A significant upgrade on the Force set, Red allows you to trim the front derailleur while in the big ring.

The ceramic bearings in the bottom bracket and the pulleys on the rear derailleur are signs of class and quality, and will enable you to get the best out of your gear changes.

The feature that has cyclists exclaiming ‘wow’, however, is the customisable ergonomic grips. These are really terrific because they ensure you will never be uncomfortable when shifting gears.

The double tap system was a bold design choice but has since proven to be a real hit amongst riders. Resting on the hoods could not be more comfortable and makes long distance riding easier than it should be.

On top of all this, it is probably the lightest groupset ever made, weighing in at less than 2000 grams.

A real pack leader and strong contender for the title of best groupset in the market.

There are eight components in the Veloce set, centering on the well regarded Ultra-Torque crankset.

The main obvious competitor to this set is the Shimano 105 range, which is a bit cheaper and most agree is not as good quality.

Some go further and argue that the Veloce is superior to the more expensive Ultegra set, but that is debatable.

The strengths of Veloce is the extremely quick and precise shifting, coupled with the terrific peddling efficiency that comes from the Ultra-Torque cranks.

Most find the shifters to be in a comfortable and accessible position, although some complain about the plastic shift levers.

It is also not the lightest set in the market, but that is because it sits in the middle of the price range.

On the whole this is a good value-for-money groupset that won’t break the ban and which will be an upgrade on most standard bike gear systems.

Often referred to as the benchmark in engineering, the Record set is light and responsive.

Perhaps best of all, you will get many years of service out of a Record gruppo because of its capacity to be rebuilt and refitted.

So even though you will have to pay a fair bit for the set at the start of its life, by the time all is said and done it will have been a great investment.

For seamless shifting and reliability, as well as the ability to say you own a classic gearset, don’t look past the Campagnolo Record.

The Force gruppo is actually a bold new direction in gear-shifting, as it allows you to ‘click shift’ between your front cogs, not just your rear cogs like in times gone by.

Problems have been reported with poor quality chainrings showing up, but others have felt that once the groupset is properly setup and working, it is a superior combination.

There is no doubting the fact that the SRAM Force looks great once it is on the bike. If you do opt for this set, make sure you test it out fully first and ensure your bike shop tunes it correctly.

A Sora groupset is not going to be able to compete with the far more expensive, top-of-the-line options available on today’s market, but it holds its own most of the time.

When tuned properly, most riders find the Sora set to be quiet and accurate when shifting gears.

It is a fairly heavy gearset and some riders complain that it falls out of tune too quickly. But it is also easily fixed.

The other downside is that the gear levers can sometimes feel a bit to flexy. Make sure you assess this set fully before purchasing.

With terrific looks, long term durability and very good break modulation, the Ultegra SL really does represent good value for money.

Much of this system is about ‘keeping it simple’, but in typical Shimano style that also means keeping it efficient.

The SL version also weighs in a full 100 grams lighter than the original Ultegra setup, and this has made it a far more attractive option than earlier versions.

The 50/34 crank ratio that comes standard is a good unit, allowing for great power transfer and an extremely stiff ride.

In fact, the Ultegra SL crank is a two-piece unit that is clearly made well and will prove to be highly durable.

If you are looking for groundbreaking innovation or absolute top-of-the-range characteristics, look elsewhere.

But if you need a quality set that will stand up to punishment, the Ultegra SL is a great option.