Bike Component Comparison

The following link has an excellent comparison between Shimano and Campy components:
totalbike.comCampy Shimano.htmlOpen ↗

<MJuric> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a comparsion chart/benefits of teh Shimano component sets
to each other and then those sets to Campy. Shimano lists all of the componant sets and gives
details like "better quality" "Smoother shifts" etc. Any comparisons or test that show performance
comparisons, weight comparisons etc?

~Matt

Most people would say that Shimano DuraAce and Campagnolo Record are both excellent component
groups. This refers to the actual drivetrain components. Some things like headsets, cranks, etc.,
specialty providers have an edge. Campy has the 10-speed option which Shimano does NOT have yet,
though there is talk of a Shimano 11-speed prototype.

Shimano is much more pervasive in triathlon and American cycling. Campy has more of a following in
Europe. Purists like Campy, but you can put a top cyclist on Shimano without really any loss. Since
Campy is more rare in the USA, there is a compatibility problem. It's a bit like PC and Mac
computers. In some ways, Macs are easier to use, more powerful CPU, look nicer, but there is such a
compatibility gap with the 90% of microcomputers that uses PCs and Microsoft software, that most
folks end up going with that.

I've been on Shimano for five years in a wide variety of conditions, and I think if you go wtih
Ultegra or DuraAce it's hard to go wrong. Definitely these are better than the cheaper 105 groups.
Of course, sometimes I envy the Campy people their extra middle gear and cool looking stuff.

When it comes to wheels, Campy is definitely better than Shimano, though Wheels by Bontrager and
Zipp or HED outfitted with Shimano drive-train will work just as well.

It's like Cadillac and Lincoln, Ford or Chevy trucks. You can go wtih popular, or you can go with
esoteric. People can argue all night about relatively trivial differences. <MJuric> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a comparsion chart/benefits of teh Shimano component sets
to each other and then those sets to Campy. Shimano lists all of the componant sets and gives
details like "better quality" "Smoother shifts" etc. Any comparisons or test that show performance
comparisons, weight comparisons etc?

~Matt

DIGTRI said:

The following link has an excellent comparison between Shimano and Campy components:
totalbike.comCampy Shimano.htmlOpen ↗

Thanks for the link. I've found a couple of such comparisons so far. Seems none of them
offer any type of performance comparison.
I.E. Transmission power loss one versus the other etc. I guess teh point I'm trying to get to is Why
buy a Dura-Ace set over a Sora? Let's assume both function properly adn don't break down during
a race or training etc. Will I be faster on a Dura Ace set? Seems that someone somewhere would
have quantified this somewhere. Maybe some test like the same bike, same rider, same course on
different component set. And if the only difference is the occasionally missed gear and a few
100 grams, why would anyone but the elite racing for cash that simply can't afford that one
missed gear ever buy anything but the lower end stuff? I'm currently riding a Sora set and
frankly haven't had any problems with it. It shifts, rarely if ever misses or jumps and I've
never thrown a chain. The only thing I don't really like about it is the up and down shift are
not controlled on the brake lever. But for the price it would take to move up or to the top I
can definately live with that inconvienance. No doubt that the upper end groups are better,
lighter, smoother etc. But if I can buy a Yugo and I go just as fast as the Porcshe but it
doesn't look, sound feel as fast. I'll buy the Yugo and spend the rest somewhere else.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

<MJuric> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a comparsion chart/benefits of teh Shimano component sets
to each other and then those sets to Campy. Shimano lists all of the componant sets and gives
details like "better quality" "Smoother shifts" etc. Any comparisons or test that show
performance comparisons, weight comparisons etc?

~Matt

Tom Rodgers said:

Most people would say that Shimano DuraAce and Campagnolo Record are both excellent component
groups. This refers to the actual drivetrain components. Some things like headsets, cranks, etc.,
specialty providers have an edge. Campy has the 10-speed option which Shimano does NOT have yet,
though there is talk of a Shimano 11-speed prototype.

Shimano is much more pervasive in triathlon and American cycling. Campy has more of a following in
Europe. Purists like Campy, but you can put a top cyclist on Shimano without really any loss. Since
Campy is more rare in the USA, there is a compatibility problem. It's a bit like PC and Mac
computers. In some ways, Macs are easier to use, more powerful CPU, look nicer, but there is such a
compatibility gap with the 90% of microcomputers that uses PCs and Microsoft software, that most
folks end up going with that.

I've been on Shimano for five years in a wide variety of conditions, and I think if you go wtih
Ultegra or DuraAce it's hard to go wrong. Definitely these are better than the cheaper 105 groups.
Of course, sometimes I envy the Campy people their extra middle gear and cool looking stuff.

When it comes to wheels, Campy is definitely better than Shimano, though Wheels by Bontrager and
Zipp or HED outfitted with Shimano drive-train will work just as well.

It's like Cadillac and Lincoln, Ford or Chevy trucks. You can go wtih popular, or you can go with
esoteric. People can argue all night about relatively trivial differences.

I guess my point is this. As to date I've neither seen nor can I find a comparison based on
anything factual other than weight. All other comparisons are based on extremely biased
obsevasitions such as "smoothness", "comfort" adn other "feel" descriptions. I've seen
nothing based on something to the effect of "Shimano Sora group" had "x" missed shift under
"Y" conditions were the Dura-Ace group had only "X" missed shifts under the same" Obviously
weight is a factor and obviously "smoothness", "Comfort" etc are some indication of
performace but as stated before highly biased and difficult to quantify. So as you stated
above it becomes a comparison between a Chevy or a Cadillac. If I can buy the Chevy for
$15,000 adn it runs just as well, gets the same mileage, accelrates as fast and basically
performs just as well as the Cadillac that costs $35,000 but doesn't "look" as cool I'm
going with the Chevy, unless I happen to have money to burn. However If the Chevy always
breaks down, gets crappy gas mileage and has no acceleration now I have to compare and
figure out how much that added dependability, mileage ad acceleration are worth to me.
Unfortunately I've been unable to find any numbers to try adn make a similar comparison of
the Shimano or Campy groups.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

<MJuric> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a comparsion chart/benefits of teh Shimano component sets
to each other and then those sets to Campy. Shimano lists all of the componant sets and gives
details like "better quality" "Smoother shifts" etc. Any comparisons or test that show
performance comparisons, weight comparisons etc?

~Matt

MJuric said:

Tom Rodgers said:

Most people would say that Shimano DuraAce and Campagnolo Record are both excellent component
groups. This refers to the actual drivetrain components. Some things like headsets, cranks, etc.,
specialty providers have an edge. Campy has the 10-speed option which Shimano does NOT have yet,
though there is talk of a Shimano 11-speed prototype.

Shimano is much more pervasive in triathlon and American cycling. Campy has more of a following in
Europe. Purists like Campy, but you can put a top cyclist on Shimano without really any loss.
Since Campy is more rare in the USA, there is a compatibility problem. It's a bit like PC and Mac
computers. In some ways, Macs are easier to use, more powerful CPU, look nicer, but there is such
a compatibility gap with the 90% of microcomputers that uses PCs and Microsoft software, that most
folks end up going with that.

I've been on Shimano for five years in a wide variety of conditions, and I think if you go wtih
Ultegra or DuraAce it's hard to go wrong. Definitely these are better than the cheaper 105 groups.
Of course, sometimes I envy the Campy people their extra middle gear and cool looking stuff.

When it comes to wheels, Campy is definitely better than Shimano, though Wheels by Bontrager and
Zipp or HED outfitted with Shimano drive-train will work just as well.

It's like Cadillac and Lincoln, Ford or Chevy trucks. You can go wtih popular, or you can go with
esoteric. People can argue all night about relatively trivial differences.

I guess my point is this. As to date I've neither seen nor can I find a comparison based on
anything factual other than weight. All other comparisons are based on extremely biased
obsevasitions such as "smoothness", "comfort" adn other "feel" descriptions. I've seen
nothing based on something to the effect of "Shimano Sora group" had "x" missed shift under
"Y" conditions were the Dura-Ace group had only "X" missed shifts under the same" Obviously
weight is a factor and obviously "smoothness", "Comfort" etc are some indication of
performace but as stated before highly biased and difficult to quantify. So as you stated
above it becomes a comparison between a Chevy or a Cadillac. If I can buy the Chevy for
$15,000 adn it runs just as well, gets the same mileage, accelrates as fast and basically
performs just as well as the Cadillac that costs $35,000 but doesn't "look" as cool I'm
going with the Chevy, unless I happen to have money to burn. However If the Chevy always
breaks down, gets crappy gas mileage and has no acceleration now I have to compare and
figure out how much that added dependability, mileage ad acceleration are worth to me.
Unfortunately I've been unable to find any numbers to try adn make a similar comparison of
the Shimano or Campy groups.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

<MJuric> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a comparsion chart/benefits of teh Shimano component sets
to each other and then those sets to Campy. Shimano lists all of the componant sets and gives
details like "better quality" "Smoother shifts" etc. Any comparisons or test that show
performance comparisons, weight comparisons etc?

~Matt

I would think that dollar for dollar, Shimano is probably the better deal, which is why they outsell
Campy by so much, at least in America. But if you really WANT the more expensive set, and you "feel"
better with it, that's probably what you should use.

Lance Armstrong seems quite confident on Shimano and Trek, though many would agree that if you had
the money he and his team have, they could afford the higher-end european components or frames. Of
course, he's also paid a lot of money to ride, but I don't think he would risk losing seconds on
something inferior.

Shimano DuraAce drive train does not "break down" or have that many problems, though I do know folks
who go with a different chain like SRAM or Whipperman (much more expensive) on this train for
greater wear or lighter weight.

As to what "feels smoother," note that the feel of bar-end shifters on a triathlon bike is totally
different than STI's build into breaks, and that road cycling generally involves a lot more shifting
and speed changes--hence the Campy foothold there.

The reason you can't find hard science to back any clear superiority is that, other than weight,
there is no hard-and-fast way to quantify "feel," "Comfort," or even "reliability" between riders
and there styles.

I like the fact that cycling is as much an art as a science, so there is room for diversity. We
don't all drive Model T's anymore, though dollar for dollar and mile by mile it may be one of the
most reliable, cost-effective machines ever built by man.

If you're not rich or overly picky, go with Shimano, Ultegra for most folks and DuraAce for very
serious racers. If you're a purist, especially into road cycling, and you have an extra 20% or so to
spend, go with Campy. This is drive train I'm talking about. For other components, check out the
manufacturers. Actually, wheels are more important than all of these other things, and there is more
good science there, though still some debate.