Pottsie said:
I rode a bike with Tiagra and one with 105's and too tell the truth I didn't notice much of a difference.
The reason that you didn't notice too much difference is because SHIMANO's components are ALL pretty good ... the better "stuff" is definitely
nicer, but the main difference is in the weight & finish ... some stuff will probably last longer, but that may be more of a matter of greater care being taken by the owner.
BTW. I happen to use Campagnolo shifters because they are much better for the type of riding I encounter (i.e., mountain roads). Most of the rest of the components on my bikes are Shimano (yes, you can mix-and-match SOME things ... BUT,
not others) ...
NB/FYI. Shimano has GREAT North American customer service, IMO.
DT Swiss has great customer service, too.
SRAM, to date, has exhibited terrible customer service. I would have to be a fool to buy anything they market in the future, so it's a good thing I don't have to be the-first-on-the-block with some new piece of equipment.
I have never needed to contact Campagnolo's customer service, so I can't tell you how good/bad it is.
Does the customer service matter? If you aren't a sponsored rider OR if you don't care about how much you spend for "stuff" (of any ilk), then I think it does matter BECAUSE no matter how good the bike shop is that you are dealing with, if they can't get parts, then if you have a problem with a component, it becomes a paperweight.