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Campagnolo officially launches Super Record RS groupset

Super Record RS offers improved front shifting with revised chainring and front derailleur, according to Campag

Last week we brought you a sneak peek at Campagnolo’s new Super Record RS groupset and now we can flesh out the details because Campag have issued official details. The main changes amount to a revised chainring and front derailleur to improve front shifting performance and reliability, including a switch from carbon to an alloy front derailleur cage. The new groupset will be offered in limited quantities and for a limited time, and will cost the same as regular Super Record.

The RS groupset is apparently the result of the Italian company acting on feedback from the many professional teams and athletes riding its products, some still preferring a mechanical groupset over its electronic EPS offering.

Campag (even Campagnolo refers to itself as 'Campy' but we're not going down without a fight) says it set out to “increase the performance and reliability in extreme conditions” with this new groupset, and the key area for development has been front shifting. We’ve seen professional teams switching to cheaper alloy groupset front derailleurs in the past, as they’re less prone to flex than the very light carbon fibre or titanium front derailleurs typically found in top-end groupsets.

Campagnolo admits it wasn’t easy improving a product it feels is already approaching the pinnacle of mechanical shifting. It trialled several prototypes that were tested both in the lab and also at WorldTour races. Those development samples were badged up as regular Super Record but with ‘SC-14’ (‘squadre corsa 2014’, meaning 'racing teams 2014') stamped discretely on the back of the front mech and chainrings to help the team mechanics with identification... which is how they managed to keep it such a secret until very recently. 

The main changes are in the chainring and front derailleur which have been made stiffer to improve shifting performance. The front mech has an alloy cage, taking a weight penalty over the carbon of the Super Record groupset to increase stiffness. A stiffer front mech is more accurate and reliable when shifting, especially in the heat of a race. One of the biggest improvements offered by electronic groupsets is the quality of the front shifting, and this will likely have contributed to Campagnolo taking a closer look at its mechanical groupset. 

The rest of the groupset is unchanged. Campagnolo has added the new RS logo along with the tricolore to the key components. The chainset will be available in three options, 53/39, 52/36 and 50/34.

Campagnolo hasn’t issued any weight or availability information yet, but has told us the new groupset will cost the same as regular Super Record, which costs £2,176.99. So it's really an option rather than a entire new teir in their range. 

 

More at www.campagnolo.com

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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22 comments

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Nick T | 10 years ago
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Greame,If you ever need some field testing of new kit by a regular schmuck: I'm your guy, alright?

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velotech_cycling | 10 years ago
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The new FD and chainrings are a revision for mechanical transmission, specifically - the profiling on the inside of the FD cage is subtly different from it's fore-runners and whilst there is influence from what has been learned "in the field" on the EPS project, this new FD cage is designed very specifically to work with the lower shift forces that a mechanical lever can typically deliver (when compared to EPS), the C11 chain and with the newly-reworked SC14 chainrings, plus of course correctly-adjusted cable tensions operated by compatible levers - we still see far too many examples of bad adjustment out there ...
Graeme
Velotech Cycling Ltd
Campagnolo Main UK SC

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David Arthur @d... | 10 years ago
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It is true, not sure why you'd question that?

Maybe for most people, ie non-racers, the regular SR groupset is just fine and they have no need for the different front mech and chainrings? This has clearly been a development requested by the pros, who are typically more demanding than paying customers.

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Flying Scot replied to David Arthur @davearthur | 10 years ago
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David Arthur wrote:

It is true, not sure why you'd question that?
.

Not doubting you, just the way Italians change their mind !

Should have said - 'if the prices are equal when they finally hit the shops' as opposed to RRP, in case the discount structure differs.

I just get the impression that lots of SR is fitted to 'best' bikes that go nowhere and there really needs to be a 'best' - for example Cinelli now have a quandary for their 'Very Best Of' model ! which at the moment is SR EPS or SR.

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David Arthur @d... | 10 years ago
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Just had the price confirmed by Campagnolo, it will cost the same as regular Super Record. So it's really just an option, rather than a whole new level of groupset in its range

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Flying Scot replied to David Arthur @davearthur | 10 years ago
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David Arthur wrote:

Just had the price confirmed by Campagnolo, it will cost the same as regular Super Record. So it's really just an option, rather than a whole new level of groupset in its range

If this is true, they really don't understand their customers, many Campag buyers (not me) are posers and want the 'best' i.e most expensive.

Just an extra 50 euro's would have secured it!

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Nick T | 10 years ago
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Something Campagnolo are doing in the US is offering bike shop staff discounted groupsets for personal use to try and break the stigma that it's harder to maintain/difficult to use/clunky/overpriced etc. If the staff are actively running the kit they'll be more likely to recommend it to potential customers. Hopefully it'll work because everyone should at least try an alternative once in a while to see what they like, and choice and competition is A Good Thing in the marketplace.

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georgeince | 10 years ago
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yeeaaaah but i like my Di2 Dura Ace, and I liked my old SRAM rival too.... not so much "campy"  7  29

too much tacky looking carbon anyway  31

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bikerdavecycling | 10 years ago
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What Campag needs to do pronto is:

Bring back out a low range groupset like Mirage/Xenon so that new comers to road bikes get theopp ortunity to become Campagnolo people from the off. Chances are, Come their 2nd bike, they'd stick with Campag.
Get a disc brake out pronto so they don't miss that boat.
Become easier to deal with as apparently they're not as easy to deal with as 'the others' from a retailer point of view.

This will help Campag no end. Certainly, I expect to be Campag for life!

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Nick T | 10 years ago
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They are sort of obliged to sell it, what with UCI rules on every team having to use readily available equipment.

Not that many companies actually take notice, mind you.

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DeanF316 | 10 years ago
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Did any of you read the article, this group set been developed for use by Campag sponsored teams with feed back from pro riders to make small improvements. As with SRAM red most pro riders dont use the ti front mech but a steel cage front mech for a more solid feel and not a pointless 10 g or so weight saving.

If Campag can sell a few groupsets to recover their development costs why not?

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mrmo | 10 years ago
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sounds just like the red label stuff they did a few years ago.

As for super Athena, most definitely a good idea. and they really should bring back silver hubs.

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Flying Scot | 10 years ago
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They will be in my made up Gruppo!

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Nick T | 10 years ago
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I would actually go for some silver Record hubs in a heartbeat.

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Flying Scot | 10 years ago
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...what's coming next is what the paying customers have been asking for, Record F - polished forged lightweight alloy.

You heard it here first.

It aligns with the return of the unashamed metal frame and for those who prefer looks and longevity over weight.

Think 'Super Athena'

And yes I've patented all of this!

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cat1commuter | 10 years ago
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Coming soon: Campagnolo Super Record RS Plus

(Remember: you heard it here first.)

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WolfieSmith | 10 years ago
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Campy? Over my dead group set. Even if they start calling the others Shimmy and Srammy it's Mr Campagnolo to you.

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ajmarshal1 | 10 years ago
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It has little Italian flags instead of red decals. That's enough for me to want it. I'm in.

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sanderville | 10 years ago
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Call me a cycnical Simon, but surely Campag have been making gears long enough that there can't be any improvements left to be had from "revisions." Unless they're talking about improvements in their marketing department.

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Gordy748 | 10 years ago
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I thought the shifters had a bit of tweaking too?

If it's really just chainrings and the front derailleur, then that makes upgrading pretty cheap (well, relative to when they went to 11 speed).

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lolol | 10 years ago
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I love Campag (Campy, Pah!), and have SR, but this is a bit silly.  21  24

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rggfddne | 10 years ago
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I've always wanted to upgrade an upgraded derailleur back to the material it was made of before upgrading. Thanks, campag!

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