Is Campagnolo Planning to Introduce Low-Priced Electronic Shifting?

A recent court decision out of Canada is shining a light on Campagnolo's plans to come out with a new group of components with the name, "Potenza." According to information available online, the company plans to expand its current line of electronic derailleurs into this new gruppo, which has not been formally announced.

 

The case arose when Bridgestone, which owns the trademark for its line of automobile tires, sued Campagnolo SRL, claiming that consumers would be confused if Campagnolo used the trademark for bicycle parts.

The court disagreed, clearing the way for Campagnolo to use the name.

So, what is "Potenza"? According to court filings, Campagnolo is planning to release a complete gruppo:

"Bicycle parts and accessories, namely, pedals, hubs quick release devices and hubs comprising said devices, rear derailleurs, front derailleurs, crank arms, gear wheels and gear wheels assemblies, crank arms with gear wheels, sprockets, sprocket assemblies, transmission chains, drive or control means for front derailleurs or rear derailleurs (mechanic and electronic), cable guide, knobs and control levers, shafts and bearings for crank arms and for pedals, head sets for steering assemblies and bearings and bushings thereof, cables and casings, fastening clamps, bottom brackets, bottom bracket assemblies, and cycle computers to detect, monitor and display functioning and performance data, but not including tires, brakes, wheels, rims and spokes."

That's all we know so far, but the Potenza name sounds to us suspiciously like a lower-priced gruppo--it just doesn't have the "ring" of Record or Chorus. If that's the case, it's interesting to note that the line is planned to include electronic derailleurs, pointing to an expansion of electric shifting across a wider range of gruppos. Campagnolo, it seems, may see electronic shifting as the wave of the future, and a way to attract buyers away from Shimano, which does not offer a low-priced electronic groupset.

 

Tell us what you think in the comments!

Ergo Shifting a Super Record Derailleur

In response to our recent post about a Bianchi that appeared to have an older, friction-shifting Record derailleur actuated by new Ergo levers (on closer inspection, the derailleur turned out to be connected to Record friction downtube levers), reader Yoshi sent the photo and note below:

Yoshi writes:

Hi,

This is my Colnago Super from mid 80's with a Super Record rear derailleur that works with the Ergopower 10 speed. The wires are really connected on this bike!
Yoshi 

(Kazuo Y)

We've asked Yoshi for more info on just how well this system works.

Update! Yoshi wrote back:

"The Ergopower 10 speed synchronizes almost perfectly with IRD 7 speed cog and SRAM 8 speed chain (old type, flat plate)."


So there you go. Ergo levers will work a Super Record derailleur.

Today's Bike: Yuri's Wilier Zero.7

Everywhere you go in this great world, you'll find fans of Vicenza riding Campagnolo-equipped bikes.

Here's a great example: Yuri L's Wilier Zero.7, equipped with new Super Record 11 (except for the Rotor cranks). You'll see Yuri riding this near his home in Muscat, Oman.

To see your bike on the Campy Only blog, email photos to enorris [at] campyonly [dotcom]

Campagnolo's 2013 Eurobike Booth!

Thanks to a friend who attended the event, here are photos of Campagnolo's booth at this year's Eurobike event. Fun stuff, including some close-up views of the new derailleurs.

Click here for the photos.

Thanks to Deb Banks for the photos!

He's Valentino Campagnolo, and You're Not

Interesting piece by longtime observer of all things cycling (and friend of Campy Only) Gary Boulanger:

Valentino Campagnolo (left) with Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain

http://www.pavedmag.com/featured/5-reasons-why-he’s-valentino-campagnolo-and-you’re-not/

Not really five reasons why Campangnolo's leader isn't you, but some nevertheless read-worthy vignettes about the company and some of the people who love its products.

From the article:

"First-mover status takes a backseat in Vicenza, based on Valentino’s edict that mirrors his father’s decades later. “The bicycle has evolved greatly, especially in the last 10 to 15 years, and even more in the past five years,” Valentino said at the 80th anniversary celebration. “We can expect that evolution to continue and we need to be able to follow or, even better, to try and anticipate the evolution. But, everything has to be based on performance and reliability. Sometimes we need to be able to anticipate the future needs of the market; this is a tough job. But staying behind racers and being willing to listen to their experiences, to the reasons why they lost a race, will see us continue to develop. That is the difference for Campagnolo.”

Campagnolo spent 20 years developing its EPS electronic groupset, with the eventual launch of Super Record EPS and Record EPS coming in 2011, two years after Shimano Dura-Ace Di2."

Not touched on in the article is why Valentino's father, Tullio, named one of the company's lowest-priced and least desirable gruppos after his son. All flavors of the Valentino derailleurs were cheap, stamped-metal shadows of their more expensive Nuovo Record and Record counterparts. Thanks, dad.

Iowa-Bound and Campy Equipped

From reader Dan S:

My 1976 Proteus Century that I still ride on RAGBRAI.  One of 3 Campy equipped bikes that I have.  Maybe more pictures to follow of the stable.