I will go for a mechanical Campagnolo Record group for my new Ridley Helium that is standing here waiting to get built Used Record 10-speed last year, Red this year and now on my CX. Tried Di2 at work and felt the levers on EPS.

Record feels perfect, classy but not too much like a Super Record group. The frame isn't made for electronic so won't be nice with EPS. Shimano is just slow and Sram feels a little boring as everyone talks about it and think it's the coolest.

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Mechanical campagnolo super record every time. The smoothest group set, and mechanical is lighter and cheaper than EPS

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Wiliers: Cento Uno; Cento SLR; Imperiale, Zero 7 (all Super Record 11sp naturally)

Mechanical Record for me.
I'll try EPS when it gets substantially cheaper. It's way too expensive for me right now, as in, not worth the premium.

Most probably I am the exception here but for me the Ultegra Di2 is the preferred group unless I did not have to pay for it in which case it would be the DA Di2.

I'm certainly DA 9000 is going to be the best thing since sliced bread, but how about people actually get in and put 10,000km or so into it before recommending someone hold out for it.

Recommending something that most people have ridden for 10 minutes at best is a little premature for mine.


My recommendation, Record 11. SR is overkill and you're already set up with Campag wheels.

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I ride SRAM stuff and actually really like it; have put around 10,000 miles into my red group on my Torelli and it just keeps plugging away with very little adjustment or fine tuning which is nice. I have the new 2012/2013 stuff on my Cervelo and it shifts like a dream. The other big thing with SRAM is that the market is about to be flooded with wheels made for 10 speed that won't work for Shimano or Campy right? Great chance to get some good deal and a top of the line groupset.

Also you said that you want a powermeter and red has the quarq that is designed to work with it flawlessly (all though I haven't tried it and don't really know if it is any better than the SRM option or the old quarq).

The one thing that I wouldn't get sram though is the cassette; I ride all shimano in that regard. The old SRAM red is so freaking loud its almost unbearable.

My second choice would be Super Record 11 speed; my dad has it on his bikes and loves it, I have ridden it a few time when I was out in Colorado visiting him and the ergonomics of the shifters and the shifts themselves are divine. He is running a FSA crank on there as well and it still shifts great even with symmetry. I have talked to him about the upkeep and it does seem like SR need alot more (and more frequent) adjustment to keep shifting like that. Replace the chain or at least add a quick link so you don't have to get that stupid proprietary tool and super record is a really attractive option. Plus you are coming from Campy already, which is a huge plus for this option. You are probably pretty good at servicing their parts and know how they all go together; it seems like each company has their own little quirky designs that you have to learn before you can really tune a machine up and it might be nice to avoid that. It would also give you familiar contact points, changing ergonomics can really throw you off while adjusting.

The reason I wouldn't get Shiamano is because the system just seems to unique. It might work like a dream but you can't make the bike your own as much when everything has to be da 9000 to work correctly. I'm talking about the new bolt pattern on the crank, the different cable pull ratios and all that jazz. So I guess that could be a plus or a minus depending on how you look at it; like Tinea Pedis said I'm sure it will be an awesome groupset but its untested and you might end up with a carbon copy bike. said I just know that I find alot of the fun of cycling comes from the tinkering and the personalization of your rides to match your own style and panache.

I think when it really comes down to it though, all three big companies groups are going to be just about perfect so you should just go by what looks good on your bike and by what is the most comfortable for you, shifter shape and shift feel wise.

Good luck in your decision and I hope I helped!

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I think Record 11 hits all the sweet spots for aesthetics, finesse and value. SR and Record are a matter of splitting hairs from my experience, and the price difference between the two is non-negligible for the minimal differences. It has the feeling of a high-end manual car transmission that's quite nice. The new SRAM Red is a close second. Electronic shifting is cool gadgetry, but doesn't give you much performance bang for the buck compared to a well-maintained mechanical group. I'm a Shimano guy, and just refuse to permanently switch because I'm used to it even though I know there are better options out there.

Personally I would wait for DA 9000, but that's purely because I irrationally like Shimano products.

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To me, I think if you are passionate about bikes, you really need to go for SRAM or Campy. I like these two brands because they offer great performance to price ratios, and above all I believe they offer a better feel than the slightly soulless Shimano products. I think you can't go wrong with any of Campagnolo's groups in their current line up as they offer great ergonomics and they are all very light. I also think you can't go wrong with SRAM Red or Force -I believe anything below that feels a bit 'light' and imprecise at the lever- are also very good bets. I think the satisfying 'klunk' when it finds a gear is quite nice as I think that offerings from the Di2 range seem to be too smooth and the controls on the shifters are too like clicking a computer mouse button. I think if you are seriously considering a Shimano groupset though, I would make sure you route your cables perfectly, because they can be quite sensitive.

Why soulless? It sure has more history than SRAM. SRAM has loud graphics, perhaps that's "soul"?

Something to consider:

Shimano works very well and it's widely available, LBS with parts and experience are found everywhere, and good service. Also, the distributeurs usually can deliver parts fast.
Campa works just as good, but the availabilty at local shops is a BIG issue. You are usually out of luck if you break something on vacation
SRAM also works fine and is more available then Campa, but (at least in Europe) a lot worse than Shimano in coverage by local shops.

Now I personally tend to rent bikes on vacation (a mountainbike is very versatile and fun!). Also, I live in the capital and have an LBS who is a Campa specialist (and two other shops who carry the brand on the other side of town if ), so I'm a happy Campy owner. But if there weren't shops near that could service it I wouldn't have gone for Campy.

...



"Which group" threads always head the same direction: To shit.

How about this: ride whatever you want and you are happy with, let other people decide for themselves without trashing another brand/marque/level?
How about people focus on the positives - like riding their bikes - instead of entrenching themselves into pointless arguments surrounding brand loyalty or personal perception projected onto others as facts?

You like a brand? Great. Say why.
You don't like another brand that you aren't using for some reason that is entirely personal? So why do you go out of your way to declare it?
Why not just post the positives of what you like, let others decide for themselves.

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Exp001

I'm not saying Shimano isn't good, as I do believe that is quite untrue as I own a Shimano equipped bike and it performs very well. My comment on soulless may have been without really commenting fully on what I meant. So I'll have another go, I believe their performance is exceptional, although I find anything below DA, lacks a little feel at the lever and it doesn't feel that... mechanical. When you shift down on Campagnolo, you actually feel like you are shifting to a larger cog; I liken it to the feeling you got when shifting with down tube shifters. But when you then hop onto Shimano, you notice all the shifts are very precise but you feel a little detatched when shifting.

Pretty much like Di2

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If yu already own campy then SR11s. I'm not a big EPS fan. Brain and battery are too big. But, if you want electronic then DI2 - the new one if you can wait. But current DI2 is very slick. I have both SR and DI2. Totally different feel to the bikes. My DI2 feels like a weapon and my Campy feels like an old friend. I find that I spend a lot of time cleaning my Campy bike - just like the way it looks. That said +1 on Italian frame - must be campy, but not EPS.

Agreed, everything fails at some point.

I too will never use electronic shifting. I work in an industry that puts electronics in an environment that electronics does not like. The eguipment is exposed to heat, dirt, oil, grease, dst and vibration and as our equipment ages we have equipment failures that 99% of the issues are electrically related including failed processors. Interestingly enough bikes are exposed to the environment. Statistically your chances are greater with electronics for failure due to the complexity.

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I've had two mechanical SR rear mechs self destruct in less than a year.

I'd still buy Campagnolo every time in future - and this is the first bike I've owned that isn't Shimano/SRAM. Campagnolo. Once ridden forever smitten.