Campagnolo fading away?

[g-boaf]

I will say that I'm told Campy is far more common on bikes sold into Europe than it is here.

I have done some riding in Europe, especially Italy. Most Italians I ran into ran Shimano...

I agree with that as well, most of them I've come across all just had either SRAM or Shimano. Usually the mid or high level versions.

Didn't see much in the way of Campag.

[jasonc]

I will say that I'm told Campy is far more common on bikes sold into Europe than it is here.

I have done some riding in Europe, especially Italy. Most Italians I ran into ran Shimano...

I agree with that as well, most of them I've come across all just had either SRAM or Shimano. Usually the mid or high level versions.

Didn't see much in the way of Campag.

The funniest thing was when I went over in 2019 there was 20-odd riders in a ride I did in Italy. One had campag. He was an aussie...

[Lukeyboy]

Had an 11speed shifter fail, can’t find a new one on any of my usual places and what I can find is crazy expensive.
Been a campy fan for a long time, but the lack of parts availability at a reasonable price looks to be signaling the end our relationship.
Looked for any 11 speed groups as a replacement, considering maybe Shimangnolo.. but nothing economical is available?
Looks that I need to go 12 speed to get anything new that’s rim brake and reasonably priced?
I just want a new shifter for my trusty olde 11 speed that I used to be able to get for a hundred bucks or so?
Managed to get a few parts for a rebuild kit for around $100.. so perhaps I can fix the shifter for now.
Bike groupo parts business is FUBAR and seems to be about engineered unavailability in the hope of getting us to junk our parts and upgrade to something 12 speed and unnecessary.

Campagnolo have a quite extensive line up of spare parts but there was a change of Australian distributor early last year so spare parts (and parts in general) have been difficult to source for quite a while as both distributors discontinue stock and the new distributor builds their stock levels.



Depending on the part (you can grab numbers from the campy spares part document) you could always try contacting the old distributors BikeSportz/FRFSports to see if they happen to still have any old stock or if their warranty department have any second hand serviceable parts available.

[DavidS]

I figure the other question is whether you can get the parts online and avoid the Aus distributor. Distributors are problematic, they have little interest in stocking parts unless they will move quickly.

DS

[Mr Purple]

This may be part of the problem - promo e-mail from Pushys today.

https://www.pushys.com.au/campagnolo-su ... %3D.XZkeQe

$1149 for each shifter/caliper, $1249 for the FD, $1450 for the RD, $600 for the cassette, $750 for the battery, $139 for the charger, and $110 for the chain.

I added it to my cart so you don't have to. $6600 without brake discs.

[warthog1]

Yep, utterly ridiculous pricing.
I googled 250cc motorcycle under the shopping tab.
The Campag groupset doesn't compare well in terms of price.
Yes differences in production volumes and different products.
However the tooling and complexity in motorcycle production would seem far more complex in a motorcycle. As is the end product.

Just underlines how boutique and how stupid bicycle pricing has become imo.

[Thoglette]

Just underlines how boutique and how stupid bicycle pricing has become imo.

When you start making Jan Heine look reasonably priced.....

[MichaelB]

Just underlines how boutique and how stupid bicycle pricing has become imo.

When you start making Jan Heine look reasonably priced.....

Yep, many cycling related items are just getting waaaaay beyond sensible.

[foo on patrol]

The reason for cost pricing from my point of view is............The manufacturers are forever making upgrades when no upgrades are warranted, hence to volume of parts never get to a quantity where they can recoup each change that they make.

I'm still using 7600 series Shimano shifters and changers, whether Ulterga or Dura-Ace and have no intention of changing to 11sp or 12sp.

Foo

[warthog1]

Fair enough on the change to the number of gears. Nice but not necessary.
I bought a gravel bike to try new routes and get away from cars. Clearance for much larger tyres so a new bike was needed.
Problem is it came with disc brakes.
They are just so much better imo, I now want a disc braked roadie too.
I hate being a victim of the industry marketing and no wish to debate different braking systems, but that is just my strong preference now having ridden them.

[CmdrBiggles]

Seldom see anything Campagnolo nowadays. There can be surprising exceptions browsing.

Bigger, more successful, tech-savvy marques have overtaken it long ago. It remains ridiculously expensive where name and image counts.

Saw Campag-branded water bidons (Made in China!!) being flogged for $55 *each*! Haven't seen gruppos since Nelson lost an eye...

In my bicycle touring days, back in the 1980s and mid-1990s, Campag was a hallowed name, and you polished the components religiously.
If your touring bike was fitted with a Campag front and rear derailer — bonus points for a (often poorly matched) Campag triple front drive, you were "in the prestige class"! The most I could afford in my student poverty was a Campag RECORD seat post; it looked beautiful, and I pounced. Alas. Parked bike in Collins Street outside where I worked under a tree. Came out at 5pm and the seat post was gonski, along with my Selle San Marco embossed leather seat! Walked the bike home 4km teary-eyed and for years therafter for a long time only put cheap Shimano or SunTour components on bikes left on the street. The last touring bike was fitted with Shimano Deore LX. Nothing was pinched.

[Jean]

Had an 11speed shifter fail, can’t find a new one on any of my usual places and what I can find is crazy expensive.
Been a campy fan for a long time, but the lack of parts availability at a reasonable price looks to be signaling the end our relationship.

I didn't see this thread revival till now. But depending on what model of shifter you want, and if it is mechanical or electronic, search for 'Campagnolo 11-speed shifter body', and you will find the spare part you need. Price and location of part (and hence shipping costs) - well, YMMV.

In the olden days, small parts in Ergo levers could be replaced, but since UT came in the whole body is replaced. You (or a mechanic) have to shift over the lever blade and hoods.

EDIT: there will be plenty of sources for this, but I bought a UT Centaur 10-speed body from Cycle Clinic in the UK in 2022, and they seem to keep a reasonable amount of Campag spares. Shipping wasn't cheap, but all up the pricing was better than most other options.

[P!N20]

Probably not all that surprising, but Campagnolo wasn't represented in the 2024 Tour de France: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro- ... ance-bikes

[Jean]

Probably not all that surprising, but Campagnolo wasn't represented in the 2024 Tour de France: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro- ... ance-bikes

Yes, that got a mention somewhere a few months back on GCN, I think. Apparently groupset makers don't (generally) sponsor or supply directly, and it's usually down to what the bike sponsors supply. And nobody was supplying anything with Campag. T'was only a few years ago that Pog won on Campag.

I saw something recently that indicated that Campag was focussing on the 'upper end of the market' with the two Records and Chorus. I don't know how that will go for them, but I suppose it makes some sense given their inability to sustain the effort lower down the rungs. In retrospect, I think Potenza 11, which by all accounts was a quality group, was a final attempt to stay in the game at the Ultegra-equivalent level. It must have died fast because you could only buy it for about a year.

Apparently there's a second tier gravel group coming, which suggests Ekar is doing OK for them.

As an indication of the vibe in the industry, I've found nobody is making chainrings for Campag 12-speed (such as Stronglight or TA). Miche makes some cassettes, but not with the full tooth range of the Campag cassettes. The only alternative cranket for Campag 12-speed I could find is Praxis. Even Miche, which used to be Campag's shadow, only makes them to match Shimano now.

[keith_h]

I have two Potenza equipped bikes since at the time Potenza was a reasonable decision price wise. Now though even if I won the lotto I doubt I would buy a new Campagnolo gruppo when there is better value from other makers. I am not racing so don't have a use case for the high end stuff anyway.

Even in Shimano land the price of Ultegra is almost beyond the reach of mere mortals, 105 having replaced it as the sensible choice for everyman. Looks like Campagnolo have priced their products out of the market and failed to get a toe in the oem market which was the stated aim for Potenza.

From experience, Campagnolo is not more widely seen or used in Europe. For a start most folks ride town bikes or cargo bikes or some clunker from the 70's and increasingly the new machines are battery supplemented. This is where the volume is. Shimano and Bosch have oem solutions, Campagnolo still thinks everyone aspires to a groupset that costs more than two decent town bikes. While its great to have a halo product and hopefully some margin, volume sales provide revenue and they don't have any.

https://gallery.heinrich.id.au/places/f ... -of-france
https://gallery.heinrich.id.au/places/i ... s-of-italy

[DavidS]

Look, Campagnolo do cost more and you can only get electronic shifting in Super Record, the latest version of which is ridiculously expensive.

But it isn't as if the price of Shimano is particularly reasonable.

Looking at the Bike 24 site (bearing in mind you can get Campy from there in Australia but not Shimano as they geo-block), the Shimano Dura-Ace is €2,600 compared to Super Record at €3,400.

For the mechanical groupsets Record is €1,385 and Chorus €923. Shimano 105 is €647 and Ultegra no longer offered in mechanical.

None of these groupsets are anything less than expensive.

Yeah, I bought Campy, I am biased (and I am not interested in having electronic components on a bicycle) but it is a bloody amazing groupset, the shifting is great (as I'm sure it is on Shimano too, never had anything beyond 105 and that was on a flat bar, it was excellent). Plus, Campy do seem to keep having parts available for a very long time. I fix bikes (as a volunteer) and some of the shifters from 10 years ago and more no longer work and seem to be hard to get (couple of Shimano equipped bikes I have worked on recently have been problematic).

I agree Campy need to find a way to get a decent share of the market, although I do suspect they are concentrating more on high end wheels these days, you see them offered more commonly. Just not sure how they do this and keep their image - it is a balancing act.

Mind you, SRAM seem to do ok, and their Red AXS groupset starting at €2,300 up to €4,500 can make Campy look cheap!

All prices above from Bike 24.

Really don't want to see Campagnolo fall over, or, likely even worse, get bought up and cheapened (think car brands like MG). Hopefully they can sort some sort of strategy to stay viable.

DS

[AUbicycles]

Fading back in - officially with Team Cofidis in 2025.

Team sponsorship is major and a number of worldteams still pay for their groupsets.

If you don’t see any televised me hanics with riders screaming abuse for the brand groupset they are riding, will be a good stepping stone. I think Chinese brand groupsets are just around the corner… will take time but they will start to creep in and compete more.

[DavidS]

Good to see Campy back in the pro peleton. They have lost some cache and the best from Shimano and SRAM are excellent. But Campy gear is still incredibly good.

DS