A couple of weeks ago Campy teased with exceptionally vague images of watch internals and then a loom on social media. Now the curtain is back. And it is not clockwork moving, but a wide range of classically inspired road riding clothing with modern cuts and technologies.
Campagnolo Performance Apparel road cycling clothing
Campagnolo has been building European drivetrain & wheels for over 80 years. But if you wanted to ride your Italian bike in Campy-branded kit you had very limited options, both in look and technical performance. That changes with Campagnolo Performance Apparel.
The Italian brand says their clothing continues their “performance first” philosophy. With that the key word Movement comes back, putting a focus on flexible & supportive fabrics and anatomic cuts to support full range of movement on the bike.
The entire new range of jerseys, jackets, bib shorts & a skin suit focus on advanced technical fabrics and streamlined cuts that are both aero and functional. Campagnolo also prides itself of gear that lasts or as the saying goes ‘wears in, not wears out’. That is said to continue here. With the new road cycling kit featuring durable abrasion-resistant fabrics, triple reinforced seams in stress areas, and long-lasting anti-bacterial treatments to ward off synthetic clothing funk.
Campagnolo bib shorts
Bib shorts build in premium chamois pads & a well thought out small storage pocket, thankfully sticking with traditional black & understated logos. Although it might not be fair, I was worried we might find some flashy Italian styling on the shorts. Thanks to Campy for proving me wrong there.
Campagnolo jerseys
The Campagnolo jerseys provide a wider range of performance characteristics. From the aero cut C-Tech to more retro styled merino blend Palladio, all with a unique aero two pocket layout. In between there are several different designs & cuts, all that incorporate advanced fabrics and low-key styling. Campagnolo looks to provide options for every type of road bike rider, whether that’s the amateur racer, endurance gran fondo rider, or even the growing fast gravel crowd. Now that H11 & Potenza hydraulic disc brakes are readily available and the Italian brand is offering road compact groups to work with 32T cassettes, the limits of asphalt are slipping away.
Campagnolo prides itself of a delivering performance balanced with aesthetics. So it really shouldn’t come as a surprise to see them entering the clothing market. We’ve certainly seen similar moves with Shimano and their S-Phyre line of clothing & shoes. It makes sense for Campagnolo to expand their brand visibility. They can appeal to those diehard Campy fans who lust after anything with the Italian brand on it. In fact, I personally rode to the office today on a Campagnolo-equipped road bike with a pair of subtly-branded, walkable Shimano shoes. There is some irony there, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Campy expand even more in the shoes & apparel market if they produce quality, useable products.
Availability
The new men’s & more limited women’s Spring/Summer 2018 clothing line is available now, and being sold consumer direct from Campagnolo. With worldwide delivery free for all orders over 100-150€, depending on location. Pricing is generally reasonable for the top performance, made in Italy kit. Jerseys retail from 100-160€ and bib shorts from 120-200€.
