Shimano & Campagnolo Road Brake efficiency

"Ronko" wrote in message
...
I have this weird question. I have one road bike (steel) with a 2000
Campy 10sp Alloy Chorus shifters and matching double-pivot Chorus
brakes (pre Skeleton). I have another similiar geometry road bike
(aluminum, carbon stays) with Shimano DA7700 shifters and Ultegra
6600 brakes. The Shimano bike stops better, it has more stopping
power and it feels snappier. Curious, I switched the front brakes. With
the Campy Chorus 10sp shifters (alloy group) the Ultegra brake isn't
the same snappy, quick stopping self. The Chorus brake on the
Shimana DA7700 shifter bike feels better than on the Campy bike, it
is snappier and stops better. In terms of modulation both
combinations work well and are controllable and do not go from no
braking to instant braking.

Various local bike shops & mechanics have various opinions some of
which a Campy brakes are generally not as good as Shimano
which I have found in my specific case not to be true. Campy brakes
are better than Shimano in that they modulate better and are equal
in stopping power. No one believes Campy brakes stop better than
Shimano. Personally because of the general quality of Campy
equipment I am inclined to believe both Shimano and Campy are
equal in stopping power.

The Shimano STI shifter does bend out naturally from the housing,
the Campy Ergo levers are parallel with their housing. Perhaps the
Shimano just fits my hand better? I don't believe its the stiffness of
the metal or anything like that because Campy makes very good
stuff. Both bikes have good cable sets, properly routed and lubricated.
Also a 3rd bike with DT shifters has old 105 brake levers and another
6600 set of brakes, this bike stops very precisely and well, certainly
better than the all Campy Chorus alloy group bike.

Has Campy changed the design of their Shifters with newer models?
Comments? Ideas? Similiar Experiences?

What does "snappier" mean?
What does "stops better" mean?
How did you assess "stopping power"?

BobT

In article ,
says...



"Ronko" wrote in message
...
I have this weird question. I have one road bike (steel) with a 2000
Campy 10sp Alloy Chorus shifters and matching double-pivot Chorus
brakes (pre Skeleton). I have another similiar geometry road bike
(aluminum, carbon stays) with Shimano DA7700 shifters and Ultegra
6600 brakes. The Shimano bike stops better, it has more stopping
power and it feels snappier. Curious, I switched the front brakes. With
the Campy Chorus 10sp shifters (alloy group) the Ultegra brake isn't
the same snappy, quick stopping self. The Chorus brake on the
Shimana DA7700 shifter bike feels better than on the Campy bike, it
is snappier and stops better. In terms of modulation both
combinations work well and are controllable and do not go from no
braking to instant braking.

Various local bike shops & mechanics have various opinions some of
which a Campy brakes are generally not as good as Shimano
which I have found in my specific case not to be true. Campy brakes
are better than Shimano in that they modulate better and are equal
in stopping power. No one believes Campy brakes stop better than
Shimano. Personally because of the general quality of Campy
equipment I am inclined to believe both Shimano and Campy are
equal in stopping power.

The Shimano STI shifter does bend out naturally from the housing,
the Campy Ergo levers are parallel with their housing. Perhaps the
Shimano just fits my hand better? I don't believe its the stiffness of
the metal or anything like that because Campy makes very good
stuff. Both bikes have good cable sets, properly routed and lubricated.
Also a 3rd bike with DT shifters has old 105 brake levers and another
6600 set of brakes, this bike stops very precisely and well, certainly
better than the all Campy Chorus alloy group bike.

Has Campy changed the design of their Shifters with newer models?
Comments? Ideas? Similiar Experiences?

What does "snappier" mean?
What does "stops better" mean?
How did you assess "stopping power"?

BobT


Stops better: For an equal amount of force the stopping distance is shorter,
my definition of better. Additionally the meaning of "better" in this instance
is a shorter stopping distance regardeless of force applied.
Stopping power: Less force is required means greater power in this
instance.
Snappier: Too subjective so will have to leave up to your imagination.
Snappier on return would have no affect on actuation, only release so
clearly I either should have attempted to quantify this further or delete. The
Chorus shifters according to this definition are not quite as snappy but this
does not affect braking as it it on the return.

On Nov 21, 1:20*pm, Ronko defined:

Stops better: For an equal amount of force the stopping distance is shorter,
my definition of better. Additionally the meaning of "better" in this instance
is a shorter stopping distance regardeless of force applied.

I'm not much of a fan of either of those, at least in the general
sense.

Definition #1 seems to call for maximum mechanical advantage in the
braking system. But I think there is such a thing as too much
mechanical advantage. I think a person should have to squeeze fairly
hard in order to stop very quickly.

I remember my dad's 1959 Pontiac with hair-trigger power brakes.
Anything but the lightest foot pressure could cause a skid.
Similarly, I recall a novice bike rider trying to stop quickly using
just-introduced Shimano dual pivots, and going over the bars. She
said immediately afterward, "I just squeezed the levers as hard as I
could."

And that's all besides the secondary disadvantage of high mechanical
advantage, which is less brake shoe travel thus more sensitivity to
wheels being out of true.

Regarding #2: Stopping distance is largely separate. A brake that
requires a harder lever squeeze can stop you just as short as a brake
that requires less lever force.

- Frank Krygowski