Join the Chorus
Written: Sep 11 '06 (Updated Sep 11 '06)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Durable, well made and able to be rebuilt
Cons: $$$, not stocked at most bike shops.
The Bottom Line: Great for people who put on lots of miles and don't switch out the bike every year.
|
|
|
| FlanderFlop's Full Review: Campagnolo Chorus Ergopower Shifters |
I recently purchased a Viner frame from goosecreekcycle.com and decided that if I was going to ride the Italian frame, I should ride the Italian components, so I made the switch from Shimano to Campagnolo.
Chorus vs. Record and other Campagnolo lines
As the Chorus shifters are the only Campagnolo shifters I have used, it is difficult for me to write a good comparative review of the other shifters without simply regurgitating things I have read, so I will instead focus on comparing it to comparable shifters from other companies. What I can tell you is that I have found in the past is that typically the second from top of the line group, which is Chorus in this case, is the best value. The top of the line product, Record in this case, usually features all the latest features, which are more likely to have flaws, and lighter weight materials and construction which may or may not be more prone to breakage. Even if they do have all the details ironed out, which Campagnolo does, the top of the line is so much more expensive that the small benefits are not worth the extra cash unless you are a professional racer, or have gobs of cash.
Campy vs. Shimano vs. SRAM general terms
Until this season there were really only two big players in the shifter world. Shimano and Campagnolo. The arrival of SRAM will probably help to push down the pricing on the Shimano stuff, but I think the boutique nature of the Campagnolo will probably keep its price stable. Typically Campy is a little more pricey than Shimano, but it also tends to be made a little sturdier, and comes with the added benefit that the shifters are completely rebuildable. There is also sort of a cult following with the Campy stuff, so you will awe your friends with its presence even if they don’t know why.
Campy Chorus vs. Shimano Ultegra:
I made the switch from Ultegra to Chorus. Both of these are the second to highest end road shifter from their respective manufacturer so it seems better to compare them than try to talk about the Campagnolo stuff in a void.
Feel: The hoods on the Chorus shifters are a little more narrow than the Ultegra which makes them feel, at least initially, a little less comfortable. When I first got on the bike, this was my major concern with the new shifters, but in the end, I have not noticed and discomfort or pressure points on my hands
Shift Style- It takes a little while to make the switch between the two because of the way the shift levers are set up. With the Shimano all of the shifting is with your fingertips. The brake lever pushes inward, pulling cable, and shifting you to a larger ring. Inside the brake lever there is a smaller lever that relieves the tension and changes you to a smaller ring. On the Campy, the brake lever is for braking only, and the small inner lever pulls cable switching you to a larger ring. (exactly opposite of Shimano) To relieve cable tension there is a small thumb lever on the inside of the hood. It took some time to get used to this thumb lever, but once you do it is a natural feeling. At first glance it would seem that you couldn’t use the thumb lever when in the drops, but it turns out that it is an easy reach up.
Look- The Campy has a much sleeker look as it runs both brake and shift cables internally so they can be wrapped in with your bar tape. If you like the sleek aerodynamic look, run Campy
Set up: Easy set up, no difference than Shimano. It should be noted however that SRAM pulls more cable per shift which gives it a little more margin for error when you are setting it up than does Campy or Shimano.
10 speed- I remember when the 9 speed stuff first came out, everyone was saying that the chain was too narrow, and that it would break too easily. Since that never happened with the 9 speed stuff (remember chains don’t typically break because of the width of the chain, but because a link comes off a pin) people have just accepted that it won’t happen with the 10 speed. And so far it has not been an issue. Oddly enough, although I have an extra gear I have not changed the range of gear ratios that I use. This means that the extra gear hasn’t given me an extra climbing gear, but given me a little more precision so that I can better maintain Cadance and wattage. While this is nice in theory, I haven’t really noticed it that much. This is kind of like the how many blades can you fit on a razor game, at some point, one more is technically better but the benefit is small enough that you have to think it is more a marketing ploy than a useful feature.
Overall.-I have come to like these shifters, they are well built, and shift smoothly. They require a slightly harder push to cause the shift than Shimano, but again, that it just a matter of getting used to rather than a negative. The two major pluses for these shifters are their durability and rebuildability so if you are the type that hold on to a bike for year and rides every last mile out of it, this is the way to go. If you are the type who gets a new bike every year or even every other year I would save some cash and go with either the Shimano or the SRAM.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.