Best Mechanical Groupset regardless of price

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MorningMongrel
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Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:52 am

by MorningMongrel

Hi All,

I am going to be getting myself a new Wilier Cento 1SR in the coming months and I am weighing up groupsets. I've read a lot of reviews and SRAM always gets a good rating which seams to be weighted to it's lower price point.

I would like to hear your opinions on which is the best mechanical groupset REGARDLESS OF PRICE.

1. Shimano Dura Ace 9000
2. SRAM Red 22 (Not hydraulic brakes)
3. Campagnolo Super Record

Thanks!

Ride Classy

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MJB
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by MJB

OK Regardless of price........ all three choices will do the job of shifting gears etc.......

You might struggle to get anyone to reply who has had experience with all 3 of these groupsets.

I have mecanical 11sp SR on my Bottecchia SP9. For comparisons sake I also have a Colango C50 with 11sp Record and a Master X light with Athena 11sp. I also rode a Giant TCR Ad1 with Ultegra 6700 for a few years.

Campagnolo hoods are easily the best contoured for a smaller hands or if you are like me - a medium sized hand which is battered / weakened - Campy hoods are narrow and well rounded in the right places compared to Shimano hoods which I found too thick and squared off for a hand that does not want to grip a large circumfrence.

Also the thumbshifters on Campagnolo are a deal breaker for me - again, my hands are weak and I do not get on well with having to tap across the brake lever as per Shimano shifting.

Of my 3 Campagnolo gruppos, SR is def. a good deal lighter weight than the others and feels like it shifts slightly better than Record but this may be due to slightly better cable routing on the bike fitted with SR.

My way of summizing a groupset may be different to your way or that of others........ I want comfort over and above anything else and Camapgnolo does it for me in truck loads.

If you are getting a Cento Uno SR in either Black or Black/Red colours then SR will look perfectly matched to these framesets..........

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

They're all great. Ride the brand that you are comfortable with in terms of hood shape, appearance and shifting mechanism.
THAT is up to YOU to decide.

And whatever you decide will be great. Have confidence in your own decision and go ride your bike.

Period.
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sugarkane
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by sugarkane

They are all great if set up right. It's so close it's a matter of personal taste.
Campag is the best developed of the 3, as it's the oldest 11s gruppo. Da is awesome but has a few issues with its rubbish cables and cassette clusters, SRAM doesn't last like the other two do and the std brakes are rubbish. But overall there is nothing much between em..

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kgt
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by kgt

All groupsets perform great. Since it is a Cento I would suggest Campagnolo.

Devon
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by Devon

It's down to personal preference. This topic will go nowhere.

bikewithnoname
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by bikewithnoname

If you get 11spd DA, you might want to swap the cassette out, it's got a reputation for failing.
Last edited by bikewithnoname on Thu Jan 23, 2014 12:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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theremery
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by theremery

All 3 groups are awesome. Shimano has the edge with shifting IMO, slightly lower friction and fits big hands well.
Sram is my favourite choice for tuning and weight reasons and fits my small hands better than Shimano.
Campag is the one to have on any Wilier tho, mate.....honestly....when I see a Wilier with anything BUT campag, a little part of me dies inside and I feel slightly ill. It shifts great, kicks the shit outta everything else for pure classical style and the cranks are an unheralded gold standard (of standard/ non aftermarket stuff). My G/F would be single if she'd have put anything other than Campag on her Cento Uno Wilier (Anniversary)....even Chorus is a better choice for the Italian steeds than the best of the others (and bear in mind, I ride, and am loyal to SRAM!!)
:smartass:
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aerozy
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by aerozy

Never tried Campny so cant vouch for them but I've got shimano 9000 and sram red 2013 on two bikes.

- Sram fits my hands better (medium hand size)
- Changing the shift cables on SRAM RED is a nightmare! Cable is very hard to bend round and fit through the STI groove. It can take anything between 1min and a few hours to change depending on how lucky you are
- Shimano shifts better but deteriorates faster. Cables are known to break after 2000-3000km.
- Shimano cables are easy to change
- SRAM red cables once installed last a very long time before you notice any issues with shifting
- Very light shift actuation on Shimano so shifting is butter smooth. SRAM has a harder, longer and more firm click feeling. I like both to be honest.
- SRAM is lighter

There is shimano 9001 which I think cures the above issues. I would go with 9001.
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legs 11
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by legs 11

If you want to go classy........go Record. :thumbup:
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JackDaniels
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by JackDaniels

Sram Red Shifters and deraileurs
Dura Ace 9000 crankset
Ultegra cassette
KMC XSL chain

barsook77
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by barsook77

Campy Super Record/Record/Chorus.

360,000 miles with zero breakdowns.

johnnyscans
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by johnnyscans

+1 for personal preference

It all comes down to comfort and which one you enjoy more. All of the top gruppos (and arguably Ultegra 6800, Force 22 and Record) are going to perform more or less the same. Which hoods fit your hands best? Which shift mechanism do you like the best? Aesthetics? Warranty? Cassette/crank options?

I'm a SRAM guy. I love the shape of their hoods. I love double tap. I love the positive feedback in the rear mech. I love the yaw FD. I love the price/performance afforded by Force. I've ridden Campy Super Record, Red and Dura Ace 9000. They are all amazing but, to me, not worth the price premium over Force/Ultegra.

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Rick
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by Rick

It most definitely will come down to a set of personal preferences.

And cost is always an issue somewhere in there. That's why I don't have any Campy experience.

But I have one bike with DA7800 and one with RED 2013 (Yaw derailleur but Force cranks). While I prefer the idea of the single lever shift system of SRAM, and it does seem to work reliably and adequately, I tell people that if a Shimano user switches to SRAM, the first thing they will say to themselves is "man, these rear shifts are really loud, slow, and clunky!" There is not that much difference in the front. The Yaw requires more careful setup, but the "trim" positions of Shimano are convenient and easy too.

But I am happy with my SRAM, so it is always a series of trade-offs.

Shimano chains and cassettes work better (quieter, more positive shifts) with either setup, even the SRAM. But SRAM is lighter, less $$, and I like the single lever idea rather than a brake lever that swivels.

Causidicus
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by Causidicus

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Last edited by Causidicus on Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

by Weenie


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