Why do I hate Campagnolo?

I realize the title alone may have irritated a lot of people. I don't mean to start a war or insult the Italian brand's fans (and I know quite a few). It's not that Campagnolo components are unsuitable for riding or fall apart in your hands. After all, they still win many races. However, I think Campagnolo's cult status is greatly exaggerated, and their products have often irritated me. So, this will be a mechanic's complaint and a few observations from someone who values ​​quality over "legend and style."

There once were times... Today there are no times...

It's hard to deny that Campagnolo has a distinguished history. It's been around since 1933, which is no small achievement. Furthermore, it has invented quick-releases and gear shifting – respect. For years, their components were a benchmark of quality – they simply worked. And that wasn't obvious, especially when the slogan "made in Japan" had a similar connotation to "made in China" today, and for good reason. And let's face it – the old Records look amazing – they're classics of industrial design. The problem was that the company founded by the inventor rested on its laurels and failed to anticipate the coming changes. First, it lacked the production capacity to meet the demands of the cycling boom in the United States in the early 1970s. This allowed the Japanese from Shimano and SunTour to firmly establish themselves in the market. The second mistake was underestimating the competition. Read about the history of Columbus

Italian conservatism, or Campagnolo's fear of change

When Shimano introduced the gear indexing system, which took derailleur performance to a new level, the Italians thought it was good for casual cyclists. Real cyclists can shift gears without the aid of pawls. This was a serious mistake. Shimano introduced its system in 1985, SunTour shortly after. It took Campagnolo two years to realize this wasn't a passing fad. However, instead of introducing new drivetrains, it tried selling "upgrade kits" for the old ones. Derailleurs, stuck in the 1950s, simply couldn't cope. The failure was sealed. By the time the industry finally caught up, experimenting with different derailleur designs, we had entered the last decade of the 20th century. The sad truth is that only models that practically copied Japanese designs earned good reviews. By then, Shimano had already become the undisputed market leader, and in the meantime, Campagnolo had also conquered the growing mountain bike market. It must be admitted, however, that the implementation of new materials, especially carbon fiber, seemed to herald a change. I also can't deny them one thing: fully detachable components and the availability of spare parts are a significant tribute to both users and the environment. Disassembling the derailleur into its first components and providing a complete overhaul also guarantees satisfaction for any mechanic. So what if Campagnolo, at the stage of 10-speed drivetrains, mounted carbon cranks with a square bottom bracket? Seriously? External bearings didn't arrive until two years later. Electric shifting followed two years after Shimano. Hydraulic brakes had to wait even longer. The only thing the Italians are first at (starting with 10-speed cassettes) is increasing the number of rear gears.

This is not enough

The problem is that road riding isn't like mountain biking, where Shimano beat SRAM with similar technology. Mountain bikes lacked the range of gears in drivetrains without a front derailleur and the smallest possible steps between them (incidentally, Shimano has adopted a very Campy approach here). A 12-tooth chainring is a significant improvement over an 11-tooth, as is a 10-tooth chainring over an 11-tooth. On the road, where the front derailleur still holds up well, this isn't a significant advantage, especially considering that more gears shorten component life. Here's a positive change – in race after race, the Italians have gone even further. This year, they introduced the Campagnolo Ekar – a lightweight groupset designed for gravel bikes with 13 speeds at the rear! And the smallest cassette cog has 9 teeth! It looks incredibly interesting (I love carbon cranks, though), and the Italians claim that the chain's durability hasn't suffered from the increased cross-section. There's one problem – it costs over 8,000 PLN. And no, it's not electric. For that price, you can buy a Shimano GRX 2x11 Di2 and a large supply of chains. And here we come to the biggest problem.

Value for money

Campagnolo is expensive. Although the price gap between Italian, Japanese, and American products has recently narrowed, it's still noticeable. This is partly due to the materials used (large amounts of carbon) and manufacturing methods. The cheapest groupset, the Campagnolo Centaur with traditional brakes, costs around 2,400 PLN. And that's without a cassette or chain. The latter costs around 150 PLN (about a third more than the Shimano 105), and the cassette costs around 400 PLN! Twice as much as the competition. At this point, many people will exclaim, "But you can't compare the Centaur to a Shimano 105! Campagnolo is a higher-end brand." I disagree. Both groupsets have 11 speeds. They weigh roughly the same. The build quality? I don't know anyone who, after switching from Campagnolo to Shimano or Sram, would want to go back to Italian products. Of course, it's not a disaster, but it lacks the characteristic firm feel and stiff shifting. Brake modulation is also poorer, although I think the caliper brakes have greater clamping force than the Shimano.

What about the legendary durability of Campagnolo drivetrains?

I can't count the number of times I've heard that Campagnolo chains are "three times more durable than Shimano." Or "they last 10,000 kilometers." Unfortunately, not. Both my experience as a mechanic and independent research show that Campagnolo drivetrains are comparable to the competition. I particularly recommend this chain lifespan comparison . Some of the results are surprising. The same applies to other components – their durability and performance don't justify the price. Furthermore, service costs are often higher due to the need to use special tools for less common parts. The matter is exacerbated by unnecessarily complicated solutions that complicate service. For example, the need to properly align the cassette sprockets and a system of different-thickness spacers between them. Or the overcomplicated wheel bearing locking system. This contradicts the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle.

Do I wish Campagnolo ill?

Of course not! It's great that they've lasted so long and made something different from the ubiquitous Shimano. I simply don't like the way their components work. Given the price, I wouldn't recommend them to anyone considering which components to choose. The thing is, all the users I've met from the Land of Pasta didn't value their performance. They talked about uniqueness, beautiful appearance, historical pedigree, or some mysterious "something." Okay, I respect that, but I'm afraid it won't be enough to survive another 100 years. Campagnolo fans usually come from the company's earliest years and wear the PZKOL badge on their lapels. Others are interested in products from 40 years ago. Neither of these groups will support the Italians for long. Of course, there are also wealthy fans of boutique road bikes where carbon derailleurs are a perfect fit. However, this is a small niche for the former leader. So I hope we'll see some truly Italian innovations that shake up the cycling market. After all, history is a testament to that! Main photo by: furtwangl