Rumors Next Generation Campagnolo Road?

[gwerziou]

I'm just a regular rider. I've used ergopower for more than 20 years, but I don't care the slightest bit if the thumb shifter goes away, if another set up works well. Doesn't matter at all to me. I'm guessing lots of other people feel that way as well.

[ultimobici]

The only thing attracting people to Campy now will be electric Chorus and Record options, even then it's probably too late to save the sinking ship. I hope there's a drastic change in management as I'd love to keep running Campy on all my bikes.

Campag is going under? Still? This has been the refrain for donkey’s years because they’re smaller than Shimano. No one seems to understand that their balance sheet says otherwise.


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[velov]

Well you might have access to whatever magical Italian accounting they're using but it's blindingly obvious the number of bikes running Campy has gone down a lot. I only run Campy on my bikes and I want them to have a greater market share, seems like they don't have the same goal.

[Llanberis]

Well you might have access to whatever magical Italian accounting they're using but it's blindingly obvious the number of bikes running Campy has gone down a lot. I only run Campy on my bikes and I want them to have a greater market share, seems like they don't have the same goal.

Why would you want them to have greater market shares? If you love them and can afford them on your entire fleet, why does that bother you? Could it be that deep down, you want Campagnolo to receive more recognition, validating your choice? Then, Shimano is on the other side waving hands.. Campagnolo clearly have chosen to focus on crafting finer things and that businees model does not require them to chase volume. Making products on the higher end and be able to sell everything they could manage to make is what they are doing and it's been working bloody well apparently. Would you measure Lange's success by how often you see them on people’s wrists?

Personally, I do yearn for more affordable groupsets and would really like them to release lower tier WRL as I can not justify 2 bikes with SR. However, if they continue with their current strategy and ensure spare parts availability, I'll just focus on my needs and pay less heed to who rides what to be honest. Not ideal, but I wouldn't worry for them either..

[AJS914]

You describe exactly the problem - Campagnolo wants to be a Lange & Sohne or the Rolex of the bike world. Why bother with $1000 Chorus groupsets when they can sell $5000 WRL groupsets with $500 batteries.

Campagnolo has priced me out. And at 57 years old, I have my highest networth ever but I just refuse to pay $5000 for a groupset. It's just not worth it to me because it feels ridiculous. Similarly, I won't pay $15,000 for a stainless Rolex because intrinsicly it's just not worth it when comparable stainless 5000M dive watches can be bought for $2500. If want Rolex on your wrist at that price, you care about the name.

I don't know why electronics seem difficult and so expensive for Campagnolo. Every $50 consumer gadget has an app and built in bluetooth or networking or whatever. High grade laptop batteries cost $50 but a WRL battery costs $500 for some reason. Don't tell me that a $5 microchip and some wires attached justifies the price. It's $500 because they decided that it would be $500.

Campagnolo has had zero answer for Rival AXS, 105 di2, and Ultegra Di2 and the WRL street price is $1500-2000 more than Dura Ace or Red. It's curious that they have decided not to participate at the lower end. I can't imagine they are selling a ton of mechanical groups to the faithful who cannot afford WRL.

Yes, by all accounts the Campagnolo family is wealthy and has done well in real estate and other businesses. This bicycle thing, while the family legacy to us, is probably just a hobby for them.

[Butcher]

You obviously do not know how large companies work and therefore you come up with some weird conclusions. You do not know how a niche market manufacturing works either.

[usr]

Why would you want them to have greater market shares?

Spares availability out on the road, in a foreign country, on an island where mailorder can take weeks to arrive? It does not take much bike shop presence to service Shimano or Sram. Campagnolo? Yeah, on Mallorca you might find a shop or two. But do I want to restrict myself to that place?

[B0tt0mline]

You describe exactly the problem - Campagnolo wants to be a Lange & Sohne or the Rolex of the bike world. Why bother with $1000 Chorus groupsets when they can sell $5000 WRL groupsets with $500 batteries.

Campagnolo has priced me out. And at 57 years old, I have my highest networth ever but I just refuse to pay $5000 for a groupset. It's just not worth it to me because it feels ridiculous. Similarly, I won't pay $15,000 for a stainless Rolex because intrinsicly it's just not worth it when comparable stainless 5000M dive watches can be bought for $2500. If want Rolex on your wrist at that price, you care about the name.

This is so wrong. Rolex keeps and adds value, the steel watches even more than gold/platin.
Most bikes just go down in value...

Very very wrong comparision.

I love Rolex and I like Campa, but I would also not buy the new groupset because the Dura Ace is just better for me and even cheaper.

[AJS914]

A Rolex keeping its value is only because of their continued constrained supply philosophy and continuously raising the prices. People buy a Rolex these days to virtue signal their social status not because it's the best stainless dive watch available.

Campagnolo is obviously going for the halo priced end of the market. I still think it's odd that they have seemingly abandoned the middle of the market with electronic groupsets.

[B0tt0mline]

A Rolex keeping its value is only because of their continued constrained supply philosophy and continuously raising the prices. People buy a Rolex these days to virtue signal their social status not because it's the best stainless dive watch available.

Yes, correct.

[JensNL]

seriously, this discussion again? so boring….

[chorus88]

A Rolex keeping its value is only because of their continued constrained supply philosophy and continuously raising the prices. People buy a Rolex these days to virtue signal their social status not because it's the best stainless dive watch available.

Campagnolo is obviously going for the halo priced end of the market. I still think it's odd that they have seemingly abandoned the middle of the market with electronic groupsets.

Rolex hold value because they are great watches & are the best looking watches around (Absolute CLASSICS-Submariner, DateJust, Daytona etc).
I purchased my Rolex in 1989 & the watch has been serviced twice @ RSC (Rolex Service Centre) in Toronto.
I purchased another Jubilee bracelet directly from Rolex Canada in 2021.
The replacement NOS Jubilee bracelet (D01) was manufactured before my Rolex (L-series).
Incredible, Rolex Canada still have replacement parts from the 1980s.

Campagnolo is not Rolex

[OtterSpace]

seriously, this discussion again? so boring….

Agreed.

Also Campag wireless is new relative to the other groupsets out now. Prices will come down with time. Just like SRAM will likely try to recenter prices higher than current street pricing when they release the new gen red.

[velov]

Well you might have access to whatever magical Italian accounting they're using but it's blindingly obvious the number of bikes running Campy has gone down a lot. I only run Campy on my bikes and I want them to have a greater market share, seems like they don't have the same goal.

Why would you want them to have greater market shares? If you love them and can afford them on your entire fleet, why does that bother you? Could it be that deep down, you want Campagnolo to receive more recognition, validating your choice? Then, Shimano is on the other side waving hands.. Campagnolo clearly have chosen to focus on crafting finer things and that businees model does not require them to chase volume. Making products on the higher end and be able to sell everything they could manage to make is what they are doing and it's been working bloody well apparently. Would you measure Lange's success by how often you see them on people’s wrists?

Personally, I do yearn for more affordable groupsets and would really like them to release lower tier WRL as I can not justify 2 bikes wi. However, if they continue with their current strategy and ensure spare parts availability, I'll just focus on my needs and pay less heed to who rides what to be honest. Not ideal, but I wouldn't worry for them either..

What an assinine statement to make. I'm not even going to bother to point out the irony of your entire response.

Thank you for the reminder that in any hobby, the fanboys and gals are the worst aspect of that hobby. I'm bowing out before the Campy tifosi make me want to switch to back to Shimano.

[RyanH]

Rolex hold value because they are great watches & are the best looking watches around (Absolute CLASSICS-Submariner, DateJust, Daytona etc).
I purchased my Rolex in 1989 & the watch has been serviced twice @ RSC (Rolex Service Centre) in Toronto.
I purchased another Jubilee bracelet directly from Rolex Canada in 2021.
The replacement NOS Jubilee bracelet (D01) was manufactured before my Rolex (L-series).
Incredible, Rolex Canada still have replacement parts from the 1980s.

15000-RSC01.JPG

Campagnolo is not Rolex

Yawn...Rolex are retirement watches...

With that being said, Rolex, Ferrari and Hermes are masters of the manufactured scarcity game (making you earn your way into the club to get the good stuff). Campagnolo is not the same category. Campagnolo is a brand that has a romantic past characterized by beautiful products and now they just make questionable looking, overpriced products, milking the last dollars out of their fan boys.