The official Campagnolo WRL discussion thread

[osbk67]

Originally Posted by sfscott

With due respect to retro-grouches, I never understood the focus on the "looks" of a groupset. It's not like you could/should be looking at it when you're on the bike.

And as for the pro teams using this group, is there more than one team still using Campy? In any event, unless it's on a TdF contender, I imagine the rest of the boys get cable or EPS.

People not caring about what their groupset looks like is about as likely as drivers not caring what their ridiculous truck or late mid-life sports car looks like because they can’t see it from the drivers seat…

Campagnolo equips only AG2R at World Tour men’s level and no women’s World Tour teams. I’d be very surprised if all AG2R riders aren’t using WRL in the TdF. Time trial and spare bikes may take a while to catch up but the last thing Campagnolo would want is a perception earlier groups remain good enough and/or it’s not a product for everybody at that level.

[Dave]

I guess that means the 10T watt loss doesn't really matter to 99.9% of potential buyers. The 0.1% includes the wannabes who think they need pro level gears, arrow socks, and gearing above a 50/10.

The new group looks fine to me, but I use lowly SRAM Force on my three bikes.

[Elefantino]

Originally Posted by osbk67

I’d be very surprised if all AG2R riders aren’t using WRL in the TdF.

Can't see them riding 50/34 in the sprints, but maybe.

[osbk67]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Can't see them riding 50/34 in the sprints, but maybe.

Fair point. I guess we’ll see some sort of 54/55/56t hack or no World Tour teams on Campagnolo next year.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by Dave

I guess that means the 10T watt loss doesn't really matter to 99.9% of potential buyers. The 0.1% includes the wannabes who think they need pro level gears, arrow socks, and gearing above a 50/10.

The new group looks fine to me, but I use lowly SRAM Force on my three bikes.

Don't forget the shirt...

[sg8357]

Originally Posted by osbk67

[snip]
Campagnolo equips only AG2R at World Tour men’s level and no women’s World Tour teams. I’d be very surprised if all AG2R riders aren’t using WRL in the TdF.[snip.

Ahhh, that's why Campy stayed at 12, neutral support.

Can the Ancient Tater reprogram WRL to 10s or 13s for the Ekar Punters ?

[Charles M]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Can't see them riding 50/34 in the sprints, but maybe.

50-34 with a 10 is the same as a 55 - 11

That's tall...

[jimoots]

Originally Posted by Charles M

50-34 with a 10 is the same as a 55 - 11

That's tall...

Again, this is where saying '50-10 is 55-11' lacks nuance. There is more to a a set of ratios and their usability than the final ratio.

55/12 is taller to 50/11, so on and so forth. The top end is the same, but the jumps between gears are smaller.

All of that assumes that 55t is the biggest ring that a pro would reach for, too.

Campy don't sponsor any teams that take TT super super seriously but for the same reason of smaller jumps and also being 'mid block' on the cassette, big front rings are favoured by TT specialists when the course dictates.

Yes this is at the margins and doesn't affect your average dad riding SRW but winning at that level is at the margins.

[peanutgallery]

No need to mess around with different cassettes, just change the crankset, 3 different options. 10-29 is all you'll ever need

Anyone who says that a 50-10 is the same as having a 55-11 has never actually pedaled in anger. They'd be dropped on the first lap in the Pro 1/2 at Athens Twilight or Sheboygan. Much less, just about every protour event. Heck, even UCI continental

That's a combo that'll feel pretty terrible in that kinda situation

Definitely more of a Party Pace kinda kit with those new crank combos, not race at all. Kinda sad state of affairs considering the heritage of the brand. In the Naughty Oughts (mid 2000s), like half the protour was on campy, now...just one. Bet they're on mechanical for the tour or at least using the outgoing crank

[osbk67]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

No need to mess around with different cassettes, just change the crankset, 3 different options. 10-29 is all you'll ever need

Anyone who says that a 50-10 is the same as having a 55-11 has never actually pedaled in anger. They'd be dropped on the first lap in the Pro 1/2 at Athens Twilight or Sheboygan. Much less, just about every protour event. Heck, even UCI continental

That's a combo that'll feel pretty terrible in that kinda situation

Definitely more of a Party Pace kinda kit with those new crank combos, not race at all. Kinda sad state of affairs considering the heritage of the brand. In the Naughty Oughts (mid 2000s), like half the protour was on campy, now...just one. Bet they're on mechanical for the tour or at least using the outgoing crank

I’d bet that none will be on mechanical. Sagan I think was the last notable mechanical holdout and even then only for Paris-Roubaix and perhaps a few other rugged classics.

Ronan McLaughlin on the Geek Warning podcast today stated Campagnolo hesitantly conceded at the launch that WRL would work with earlier SR12 cranksets and cassettes. I expect that’ll mean AG2R rides WRL 53/39x11-32 for the less mountainous stages next month, if the mechanics can get it working well enough, which given the frequency of World Tour mechanicals in the post-electronic age is a fairly low bar.

The other factor in this pseudo-evolution is understanding that the migration to 56 and larger chainrings for TTs isn’t so pros can ride 51kph at 80rpm in 56x11, it’s so they can ride that speed at 102rpm in 56x14 with a near straight chainline. Even discounting the drivetrain friction losses of smaller chainrings and sprockets, the same chainline a 50x13 provides requires 105rpm to achieve 51kph.

[Coffee Rider]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

Definitely more of a Party Pace kinda kit with those new crank combos, not race at all. Kinda sad state of affairs considering the heritage of the brand. In the Naughty Oughts (mid 2000s), like half the protour was on campy, now...just one. Bet they're on mechanical for the tour or at least using the outgoing crank

People who are seriously considering buying this (and probably the same with all Campagnolo groups) are closer to Party Pace kind of riders than Pro Tour riders and don't put as much stock in what the Pros are using these days as most other people spending a lot on bikes do.

[peanutgallery]

The rear derailleur can double as an 8 track player, too

Party on

Originally Posted by Coffee Rider

People who are seriously considering buying this (and probably the same with ally Campagnolo groups) are closer to Party Pace kind of riders than Pro Tour riders and don't put as much stock in what the Pros are using these days as most other people spending a lot on bikes do.

[lavi]

Originally Posted by Coffee Rider

People who are seriously considering buying this (and probably the same with ally Campagnolo groups) are closer to Party Pace kind of riders than Pro Tour riders and don't put as much stock in what the Pros are using these days as most other people spending a lot on bikes do.

This is true. The young veiny dudes that are looking to rip and go fast are likely not on Campy kit. Campy has always been more of an "aficionado" type thing. Or, for aging guys on PL.

Young, fast, not much cash = not Campy.

[pinoymamba]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

The rear derailleur can double as an 8 track player, too

Party on

Makes your bicycle look like it has gout.

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by lavi

This is true. The young veiny dudes that are looking to rip and go fast are likely not on Campy kit. Campy has always been more of an "aficionado" type thing. Or, for aging guys on PL.

Young, fast, not much cash = not Campy.

This is the main reason I wonder about Campy's long term viability. If they don't find a way to attract young riders, who will buy their stuff when we old guys pass? Sort of the same issue with Harley-Davidson it seems to me. Maybe why both brands seem to be big in clothing. Whenever I see a Campy post pop up online it always seems to be about bibs and jerseys these days.

Tim