New Campagnolo Super Record groupset goes wireless and disc brake only

After much anticipation, Campagnolo have released their new top tier Super Record Wireless groupset. Replacing the outgoing Super Record EPS, the 12-speed groupset is fully wireless and ditches rim brakes to go disc brake only.

Any ardent Campagnolo fans may be disappointed to hear that the Italian brand has also waved goodbye to its famous thumb shifters, instead opting for a setup more similar to that used by Shimano.

All of these changes don’t come cheap with Campagnolo’s new offering clocking in at £4,499 - making it the most expensive mass-produced groupset currently on the market.

That’s a significant sum of money but what exactly does it get you? Designed around Campagnolo’s ‘Dream Bigger’ ethos, the groupset is created from premium carbon fibre, titanium and aluminium and has been redesigned in multiple key areas.

Goodbye to thumb shifters

It’s the change that’s likely to cause the most disappointment, so we better start with the shifters, or more to the point, the lack of thumb shifters. Previous Campagnolo groupsets featured thumb shifters on the inside of the brake hoods which were used to shift down into either a smaller chainring or cog in the cassette.

Not any more. It now sits alongside the lever that’s used to up shift, with the two stacked on top of each other. The lower buttons will shift down to a lower cog or chainring while the upper buttons will shift up. It’s similar placement to what Shimano uses except there are two separate levers to press instead of one.

Beyond the new placement, the levers have also been reshaped to improve grip and cushioning, as have the brake levers which are ergonomically shaped to improve braking performance.

Campagnolo’s wireless debut

Campagnolo

New Campagnolo Super Record groupset goes wireless and disc brake only

It’s been a long time coming but Campagnolo has finally joined the wireless arms race. The new fully wireless setup is powered by two individual batteries attached to both of the derailleurs, and both can be charged while on the bike or removed.

Campagnolo says both batteries have a range of 750km and their status is indicated by four LED lights on the side which are operated by a small sliding button - you’ll need to remember to do this to avoid that dreaded moment when your derailleurs stop working.

It doesn’t take long to top them up though with Campagnolo saying both batteries can be fully charged in an hour.

No rim brake option

In a move that’s sure to anger some but follows modern trends, Campagnolo have opted to only make a disc brake version of the groupset, shunning a rim brake option.

It’s a little surprising from one of cycling’s more traditional brands but Campagnolo have put plenty of focus into the disc brake system, introducing a patented rotor profile which they claim benefits from a sleeker, anti-cutting surface. It’s essentially exactly as it sounds, a round profile that hopefully should result in less disc brake cuts in the case of a crash. As a bonus, the design also helps to control the temperature of the disc and avoid overheating.

New gearing with 10T cogs on all cassettes

While there are some notable changes to the drivetrain from the outgoing Super Record EPS, some things have stayed the same, with Campagnolo sticking to 12-speed.

The changes come in the form of new cassettes which all start with a smallest 10T cog. They also notably have compact ratios with three configurations to choose from: 10-25, 10-27 and 10-29.

There are further surprises up front where Campagnolo have opted for smaller-than-expected chainring configurations of 50/34, 48/32 and 45/29. They may be surprising choices but Campagnolo claims the options provide "improved gear ratio combinations to deliver unrivalled cadence and optimal tempo."

The new Campagnolo Super Record Wireless groupset is available now and will set you back £4,499.