Please tell me I’m not the only one who thinks that every time Campagnolo pops in the news. Because the second question I ask myself, after acknowledging that the word “bankruptcy” isn’t in the headline, is “Why is Campy still in business?”. They’ve been struggling for relevancy for as long as I’ve paid attention to cycling, and their products seem to pivot around being the most expensive. But, not the best…That confuses me. But, I guess, many luxury for the sake of luxury, goods also confuse me. So maybe that’s the market demographic that keeps the lights on at Campagnolo HQ? I don’t know anyone who rides their groupset, I have seen it in the wild maybe 2-3x. So when I look at their new Super Record Wireless group, I have wonder who is going to buy that? It’s over $1k more than Dura-Ace Di2, which is already crazy $$$$. What is the appeal there? Is it exclusivity? Signalling? Luxury for the sake of luxury? Let me know, I’m more than happy to learn something here.
Today, Campagnolo has finally launched its highly anticipated, range topping Super Record Wireless groupset. The new shifting system, which has been heavily rumoured over the last few months, features fully wireless shifting, like SRAM eTap. It also comes with a staggering new price tag of $5,399/(£4,499), making it the most expensive mass-market groupset ever to be released.
Not only that, Campagnolo has also waved its goodbyes to rim brakes, with its flagship only available for hydraulic disc brakes.
Campagnolo fans may also be shocked by the distinct change to shifting ergonomics, with the removal of its signature thumb shifter. A step closer to Shimano on button placement, but with a price tag that trumps Shimano Dura Ace Di2 by over $1000, the new Italian groupset will have to use more than just its beautiful looks to charm the consumer.
This groupset is such a joke. It has literally nothing on SRAM Red or Shimano Dura-Ace, except a higher price. Sounds like Campy has been drinking their own Koolaid for a while. This might well be the nail in their coffin. And it doesn’t make me happy because I want more competition, not less. I think they should continue to focus on their mechanical groupsets. The Ekar 13x gravel is arguably the best mechanical gravel groupset but I’m afraid its days are numbered. As a general rant, it does seem like SRAM has been innovating faster than anyone else, on… Read more »
There is a metric shitton of groupset competition coming from China/Taiwan. Probably a generation or two from really challenging Shimano and SRAM on the high-end, but it’s just a matter of time.
Oh for sure. I’m not ready to trust those yet but I have experience with Chinese clones of Canon/Nikon flashes at 95% of the features at 30-50% the price, and I know the Chinese companies can make some really good stuff given a few iterations.
Hmmm strange discussion here. I say strange because it seems ill informed (please don’t be offended) . Campy is huge outside of the US, particularly Europe (larger market than the US by over 100million more people. It’s also very successful in UCI events and super durable AND eminently fixable (you can but factory direct spare parts to repair stuff from the 80s. Their lower tier stuff is bombproof (Think Veloce and Centaur). Additionally if you like moving up and down your cassette ultra fast there is nothing better than a Campy shifter. They fill a space in the market the… Read more »
The best numbers I’ve found around global market share indicate that Shimano has 70-75% of road and ~50% of gravel markets, with SRAM covering ~20% road / 47% gravel. I haven’t found solid numbers around where Campagnolo fits into the remaining 5-10% of the road and 3% of gravel markets. These numbers roughly fit my own sense of the market share that they have based on observation; which is admittedly US-centric (although I lived in the UK for a few years not that long ago). The last gravel race I was at, only one person had Ekar (I know it’s… Read more »
I am very sorry to say I think your information is outdated – and don’t misunderstand, I like Campy. I just built a bike with Record last year. But Centaur and Veloce have been gone for a couple years. They don’t have anything below Chorus so nothing to bring in new folks. And while they used to be successful at UCI events since you wrote your post they lost their last team and there are currently no top level UCI teams riding Campy. Zero. I really hope they turn it around.