Campagnolo is an Italian manufacturer of high-end

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

components with headquarters in

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan. Vicenza is a th ...

, Italy. The components are organised as

groupset A groupset or gruppo (from the Italian for "group", sometimes misspelled grouppo) is a bicycle component manufacturer's organized collection of mechanical parts. It generally refers to all of the components that make up a bicycle excluding the bicy ...

s (gruppi), and are a near-complete collection of a bicycle's mechanical parts. Campagnolo's flagship components are the Super Record, Record, and Chorus groupsets with all three representing their recent shift to 12-speed drivetrains. Super Record and Record are the top groupsets, followed by Chorus, Potenza, Centaur and Veloce. Campagnolo also produces aluminum and carbon wheels, as well as other components (like carbon fiber seat posts, and bottle-cages).

History

Founded by

Tullio Campagnolo Gentullio Campagnolo (26 August 1901 – 3 February 1983) was an Italian racing cyclist and inventor who patented the quick release skewer, as well as founder of the bicycle component company Campagnolo. Many professional cyclists have used Ca ...

, the company began in 1933 in a Vicenza workshop. The founder was a

racing cyclist Cycle sport is Competition, competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing ...

in Italy in the 1920s who conceived several ideas while racing, such as the

quick release A quick release skewer is a mechanism for attaching a wheel to a bicycle. It consists of a rod threaded on one end and with a lever operated cam assembly on the other. The rod is inserted into the hollow axle of the wheel, a special nut is t ...

mechanism for bicycle wheels,

derailleur Shimano 600 front derailleur (1980) A derailleur is a variable-ratio bicycle gearing system consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets of different sizes, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another. Modern front and rear d ...

s, and the rod gear for gear changing. Campagnolo has been awarded more than 135 patents for innovations in cycling technology. Lamborghini Espada wheels

At the end of the 1950s, Campagnolo started to manufacture

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

parts such as wheels for sports cars like

Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." ...

Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...

Lamborghini Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. () is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi. Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916–1993) ...

, and

Maserati Maserati S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914, in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. Ma ...

, and built chassis for

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

satellites in 1969. In 1963, Campagnolo produced a

disc brake A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hol ...

for the

Innocenti Innocenti () was an Italian machinery works, originally established by Ferdinando Innocenti in 1920. Over the years, they produced Lambretta scooters as well as a range of automobiles, mainly of British Leyland origins. The brand was retired in ...

Lambretta Lambretta () is the brand name of mainly motor scooters, initially manufactured in Milan, Italy, by Innocenti. The name is derived from the word Lambrate, the suburb of Milan named after the river Lambro which flows through the area, and whe ...

TV motorscooter - the first two-wheel production vehicle with such a brake. In the 1970s they also supplied wheels for Ferrari's

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

cars. Campagnolo worked with the manufacturer

Colnago Colnago Ernesto & C. S.r.l. or Colnago is a manufacturer of high quality road-racing bicycles founded by Ernesto Colnago near Milano in Cambiago, Italy. It remained a family-controlled firm until May 4, 2020, when it was announced that the UAE- ...

and racer

Eddy Merckx Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (, ; born 17 June 1945), better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional road and track bicycle racer who is among the most successful riders in the history of competitive cycling. His victorie ...

and produced lightweight parts for the bike he used to beat the world

hour record The hour record is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle from a stationary start. Cyclists attempt this record alone on the track without other competitors present. It is considered one of the most prestigious reco ...

in 1972. Merckx used Campagnolo exclusively and was a friend of Tullio Campagnolo. Following Campagnolo's success during the 1970s and '80s, innovation lagged as rival SunTour developed indexed shifting,

Shimano , originally and later , is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company for cycling components, fishing tackles and rowing equipment, who also produced golf supplies until 2005 and snowboarding gear until 2008. Named after founder Shozaburo ...

combined shifter/brake levers (

Shimano Total Integration Shimano Total Integration (STI) is a gearshift system designed by Shimano for racing bicycles. It combines the braking and gear shifting controls into the same component. This allows shifting gears without having to remove a hand from the bars, un ...

), and FSA introduced compact chainsets. An unsuccessful foray into

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

, the overbuilt and heavy Euclid, Centaur and Olympus groupsets contributed to the company's decline during those years. By the time the expensive Record O.R. (off-road) and Icarus MTB groupsets made it to the market, Campagnolo's reputation was firmly cemented as a road bike brand. As a result, Campagnolo pulled out of the Mountain Bike market in 1994. Despite its struggles, Campagnolo introduced its ErgoPower combined shifter/brake levers and renewed its focus on high-end road cycling components. The late 1990s and early 2000s saw Campagnolo's increased use of

carbon fibre Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...

and

titanium Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...

parts in groupsets and the development of wheelsets. In 2004, Campagnolo introduced a complete Compact drivetrain with smaller chainrings, to give lower gears than traditional drivetrains. Other innovations included a Hirth-joint engineered Ultra-Torque external-bearing crankset and G3 spoke lacing for racing wheels. In 2008, Campagnolo introduced 11-speed drivetrains with Super Record, Record, and Chorus groupsets. Campagnolo has released an electronic version of its drivetrain. In April 2018 Campagnolo launched 12-speed Record and Super Record groupsets, and in 2020, the company launched Campagnolo Ekar, a 13-speed groupset aimed at gravel riders. Campagnolo has focused on

road cycling Road cycling is the most widespread form of cycling in which cyclists ride on paved roadways. It includes Recreational cycling, recreational, Road bicycle racing, racing, Bicycle commuting, commuting, and utility cycling. As users of the road, ...

and

track cycling Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using purpose-designed track bicycles. History Track cycling has been around since at least 1870. When track cycling was in its infancy, it wa ...

. The teams it sponsors in the

UCI ProTour The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI (International Cycling Union). Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, e ...

are Lotto–Soudal,

AG2R Citroën Team AG2R Citroën Team () is a French cycling team with UCI WorldTeam status. Its title sponsors are French insurance firm AG2R La Mondiale and French automobile manufacturer Citroën. The team is predominantly French. History In 1992 Vincent Lave ...

UAE Team Emirates UAE Team Emirates () is an Emirati road bicycle racing team. The team competes at UCI WorldTeam level and has done so since the UCI World Tour was formed as the top category of road cycling in 2005. However the team was temporarily suspended fro ...

and

Cofidis Cofidis is a French company, now majority owned by Crédit Mutuel, based in Villeneuve-d'Ascq. Founded in 1982 by 3 Suisses International in cooperation with Cetelem, Cofidis specialized in the consumer credit business of the 3 Suisses Group. I ...

. File:Innenlager-campa-record.jpg, Campagnolo bottom bracket from the 1980s File:Hirth joint.jpg, Moderne Campagnolo ultra torque crank File:Campagnolo Super Record chainset.jpg, Campagnolo Super Record Crankset from 1981 File:CampaFelge.jpg, Campagnolo OMEGA rim File:Wheel-campa.jpg, Campagnolo front hub

Timeline (Bicycle Parts)

1901

born on 26 August in the eastern suburbs of

, Italy 1922 Tullio Campagnolo begins his racing career 1930 Campagnolo patents the quick-release hub 1933 After fabricating parts in the backroom of his father's hardware store, Tullio starts Campagnolo SPA with production of the quick-release hub 1940 Tullio hires his first full-time employee. The derailleur enters production, enabling gears to change without removing the wheel. The pieces are handmade 1949 Campagnolo introduces a parallelogram rear derailleur, the Gran Sport Schaltwerk C

1956 Campagnolo introduces a parallelogram front derailleur 1963 The Record rear derailleur (chromed bronze) is introduced 1966 The Nuovo Record rear derailleur is introduced.

uses it for his first four

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

victories 1973 The Super Record Road and Track groups are introduced
Learn more about the Super Record Road group.
Campagnolo Super Record rear derailleur 1983

Campagnolo Super Record rear derailleur 1983

1983 Tullio Campagnolo dies on 3 February. Anniversary groupset to mark 50 years of Campagnolo bicycle parts. 1985 Campagnolo creates Delta brakes, with a parallelogram linkage to actuate the calipers. CampyDeltaBrake

1986 The re-designed Record road and track groupsets (also known as C-Record) are introduced, replacing Super Record as the top of range 1987 The last year of Super Record until 2008 1989 Campagnolo introduces a

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which ...

groupset, which is heavier and less advanced than those by

and SunTour. 1991 8-speed shifting components are introduced 1992 The ErgoPower levers are introduced, which combines brake lever and a shift lever to answer Shimano's STI levers 1993 Delta brakes are discontinued 1994 Campagnolo leaves the mountain bike components business 1995 Group names on components are introduced 1997 9-speed shifting components are introduced 1998 Next generation Ergo Levers 1999 Record Carbon Ergo levers, Daytona group, and for the Record, Chorus and Daytona groups new hubs (much lighter than the old ones, axles made of aluminum alloy) are introduced 2000 10-speed shifting is introduced 2001 Carbon-fiber shifting levers for Record group 2002 Former Daytona group is renamed "Centaur" 2004 Carbon-fiber cranks for Record and Chorus groups 2005 10-speed Centaur and Chorus shift and brake levers are introduced for flat bar road bikes Fulcrum Wheels, a company owned by Campagnolo, produces wheelsets compatible with Campagnolo and

cassettes. 2006 Hollow external bearing crankset is announced Hirth joint

2007 10-speed Mirage and Xenon component groups and new Ultra-Torque components are introduced. Record hubs are now black, 20 g lighter and don't have greaseports any more 2008 11-speed Record, Super Record, and Chorus groups are introduced 2009 Re-introduction of Athena as an 11-speed component group below Chorus in product line 2010 Bora One wheels are introduced 2011 First electric 11-speed Super Record group was used at the

by Team Movistar 2012 Bora Ultra 80mm wheels are introduced. 2013 80th anniversary groupset made. 2014 Super Record RS groupset introduced following input from professional team riders. Campagnolo EPS-1

The ErgoBrain

cyclocomputer A cyclocomputer, cycle computer, cycling computer or cyclometer is a device mounted on a bicycle that calculates and displays trip information, similar to the instruments in the dashboard of a car. The computer with display, or ''head unit'', ...

compatible with the Ergo shifters displays cadence, gear, and the normal functions of a cyclocomputer. 2015 Athena EPS discontinued and Chorus EPS introduced. Chorus, Record and Super Record groupsets are overhauled with a 4 arm, 8 bolt chainset introduced. Bora 50 and 35 wheels become available in Clincher and adopt a wider rim profile. 2015 Potenza group is introduced. 2017 Centaur group reintroduced as Campagnolo's least expensive 11-speed group. 2018 12-speed Super Record and Record mechanical groups are introduced.(for disc and rimbrake) Bora WTO (Wind Tunnel Optimized) wheels are introduced. 2019 12-speed Super Record EPS, and mechanical 12-speed Chorus groups are introduced. Chorus will have an 11-34 cassette option and a 96/123 mm BCD with sub-compact 48/32 gearing available. 2020 13-speed Ekar group are introduced. 2021 Bora Ultra WTO (only for discbrake) wheels are introduced.

Trademarks

Campagnolo has used various trademarks, the best known is the Campagnolo signature; another is a hub quick-release lever (Tullio's most famous innovation). The logo of the company is the winged wheel.

Race service

For many years Campagnolo provided professional race mechanics with spare parts and neutral technical assistance at races. Campagnolo relies on riders and mechanics to improve products.

References

External links