Bicycling Mag article: Can Campagnolo Survive?

[familyguy]

Can Italian Component Maker Campagnolo Survive? | Bicycling Magazine

Nicked from FOA, relinked for BNA peeps. An interesting read.

Jim

[roller]

this will keep me busy this morning, cheers jim.

[wheels46]

Campy owners rest easy knowing some of your CF components are being lovingly crafted in Romania !!

[zero]

Its a great read, enjoyed that.

[Jean]

Didn't know about the Schwinn-Giant connection, v. interesting.

[CommuRider]

They're the Louis Vuitton of the industry so fretting about their position in the market is the subject of those who want to make a quick buck out of the company (ie American private equity funds - if the family ever sell out). And as there's a bike boom, surely there's a big enough market to accommodate all players - FSA, SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo. More competitors (compared to the duopoly a few decades ago) may mean the market is healthy. I don't really like oligopolies, less duopolies so as a consumer, it's better to have more, than less, options available.

It's a family business - all the ills and goods that come with all that baggage. Good article to read up on their position. Evokes something like the grass is always greener on the other side.

[northboy]

great read - thanks for posting

[The 2nd Womble]

i can't bear the thought of a world without Campagnolo. I'd top myself.
Good thing it's competitors don't even come close IMO

[master6]

i can't bear the thought of a world without Campagnolo. I'd top myself.
Good thing it's competitors don't even come close IMO

How much slower would you be on another brand Womble?

[The 2nd Womble]

It's not the speed. It's the history, beauty, the emotion, pride, the engineering, and as said, Campy has soul. The others are just collections of stuff. Who has influenced what we all ride today more than these guys?
A Colnago without Campy is just another bike

[The 2nd Womble]

And Romanian chicks are hot!

[Daccordi Rider]

It's not the speed. It's the history, beauty, the emotion, pride, the engineering, and as said, Campy has soul. The others are just collections of stuff. Who has influenced what we all ride today more than these guys?
A Colnago without Campy is just another bike

Spot on Womble. Beautifully engineered equipment. Take the ergo levers for example, beautiful to look at and use compared to Shimano's ugly hulking hoods. The feeling of a company that respects the work and tradition, not just pumping out mass gear means something, and it is no dearer to buy so why not?

[Le Velo]

And I am bout to upgrade to super record .... Mmmm..... Might need to stock up on spares

[drubie]

Article is good, title is incredibly misleading.

Campagnolo - anyone who has held even the worst ergo shifter in Campagnolos range vs. the best Shimano one knows why Campagnolo will survive. It has nothing to do with price. I'll always pay a premium for Campagnolo parts and I might occasionally whinge about it, I always forget about 20 seconds after I receive those beautiful black boxes.

It's elegant, beautifully engineered stuff and as long as they never hang any Italian electricals off it (sorry, former Alfa Romeo nut speaking) it'll work forever. There worst days (i.e. the 1970s when the engineering sucked) are long behind them - the modern ergo (yes, even the crappy "escape" shifters) are so lovely to hold, to fit and to use it makes the Shimano equivalent look like a lump on your handlebars.

[ldrcycles]

it is no dearer to buy so why not?

HUH!?

[jimsheedy]

It's elegant, beautifully engineered stuff and as long as they never hang any Italian electricals off it (sorry, former Alfa Romeo nut speaking) it'll work forever.

[Nobody]

It's not the speed. It's the history, beauty, the emotion, pride, the engineering, and as said, Campy has soul. The others are just collections of stuff. Who has influenced what we all ride today more than these guys?
A Colnago without Campy is just another bike

I have the view that all bikes are just a collection of parts. That is why my bikes don't look pretty, but fit and work well IMO for the modest price.

[rkelsen]

it is no dearer to buy so why not?

HUH!?

Campagnolo is much dearer if you buy it in an Australian LBS.

Luckily, we have teh internetz:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/gsg/road-track-bike/campagnolo-road-groupsets?sub=conf_GS_CAR&type=RIBMO&tmp=_CAR

Bear in mind that Veloce is roughly equivalent to 105 and go from there.

Campag stuff is much better looking than Shimano. Also, I've heard that Sram Red derailleurs are under-engineered to the point that professional racing teams use Force units instead.

[drubie]

It's not the speed. It's the history, beauty, the emotion, pride, the engineering, and as said, Campy has soul. The others are just collections of stuff. Who has influenced what we all ride today more than these guys?
A Colnago without Campy is just another bike

I have the view that all bikes are just a collection of parts. That is why my bikes don't look pretty, but fit and work well IMO for the modest price.

Respectfully Nobody - you aren't their target market. There's plenty of good things to be said for functional bikes, I have a couple myself, but when I want that level of escape that only cycling provides, I don't want to be jarred out of it with some hideous monstrosity like the whole brake lever moving sideways to change gears. Shimanos mountain groups are far more elegant than any of their road stuff but Shimano just don't get it. The closest was probably Suntour, and their adventures into cheap manufacturing trying to match Shimano busted them. Campagnolo hopefully won't make that mistake.

SRAM on the other hand...big threat I reckon on the high end / boutique stuff that is the Campagnolo bread and butter.

As for the broken seatpost above... well, I didn't say it was indestructible. For every busted Campagnolo seatpost I'll bet there are literally hundreds of broken Kalloy/FSA/Reynolds ones.

[ldrcycles]

it is no dearer to buy so why not?

HUH!?

Campagnolo is much dearer if you buy it in an Australian LBS.

Luckily, we have teh internetz:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/gsg/road-track-bike/campagnolo-road-groupsets?sub=conf_GS_CAR&type=RIBMO&tmp=_CAR

Bear in mind that Veloce is roughly equivalent to 105 and go from there.

Campag stuff is much better looking than Shimano. Also, I've heard that Sram Red derailleurs are under-engineered to the point that professional racing teams use Force units instead.

*stares at website with a mix of shock and outrage.

And for those who are under any misconception that Campagnolo has always been good, http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Cam ... lleur.html .

[Nobody]

It's not the speed. It's the history, beauty, the emotion, pride, the engineering, and as said, Campy has soul. The others are just collections of stuff. Who has influenced what we all ride today more than these guys?
A Colnago without Campy is just another bike

I have the view that all bikes are just a collection of parts. That is why my bikes don't look pretty, but fit and work well IMO for the modest price.

Respectfully Nobody - you aren't their target market. There's plenty of good things to be said for functional bikes, I have a couple myself, but when I want that level of escape that only cycling provides, I don't want to be jarred out of it with some hideous monstrosity like the whole brake lever moving sideways to change gears. Shimanos mountain groups are far more elegant than any of their road stuff but Shimano just don't get it. The closest was probably Suntour, and their adventures into cheap manufacturing trying to match Shimano busted them. Campagnolo hopefully won't make that mistake.

SRAM on the other hand...big threat I reckon on the high end / boutique stuff that is the Campagnolo bread and butter.

As for the broken seatpost above... well, I didn't say it was indestructible. For every busted Campagnolo seatpost I'll bet there are literally hundreds of broken Kalloy/FSA/Reynolds ones.

Fair enough.

Article is good, title is incredibly misleading.

Campagnolo - anyone who has held even the worst ergo shifter in Campagnolos range vs. the best Shimano one knows why Campagnolo will survive. It has nothing to do with price. I'll always pay a premium for Campagnolo parts and I might occasionally whinge about it, I always forget about 20 seconds after I receive those beautiful black boxes.

I'm like this with Brooks saddles. Just ordered my third and can already see myself buying a fourth.

I like to try lots of different stuff, so when I'm older I might get around to trying Campagnolo.

[drubie]

I'm like this with Brooks saddles. Just ordered my third and can already see myself buying a fourth.

I like to try lots of different stuff, so when I'm older I might get around to trying Campagnolo.

Ha ha - thinking about a Brooks for my old (suntour equipped) Europa

Had an interesting night a few weeks back, my brother-in-law dropped off a complete Ultegra 10 speed group (the older one with the antenna for gear cables) and we played with the parts comparing them to a bunch of Campagnolo gear I had in my shed - he now rides SRAM but you could see that even a lowly Centaur ergo was a source of fascination. We both decided the Ultegra was getting donated to somebody else because it was pretty clear - if you have the luxury of choice of Centaur, you don't want Ultegra once you compare them side by side. Still saving for Super Record but it's gonna happen.

[Daccordi Rider]

it is no dearer to buy so why not?

HUH!?

I think RKelsen answered this but my 2 cents worth. I just used PBK and we can debate relative merits etc but a rough guide.

105 $1177 - Campag equivalent Veloce $704 or Athena 11sp $1071 for Alloy, $1253 for carbon
Ultegra $1423 - Centaur $878 Alloy or $1060 Carbon
Durace $2103 - Chorus 11sp $1629, Record 11sp $1951

On Evans Durace $1609 and Super Record $1915

So actually Campag is at least the same price if not cheaper.

[CommuRider]

I've just come across Ribble's "build your bike" and it is pretty handy to compare the prices of the different groupsets

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/publish.a ... ion&page=1

[biker jk]

it is no dearer to buy so why not?

HUH!?

I think RKelsen answered this but my 2 cents worth. I just used PBK and we can debate relative merits etc but a rough guide.

105 $1177 - Campag equivalent Veloce $704 or Athena 11sp $1071 for Alloy, $1253 for carbon
Ultegra $1423 - Centaur $878 Alloy or $1060 Carbon
Durace $2103 - Chorus 11sp $1629, Record 11sp $1951

On Evans Durace $1609 and Super Record $1915

So actually Campag is at least the same price if not cheaper.

Nice try but 105 can be purchased online from o/s for $541, Ultegra for $677 and Dura Ace for $1465. Campag is a a LOT more expensive.