Technique

On test: Campagnolo Super Record 2011

Details

Parent Category: Technique

Category: Campagnolo

Published on Wednesday, 26 January 2011 06:20

Written by Luca Salvatelli

 The new Super Record group remains one of the best for quality and performance

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After the first contact we have got to try and hold the new Campagnolo Super Record 2011, allowing us to give a final decision on what is one of the biggest news of Campagnolo for 2011.
The new Super Record group has been revised in many details to improve the speed and precision in shifting, increasing the stopping power and reduce the overall weight. Though each component has been revised, more attention has received the new crankset, available in two versions, standard or Titanium axle, the rear brake, also this in two versions, single or dual pivot.

Here are the detailed specifications:

Commands
The new commands retain the levers in carbon and can go up 3 sprockets at once and go down 5. They are also available in red or white with cover support. They have a weight of 333 grams, as measured by us (said 330 grams).

Crankset
The new crank is provided in standard or with titanium spindle. He CULT bearings, low friction and low friction, and have been introduced in the new gear with 8 areas of ascent and descent 2 chain, new gear profile and tightly secured to the crank. Has a weight, measured with our instrumentation, of 625 grams with titanium pin, crank 170 mm crown and 34/50 (declared weight: 640 grams).

Rear Derailleur

The rear derailleur weighs 155 grams, weight measured by us and coincident with the representations made by Campagnolo. It 'made with the upper body and lower carbon fiber, as well as the connecting rod and the parallelogram, now all in carbon fiber. The wheels have ceramic bearings.

Front Derailleur

The derailleur is basically unchanged, with clamp weighs 83 grams, as determined by us. The weight declared by Campagnolo, without band, is 72 grams.

Sprocket
The sprocket has a declared weight of 177 grams (11-23) and is available in compositions 11-23, 11-25, 12-25, 12-27, 12-29. It has five steel sprockets and six titanium. In the 12-29 version has a weight of 220 grams, as measured by us. It has no changes from previous version.

Chain
He said a weight of 239 grams, the same we found and no changes from previous versions.

Brakes
The brakes have a declared weight of 272 grams (version dual pivot front and single rear). Now they have new brake pads and compounds in addition to the standard version, with the classic dual-pivot brakes for front and rear pivot Mono is a version with double pivot also at the rear. Available as double pivot front and rear have a weight of 290 grams per pair, as we found.

The road test

The tests that we put the new Campagnolo Super Record 2011 was long and thorough. The realization of the individual components represents the state of the art in the field with a really unusual design features. Very nice change, with all the carbon components, as well as beautiful, the crank is stiff and light. Excellent also the realization of the controls and the rest of the components. Every single detail has been carefully and tastefully decorated. Assembly is easy and the development of the group fast enough, provided you follow detail the specifications for Campagnolo. The ergonomics of the controls remained unchanged and is substantially correct. The levers are not far from the handlebars, their grip is always safe, and effective is the high profile of the handle, very safe even at high speeds. The trip lever is limited only by exploiting the ability to change multiple reports in one motion becomes important and difficult to use if you have small hands. However, a possibility that other competitors do not have. Good fluidity of the same commands, with the passage of relationship that is signaled by an audible "click" is not on competition, but much appreciated by professionals, because you can always feel the smooth passage of the report. The click comes from the command mechanism, and is the silent passage of the chain from one sprocket to another or between the two crowns. Excellent speed of passage of the report. It's been very fast in the rear, three of the best ever, while greatly improved the speed of the chain in the salt shakers and down the two crowns. In all conditions, uphill, with strong shooting in the chain, the transition between the two crowns is always fast, precise and silent. Same behavior for the better rear derailleur. Plus a not insignificant, then, is the possibility of multiple changes, both up and down, in this case a further advantage over the competition and this can benefit in many situations, as in the brow, when you can quickly insert the report most correct, without insisting on command several times. In the race a great advantage. Another improvement we have in the rear brake. Now with dual pivot, also the rear brake is very powerful, perhaps more difficult to handle in the wet, but satisfied with all those whose motto is: "Give me the stopping power then I'll handle it". Now the total stopping power is the best ever even if more difficult to manage at the rear. The plant single-pivot rear, regularly available, and also lighter, giving up a bit of power in exchange for greater scalability and ease in handling the wet braking or in situations of precarious grip. For use to 360 degrees is preferable to the single pivot rear, but who wants the best you will have to ask the dual pivot rear, keeping in mind that to give up a bit of scalability and ease in handling the braking. Yet perfect is that the crank is at the top for weight, stiffness and smoothness, a really good model. Always good to choice between different sprocket available, so that with the choice of different toppings you provide a full range of reports to satisfy the amateur that the agonist. The combination we tested 12-29 and 34-50 is what we recommend for an amateur who likes to have a short final report to address the most challenging climbs in agility. The remaining sprockets, then allow to have a proper metric development in the plains and hills. Throughout the test, conducted with a lot of rain, the group did not need any adjustment after the initial setup, a sign of maturity and reliability achieved by this group. A perfect product quality and really, today it stands at the top of the industry. Unfortunately the price has risen slightly over the previous Super Record, and now the 2011 version you can find about 1599 Euro, higher prices of competitors to about 300 Euro, but justified by the overall quality of the product and its performance.

Positive aspects
Build Quality
Light weight
Accuracy and speed in gear changes
Multiple exchange
Braking power (double pivot)
Modulation of the braking (single pivot)

Negative aspects
None

Read more:
Campagnolo
Website: www.campagnolo.com