A new groupset

Sora is bottom of the range; does not share the same shifting levers as
the other Shimano shifters, although it is fitted as standard to quite
a lot of good bikes. Going over to Campag you will need to make sure a
new cassette will fit your old hubs, best not to mix and match the two
makes when it comes to gears. Sora is probably the nearest to Campag in
shifting format (although still superior IMO). Tiagra (9 speed) is a
considerable step up from Sora but you will have to change the rear
hubs, 7 speed hubs are not compatible with anything else AFAIK.

Iain Jones said:

The time's come to start considering a new groupset. My bike and its triple

For my money I'd get the mirage. It'll last longer than the others IMO.

You'll need a new wheel built, but then you're going to need that anyway
whichever option you choose.
--
Arthur Clune

Iain Jones said:

The time's come to start considering a new groupset. My bike and its
triple 7-speed Shimano Sora groupset are two and a half years old and
I admit I've not looked after it properly, especially in its early
days. The chain's well stretched, most of the sprockets are worn, and
one of them is missing two consecutive teeth causing a few jumps when
accelerating.

I admit there's not much hope of getting a new 7-speed setup to match
the STI levers

Would it *all* need replacing? I would have thought it's possible to
find a 7sp cassette and use 8/9sp mechs & chainset if they need changing.
Of course I understand if you just fancy an upgrade anyway ;-)

To use 8 or 9-speed without getting a new new hub/wheel, if cassette hub,
see: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#up7

Other re-spacing tricks can be done for various other solutions, including
using Campag. As long as spacing is OK, doesn't matter if lever has more
clicks than there are sprockets as unneeded bottom positions can be locked
out by the derailleur's limit screw.

Quoted message said:

(the right-hand lever is still slightly out following
vandalism from a childish house"mate" 18 months ago). Just had a
quick browse through Wiggle and Parker's online shops and I was
pleasantly surprised how many decent-looking groupsets there are in
my price range (£150 - £200). Campag Mirage 9 - £199. Xenon 9 - £159.
Shimano Sora 8 - £146 (all triples).

Trouble is I don't know the difference between them. Shimano or
Campag?

My suggestion is: Have a go/feel and choose whichever make seems most
comfortable.

If you do go for Campag, Xenon Ergos aren't as good as the other models in
that they can't shift up to smaller sprockets by more than one gear at
once, and the front mech isn't so trimmable. I know that's like Shimano
but being able to instantly whack it up a couple of gears is a great
advantage of 'proper' Campag (gear changes before you've let go of the
button as well). Mirage Ergos and Xenon everything else is not a bad
combo.

Perversely, Xenon rear mech is lighter than Mirage and works as well as
Chorus. With Veloce you get alloy levers & chainrings and nicer-looking
stuff generally, but essentially it's the same (apart from 10sp option).
For instance, the works inside Veloce 9sp Ergos and hubs is exactly the
same as Mirage's.

~PB

in message <[email hidden]>, Iain Jones

(') said:

The time's come to start considering a new groupset. My bike and its
triple 7-speed Shimano Sora groupset are two and a half years old and I
admit I've not looked after it properly, especially in its early days.
The chain's well stretched, most of the sprockets are worn, and one of
them is missing two consecutive teeth causing a few jumps when
accelerating.

I admit there's not much hope of getting a new 7-speed setup to match
the STI levers (the right-hand lever is still slightly out following
vandalism from a childish house"mate" 18 months ago). Just had a quick
browse through Wiggle and Parker's online shops and I was pleasantly
surprised how many decent-looking groupsets there are in my price range
(£150 - £200). Campag Mirage 9 - £199. Xenon 9 - £159. Shimano Sora
8 - £146 (all triples).

Trouble is I don't know the difference between them. Shimano or Campag?

This is a religious question, I'm afraid. Rational advantages of
Campagnolo:

(i) No gear cables getting in the way of bar-bags and whatever, and it
looks tidier
(ii) When it wears out or breaks, spare parts are available and they're
remarkably cheap
(iii) Subjectively, the relatively wide hoods are very comfortable for my
hands.

Religious advantages of Campagnolo:

(i) It's Campgnolo.

Having said that I'd be a bit wary of Xenon. It's Campag, of course, it's
not rubbish; but it is bottom of the range Campag. Mirage will be fine.

Rational advantages of Shimano

(i) It's ubiquitous.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

The trouble with Simon is that he only opens his mouth to change feet.
;; of me, by a 'friend'

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

Quoted message said:

Of course I understand if you just fancy an upgrade anyway ;-)

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Didn't take long to see through my plan
did it!

Just back from the LBS to put my rear wheel in for repairs. A few weeks back
I snapped a spoke. On Saturday I spent a chilly afternoon de-griming the
bike for a day out on Sunday (what a lovely day it was too). I tried to
adjust the other spokes to compensate for it - PING! There goes another.
Best leave it to the professionals.

Anyway, I had a word about groupsets while I was there today. For the
reputation of Campag over Shimano I was surprised in the price differences -
low-end Shimano was about £70 more than low-end Campag. I was recommended
new wheels rather than rebuild the current ones with new hubs, based on the
cost. Which makes sense, since the rear wheel has needed constant tweaking
since I've had it - going somewhat out of true every 6-12 months (not helped
by that vandalism which put a slight kink in the rim), scoured brake rims
after some dodgy brake pads, one snapped axle, and now 2 snapped spokes.

Having given the chain a thorough clean on Saturday though, I might be
surprised when I put the wheel back in when it comes back next Saturday, I
might get another 6 months out of it.

Iain