Campagnolo unveils near-impressive 13-speed cycling groupset, not quite a triumphant return
Ready to dive into the world of the Campagnolo Super Record 13-speed wireless groupset? I've been riding this bad boy for days, and I've got the lowdown on whether it can help Campagnolo snag the top spot for best road groupset.
This ain't your grandpa's Campy. This Italian beauty was needle-sharp at the launch, with all the right moves to win back some trust lost in recent years.
The price tag's been revised, hittin' the same ballpark as SRAM and Shimano. The quoted full groupset price is a decent €4,300 / ~$4,750 / £3,900, without the power - not cheap, but definitely competitive at the top-tier level.
The weight? Lean as a greyhound, claimin' the crown as the lightest of the big three, weighin' in at 2445g. It's a champ in the looks department too, with the finest-looking chainset on the market in my humble opinion.
But enough with the small talk, let's get into the nitty-gritty.
Coggin' and Chainin' It
The only real changes here are subjective, but to my eye, this is the best-lookin' chainset on the market.
The new BB cups are called Quick Tech, and there's no cross-compatibility with earlier UT or Protech BB's. The retainer clip and wavey washer are essen'tially flipped, but functionality remains mostly the same. Campagnolo's probably done this to stop mixing and matchin' incorrect chain and rings, now that the chain's narrower. The bearings are still mounted on the axle, which ain't the best for your mechanic, but better than chancin' alignment by mountin' 'em in the frame.
Let's Gear Up
This is the first time I've ridden any Super Record product with a 32t cassette out back. That's a big deal, 'cause even when Frome was killin' it up and downhill in the Giro on a Shimano 32t, you couldn't cop one for Super Record.
The Wireless launch in 2023 surprised everyone by runnin' in the opposite direction, by not offerin' a full-size chainset, not even a mid-compact. Both cassette and crankset options in this new group are more varied and wider ranging than all the other top-tier groups available in the market. That's a win for Campagnolo, tempered perhaps by the absence of a 160mm crank.
The Rear Derailleur
This is a big mech, but smaller and better proportioned than the last one. While it's still bigger than the current Dura-Ace mech, the next version of DA will need to mount batteries in the rear mech. With the XTR launch as a guide, Shimano won't have the sleeker and smaller option for long, and the new Super Record mech does look very special, albeit less elegant than EPS.
If you change under load, the mech responds telepathically, movin' the chain up or down the block without hesitation. If you're used to sneakin' around behind your mates on a stealthy Di2 shift with only a squeak from the motor to give you away, this system ain't for you.
If you change gear the way you should - with mechanical sympathy - the shift can be as quiet as SRAM. I'm not sure it's ever as quiet as Shimano, but there's no question you've changed gear in a Super Record system, and the feeling remains. The shift feels like pullin' a trigger (pressin' the trigger, in this case) and the response is just as instantaneous as a gun.
The Front Derailleur
This is simpler than previous wired versions of EPS with zero chain drag to the next ring, and a significant improvement on the outgoin' model. I couldn't make the chain drag on an up or down shift in any one position on the front or rear cassette. The chain felt under control in every shift. No delay, no snagging, no drag, just a nicely controlled, yet fast, shift, with no fuss.
The other big news on the front mech is that it's no longer the size of your Garmin. The battery is fixed on the front, givin' more tire clearance, they say. 'Leg clearance' would have been more honest given their last effort. The new design gives plenty of space now, and it's inline with the other brands' mechs in terms of profile.
Chargin' and Battery Life
One thing I haven't yet mentioned is chargin'. Batteries can be charged on or off the bike, with a magnetic charge port on the battery itself. The engagement with the charger is via a lightly fitted magnetic connection.
Both Dura-Ace and Di2 have horrible chargin' interfaces that often don't stay in place. No trouble here yet with Campagnolo's magnetic solution, but USB-C is surely due on the next generations of all these items?
The claimed charging rates are class-leading, and it does indeed charge super fast, reaching 90% in just 45 minutes and full recharge in about an hour. The rear mech seems to be thirsty on the juice, but a long-term review will allow me to assess battery life more fully. I suspect it just prefers a full charge, rather than a quick blast of electrons here and there.
The Shifters
I can't talk about shiftin' without talkin' about how it's actuated, 'courtesy of a Campy thumbshifter. It's back, reimagined, and very good indeed. It's operable from a number of useful angles.
One small gripe is that you can unintentionally shift gears when brakin' and shifter at the same time, such as when approachin' a junction. Your hands are loaded up under brakin', slowin' the bike, with fingers wrapped around the brake lever. There's a lot of hand for the set up to accommodate in this moment, and you can fudge a shift in the wrong direction. Bear in mind I do have size 12 hands. Once you're aware it's there and you've made provision for it, the thumb shifter never really feels in the way though.
In terms of function when pressed, both thumb shifter and paddle have a short throw, givin' no sense of latency, and at the same time requirein' only a light touch. That's quite a clever mix, especially given the haptic response of the shift button is clear and communicative, and this helps make shiftin' feel direct and deliberate. This was my favorite aspect of the system, and the buttons feel great too. Hold the button for just a while longer and you can dispatch three gears at a time or as many gears as you need without delay. All the buttons on the ergopower lever are configurable in the app, and there's also a neat 'one-hand' mode, so you can control both mechs from one lever if needed.
The paddle shift lever on the back of the brake lever is a wonder of ergonomics on its own. No matter where your hands are positioned on the hoods, the tip of your ring finger can find the inside edge of the relatively large real estate given to the paddle. The inside edge tells you you're there, in a way that neither SRAM or Di2 can; the former has a larger but smooth-ish paddle, while the Di2 paddles can be fiddly to locate. Like the thumb shifter haptics, you also know you've pressed the button, not because of an arduous click or long throw, though. It all just feels efficient, and you know you've done it.
The Hoods and Brake Levers
Campagnolo knows a lot about ergonomics, and the new ergopower lever in the SR13 system is their best work yet. The material used for the hoods feels fragile, but it's absolutely not if previous versions (which use the same material) are anything to go by. It feels great, looks better than the other main players, and offers loads of grip.
The new brake lever kicks out considerably, clearin' the center line of the bar, leavin' what feels like class-leading clearance for your fingers. The previous versions, and Di2 does trap fingers, way before the brake caliper is entirely on at times. With this design and the short throw on the brake lever, this is way less likely. The levers themselves look very classy, feel good, and they're adjustable for reach.
The tip of the hood is angled in. Campagnolo says that the design is UCI legal, but I could care less about that aspect - the position it affords your hands is brilliant. It leaves your wrist completely neutral, in the same position it would be if hung by your side in the breeze. Fitters rejoice. It's very comfortable indeed.
The Extra Gear
Ok, ok. I know, no one was askin' for more gears. However, far beyond it bein' a marketin' stunt to sell a few more groupsets and usher in another new standard, there are use cases where it is obviously really beneficial. And to try and placate the cynics, I'll take a few moments to explain why.
Cadence is often dependent on findin' the right gear. Some people don't worry about cadence and enjoy their ridin' no less, but for those that enjoy road craft, the extra ratio is helpful, especially on a 32.
In a nutshell, the downside of runnin' a 32t cassette is bigger jumps, but this is better managed here with 13 ratios. In fact, it's eliminated. For a fast TT style ride over rollin' hills, or endurance work on an even smaller cassette where maintainin' a consistent power output is essential, there is no downside to havin' the extra ratio. Especially when the shift feels this fast and addictive.
The App - My Campy 3.0
Once set up, you shouldn't need the app too much. This is good news, 'cause it ain't great as it is. Havin' experienced initial set up issues with the front mech, I went into the app to look for adjustment, status, and assess set up. I couldn't. Clickin' on the front mech icon serves up the rear mech menu. This is clearly a bug, but this is not forgivable in what ain't a pre-launch version of the app.
Functionally, you can access chainline switches, and shift assist (think Syncro shift) and check your battery levels and assign buttons as you wish.
The Brakes
The brakes are still the bomb. There wasn't much needed changin' here, but they've found some titanium screws to drop a bit of weight (7g) and made some changes to the brake pad, while addin' a sintered option for better performin' in the winter. I rode in wet and dry on the 'standard' pads, and Campagnolo's brake system is still outstanding. Feel is great at the lever, with all the modulation and power that you need.
Verdict
Some folks will never choose Campagnolo. Shimano offers a conservative, reliable choice that's hard to ignore, that's why it's so dominant.
With this new groupset, though, we now have not just an exotic option for your bike transmission, but a rational choice - not without fault, but an alternative that is now about subjective differences, not compromise.
With this new groupset, pricing and weight are now competitive. Shifin' ain't as luxuriant and silent as Di2, but Super Record 13 is wickedly fast - it feels faster than anything else I've ridden - and shifts with an aggressive and determined movement, that is addictive and offers something undeniably competitive and high performin', but different.
Campagnolo has remembered that buyin' and ownin' Campagnolo parts is not just about performance, but about how they make you feel. Now, far from confused, as some aspects of Campagnolo design has left me feelin' in the recent past, this new groupset makes you feel like you made an entirely valid choice to use an alternative transmission that's different, not worse.
Yes, the app needs work. They can probably fix that with a firmware update. Yes, it is likely fiddlier to set up. But, the hardware and electronics in the main components are once again world-class, and look at it.
The laurels of victory have been hung about the neck of Campagnolo components so much in World Tour cyclin' that they featured 'em on their 80th anniversary logo. But just as the Italians created the tradition of awardin' laurel wreaths to the victor, they also warned of the dangers of restin' on 'em.
With Super Record 13, it's clearly thinkin' straight again. If it can trickle this addictive shiftin' platform down, without losin' the refinement or speed, Campagnolo might finally feel like it's not just relevant again, but a rational and excitin' choice for way more people.
Campagnolo's made a bright and shiny groupset. Now it needs to tidy up the app.
The sports-analysis world is in a frenzy discussing the innovative features of Campagnolo's gadgets, particularly the Super Record 13-speed wireless groupset. With its sleek design and tech-infused performance, it's not just a budget-friendly alternative in the sports realm, but also offers a distinct, high-performing choice for cyclists. Despite the need for app improvements, the system's wickedly fast, aggressive, and addictive shift mechanism sets it apart, making it a game-changer in the world of technology and sports.
