did you end up with for a gravelbike?

Also, have sram on my mtn bike and it works just fine. Used the entire line of sram road stuff too, but just think that shimano and campy work better (also sram is a huge pita to work on). I am replacing the avid pos brakes on the mtn bike with some xt's though.

[firerescuefin]

That's what I did for my gravelbike, sorta. Went with 6800 even though the road bikes have campy. What did you end up with for a gravelbike?

Also, have sram on my mtn bike and it works just fine. Used the entire line of sram road stuff too, but just think that shimano and campy work better (also sram is a huge pita to work on). I am replacing the avid pos brakes on the mtn bike with some xt's though.

I took a page out of your book....Warbird Ti.:)

[bluesea]

Discriminating a shoe due to brand is a real sacrifice, if by chance that shoe might give the best fit.

[Seramount]

....and you walked uphill both ways in the blowing snow to school...barefoot. :fight:

nope...

to get to school, I walked over hot rocks while the Earth's crust was cooling.

[EricEstlund]

Shimano was founded in 1921 to make bicycle parts (freewheels). That's 9 years before Tullio patented the QR lever.

It wasn't until 1970 that the fishing department was developed.

[unterhausen]

don't confuse us with facts.

I was never a big fan of Shimano. I didn't like the fact that you couldn't buy spare parts. I still don't like that, but I'm getting over it.

[eippo1]

I took a page out of your book....Warbird Ti.:)


Awesome. I look forward to seeing it in the gallery when you're done. Ride it like you stole it :cool:

[FlashUNC]

Shimano was founded in 1921 to make bicycle parts (freewheels). That's 9 years before Tullio patented the QR lever.

It wasn't until 1970 that the fishing department was developed.

Logic is a poorly-wielded blade in the gladitorial arena of the eternal Shimano/Campy/SRAM arguments.

Good ol' fashioned hate or nothing at all I say.

I hear Shimano parts are the parts of choice for those most likely to murder drifters for fun.

[Lewis Moon]

Logic is a poorly-wielded blade in the gladitorial arena of the eternal Shimano/Campy/SRAM arguments.

Good ol' fashioned hate or nothing at all I say.

I hear Shimano parts are the parts of choice for those most likely to murder drifters for fun.

I've heard this too. Haven't checked it on SNOPES but it seems legit to me.

[Lionel]

Campy Shimano thread :) Campy forever here but I went to the dark side for my last bike to try hydro discs. The DA stuff shifts perfectly. The FD in particular is really nice (dare I say better than campy!). I much prefer the campy shifters and the thumb shifter. It is also weird how shimano shifts when you release the lever and campy when you engage it, here again I prefer campy.

I had shimano bikes in the past to try it out (last one was 15 years ago) but always went back to campy only, we will see how long this one lasts.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7569/16023349859_78e606df3a_b.jpg

[malcolm]

shimano or not that's a nice looking spec ed.

[Dead Man]

I would probably be a great candidate for becoming a campyphile, except there's no way on this green earth I'm learning to shift with my f'ing thumbs.

So Dura Ace will remain my high end group of choice, and I'm totally ok with that because I love Dura Ace. 💗💓💘💕💞💖

[sg8357]

On my best bike,
Campy shifters (2005) and derailleurs, 'cause you can fix them and they have the best front shifting.
TA Zephyr cranks, they're way better looking than Campy or Shimano and you pick your rings.
Shimano XTR hubs, ferocious seals, cheap and cheerful to change bearings,
Campy wheels have too much dish for my inner engineer.

Groups are for purchasing managers at Trekalized.

[oldpotatoe]

but, I've lived in other places...Oregon, Colorado, Montana...

no Campy there either...

Ha probably drive an Oldsmobile too.:)

[mrogulja]

Trying to understand from collective here what is the problem with SRAM??

I raced 2 seasons of CX races on SRAM components and havent had a single failure. I know many SRAM guys (people who work for SRAM) and guys who race their stuff.

Personally, I rode my CX bike all summer long on road tires and put over 70000k on it during the summer. Everything works like it should.

Had Shimano ultegra and Campy Record before that.

What are your experiences?

[oldpotatoe]

Trying to understand from collective here what is the problem with SRAM??

I raced 2 seasons of CX races on SRAM components and havent had a single failure. I know many SRAM guys (people who work for SRAM) and guys who race their stuff.

Personally, I rode my CX bike all summer long on road tires and put over 70000k on it during the summer. Everything works like it should.

Had Shimano ultegra and Campy Record before that.

What are your experiences?

Do ya know big Ed? Being chewed out by him, warrantying their stuff constantly and seeing what cheap junk, beta tested by consumers, it is...

Saw it all in the shop I owned, the MTB stuff was 'ok' but the road stuff, particularly the early stuff, was awful. Newer stuff was 'better' but a distant 3rd choice for me, distant, like not on the same continent, planet, solar system, distant.

Rather walk.

And I think ya mean 7000km, not 42,000 miles(70000km)

[FlashUNC]

Trying to understand from collective here what is the problem with SRAM??

I raced 2 seasons of CX races on SRAM components and havent had a single failure. I know many SRAM guys (people who work for SRAM) and guys who race their stuff.

Personally, I rode my CX bike all summer long on road tires and put over 70000k on it during the summer. Everything works like it should.

Had Shimano ultegra and Campy Record before that.

What are your experiences?

I was once on a Thursday night group ride where three right Force shifters all failed for their respective riders. I lent a hand at a buddy's shop and saw enough blown apart SRAM stuff that wasn't that old.

Its lightweight, sure, but doesn't last in my experience.

[mrogulja]

Wow - good to hear, guess I was lucky.

So where does the problem stem from? Is it engineering or quality control?

[makoti]

Rather walk.

Good thing, because with Sram, you likely will be. ;-)

[oldpotatoe]

Wow - good to hear, guess I was lucky.

So where does the problem stem from? Is it engineering or quality control?

Engineering/design, the desire to be lightest, the desire to be first, oftimes un monitored manufacturers not local(as in Asia-no this isn't a shot at Asian quality). When sram came out with 10s MTB stuff, shimano nodded, and then designed a much nicer, much more sophisticated 10s MTB lineup. Place 10s MTB any part next to each other and the shimano stuff exudes quality in design and manufacturing. sram stuff does not. Same for the road stuff, only more so.

Arrogance to boot, from some of the spam big boys, as if their ___ doesn't stink.

[oldpotatoe]

Wow - good to hear, guess I was lucky.

So where does the problem stem from? Is it engineering or quality control?

Good one, right above.

oppps dupe, sorry-

[mrogulja]

Engineering/design, the desire to be lightest, the desire to be first, oftimes un monitored manufacturers not local(as in Asia-no this isn't a shot at Asian quality). When sram came out with 10s MTB stuff, shimano nodded, and then designed a much nicer, much more sophisticated 10s MTB lineup. Place 10s MTB any part next to each other and the shimano stuff exudes quality in design and manufacturing. sram stuff does not. Same for the road stuff, only more so.

Arrogance to boot, from some of the spam big boys, as if their ___ doesn't stink.

point taken

[FlashUNC]

Wow - good to hear, guess I was lucky.

So where does the problem stem from? Is it engineering or quality control?

I've always had the sense they're not afraid to let their customers be their beta testers.

Not that Shimano and Campy haven't had their mis-steps in their own time. But SRAM stuff seems to break, a lot.

[Anarchist]

Trying to understand from collective here what is the problem with SRAM??

I raced 2 seasons of CX races on SRAM components and havent had a single failure. I know many SRAM guys (people who work for SRAM) and guys who race their stuff.

Personally, I rode my CX bike all summer long on road tires and put over 70000k on it during the summer. Everything works like it should.

Had Shimano ultegra and Campy Record before that.

What are your experiences?

Did you ever sleep?

[unterhausen]

I guess the SRAM stuff just fails quicker than the Shimano STi, because I know people that warrantied their Shimano levers a couple of times and then were told they were out of luck. Maybe electronic shifting will save SRAM from their underweight shifters

[Dead Man]

Retro-grouching aside, I think SRAMs market is totally different than Campagnolo's. SRAM for light weight, campy for style or tradition. Or some variation like that.

This isn't unusual in the material world- there are plenty of manufactures in lots of industries that produce the lightest product possible, at a known durability disadvantage. Alpine climbing equipment comes to mind first- yea, you can buy a tent or jacket that will last years of abuse, or you can pay twice as much for something that'll last half the time or less (maybe even one climb) but weighs next to nothing

[mrogulja]

Did you ever sleep?

ooooops....7000km

[saab2000]

After years of only Campagnolo I was given a bike to ride at a New England dirt road ride. Not D2R2. Anyway, I wanted to not like it. But it was terrific. It took all of about 2 miles to get used to it.

I now own 2 bikes with Dura Ace 9000 components and I think they're great.

It's OK to have change in your life.

[elong8]

I confronted this fear head on with my first touring build. I wanted something inexpensive, but fairly reliable; something I could possibly kinda trash and not feel guilty. So I went with Ultegra. Working out pretty well, so I restored an old Serotta frame with 6400. Also pretty cool. But nothing more than a passing fancy. I'll keep it Italian when I'm building something permanent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dead Man]

I am this way with Dodge.... It doesn't seem to matter how far removed they are from the crappy cars they put out when I was a kid- I will never own or drive a Dodge.

[saab2000]

The difference is that Shimano has rarely marketed junk among their mainstream products.

For at least 30 years now Shimano has been producing high quality that are still in use today.

I only say 30 years because it was really pretty rare stuff before that but it was still high quality.

My mother has a town bike that she got about 20 years ago. A friend of mine had a shop then and I decided that it would be a good idea to take the bike and do a complete overhaul of the whole thing before she got many miles on it. That included shortening the cables to the right length, lubing the cables, repacking the hubs (which probably aren't Shimano, but I don't know. Anyway, they're smooth as silk today), etc.

She really doesn't ride anymore because of where she lives but every once in a while I get on the bike and pump up the tires. It's perfect. All gear shifts are indexed perfectly and the brakes are still fine. She rode it a lot the first 15 years she had it, so it's not like it's just been sitting.

I'm agnostic now on the topic of groupsets..... I used to be a diehard Campagnolo guy. No more. They're all good when set up properly, maintained properly and used properly. I'm not a fan of the Sram logos and graphics but even that stuff is probably pretty good when installed and used properly.

[aingeru]

Logic is a poorly-wielded blade in the gladitorial arena of the eternal Shimano/Campy/SRAM arguments.

Good ol' fashioned hate or nothing at all I say.

I hear Shimano parts are the parts of choice for those most likely to murder drifters for fun.

My downtube 7800 shifters works great. Don't think they are going to break any time soon... plus I can run them in friction mode and use any rear wheel in a "emergency"...

[jr59]

There is a place for Sram....On other people's bike...

[1centaur]

It seems odd to be be anti-great engineering and manufacturing. Shimano has lived that joint aesthetic for many, many years. Engineers do not tend to be artists, and so Shimano stuff does not grab you by the heartstrings, but really, has Campy stuff looked unusually sexy for the last decade? They both seem like engineering exercises at this point, and as such I take the function to reflect superior engineering at Shimano, because if they looked exactly the same I would view Campy's function as behind Shimano's. I imagine Shimano engineers experiencing that heavy Campy thunk and thinking, "well, we COULD do that, but why?"

As for SRAM, I've had both good and bad experiences with function, including years of perfect function on one bike, but there is no doubt I prefer the tactile impression of Shimano just as I prefer an iPhone to a Galaxy.

[Cicli]

Who cares what other people ride? If it gets them off their ass and out riding, it's fine with me.

[GeorgeTSquirrel]

It seems odd to be be anti-great engineering and manufacturing. Shimano has lived that joint aesthetic for many, many years. Engineers do not tend to be artists, and so Shimano stuff does not grab you by the heartstrings

If you want engineer designed components, you buy IRC and Sugino and the like. Shimano DOES try to be artists (and do a terrible job at it). Every time I look at a Shimano group I can't help but think I turned on the Sci-fi channel...

I think it's a shame, Shimano is the leader in the market, they would be my first choice due to relative consistency, wide availability of replacement parts, and just general universality. If they weren't so dang ugly!!! Never mind that I just don't like the feel of the shifters which to me are a decade behind Sram and Campy in terms of look and feel.

That said, I don't trust the quality of Sram shifters. Campagnolo drives me up the wall with their lack of standards (proprietary 110BCD, and even those rings aren't compatible between Chorus and up vs the lower groups due to variations in thickness... just stupid, and no after market support for the lower groups as a result).

[fuzzalow]

Have no issue with what components anyone rides. The kinship exists in the riding and not in the hardware of its conveyance.

I am Campagnolo only although I am not apostolic about it (because I care not a whit about what anyone rides). I couldn't even go so far as to describe it as "die-hard". Staunch becomes an unnecessary stance when there simply does not exist another component maker for how I experience cycling. I already ride the best to be found. It's not that complicated.

[bcgav]

Campy on my road bike, Ultegra 8sp bar ends on my old D2R2 bike. When I was shopping to buy/build a new D2R2/all-rounder I was leaning towards SRAM cause that's what all the cool kids are riding these days, but I know lots of guys riding SRAM that have had issues. My dealer lent me his CX bike with Ultegra to ride on the Honey One Hundred and I was sold. New bike has Ultegra 6800 11sp.

Guess I'm agnostic, or a heretic.

[oldpotatoe]

It seems odd to be be anti-great engineering and manufacturing. Shimano has lived that joint aesthetic for many, many years. Engineers do not tend to be artists, and so Shimano stuff does not grab you by the heartstrings, but really, has Campy stuff looked unusually sexy for the last decade? They both seem like engineering exercises at this point, and as such I take the function to reflect superior engineering at Shimano, because if they looked exactly the same I would view Campy's function as behind Shimano's. I imagine Shimano engineers experiencing that heavy Campy thunk and thinking, "well, we COULD do that, but why?"

As for SRAM, I've had both good and bad experiences with function, including years of perfect function on one bike, but there is no doubt I prefer the tactile impression of Shimano just as I prefer an iPhone to a Galaxy.

I think 2000 Record, 2009 all and now 2015 SR/Record/Chorus to be very sexy, like that black Ferrari I saw yesterday...

Really. On your shimano shifter, you wish to go to a higher gear(smaller cog), say 3 higher, how many times must you push the shift lever? Now same question on Campagnolo SR/Record/Chorus?

Function-Campagnolo. I 'suppose' shimano could 'do that', but they haven't.

[oldpotatoe]

Campy on my road bike, Ultegra 8sp bar ends on my old D2R2 bike. When I was shopping to buy/build a new D2R2/all-rounder I was leaning towards SRAM cause that's what all the cool kids are riding these days, but I know lots of guys riding SRAM that have had issues. My dealer lent me his CX bike with Ultegra to ride on the Honey One Hundred and I was sold. New bike has Ultegra 6800 11sp.

Guess I'm agnostic, or a heretic.

Nope, You are enlightened-Huzza!!

[bcgav]

Nope, You are enlightened-Huzza!!

Ha! Not to mention my LBS owner is a straight shooter and said durability-wise, SRAM is still behind in that area. Two guys I know with SRAM Red have had issues.

[1centaur]

Really. On your shimano shifter, you wish to go to a higher gear(smaller cog), say 3 higher, how many times must you push the shift lever? Now same question on Campagnolo SR/Record/Chorus?


I don't think in the last 45,000 miles of riding I have wanted to shift three gears at once, and if I had, I could have three-clicked in under one second. I COULD have suffered the ka-thunk of Campy shifting 20,000 times (and the ergonomic inefficiency of the thumb shifter) for the possibility of saving half a second on a shift some day, but really, why?

[oldpotatoe]

I don't think in the last 45,000 miles of riding I have wanted to shift three gears at once, and if I had, I could have three-clicked in under one second. I COULD have suffered the ka-thunk of Campy shifting 20,000 times (and the ergonomic inefficiency of the thumb shifter) for the possibility of saving half a second on a shift some day, but really, why?

You mentioned function. Multi down shifts is a part of shifter function whether you use it or not. As for 'sexy' subjective where function is not.

'Feel' is also subjective. I find shimano shifting soft and vague. That gets worse with any age. Honda motorcycle shifting vs the 'clunk' of a Ducati? Uber accuracy of an electronic Seiko or my Rolex? I know what I prefer.

[CSKeller]

I rode Shimano up until 2001. Made the switch to Campagnolo record that went on my custom titanium Gangl. I've never looked back. I have Sram and Shimano mix on my mtn bike...both works well in the off-road arena. But all three of my current road bikes have full Campagnolo. For me it works...solidly, smoothly, quietly and reliably every single time. Still have the 2001 Record and only had the levers rebuilt once.

Had two acquaintances on Ride the Rockies one year that were so proud of their new bikes with dura ace....on the second day of the ride, both of them had their shifter fail after only being 6 months old...and they couldn't be repaired. Shimano people replaced the levers which is nice but it should have never happened in the first place.

Shimano and Sram are ok...they seem to work but I have never liked the looks or feel of them. I try them occasionally but they are not for me...but if it works for you and gets you out riding then great! hope to see you on the road!

[1centaur]

You mentioned function. Multi down shifts is a part of shifter function whether you use it or not. As for 'sexy' subjective where function is not.

'Feel' is also subjective. I find shimano shifting soft and vague. That gets worse with any age. Honda motorcycle shifting vs the 'clunk' of a Ducati? Uber accuracy of an electronic Seiko or my Rolex? I know what I prefer.

Yes and feel clearly defines Campy preference in general, I would say. I prefer Shimano shifting by a mile - light and accurate. But when I speak of function I refer to the way each shift actually physically works. Just as modern car transmissions have become smoother and engines quieter unless specially engineered for noise, so I perceive "better" to lie in that direction on bike drivetrains. There are people who like rowing 30-year old manual transmissions, but I think modern double-clutch transmissions are functionally better - the ease of their shifting, quiet and smooth, symbolizes their superior mechanics, their engineering achievement in much the way that Shimano's function, the function of shifting gears, appears superior to Campy's, to me. We will not persuade each other, and our lives will be better for that fact.

I would not use a quartz vs. mechanical watch analogy. Shimano and Campy are both mechanical, in that sense. But if we were talking function, the function of telling time accurately, I would call that superior in a quartz watch.

[beeatnik]

I think 2000 Record, 2009 all and now 2015 SR/Record/Chorus to be very sexy, like that black Ferrari I saw yesterday...

Really. On your shimano shifter, you wish to go to a higher gear(smaller cog), say 3 higher, how many times must you push the shift lever? Now same question on Campagnolo SR/Record/Chorus?

Function-Campagnolo. I 'suppose' shimano could 'do that', but they haven't.

At some point it's all subjective and attachments to either system are irrational or emotional (I'm auditioning for the new Hotels.com Captain Obvious). I think 2015 SR/Record/Chorus have a space age look. It's alien ship technology. And yet there's something essentially Italian about the parts. Visually, they continue to manifest sensuality and for that reason there's also an associated feeling of nostalgia. Short story long, Campy just doesn't look modern to me. In terms of performance, I prefer thumb shifting/ultra shift and at the extremes (crits, breakaways, rollers at race speed), I find that Campy has a tiny edge in accurate shifting (for me at least, as I never misshift Campy). That said, I think I might pick up some 9000 for my C59 as I want to give the anachronistic lugged frame a modern, sleek look. Oh wells.

[fourflys]

once I start riding again when I move, I'm thinking I'll change back to Shimano or Campy... not really sure which, but leaning toward Shimano...

But, all the issues people have had with Sram I just haven't experienced (never used Red, which seems to have most of the issues)... it certainly doesn't shift as smooth as Campy or Shimano but I've never had anything go bad with it...

I like double tap but I'm curious to try the new Shimano with the shorter throws and redone hoods... Campy 11 still has the best hoods of any I've tried (Campy old 10/11, Shimano 9/10, Sram 10) IMHO...

for MTB, Shimano hands down! My fat bike has Sram and I can't stand it!

[guido]

I've been a shimano guy forever. But I thought I would look at campy ergo for my brevet/all roads project. I've done triple cranks and have no interest going back. Then I discovered that the biggest cassette for campy is 29. shimano 11 speed will do 32. sram 10 speed will do 36. I'm too old to go italian. sram with bar-ends it is.

[oldpotatoe]

I've been a shimano guy forever. But I thought I would look at campy ergo for my brevet/all roads project. I've done triple cranks and have no interest going back. Then I discovered that the biggest cassette for campy is 29. shimano 11 speed will do 32. sram 10 speed will do 36. I'm too old to go italian. sram with bar-ends it is.

Biggest 10s cogset for Campag is 30(12-30). 11s shimano/spam and 11s Campagnolo spaced essentially the same so...

Campagnolo bar-ends, Athena long cage rear der., a shimano or slam big cogset..

[aingeru]

You mentioned function. Multi down shifts is a part of shifter function whether you use it or not. As for 'sexy' subjective where function is not.

'Feel' is also subjective. I find shimano shifting soft and vague. That gets worse with any age. Honda motorcycle shifting vs the 'clunk' of a Ducati? Uber accuracy of an electronic Seiko or my Rolex? I know what I prefer.

hmmmm,Seiko also produces Grand Seikos... mechanical watches...You won't find that level of finishing in any mass produced Swiss watch (Rolex included). They beat Rolex in any precision test and as far as I know is the only company making everything in house (hairsprings included)

[malcolm]

hmmmm,Seiko also produces Grand Seikos... mechanical watches...You won't find that level of finishing in any mass produced Swiss watch (Rolex included). They beat Rolex in any precision test and as far as I know is the only company making everything in house (hairsprings included)

Grand seikos are very nice watches, but you don't buy a mechanical for accuracy. If your only concern is accurate time your cell phone is all you need.

[oldpotatoe]

hmmmm,Seiko also produces Grand Seikos... mechanical watches...You won't find that level of finishing in any mass produced Swiss watch (Rolex included). They beat Rolex in any precision test and as far as I know is the only company making everything in house (hairsprings included)

Like oh so much, Lexus and Mercedes, Brit twins and early Honda and Kawasaki, now Ducati and some japanese 90 degree twins. Trying to look like a Rolex, but........not.

I'll stick to my Rolex, thanks. Life is too short to have a copy.

[Cicli]

Gawd only know what you guys would argue about if sHram made a watch. :bike:

[oldpotatoe]

Gawd only know what you guys would argue about if sHram made a watch. :bike:

wouldn't matter, it would be in the shop all the time. Look good on your dresser, not on your wrist.

What time is it? Ohh....

[Black Dog]

Gawd only know what you guys would argue about if sHram made a watch. :bike:

It would always be accurate twice a day. ;)

[GeorgeTSquirrel]

wouldn't matter, it would be in the shop all the time. Look good on your dresser, not on your wrist.

What time is it? Ohh....

You should see the instructions to wind it... I think the system is called Yaw-wind or something like that. But once it's set, it tells great time (up to the recall).