2018 potential new build: Ultegra R8000 vs Chorus?

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by pasadena

beeat
you are too spoiled!

The OP has 6 bikas, not me!

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

...8000 on an utilitarian machine.

Yep. Plus their brakes have great clearance. And the pedals are top notch. We could also mention how the profile on the rear derailleur keeps it nice and protected. But all that said, there's no getting over the fact that their levers feel mushy and are hard to work with the types of gloves people tend to wear while doing utilitarian things on their utilitarian machines...

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Yep. Plus their brakes have great clearance. And the pedals are top notch. We could also mention how the profile on the rear derailleur keeps it nice and protected. But all that said, there's no getting over the fact that their levers feel mushy and are hard to work with the types of gloves people tend to wear while doing utilitarian things on their utilitarian machines...

With the 3 billz you save, you can afford to get proper gloves. Assos or Q36.5 (hi Heisenberg!).

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

With the 3 billz you save, you can afford to get proper gloves. Assos or Q36.5 (hi Heisenberg!).

Shhh...but I paid less for my new Chorus group than I’ve seen anyone offering R8000...and have pieced together R11 and SR11 for less than 9100...

But anyway, yes, good gloves do help...and really, the best shifters with gloves on are downtube, thumbies, bar-end, or eTap...but barring those, I’d rather shift Campy any cold/wet day over Shimano. And Shimano over Double-Tap for dam sure...unless I can start a ride and never have to downshift...I love how SRAM feels in one direction...its climbing back up the cassette that sux rox.

[weisan]

Ultegra 6800 - my usual bike - I like it a lot (probably also b/c most fastidiously maintained). super quiet, nice snappy shifts.

Why don't you just get another set of 6800?

They are being thrown out almost every day for pennies on a dollar.

The newest and the latest...sometimes is just that....the newest and the latest.

[soulspinner]

Campy Chorus. Is this really a question?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by tylercheung

I guess wading into another political topic, but musing over a potential new (theoretical) build.

Now the New and Improved (tm!) Shimano ultegra R8000 is out...this has reignited the debate in my mind between building w/ this vs. Chorus 2015+. From what I can tell, they both are excellent.


At any rate. Ultegra R8000 set can be had for ~$350 less than Chorus, but is a smidge heavier. I guess maybe it comes down to aesthetics, shifter shape, levers and feel, and whether or not you can have a 32t cassette as well...

At any rate, my experiences on current/former bikes have been:

Ultegra 6800 - my usual bike - I like it a lot (probably also b/c most fastidiously maintained). super quiet, nice snappy shifts.
Ultegra R8000/disc - good, but I feel like it still needs to be "broken in". Getting better over time as noise gremlins get worked out.
Campy Athena 11 - actually pretty good once I got the LBS to readjust the RD. Shifts "Snappy" as has been described re: campy, and also very very quiet.
Campy Record 10s - tbh not as good as athena, but I suspect I need to get it serviced...


Please reprimand me if I inadvertently start another flame war...

ps as an aside... I also suspect I may have found out the deal re: shimano crank failures...the FD has very little clearance inside the crank, and if the cable is too slack will score the inside of the shimano cranks just where all the Internet pictures show breakages....

And more functional shift levers both in terms of front der trim and more than one higher gear at a time for the rear..Chorus..

It's not about price(cheapo 6800) but looks, feel, function(see above)...if you want to save $, get Centaur or Potenza..far superior to 6800..Chorus is more akin to Record/SR than 6800 will ever be to 9000...

'Newest and latest'? Chorus as it sits now has been around since 2015..2 years plus.

[skouri1]

What do people have to say about the durability of these groups?
My LBS doesn't like the new campy stuff. Shop owner used to ride campy exclusively, and now is on SRAM and even ultegra.

I know the old stuff 10spd stuff was rebuildable. but what necessitated a rebuild? Is it that the springs lost springiness and the shifts felt less crisp? Or did it start mis-shifting.

What is the long term durability like on the new 11spd Campy gear? Does it require frequent adjustment.

Shimano I have found pretty good. Although, to be fair, the body of my Dura Ace 7900/ reach adjustment screws got damaged in the 5 years I have been using it from disassembly/reassembly a knock or two. My 6600 Ultegra wont die though.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by skouri1

What do people have to say about the durability of these groups?
My LBS doesn't like the new campy stuff. Shop owner used to ride campy exclusively, and now is on SRAM and even ultegra.

I know the old stuff 10spd stuff was rebuildable. but what necessitated a rebuild? Is it that the springs lost springiness and the shifts felt less crisp? Or did it start mis-shifting.

What is the long term durability like on the new 11spd Campy gear? Does it require frequent adjustment.

Shimano I have found pretty good. Although, to be fair, the body of my Dura Ace 7900/ reach adjustment screws got damaged in the 5 years I have been using it from disassembly/reassembly a knock or two. My 6600 Ultegra wont die though.

Older levers, shift springs got tired or broke(2 each lever) or spring carrier broke..both easy fixes. New 2009+ Ultrashift..no springs, no spring carrier..wee ball bearings in a notched plate..nothing to really wear out.

Once installed, 11s Campag just works..I'm surprised a LBS 'owner' who 'seemed' to know what's up would opt for shimano or sram..I suspect it is about $, certainly not about function or longevity.

Picture of Campag US innards.

'Disc lower center.

[R3awak3n]

I have had 8 speed all through 11 campy and I feel the quality has been maintained so yeah that shop owner is clueless.

[kansukee]

Campagnolo, it isn't even debatable. That shop owner is an idiot, or cheap.

[skouri1]

I know you have your allegiances, but please be civil.
The shop owner is a great guy and very knowledgeable.

I can pry him a bit more. I'm sure he has his reasons and that they are solid. Maybe I misunderstood his motivation (could have been a question of EP options).

[bob heinatz]

Both are nice but if it was my money Campy.

[CSKeller]

Not even a real comparison in my opinion.

I have yet to find a Shimano or Sram set up that shifts as well and positively as Campagnolo.

I do think that Shimano produces really nice stuff but in my opinion, it just doesn't come close to matching the look and feel of Campagnolo. I swapped in 2001. My only regret is that I didn't swap to Campy sooner.

My money for road bikes goes to Campagnolo gruppos.

YMMV.

Good luck with your new build and let us know how it goes.

[PNW]

Chorus. Not even a comparison.