Kocsis said:
Thanks palewin and RapDaddyo. So here are some specific issues raised by cycling friends for which feedback would be appreciated. First, that Seven's post-purchase customer relations (and service) is terrible, whereas IF's is great. Second, that Campy gear is more finicky (requires more constant adjustment and maintenance) than comparable Shimano - but that when something goes wrong, you can replace a small component of Campy, whereas for Shimano you need to replace whole unit - at greater expense. I like the ergonomics of Campy gear better - though my mtn bike has Shimano, and it's worked great so far. I suspect you can get used to either one after a few hours. I do agree that fit is more important than anything else - though some of my friends who own custom bikes said that after an elaborate fit process, they ended up having to make just as many small adjustments as for a ready-made bike built by the lbs from the frame up.
OK, I'll give you my take on your comments. But first I will go back to saying that what guides your decision should be the person doing the fitting. If (and I'm being purely hypothetical) the company with the worst post-purchase relations had the most expert fitter, I'd bite the bullet and go for the most expert fitter; everything else is secondary. Now for your questions:
(1) I guess post-purchase relations are nice (Tom Kellogg happens to be very friendly) but how much post-purchase contact do you have for a frame & fork? Virtually none, unless you break it and need repairs. So I wouldn't weight that factor too highly; its more of a tie-breaker than a primary issue. When I've spoken with Tom since my purchase it has been for his thoughts on components, info I could get just as well from my LBS; its just that Tom is such an expert that I value his thoughts. I haven't spoken to him, except when I see him at races, in two years...
(2) Funny - I've heard that Shimano is more finicky, so lets call them equal. Now for my experience - I've probably put 10,000 miles on my DuraAce 10-speed grupo, nothing has worn out, and the only adjustments I've needed to make are to the derailleur cables as they stretch (maybe every 4,000 miles?). You learn how to use the barrel adjusters and that's it - takes 5-10 minutes to adjust.
(3) The replaceability (if that's a word) of Campy is often mentioned, but between my Ultegra and DA groups I have maybe 30,000 miles and have only replaced chains (always around 3k miles) and brake blocks (whenever they need it). (I've worn out wheels, but that isn't what we're talking about.) So the ability to replace individual parts is a theoretical advantage of the Campy that I've never needed.
Summing up points (2) & (3), if you prefer Campy ergonomics, that's your answer.
(4) Lastly, I suspect the better the initial fit, the fewer changes you need to make. But what I've changed a lot is handlebar position; over the years I've become more able to ride in a more aero position, so relative to Tom's initial settings, I've lowered the bars a lot by flipping the extension and removing the spacers (in incremental steps over time). And remember that the other aspect of a custom bike is having geometry that suits your needs. Again, if you get it right the first time in the interview process, you should just love the ride and handling.
Lots of words, but I hope they help. Good luck and enjoy your birthday present!