Campagnolo is the group set of choice for four teams at the 2015 Tour de France; Astana, Europcar, Lotto-Soudal and Movistar.
They have all had incredible success over the past few seasons, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) winning the Giro d’Italia in 2014 and Vincenzio Nibali (Astana) winning last year’s Tour de France riding Campagnolo. Fabio Aru and Mikel Landa (Astana) also had very successful 2015 Giro campaign’s on board the famous brand.
And any drivetrain that can stand up to Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) pushing 2,000 watts is doing a great job!
Get some great stories and insights from the voice of cycling Phil Liggett
Campagnolo have been innovating for over 80 years and still do the vast majority of their work at the headquarters in Vicenza, Italy.
The company have revolutionized cycling time and time again. In the 1930s they introduced the quick release wheel skewer for fast wheel changes, followed by the rear derailleur in the 1950s and 60s. This was so ground breaking at the time 110 out of 130 cyclists at the 1963 Tour de France were riding with a Campagnolo rear derailleur. They were the first company to introduce 8 speed shifting, and then 9 and 10 and 11. They had also laid the foundations for electronic shifting with research dating back 20 years before it was available for public use.
Innovation, quality and safety are pillars of the company, their equipment failure rate is almost non-existent. For every bit of mind-blowing technology that gets people excited, there are countless improvements we never hear about, all undertaken in the interest of rider safety. One of the company’s key goals is to never let any performance parameter compromise absolute rider safety, even if it means a higher cost of production.
That’s not to say performance isn’t a major focus. Campagnolo have built wheels for Formula 1 teams, and parts for NASA and spaceships. They have also specially developed an alloy for use in prostheses…so Campagnolo have been in F1, outer space and inside the human body!
The teams of the Tour will run either Mechanical Super Record or EPS Super Record. Movistar, Lotto and Europcar choosing EPS and Astana opting for Mechanical.
Carbon fiber and titanium throughout the group sets produce unrivaled performance and durability.
Campagnolo’s ‘Magnetic Hall Sensor Resolver’ ensures the chain is always in the ideal position with subtle movements from the front derailleur. And the new internal and external derailleur cage design results in a super light and stiff ride, capable of precise shifting even under immense strain. It uses more carbon fibre than any other rear derailleur on the market.
The unique shifters were created in the interests of safety, distancing movable parts from the brake and reducing the risk of user error. The curved hoods are classic Campagnolo; unique, innovative and rider-driven.
The Great Sock War is alive and well
Their design makes for an exceptionally comfortable ride which is in part attributed to three different kinds of rubber, each giving specific areas a softer feel. The levers also make it easier to access the gears from a variety of hand positions.
The waved brake lever enhances ergonomics as does the new EPS lever which is longer and flatter.
Multi shifting is a feature, and varies slightly depending on whether you are running mechanical or electronic. Mechanical allows you to change up 3 gears and down 5 gears at a time, while electronic allows you to go through all 11 gears up or down.
The ultra-torque cranks give one of the stiffest rides imaginable whilst maintaining an overall light weight. The unique design allowing for the slimmest Q factor cranksets available, ensuring proper alignment for your lower body resulting in great power and less chance of injury. Campagnolo have always kept their crank arms straight, ensuring there are no weak points and power transfer is optimized.
The cranksets as well as Campagnolo wheels also feature ‘CULT’ technology using ceramic ball bearings and chromium stainless steel to make the ride as smooth as possible.
Campagnolo will be hoping to add yet another Grand Tour victory to add to their already impressive line-up.
Thanks Campagnolo for the great drive train images.
