Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

TECH NEWS

Campagnolo ditches iconic thumb shifter and goes wireless with new Super Record Wireless electronic groupset... and it'll cost you £4.5k

The new super premium groupset from the Italians has a 10t smallest cassette cog, is disc brake only, and the reassuring 'clunk' of the Campag thumb shifter has been replaced by paddles behind the brake levers

Campagnolo has announced its latest groupset, Super Record Wireless, which marks the Italian brand's debut with wireless electronic shifting. There are also some other major changes, such as the removal of Campag's famous thumb shifters and all new cassettes with 10-tooth smallest cogs. 

The new 12-speed Super Record Wireless is a long-anticipated addition to Campagnolo's lineup, which has been missing a wireless option alongside the road- and gravel-specific groupsets. Super Record Wireless will be replacing the existing Super Record EPS groupset and in the process, cuts out rim brake fans from enjoying Campagnolo's latest electronic shifting.

> Your complete guide to Campagnolo road bike groupsets

The new Super Record Wireless is built around Campagnolo’s ‘Dream Bigger’ ethos which is centred around standing out from the crowd. In the case of this groupset, that means the use of the highest-specification carbon fibre, titanium and aluminium to provide maximum functionality at a minimal weight, which for the full groupset is 2,520g. That's 20g more than the outgoing Super Record EPS Disc. 

Campagnolo Super Record Wireless - tech details

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless shifters

As mentioned above, the new Campagnolo Super Record is a wireless, 12-speed groupset consisting of new shifters, crankset, chain, front- and rear derailleurs and brakes. These have been developed around four "performance pillars": dynamic riding experience (the connectivity of the components), perfect cadence (gearing), braking technology and lastly,  user-centric technology. 

The shifters

2023 Campag super record wireless shifters

Let’s start with the first 'pillar': the new drivetrain. The first notable difference in the Super Record Wireless is - as we speculated in March when the patent documents for this groupset came out - that the new shifters have forgone the iconic Campag thumb shifters.

This means a brand new, sleeker lever and hood design. Campag says the redesigned body lever shape utilises "extra grip and cushioning for enhanced riding comfort". The shifter body itself houses coin batteries that power the shifters for up to two years.  

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless shifter

The shifters feature ergonomically shaped levers and shifting paddles that are meant to be operated with your fore and middle finger. The paddle, which has a small gap between the two shifters, is placed behind the brake lever for shifting up and down. The  right lever takes care of shifting up and down the cassette, and the left lever shifts the front derailleur to change between big and small chainrings. The system works similarly to Shimano Di2 out of the factory, but you can also configure the shifters to your liking in the MyCampy 3.0 app. 

Inside the right-hand hood, where your thumb shifter would have previously been, is now a LED light that indicates the battery status. Next to the LED sits an EPS button that can be for example connected to Garmin for shuffling through data pages, or used by mechanics for servicing the groupset. 

Campagnolo tells us there are no time trial shifters in the pipeline, although we're guessing that will have to come eventually if this groupset is ever going to make it onto pro TT bikes. 

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless app my campy

The gearing: all change with 10t cassette cogs (but definitely no 1x)

Campagnolo is renowned for its innovative gear ratios, and for Super Record Wireless, the brand has revamped the existing options. The new carbon crankset comes in three gearing configurations: 50-34, 48-32 and 45-29, and four crank lengths: 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm. The Q-factor has also widened compared to Super Record EPS, now measuring 147.5mm.

The axle on the crankset is made of titanium and spins around in an all-new ‘high-durability’ featuring a dust-proof PRO-TECH patented external protective seal. The bolt circle diameter (BCD) of the chainrings has been changed, with the chainring bolts now having a diameter of 121/88. This means that previous iterations of Super Record chainrings will be incompatible. 

What about 1x? For all its innovation with gear ratios, Campagnolo said a firm 'no' for now when it comes to single chainring set-ups - but you never know what the future holds. In the presentation we attended prior to this launch, Campag's representative was quite clear that this is a road groupset and 2x only. 

> Is 1x right for road bikes?

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless cassette

Onto the cassettes, and another significant change. The new N3W cassettes are available with 10-25t, 10-27t and 10-29t options. N3W stands for ‘New Three Ways’ and is a hub technology Campagnolo introduced nearly three years ago, but this marks the first time we've seen a modern Campagnolo cassette with a 10-tooth smallest cog.

The ratios aren't as wide-ranging as cassettes offered by SRAM, with options up to 10-36t to give lower bottom gears from the US brand; but both the 10-25t and 10-27t cassettes from Campagnolo will offer tighter steps between shifts than is offered by its rival and "unrivalled cadence" according to Campag itself. 

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless front mech front derailleur

As this is a wireless electronic groupset, that means you need to charge it somehow. Both the front and rear derailleurs have removable batteries - but they are not interchangeable. Both batteries feature magnetic charging points that you can use for charging the batteries either on or off the bike with a cable. On the front derailleur the battery is placed at the front instead of the rear, which we've become accustomed to with other major brands. 

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless rear derailleur

Campagnolo says you can get a 90 per cent charge in 45 minutes and a full charge in just 60 minutes. Each of the batteries has an LED light that indicates the charging status. 

Braking technology

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless disc rotor

The most notable thing to say about the Super Record Wireless brakes is the lack of a rim brake option. Whereas the previous Super Record EPS came in two options, one for disc brakes and another for rim brakes, the new Super Record Wireless is one more hit for rim brake lovers, who are increasingly being left behind in the new cycling tech developments. 

2023 Campagnolo Super Record Wireless disc calliper

The new groupset features a refreshed brake calliper aesthetic and Campag’s patented rotor design that provides effective cooling and has an anti-cutting shape. The rotors - available in both 140mm and 160mm diameters - are slightly thicker than other brands’ offerings, and the rounded anti-cutting shape does refer to what you might have thought - it’s designed for some additional safety on the roads, and should help avoid any unwanted disc brake cuts. 

User-centric technology

Even though this is the top offering of Campagnolo’s groupsets, it’s been made to endure everyday rider conditions and offers reliable performance in all conditions. The components are IP69k certified, meaning they can withstand pressure washing and riding in grim conditions. 

Campagnolo Super Record Wireless - pricing and availability

The new Campagnolo Super Record Wireless is available now and will set you back £4,499/$5,399, according to the official information. This is higher than the price quoted by a retailer who appeared to leak the info prematurely last week.

Even if there would be online discounts available, for now, the Super Record Wireless comfortably takes the place of the outgoing Super Record EPS as the most expensive groupset we've ever seen at launch. 

Pinarello Dogma F with new Super Record 2023 studio

We'll be getting our hands on the groupset for a full review in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, you can get further details of the new groupset and find dealers on Campagnolo's website

Suvi joined F-At in 2022, first writing for off-road.cc. She's since joined the tech hub, and contributes to all of the sites covering tech news, features, reviews and women's cycling content. Lover of long-distance cycling, Suvi is easily convinced to join any rides and events that cover over 100km, and ideally, plenty of cake and coffee stops. 

Add new comment

57 comments

Avatar
EM69 | 9 months ago
1 like

Here we go again, get off here and go ride bikes.

Avatar
cyclisto | 9 months ago
0 likes

I use some Sora shifters I had bought them used around ten years ago. Their combination of thumb shifters (perfect for us lazy people who almost never go on hoods) and gear indicator makes them a perfect choice for commuting. I don't understand why road gear indicators are absent from at least low end groupsets.

Avatar
planetjanet | 9 months ago
1 like

Yet more expensive nonsense tech promoted by Road CC who are only motivated by their cut, not the sport. It lightens the wallets of middle aged fools and puts cycling out of reach for young people. None of this idiocy makes you go faster. From a female who just did Ride London 100 sub 5 hours non-stop on a secondhand £500 bike.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
5 likes

planetjanet wrote:

Yet more expensive nonsense tech promoted by Road CC who are only motivated by their cut, not the sport. It lightens the wallets of middle aged fools and puts cycling out of reach for young people. None of this idiocy makes you go faster. From a female who just did Ride London 100 sub 5 hours non-stop on a secondhand £500 bike.

I don't think they'd be doing their job if they ignored new groupsets from the major manufacturers though.

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
9 likes

A 'cut', from Campagnolo??? Lol!

Avatar
Miller replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
1 like

Do you get angry at lots of things?

Avatar
cyclisto replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
2 likes

I agree with you the fact that the prices absurd, but if sold it means that there are more US Dentists than we think.

I also agree with hawkinspeter that they couldn't miss reviewing a product from an historical manufacturer.

The thing is that is though a bit disappointing from Road.cc are the two following links. Not many reviews in cheaper Microshift groupsets and I wish I knew if there were any even cheaper options that could compare with Shimano without the brand name price tag. We don't need dentist bikes, we need cheap commuter bikes for most of people. And if roads fill with bikes, more dentist bikes will follow, the industry must understand this.

https://road.cc/search-results?search_api_views_fulltext=microshift

https://www.microshift.com/products/groups/

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to cyclisto | 9 months ago
1 like

I think Microshift are probably the biggest threat to Shimano.

A work colleague recently got a new Cannondale Topstone with Microshift, <£900, he reckons he can't tell the difference between it and 105 (11) on his other bike.

I gave it a spin and it shifted really nicely, only real downside was the cable discs.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
3 likes

planetjanet wrote:

It lightens the wallets of middle aged fools and puts cycling out of reach for young people. None of this idiocy makes you go faster. From a female who just did Ride London 100 sub 5 hours non-stop on a secondhand £500 bike.

Why is middle-age fools buying expensive technology putting cycling out of reach for young people? Are there no decent £500 bikes available? No secondhand market? As you say yourself (correctly) it doesn't make you go faster so a young person can compete just as well without it. I can certainly see the argument that it's unnecessary, in fact I am currently selling my Di2 bike and will be replacing it with mechanical, just because I don't find it that much better than well set up mechanical and can get much more bang for the buck with a mechanical system, but I don't see how Di2 puts cycling out of reach of young people.

Avatar
peted76 replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
3 likes

planetjanet wrote:

Yet more expensive nonsense tech promoted by Road CC who are only motivated by their cut, not the sport. It lightens the wallets of middle aged fools and puts cycling out of reach for young people. None of this idiocy makes you go faster. From a female who just did Ride London 100 sub 5 hours non-stop on a secondhand £500 bike.

Jeeze Janet.. lighten up, everyone has to make a living, anyway I reckon covering a campag groupset launch is pretty relevant. I personally like reading about expensive stuff, whether I buy it or not. Not everything needs to have a socialist agenda, oh and well done on Ride London, I rode a fat bike for the first time a couple of weeks ago and won a silly race against bromptons.

Avatar
Welsh boy replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
2 likes

It might lighten the wallet of those who choose to buy it, that is their choice, I dont know why you get so uptight about what a total stranger decides is worth them spending their own money on.  Wireless Super Record might be out of reach for young people but that doesnt prevent them from enjoying the sport using something else rther than equipment which was never aimed at them in the first place.

Avatar
EddyBerckx replied to planetjanet | 9 months ago
2 likes

planetjanet wrote:

Yet more expensive nonsense tech promoted by Road CC who are only motivated by their cut, not the sport. It lightens the wallets of middle aged fools and puts cycling out of reach for young people. None of this idiocy makes you go faster. From a female who just did Ride London 100 sub 5 hours non-stop on a secondhand £500 bike.

Bigoted drivel.

 

Avatar
froze | 9 months ago
1 like

I guess I'm the only one that feels that four and a half grand for a groupset is CRAZY?  My entire built Lynskey didn't cost that much, and now we're supposed to accept that amount of money just for a groupset as normal?  LMAO!

One comment mentioned that it was meant to be a pro groupset, probably true, but Campy does not have that many pros using their groupset, and that price might have priced it even above the pro's reach, but AG2R Citeron is getting the groupset for free is my understanding.  In fact, Citeron is the only World Tour Professional team that uses Campy, and they will be using that new groupset.  So how well will this 4,500 some odd money group set sell?  Only time will tell us that answer, but this groupset will only be sold to the uber-wealthy who can't ride faster than 20 mph on $15,000 bikes, it will become more of a need to show rather than a need to go, no sane person would use that expensive of a group set (or bicycle for that matter) in amateur racing where crashing is the norm, and damaging bikes and components is also the norm.

Avatar
mark1a replied to froze | 9 months ago
2 likes

Do you only visit this website to whine about expensive bikes and components? Nobody is forcing you to buy anything, and get some therapy to forget about "those people" on $15k bikes. 

Avatar
Destroyer666 replied to mark1a | 9 months ago
3 likes

And why are you whining about other people's criticism? And getting personal and offensive about it? And why would you think that one needs to be somehow forced to buy something before having legitimacy critizise price? Learn the basics of constructive arguments.

Avatar
mark1a replied to Destroyer666 | 9 months ago
1 like

Destroyer666 wrote:

And why are you whining about other people's criticism? And getting personal and offensive about it? And why would you think that one needs to be somehow forced to buy something before having legitimacy critizise price? Learn the basics of constructive arguments.

There is no constructive argument here or ever from this account. They only ever pop up when an electronic groupset or similar review/thread comes and trot out the same old stuff and then goes on to reference riders who have more money than talent on bikes costing (insert value here). It's getting a bit old and contributes nothing. 

Nothing personal. Also I'm sure some people in suits at Campagnolo have done some maths and they're going to be OK with the price. 

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to froze | 9 months ago
1 like

So then it doesn't really matter, does it, if by your reckoning it will only be used by rich idiots who cares? Maybe the profits Campagnolo make from those rich idiots will allow them to keep  down the prices of their real wolrd groupsets a bit, who knows?

Avatar
STINGRAY565 | 9 months ago
2 likes
Avatar
STINGRAY565 | 9 months ago
2 likes

Esta es una forma muy italiana de operar. 
Más específicamente, es la manera como se hace en el norte de Italia. Vicenza y la región más grande del Véneto son famosas por cultivar fabricantes artesanales como Campagnolo. 
Luxottica, que produce gafas de sol Ray-Ban y Oakley, tiene su sede en las cercanías. 
A pocos kilómetros de distancia, la familia Zamberlan produce algunas de las mejores botas de montaña del mundo. 
Diesel y Benetton tienen su sede en la región. 
Bottega Veneta, una de las marcas de moda de élite del mundo, produce sus famosos bolsos en una fábrica que está literalmente al otro lado de la calle de la fabrica Campagnolo. 
Estas empresas sobreviven apuntando a los estratos más altos del mercado. Es lo opuesto al modelo económico que domina en los Estados Unidos en este momento, que consiste en utilizar mano de obra barata y tácticas de tierra arrasada para ganar una participación masiva en el mercado. Y va en contra de la estrategia de éxito estadounidense: Vender para cosechar una fortuna.
En Campagnolo, no hay una estrategia de éxito. 
Solo existe, en palabras de Lorenzo Taxis, "el alma contenida en la marca".

Es casi un cuento de hadas. ¿Qué pasaría si hubiera una empresa que no quisiera conquistar el mundo? ¿Qué pasaría si hubiera una empresa que solo quisiera fabricar los mejores productos que pudiera inventar y que al final del día estuviera satisfecha con una pequeña ganancia?
La compañía no traicionaría a sus clientes. No estaría en deuda con ningún accionista o inversionista institucional.
Quizás lo más crítico es que la compañía aprendería de la historia, valoraría su memoria institucional y cultivaría la creatividad en la fábrica.
Eso es Campagnolo y el conocimiento

Avatar
Boss Hogg replied to STINGRAY565 | 9 months ago
0 likes

€3900 "without VAT", so add another 20% or so.

Avatar
Off the back replied to Boss Hogg | 9 months ago
0 likes

Then add post Brexit import fees, courier handing fees, it might actually work out closer to 5k 

yey Brexit 

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to Off the back | 9 months ago
0 likes

Campagnolo still manufacture in the EU I believe?

If so, no import duties.

Avatar
Miller replied to STINGRAY565 | 9 months ago
2 likes

The man from Stingray he say (ur welcome):

This is a very Italian way of trading.
More specifically, it's the way it's done in northern Italy. Vicenza and the larger Veneto region are famous for growing artisan manufacturers like Campagnolo.
Luxottica, which produces Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses, is based nearby.
Just a few miles away, the Zamberlan family produces some of the best hiking boots in the world.
Diesel and Benetton are based in the region.
Bottega Veneta, one of the world's elite fashion brands, produces its famous bags in a factory that is literally across the street from the Campagnolo factory.
These companies survive by targeting the upper strata of the market. It's the opposite of the economic model that's dominant in the United States right now, which is about using cheap labor and scorched earth tactics to gain massive market share. And it goes against the American success strategy: Sell to reap a fortune.
At Campagnolo, there is no strategy for success.
There is only, in the words of Lorenzo Taxis, "the soul contained in the brand".

It's almost a fairy tale. What if there was a company that did not want to conquer the world? What if there was a company that just wanted to make the best products it could invent, and at the end of the day was satisfied with a small profit?
The company would not betray its customers. It would not be indebted to any shareholder or institutional investor.
Perhaps most critically, the company would learn from history, value its institutional memory, and cultivate creativity in the factory.
That is Campagnolo and the knowledge

Avatar
Sriracha replied to Miller | 9 months ago
0 likes

What you say makes sense. It also puts Campagnolo in the company of luxury fashion brands, which does not seem far from the truth. A bit like Swiss watch brands and Leica cameras - once they could no longer compete on fitness for purpose they sought refuge in heritage brandname luxury. Of course they tick or click as well as they ever did, but that is no longer why people buy them.

Avatar
Welsh boy | 9 months ago
3 likes

A titanium bottom bracket.  I remember Campag trying that onec before.  For te youngstrs have a look at:

1982 Blois Chaville Laurent Fignon Crash - YouTube

Avatar
lio replied to Welsh boy | 9 months ago
3 likes

They've done it more recently than that too.  I have a titanium spindle on a Super Record 11-speed chainset from, I think, about 2012ish.

Avatar
STINGRAY565 replied to Welsh boy | 9 months ago
1 like

Please see instagram #thanksshimano.... please see Roglic with Sram Gravel group with sucked chain....your comment goes back 41 years...

Avatar
matthewn5 replied to Welsh boy | 9 months ago
3 likes

Welsh boy wrote:

A titanium bottom bracket.  I remember Campag trying that onec before.  For te youngstrs have a look at:

1982 Blois Chaville Laurent Fignon Crash - YouTube

Oh for goodness sake, do keep up! The second version of the square taper titanium bottom bracket was absolutely fine, and every Super Record crankset made since 2012 has a titanium axle, yet there's no epidemic of snapping Campag chainsets, unlike their rivals: https://road.cc/content/tech-news/shimano-claims-no-design-problem-hollo...

Avatar
Cugel | 9 months ago
5 likes

Can Ah be blunt? Campag has always been more man-jewelry than bike gubbins, eh?  This latest collection of bike necklaces and broaches is the most obvious yet!

Long ago I had a Campag Record rear changer. I also inherited a Record 42/52 chainset on a second hand bike. They were clunky items so soon replaced with Suntour Superbe, which was sooper-dooper functionally speaking.

Who will buy this latest collection of bezzle and bro-celets? The same folk who buy £12,000 bicycles with awful paintjobs by "an artist".   1

Avatar
peted76 | 9 months ago
2 likes

It looks very pretty and the shifters look comfy.. campag does that best IMO.. add in wireless and that'll be enough for the Campag tifosi to 'splode over it and I can see why in a money no object kind of way. Me, I'm happy with the famous fishing brand Shimano, widely available and comparatively cheap for parts in relation to SRAM or Campag. 

Footnote SRAM can absolutley 0121 with their stranglehold of spares and pricing they uphold!

Pages

Latest Comments