No fighting, but Shimano or Campag?

[dodgy]

I like the readily available choice of spares for Shimano, when you go bargain shopping on the net, the cheap kit is always in Shimano fitting (even if it's a SRAM cassette for instance). Also, Shimano Ultegra and above now has concealed brake and gear cables.
I've stuck with Shimano because it's what I've always known, and I bet there are some Campagnolo users who are just the same. I doubt if one is appreciably and objectively better than the other, looks are subjective.
I don't think you'll go wrong with either, even SRAM.

 

[oxford_guy]

Just to confuse the issue, I have both(!) on my tourer - Campag Veloce shifters up front keep the cable routing neat and let me friction shift the front triple derailleur, but I have Shimano XT mechs (Campag don't do MTB-style mechs)... I'd probably go full Campag if I got a road bike, though, and I don't really like the way the Shimano STI levers work, I prefer a rigid brake lever and seperate shifter.

 

[Andy in Sig]

It sounds as if you want a Rohloff.

+1 The best gearing there is and it effectively makes derailleurs redundant plus it is maintenance free.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

+1 The best gearing there is and it effectively makes derailleurs redundant plus it is maintenance free.

although it sounds a pain in the arse to change the rohloff sprocket when it wears out…

 

[oxford_guy]

although it sounds a pain in the arse to change the rohloff sprocket when it wears out…

and its heavy, expensive and the twist shifter isn't great, especially for drops (would be good if there was a bar end shifter, similar to this third-party Alfine/Nexus one, though I understand the shifting works in a different way on the Rohloff), I still quite like the idea of it though, no constant adjustment of the mech...

 

[oxford_guy]

Mind you this Rohloff setup for a drop-handlebar bike does look reasonably neat... Tempting for a touring bike...

 

[geocycle]

although it sounds a pain in the arse to change the rohloff sprocket when it wears out…

well yes, every 10,000 miles perhaps...

It is expensive, I don't like the drop bar shifting options so I use flat bars, but it is not heavy on a touring bike (maybe 200-300 g more than a typical XT drive chain which is less than 0.5% of a typical touring weight) and I'd not go back to derailleurs! The only thing that I have found a bit inconvenient is that I don't have a local wheel builder who I'd trust with the rohloff wheel so it had to go back to SJS and I was without the bike for a week, otherwise nearly maintenance free as others commented.