Which Groupset?

From any question answered, but may be best answered here:

Anyone with experience of running a mixed SRAM / campag group?

Specifically, running an SRAM force chainset (39/53) with Campag Athena 11spd group?

Would a campag 11spd chain pose problems?

Fuck me, wires are a hassle.

I have used far more cable ties than I am happy about, and have glued the junction box to the bottom bracket as the hole was too large in the frame for the screw to attach it.

@tatty-viking - Aesthetics aside the answer is no problem .. the 11 speed chain is needed because of the closer cog spacing in the cassette which means the chain has to be thinner on the outside to pass between cogs. The internal dimension of the chain is still 3/32 so will function on any 3/32 chain ring ..

Thanks Oswald

Third party hydraulic Di2 levers, on Colnago C59s from June (link). Comes specced with 140 rotors F&R :s

Judging by the latest PX newsletter they're gonna do a deal on Ultegra di2 next week.

£1,199.99 at PX with the UKDI2OFF200 code (link):
Shimano Ultegra Di2 10 Speed Groupset / 50t-34t 172.5mm / Short / Internal / 11-25

Correct- they can use the same battery, but nothing else.

..and it's a compact. May as well just put a dress on now.

Surely you'd dump the chainset anyway and get something that wasn't fugly?

Di2 and Ui2 are incompatible, aren't they?
i.e. if I need bar end shifters, I'm stuck with Di2 or nothing.

Unless you bodge something..
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/DIY_Ultegra_Di2_TT_P3754167/

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=84752

Surely you'd dump the chainset anyway and get something that wasn't fugly?

Maybe something from that nice new SRAM company..

..and line Lance Armstrong's pockets.

Interesting link on Sram Red backwards compatility

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/news/it-works-we-test-sram-red-backwards-compatibility_209270

need a roadbike groupset on a budget.
does Sora really deserve no mention?
Should I be looking for 2nd hand Ultegra/Rival?

Any tips appreciated

Sora works but the shifters (I find) pretty dreadful, and it's not 10 speed.

I'd go for Veloce without a doubt. It's fine.

Tiagra is now 10 speed. So if you do go down the Shimano/Sram route you can save £20 buying a tiagra cassette.

Also worth bearing in mind... I think Fudge Cycles do a 3 piece groupsets for Sram. Not sure if anyone else does this?

You just go through an click no option needed: http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=168007

But a quick play just now still ended up being ~£300 for apex cranks, shifter, RD and a rival FD.

If you're on a tight budget I'd be tempted to look around for second hand 10speed Shimano or Sram, because as miro_o says it'll save you money on the cassette and wheels will be cheaper/easier.

It also gives you a bit of scope for upgrades and resale will be easier.

need a roadbike groupset on a budget.
does Sora really deserve no mention?
Should I be looking for 2nd hand Ultegra/Rival?

Any tips appreciated

If you are SRAM agnostic, go to bikeradar, find the Boardman CX thread then PM people swapping their Apex groups to 105 and make them an offer. You can get as-new Apex kit - shifters, derailleurs, chain, cassette - for good prices.

I really like the Apex group.

Yeah swapping it to 105 makes no sense to me, unless you just can't get on with Doubletap. But that's what they do, and it means the Surly got a very nice upgrade for very little money.

Has anyone got any experience of the difference, if any, between modern chorus and athena campag groupsets?

I really like the Apex group.

Ditto. Very little diff. between the rival/force mix I've had previously. Absolute bargain @ Fudges cycles + they cranks come with black anodized rings now.

Has anyone got any experience of the difference, if any, between modern chorus and athena campag groupsets?

one is more expensive, lighter and has more carbon.. the other isn't.

Chorus performance is supposed to be on a par with dura-ace (it's also lighter than dura ace and only marginally heavier than Red) - and to be honest it's hard to justify going beyond Chorus unless this is your lottery win bike and/or you're an undiscovered Cancellara.

If you're worried about the bling factor you could go for the Athena option that has carbon levers and crankset I suppose. Or go for the vanilla groupset and spend the difference on wheels - you'll notice the difference much more there.

Has anyone got any experience of the difference, if any, between modern chorus and athena campag groupsets?

Two things:

• Chorus levers are Ultra-Shift, Athena levers are Power-Shift. Only Campagnolo's upmarket levers now allow you to up-shift a handful of sprockets at a time. With Athena, you can only go up one gear per press of the thumb-shifter.
  
• Carbon fibre groupsets are fucking shit. Carbon clearly has a place on bikes where the gains matter, but it is beyond me why Campagnolo insist on using so much carbon on "everyday" groupsets. Earlier in this thread someone even asks about commuting on carbon cranks. Rain and road grime on cranks that come with a warning not to leave them exposed to direct sunlight!
  
  

I'm running 2010 Centaur on two of my bikes: it is pretty, alloy won't break on its own accord, it didn't cost so much that I'd cry if I broke something if I wiped out, and I can go up three gears at a time on the Ultra-Shift levers. If I was choosing a new gruppo I'd be thinking about alloy Athena. I'd cheerfully spend more, but the extra outlay buy you reduced reliability as well as lighter weight.

Two things:

[*]Chorus levers are Ultra-Shift, Athena levers are Power-Shift. Only Campagnolo's upmarket levers now allow you to up-shift a handful of sprockets at a time. With Athena, you can only go up one gear per press of the thumb-shifter.

Bullshit.
I had a 2010 Athena 11 speed groupset, And you can shift almost half the block in both directions depending on how far down you push the thumb shifter.
I'm still using the Athena levers with new Super Record cranks & mechs on a new build now.... and it all works fine together.

I've ridden both Athena and Chorus (both with carbon crank set up)... not really any noticable difference if its all set up properly . Weight is the main thing I think.
Also, Chorus has proper carbon levers, where Athena has plastic jobbies that are made to look like carbon.

Bullshit.
I had a 2010 Athena 11 speed groupset, And you can shift almost half the block in both directions depending on how far down you push the thumb shifter.

Athena Power Shift
Chorus Ultra Shift

Not sure what you think is "bullshit", but here's what Campagnolo says about 2012 Athena:
*The performance features are top of the line thanks to Power-Shift™ technology which enables multiple upshifting (3 gears) and single downshifting.*

They don't have plastic lever blades either.