Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

by **Fresh** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 8:59 pm

I'm moving to Syds in a week and have got a new Kuota Kharma lined up for commuting. The bike comes with 105, which is the obvious work-horse groupset for commuting, but I wouldn't mind chucking Athena on the bike instead...just because. Does anyone else commute with Campy, or should I just stick with 105?

by **BNA** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:58 am

by **Jean** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:58 am

As you want to do it 'just because' I won't query why you would bother with the change, but I ride to work on and off on my Centaur equipped roadie and have never had any problem. Like any other good quality groupset it just goes and goes, as long as you maintain it well enough.

by **humanbeing** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:20 am

Campagnolo commuter here. Why not?
I've got Athena on my steel road bike which I ride 99.9% of the time everywhere.
Maybe you should wear out the 105 first because Campagnolo doesn't wear out it wears in :lol:

Cheers,
Peter

by **steveo** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:52 pm

Fresh wrote:I'm moving to Syds in a week and have got a new Kuota Kharma lined up for commuting. The bike comes with 105, which is the obvious work-horse groupset for commuting, but I wouldn't mind chucking Athena on the bike instead...just because. Does anyone else commute with Campy, or should I just stick with 105?

I have a Kuota Kharma with a chorus groupset. I don't commute but ride it every other day. It's been great so far. Look on Ribble for good price on campy. May pick up Chorus for a better price than you realize.
Kind regards.

by **Fresh** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:20 pm

The LBS actually convinced me to scrap the Chorus idea and stick with 105 and spend about $1500 less, at least they've offered honest service. I think I'll compromise and go Athena. I want Campy, but just cant justify the price of Chorus on a commuter.

by **RonK** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:33 am

I would never have considered a Khama is a mere commuter. Perhaps a little dated now but these were top of the line when introduced, and were built with Record or DA groupsets. I have Chorus on my 6 year-old Kredo. It's my best bike.

by **Xplora** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 9:30 am

I don't quite see why you'd go to that effort if the bike isn't coming as a frame. The cost involved really ruins the benefits, sadly

Commuter means "beater" and you are going to lose truckloads of cash swapping the group over... those funds could be a better set of wheels, better LOCK, better seat...

by **silkishuge** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 9:39 am

I commute to work ~80km a day 4 days a week using Campag with no issues.

Jon

by **Phil** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:05 pm

If you are buying the gruppo from Ribble - well Shifters $100 incl cables, 10 speed cassette $40. Its only locally you get ravaged on Campy gear.

The new commuter is built up with 10 speed campy wheels, 13-29 cassette & brifters, KMC Chain, Rival RD & FD, RED 52/36 Cranks, GXP BB, and Shimano Canti's. Bits I had floating around surplus or got really cheap.

I am a firm believer in the Campag cables - way thicker than the Shimano/Gores and once again decently priced.

by **Cruiserman** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 4:30 pm

57k a day on my centaur equipped S works Roubaix - sorry do other companies make road gruppo's? :lol:

by **clydesmcdale** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:09 pm

30-35k a day on 2013 super record 11 speed. I only have 1 bike and may as well ride the best stuff.

After about 500k so far on it I love the instantaneous shifting and feel. I've not ridden di2 or eps, but can't imagine it getting any better than this.

Will never go back to shimano.

by **pacra** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:19 pm

2 commuter bikes - both steel - an Olmo with a Veloce gruppo and a 531 with 2002 Centaur.
Usually ride the 531 (about 5K a year) and it goes and goes and goes, looks scratched and filthy but keeps going as new.
The front wheel is a 90's Record hub (the rear record was stolen by some scumbag) on the original bearings.
I will ride on Campag until I go under the B Double.

by **michaelkn** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:44 pm

I commute in on an old (early or mid 2000s) Cinelli and that has combination of Chorus and Record (lever) gears. Very rewarding ride. My previous commuter had 105 but the Campags were way faster.

Friday is when I take the Record shot Bianchi in. You got to enjoy the ride IMO.

by **boyracer** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:57 pm

Unconfirmed but apparently shimano 10 mates to campy 11 shimergo stylee. If you want campy levers for feel this would be worth considering.

by **morini** » Thu Sep 05, 2013 7:41 pm

I've been riding my Chorus 9 speed bike up to 5 times week for 10 years and all I've ever replaced was a cassette. Best thing I've ever used since my 7 speed Super Record bike I bought in the 80's.

by **singlespeedscott** » Thu Sep 05, 2013 8:53 pm

Both bikes I commute on use Campagnolo. The majority of the commuting is done on the fixed gear with 30 year old Record Pista hubs and a Record Pista crankset. The other bike runs a mixed bag of alloy Campagnolo 10 speed parts. Both run fine and the Campagnolo parts look a lot better than Shimano ones