Which Groupset?

Plastic trouser guard still needs to gtfo though :-)

I get less impressed with Shimano with every press release. They really did peak at 9 speed

Why do my shimano shifters keep eating the gear cable?

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Comfort eating. Fat bastards.

I've ridden my KAAD12 and my CX bike back to back this week, observations in no particular order:

• I now find needing to shift the front a real annoyance
  
• On the 46/36-11-28 I miss the range (both high and low) of the 50T 10-42
  
• I wish I'd built the CX as a 1x11
  
• One area where 1x11 is (momentarily) annoying is against strong headwinds when you want to balance your output against it, but that vanishes with an application of HTFU
  
• I like the lack of chainslap that a clutched mech gives
  
• I don't find any compromise to using 1x11 on the road, which I thought I might.
  
  

= I really like my new bike.

All of the Shimano shifters does that, that actually not too bad compared to the old 5700/6700.

I have recently build a bicycle up with 2015 Campagnolo Super Record.

It fucking rock, here I was thinking how Dura Ace felt, until I've tried Super Record, the front trim was beautifully smooth like butter.

Disclaimer, haven't even tried the Record or Chorus.

Given the cost of replacing the fuckers it suddenly makes di2 look cheap.

What cables would you suggesting to maintain shifting quality other than the fancy shimano ones?

Never go for the fancy shimano one.

If you had used them in the past, and haven't change the housing, then it's quite likely the resin from those poo brown cable have been left inside the housing creating friction (ironic I know, but I've had customer bike returned due to this).

Just make sure the cable housing end is cut neatly, and use this to ensure the cable is feed in at a good angle, (4th one from the left, the one with a really long housing).

Ideally, you'd want to replace your cable regularly, not leave it until it start to get worse.

Conversely I find the Teflon impregnated higher-end Shimano cables to be good. My shifters are not chewing through cables mind, I have ~6,000 miles on the set on the Serotta, likely to come off today but purely for reasons other than performance.

What cables would you use? I tried a cheap generic cable but performance was shit, so returned to the coated ones.

Shifting with the proper cables is so slick,but they only last 4000 miles of urban (so lots of gear changes) cycling.

Personally, a normal Shimano cable after fitting a new housing work well, I'd go for the Shimano again.

Alternately, the Jagwire Telfon version is really good;

I like the Goodridge ones you can get from CRC. Cheap too.

I like SRAM 1.1mm cables; they've always felt smoother than 1.2mm ones. Probably placebo.

You're not far off here, I usually fit Campagnolo brake cable in Shimano housing to improved modulation as they're a little thinner than Shimano.

What's a good budget groupset at the moment?

Actually looking for a groupset minus brakes, so buying the bits individually seems like the best bet.

I've heard Tiagra 2016 is good for the money, and can get the group minus brakes for £208.

Anything else worth considering?

N.b. good things I've heard are that a lot of tech has trickled down from DA/105/Ultegra to 2016 4700 Tiagra. But although Shimano have updated everything else, it's still 10 speed.

Is this bad? Would the group be more future proof if it went to 11?

4700 is great

Is this bad? Would the group be more future proof if it went to 11?

10 speed isn't going to disappear, nor 9, 8 or even 7 speed.

If you want a strong and reliable groupset that felt like the high end one, then Tiagra work amazingly well, especially since 10 speed components are cheap to replace.

The initial price difference of tiagra and 105 is very tight, IMHO unless the wheels can't handle 11 speed don't see why would choose tiagra.

This may differ on other countries though.

I think racing (read sportive riding) requires the closer ratios you get With a 2x11. As you cant dictate paceline speed. But you absolutely want optimal cadence.

For everything else 1x is the way to go.

Huh? So my 11spd straight block ain't good enough for sportives? Do I need half gears? I always felt like I needed a 16.5T...

Use inappropriate gears - you'll develop a better cadence range and probably be stronger for it.

Use inappropriate gears - you'll develop a better cadence range and probably be stronger for it.

Agreed. I've re-learnt how to push bigger gears with lower cadences on a bike with a 6spd block. Surprised me how much I must chase through an 11spd cassette trying to stay on 100rpm.

Found on my local evening '10' course i'm better pushing a bigger gear at lower cadence on the draggy bits rather than spinning on a smaller gear. Must be getting old...

Must be getting old...

Or faster.

Agree.
Mechanical Campagnolo (chorus-record-super record) > Mechanical DA (I don't even mention Ultegra).

However I didn't try the new 9100 yet.