Tariffs, stock market, blah blah blah…the real big news is that Campagnolo is dropping Record:
[Because it’s surprising, but also because Record.]
And no, they’re not “dropping a record”…
[The AI’s rendering of “a hip hop artist called Lil’ Campy dropping a new record.”]
They’re actually DROPPING RECORD:
This is like IHOP announcing that they’ll no longer be serving pancakes.
They will however be keeping Super Record, and from there it goes down to Chorus:
As much as I love “Spinal Tap,” I generally make a point of not referencing the whole “It goes to 11” thing since it’s so grossly overused, especially in cycling where when 11-speed came out the big news was literally “It goes to 11.” Nevertheless, it’s almost impossible not to do so in this case, because what the hell is the point of getting rid of the name “Record?” If they can no longer justify offering both Record and Super Record because there are only like two people out there who still use Campagnolo components so having three groups is too many, why not just ditch the Super Record name and make Record the best?
I realize all this is meaningless and they’re just names, but going from Super Record to Chorus is like going from 11 to 9. What will they do to fill the gap in consumers’ minds? (Yes, both consumers.) Are they going to start offering Super Chorus? It just doesn’t make sense–though I guess it’s not as bad as calling a component group “Ekar:”
How could a company that for decades has given us the most mellifluous names in cycling–Record…Chorus…Veh-LOH-chay for chrissakes!–go and name something “Ekar?” It sounds like this guy trying to order an éclair at a bakery after a ride but he can’t because his mouth is frozen:
Now, granted, I am currently the curator of not one…
…but two Super Record-equipped bicycles:
But I’m indignant nonetheless. (Maybe because I will no longer get to feel superior to all the losers out there using plain Record.)
Speaking of exotic shifters, you can now get those Growtac integrated friction shifters from Velo Orange:
As a bike nerd I know I’m supposed to love these. However, as I’ve mentioned before, I believe these are a sign that we have officially reached Peak Friction. Isn’t this just a friction shifter with all the mechanical simplicity engineered out of it? Let’s consider the standard-bearer of modern friction shifting:
You can put these pretty much anywhere…on your downtube, on the ends of your bars, on the tops of your bars, or even on your stem:
[Via Rivendell]
Moreover, you can pair them with any brake lever you want, from your vintage non-aero gum-hooded pair right down to the most modern, up-to-the-minute, ergonomically sophisticated offerings:
So while I certainly think the Growtac levers are nifty for what they are, and that the ability to pair integrated shifting with whatever drivetrain components you want is undeniably cool, I’m not sure that dealing with “variously sized spools” is much simpler than getting one of the many “normal” integrated shifters already out there:
As a friction shifter enthusiast myself, as much as I malign the proprietary nature of modern indexing systems, the truth is that having just set up an 11-speed integrated Shimano bike and an 11-speed integrated Campagnolo bike I know they’re more or less cross-compatible, and I admit that some of my griping has been overblown. Also as a friction shifter enthusiast, while I do think the Growtac levers are cool, I’m afraid I would not consider a user of them to be a true member of the friction-shifting community, and they seem kind of like those paddle shifters they put on cars with CVT transmissions. I’m sorry if that offends you, but it’s just the way I feel. It’s sort of like riding a bike with a triple and calling it a single speed:
Hey, now that it’s truly single I can be smug again:
At least until I put the triple back on, which is bound to happen sooner or later.
