Which would you rather have under your tree?

December

The new 11 speed Campagnolo road gruppo, a gift certificate for the hopeful January release of the electric Dura Ace Di2 gruppo or the SRAM Red gruppo to outfit your favorite road frame?

Santa, if you’re listening I’d like a SRAM Red group set with a 172.5 50/34 crank set.
I’m still riding 8 speed and happy with my gearing. I never feel lacking for a gear to suit my cadence or road condition. So I’m having trouble feeling the need and the cost for 22 gears. It’s difficult for me since I’ve loved Campy from my first Nuevo Record rear derailleur and down-tube shifters. Campy has always been dependable and repairable. I still love the workmanship but just cannot see the cost. But for $3,270.50 for the Super Record 11 gruppo from Competitive Cyclist I’d be happy with Red for $2,040. That extra $1,230 would buy a very nice set of wheels that would make a huge difference ride quality and overall speed advantage. Campy does win this contest for looks alone, just love Itilian design.

Electric shifting, I’m just not sure I need the headaches. Sure it’s snazzy and new – sorta. It’s been testing on the pro bikes for two years now, but still on hold for the weekend worriers. I also remember racing a guy with Mavic Electric shifting in the Killington Stage race in the mid-nineties and never wanting to draft him because his gears were either jumping on their own or not shifting to a larger sprocket under climbing pressure.
I’d guess that Dura Ace Di2 is better and works great, but still seems like just something else to go wrong and difficult to set up. The price is still up in the air as well, but rumors say as much as $3,000 for the levers, front and rear derailleur and battery kits. That’s over the standard 7900 Dura Ace price of $2,600. I’d guess a price of $3,800 to $4,000 for the group.

American company SRAM has rave reviews, light-weight, and best price. Here’s a blog item from pro bike mechanic Ben Oliver who handled the Bissell Pro Cycling Team this year . These guys know more about bike parts then the pro riders. If he’s doing his job the racer thinks every part is perfect, because the mechanic has adjusted or replaced the part before it fails.

Please vote in the current pole and leave your comments on your favorite gruppo.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 at 6:22 PM by Randall Wolf. Print This Post | Email This Post

2 Responses to “Which would you rather have under your tree?”

David Schloss December 18th, 2008 at 12:33 AM
Well I’ve got Red, so that’s out. I’m going to go with the electric DA on this one, because I’ve never really gotten the groove of Campy and I think the 11 speed chain will be even more of a tweaking nightmare than their 10 speed chain was.
Eric J December 18th, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Got the Sram Red cranks, 52/39 and love ‘em. Be a bit before I can upgrade the gruppo after buying a new T-Mobile frame and the cranks…

EricJ

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