My first “real” bike was (and still is) a steel Condor bike that I had fitted by perhaps the most traditionalist of traditionalist bike fitters. Plumb bob, KOPS, and stretched way out front with a stem way too long for me. Was also told, “its Campy or nothing” too and that “Disc brakes are a fad”. I laugh when I look back at it but my whole biking experience has been nothing but campy.
Since then, I’ve been holding it down with an 11 speed potenza. I have been baptized by fire into learning how to be my own mechanic with how temperamental it is. I’ve learned to love the thumb button and each shift is done with a very tactile and audible thud. I’ve tried sram and shimano since and found them to be different but have developed a preference for campy.
Tho that will likely change when I buy my next bike. I’m really now hoping they throw wireless on Chorus and then I’ll prolly be convinced to stay.