What Happened to Campagnolo?

[Woz]

My brain acts up looking at the crank!

Ride with a brain do you? Oh huh. Something new.

 

[Woz]

All I can say here is I hope Campag can survive in the current and future space they have.

They did and at least have a stab of doing good stuff.

Good looking stuff. Dud functional good looking stuff too. Bad looking good functional stuff too. History and 5 reviews will judge it.

 

[jim haseltine]

In my own experience of using Campagnolo since the late 1970s, I have to say that of what I've used the only product I was never 100% happy with was Pro Fit pedals. Maybe it's a technique thing but from day one I had difficulty releasing my feet - no matter how far the tension was backed off - but I persevered with them through many thousands of miles and a considerable number of unintended sudden ground interfaces. Nothing I tried (regular cleat replacement, cleaning, servicing, tension adjustment etc) made any real difference and another heart-stopping near miss late last summer convinced me to try something else. I'm now using Look Keo and kicking myself that I didn't try them earlier.

 

[Canuk]

I was a complete Campagnolo addict in the 90s and early noughties, couldn't buy enough of it, especially the nine speed variety. I doubt I'll be the first person to think they have kinda dropped the ball since 2010. Dropping the Campagnolo logo and script from parts and some packaging seems nuts though.

Then again, I absolutely could not say where group sets and bike design will be in 5 years time. No more mechanical groups probably, integrated frame mount battery for both electronics and assist. Probably some sort of solar system. (We are trialling solar paint, a photovoltaic coating that achieves 20% efficiency and contains no rare earth elements or silicon), perhaps no external derailleur system at all, likely direct drive.

I could be completely wrong and the market resists and demands a return to a simpler, silver metal mechanical bicycle, with a leather saddle, mudguards and toe clips.

But I doubt it!

 

[sjcprojects]

First of thanks to @gfk_velo for the interesting insights into where Campagnolo are these days. I imagine like most people on here, I'm just glad a family-owned company like Campagnolo still exists, without even really thinking about what their specific products are these days.

The bottom line is, as others have basically said, Campagnolo are not going to continue to exist if they don't keep on top of trends, whatever those may be. I remember when the Ekar groupset came out I thought it was faintly ridiculous to release a gravel-specific groupset - but of course they were completely right to do so, because there was a large, rapidly growing market for it. Just because I think it's silly, doesn't mean it's not very good business sense.

In the last few years they've streamlined their road range to drop the lowest tier groupset (I think?), so they are obviously focussing on the higher-end of the market more than in the 90s/00s era - which after all, is where they traditionally sit. They are never going to compete on price, so it has to be on quality (even if it looks ugly to our retro-eyes).

I'd still like to see that lovely Campagolo script logo more, but let's face it, the average person who is going to actually buy a bike or modern parts is not going to care that much about that sort of thing, unlike a retro bike and design nerd like me...

 

[paton]

Continuing to exist is something that, one company, Miche seems to be doing.
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/made-in-italy-miche-insider

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gr...or-storied-italian-brand-for-the-2025-season/
https://pezcyclingnews.com/technspe...ripgrab-visma-leaseabike-unoxmobility-wilier/
https://en.brujulabike.com/the-miche-wheels-arrive-at-the-groupama-fdj-cycling-team/

https://www.miche.it/en