Cycling UK Forum

I'm planning to build up a new bike, & will be using an 8 speed shimano cassette, with a double chainset, probably 48-36 x 11-28. What suggestions do you all have for shifters & front mech? I had thought of Campag 10 speed shifters with shimano mechs but reading CJ's bewildering analysis have been thrown into total confusion. Should I just buy Shimano 8 STIs? Is there a better alternative?

for my part as I've never had any experience of Campag I can only advise to go for Shimano shifters,but I expect someone will say Campag are better for some reason or other.

PS I've always liked the shape of the Campag ergo levers.

If you can find some of the 2006 vintage then Campag 10 speed Ergos, either Veloce or Centaur will be longer lasting, repairable, capable of coping with upgrade to 9 or 10 speed & probably cheaper into the bargain. The new 2007 variety have been b*ggered about with so you'd need to go for the upmarket (read expensive!) Chorus or Record. Old Ergos will also cope with touring/MTB triple c/set & mech better than Shimano. That's from someone with a family collection of 4 with a 5th on the way!

Ahhh the age old component debate

I have a bike with Campag and a bike with Shimano. Both are great and durable. Campag has a solid clunky feel to it which some people prefer to the undetectable shifts of super smooth Shimano. As for rebuilding equipment: rebuilding an Campag Ergo shifter is akin to rebuilding a Rohloff geared hub - not pleasant. I personally would choose 105 Shimano before I would get the equivalently priced Campag but if you have lots of money, nothing beats Campag Record for beauty and light weight.

SRAM is now in the picture too but so many of the parts are still unrefined and ugly. The shifters are the only part that work well and are nice. The chain and cassette are copies of Shimano, the chainset is flawed - cheap bearings - there is a recall on their brakes, etc.