SRAM and CAMPY users give me your feedback

[mimitabby]

I started out on Shimano and a year ago I got my bianchi with veloce components. I'll NEVER go back. I love my campy stuff.
Now if you don't like the sound it makes while you are coasting, you might not like campy. But I love it. i love the way I can shift easily, the way it fits.
On my shimano geared bike, it always seemed counter-intuitive. It's hard to go back and forth for me.
There is a Campyonly fan club, there is lots of good info there.

[KnottedYet]

I love my Campy, too. It's much easier for me to shift than the Shimano I had on my (years ago) steel Trek. I don't have to reach as far, and can break the chainring shift into two small pushes rather than one big push.

I also LOVE that I can trim the Campy almost as nicely as trimming a friction shifter.

If I ever build-up a bike and can't get Campy I would likely get friction shifters instead.

[teigyr]

Campy fan here. I know there are some Shimano fans out there but I really love the fact there are variables in shifting. If my front derailleur is making noise, I can tweak it so it isn't. I'm not a mechanic so I don't know a lot of the mechanical differences but I do believe Campy is meant to have parts replaced or repaired instead of having the whole unit replaced.

[alpinerabbit]

Another happy campy-er. Chorus with a Centaur compact double crankset for me.

I had Ultegra on a rental bike and perhaps this was only due to the triple crankset but when I got back home, I thought I noticed it was much smoother, easy-going.


I read that only Record and Chorus allow to downshift several gears at once with the thumb levers. I don't know what your Bianchi would come with but it is an asset.

[Ninabike]

I have Campy on both of my bikes, but have ridden Ultegra also. I much prefer Campy: easier reach; shifting with thumb and index finger; easy to trim. I know nothing about SRAM so can't help you there.

[Kathi]

I love Campy, too! Very comfortable for my tiny hands.

One disadvantage of Campy cranksets is that there is no 165 mm crankarm. I use the Specialities TA Carmina crankset instead. It works just as well but my LBS said I could have shaved a few more ounces if I could use the Campy crankset.

I'm not a weight weenie and my bike weighs 15.4 lbs so I don't care about shaving off more weight.

And Campy is repairable. When I had my Aegis tuned last year the springs in the shifters were bad so the LBS replaced them. It cost less than $15.00 for the repair.

[FreshNewbie]

So, I see a lot of Chorus fans, however all of Bianchi's women's bikes or their steel models come with Veloce components. Are they also good or Chorus is much better?
Right now I have all 105 on my bike, if I were to buy a new bike I wouldn't consider anything below Dura from Shimano family. However, if I went with Campy on my new bike, which groupset should I be looking at ?

[Popoki_Nui]

Shifting issues aside, there is the matter of durability and longevity. I think Campagnolo is still the king of durability. "Campy breaks in while Shimano breaks down" is a phrase that is likely still as true today as it was "back when". (I'm still riding on 30+year old Campy gear which has required almost zero repair)
FWIW, the local talk is that a lot of SRAM gear breaks prematurely. Many local roadies and MTB'ers are waiting for the next gen SRAM in hopes they're built stronger.

~Sherry (wishing SunTour was still alive and well... )

[Pedal Wench]

Now if you don't like the sound it makes while you are coasting, you might not like campy. But I love it. i love the way I can shift easily, the way it fits.

That noise is specific to your hubs. There are some Campy-compatible hubs that don't make that noise.