Campagnolo released some big news for their fans and teams who ride time trials and triathlons today, as they have finally updated their bar end shifters! More than that, they also introduced an all new aero brake lever that will pair nicely with their new center pull or lateral pull brakes. Finally, in order to be able to offer a “TT Group” they have introduced a new crank with larger chainrings that they claim is still just as stiff as their current offerings.
Did they make the new shifters for both 10 and 11 speed?
Jump past the break to find out!
If you happen to be running Campy 10 speed, you are in luck. The new Campagnolo shifters are going to be offered in both 10 and 11 speed models. Aesthetically, the shifters are much more modern with a black finish, and either black aluminum or carbon fiber shift levers (11 speed only).
The new Campy bar end shifters happen to be a return-to-neutral design, meaning after you shift, the lever will return to the first position which optimizes aerodynamics and prevents the rider from having to reach for the shifter in the extreme positions. However, if you have been following the recent UCI sponsored confusion of what is currently legal regarding aero bar extension length with return-to-center vs standard shifters, then you know the trouble teams who have been running R2Cs have been facing. Clearly, Campy wanted to offer an R2C design (which they call Back To Zero), so in order to give team mechanics a way to get around the UCI regulations, they have integrated the ability to set the “home” position. As VeloNews reported, this allows team mechanics to set the shifters so that the home position isn’t horizontal, meaning the UCI then measures the extension length from the pivot axis, rather than the tip of the shift lever.
Campagnolo’s version of a return-to-neutral shifter will allow you to shift up or down, in up to 3 gear increments. The main complaint with the current Sram and Zipp R2C shifters is that it takes too much force to actually shift the lever. Campy claims that the ergonomic details put into the lever will keep the effort needed to shift to a minimum, but only time and actually shifting one in person will tell.
Weight for the pair of shifters is reported to be 167g for both the 10 and 11 speed aluminum models, and 155g for the 11 speed-only carbon version.
In the other area of needed control, new brakes and brake levers have been introduced as well. When it comes to Tri and TT bikes, U Brakes are traditionally more of a necessity than a luxury, which usually has to do with tucking the brake up under or behind parts of the frame or fork. Hiding the brake from the wind obviously improves aerodynamics, but it also increases the difficulty of positioning and adjusting brakes which is where the U brakes center pull, or lateral pull noodle comes in handy. The Campagnolo U brake will come in a rear center pull, and both a front and rear lateral pull, and the weights are 169g, 178g, and 161g respectively.
In order to control those U brakes, or whatever brakes you so choose, Campy offers their new Aero TT/TRi lever which is clearly available in Carbon and Aluminum. Perhaps the biggest news here is the inclusion of a quick release into the brake lever. Obviously anyone running Campy brakes will need this feature as they lack a brake release, but more importantly as TT/Tri brakes become more hidden in the frame and difficult to release, customer who aren’t running Campy could stand to greatly benefit from a pair.
Campagnolo claims to have wind tunnel tested the levers to be as aero as possible. If this is true, it looks as if they managed to make a very aero lever that is still comfortable to use. Weight for the Carbon version slots in at 85g while the aluminum is slightly heavier at 106g.
Last but definitely not least, is Campagnolo’s TT specific crankset. Not a whole lot appears to have changed from the standard Super Record, Record, and Chorus cranks, but all the new models are available with larger chainrings – up to a 55t to be exact. Even though the rings are larger, Campy went to great lengths to ensure that the new rings were just as stiff as the current smaller rings. Clearly, making the TT crank more aero wasn’t a top priority, but the option of having larger rings should please many TT riders.
