The official Campagnolo WRL discussion thread

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by rice rocket

I haven't looked at the SRAM patent portfolio, but I'm guessing some of it is Campy licensing the wireless patents.

Doubtful. SRAM might have patented a particular variation on wireless shifting, but since wireless shifting system (Mavic Mektronik) was released 24 years ago, nobody can currently own the rights to concept of wireless shifting. Campagnolo only needed to a different varation than SRAM's.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by dana_e

45 x 17 = 69.6
48 x 18 = 70.1
50 x 19 = 69.2

Maybe I am old school and used to 53 bigs. Having 12 in back changes the gear game.

No, having a 10T in the back changes the game. And arguably not for the better depending on your riding.

[Coffee Rider]

Originally Posted by mcteague

Even the Bike Radar and Cycling Weekly reviews are less than glowing.

https://youtu.be/RQwz_-KJZQ4

https://youtu.be/VXj62nUykK8

Tim

While I hope the long-term reviews are better, the sentiments that came across on these are underwhelmed and disappointed.

[dana_e]

I meant having 12 cogs (not a 12 sprocket), anyway I suppose the super compact / mega compact / mini me compact or whatever they call it, is the way to go for super low gears. 45 by 29, it is almost old school. My cross bike has 46 by 36. I think they went for it with the gearing as far as trends. Campagnolo rules.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by Coffee Rider

While I hope the long-term reviews are better, the sentiments that came across on these are underwhelmed and disappointed.

If this is an example of the underwhelmed comments, then my guess is after a few days with it, the grouppo will grow on them:
"Bad stuff: The price. Campagnolo’s iconic thumb shifter is no longer. There’s no obvious path for 1x compatibility. Currently no power meter option. No more rim brakes. Smaller cog sizes aren’t ideal for watt-weenies."

-Campy is always more, especially SR
-I LOVE the thumb shifter on EKAR. But, if I don't need it, I'll adjust.
-My 10/11/12 have no "path" to 1x. What does that even mean? Pick your chainring of choice, don't shift off of it. YAY! 1x. You want a 1x? Get a 1x.
-Complain about the cost, then complain there is no PM?
- "*-weenies" are never happy

One video talked about the levers digging into his hands. Wasn't wearing gloves and not sure if he was on an early prototype, but that is a concern I'd have. I'd want to hear that from more sources. I find it difficult to believe that levers having sharp edges somehow slipped past every other test rider.
I wonder how the first ride reviews of the Shimano and Sram groups were. I have no idea, because I didn't care. I love this, but it won't work for me. I only have one disc bike and it is very happy with the Ekar hanging on it.

[Coffee Rider]

Originally Posted by makoti

If this is an example of the underwhelmed comments, then my guess is after a few days with it, the grouppo will grow on them

I hope

[dana_e]

and seeing that the chain had dirty wet lube and not wax. The best thing about wax is not watts but that it is clean.

I would rather have a shifter shape that was more flat and then up as opposed to the gradual radius approach. it looks like Tektro. All of us ten speed hoarders are now more satisfied with our choice.

Also the campag website, if you select chorus rim it takes you to chorus disc.

I need some rim bike therapy

[Philster]

I couldn't care less about what DA is made of. What I care about is that it's 80 grams lighter than SR or Red (according to Escape Collective).

OK. What I really care about is that Shimano gets that shifting part right.

[Gwerziou]

Here's the Bike Radar quick review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXj62nUykK8

Perhaps it's a different one than mentioned earlier - this Bike Radar review is positive, particularly focusing on faster shifting, long battery life, and excellent braking. The one thing they didn't love was the bulkiness of the derailleurs.

[callmeishmael]

Originally Posted by makoti

If this is an example of the underwhelmed comments, then my guess is after a few days with it, the grouppo will grow on them:
"Bad stuff: The price. Campagnolo’s iconic thumb shifter is no longer. There’s no obvious path for 1x compatibility. Currently no power meter option. No more rim brakes. Smaller cog sizes aren’t ideal for watt-weenies."

-Campy is always more, especially SR
-I LOVE the thumb shifter on EKAR. But, if I don't need it, I'll adjust.
-My 10/11/12 have no "path" to 1x. What does that even mean? Pick your chainring of choice, don't shift off of it. YAY! 1x. You want a 1x? Get a 1x.
-Complain about the cost, then complain there is no PM?
- "*-weenies" are never happy

One video talked about the levers digging into his hands. Wasn't wearing gloves and not sure if he was on an early prototype, but that is a concern I'd have. I'd want to hear that from more sources. I find it difficult to believe that levers having sharp edges somehow slipped past every other test rider.
I wonder how the first ride reviews of the Shimano and Sram groups were. I have no idea, because I didn't care. I love this, but it won't work for me. I only have one disc bike and it is very happy with the Ekar hanging on it.

Ronan and others talked about less than ideal shift quality/speed when shifting up the cassette under pressure, as well, which would be another concern. I still think not having a 10-32 cassette is a miss as well, but I understand the rationale.

[domesgique]

Originally Posted by dana_e

and seeing that the chain had dirty wet lube and not wax. The best thing about wax is not watts but that it is clean.

I would rather have a shifter shape that was more flat and then up as opposed to the gradual radius approach. it looks like Tektro. All of us ten speed hoarders are now more satisfied with our choice.

Also the campag website, if you select chorus rim it takes you to chorus disc.

I need some rim bike therapy

Maybe a webmaster error, as I can still get there with this: https://www.campagnolo.com/us-en/chorus-rim-brake/

[Gwerziou]

This looks great and all, but I've been more interested in replacing my mechanical SR/Record with the WRL Ekar group. I hope they don't take another two years for that one, as Ekar is their biggest selling product by a huge margin. I do like the looks of that crank though.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by dana_e

I meant having 12 cogs (not a 12 sprocket), anyway I suppose the super compact / mega compact / mini me compact or whatever they call it, is the way to go for super low gears. 45 by 29, it is almost old school. My cross bike has 46 by 36. I think they went for it with the gearing as far as trends. Campagnolo rules.

I understood what you meant. The new, smaller chainring combos are possible because of the 10T, not because there are 12 cogs in total. And that's the thing, a 45x29 crank paired with a 10-29 cassette isn't super low.

[cgolvin]

As someone who loves to climb and regularly traverses some lengthy steep grades, I was quick to adopt and like the Chorus 12 48/32 crankset paired with an 11-32 cassette. To my view, the 45/29 and 10-29 pairing is a clear improvement for the slightly greater range and no 4 tooth jump to the granny gear. I look forward to that configuration coming to Record and Chorus.

Originally Posted by makoti

Another vid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXj6...=CyclingWeekly

I roll my eyes whenever I hear the word "intuitive" applied to a group's shifting setup. For all but an infinitesimal portion of the total time spent riding a groupset, shifting is all muscle memory. I'm pretty certain that a rigorous study measuring adjustment time from one OEM's design to another's would show that the difference is negligible irrespective of the brands. To me, the existing Campy design (i.e., with thumb shifter) "makes sense" but experience tells me that riding a Shimano or SRAM setup is a very, very simple transition with only one or two wrong shifts. /rant

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by shoota

I understood what you meant. The new, smaller chainring combos are possible because of the 10T, not because there are 12 cogs in total. And that's the thing, a 45x29 crank paired with a 10-29 cassette isn't super low.

And in fact the gear ratios with a 45x29 crank and a 10-29 cassette aren't much different than a (Chorus) 48x32 crank and an 11-32 cassette. And with an 11-34 cassette, the Chorus crank gives an even lower gear than Super Record WRL.