Campagnolo

Super Record 12 EPS Rear Derailleur

Some manufacturers keep things on the low-down before launch date on new components, and we can't blame them — but when it came to the Campagnolo Super Record 12 EPS Rear Derailleur there was no question that it was coming, the question was instead when? We'd seen it alluded to during the 12-speed mechanical launch, and even raced on by the brand's pro teams, but fortunately for those of us who don't don team jerseys and race in the classics and tours, the groupset is now reaching the public, combining two of the most coveted technologies — 12-by-2 gearing, and the deliberate crispness of Electronic Power Shift.

If we put it lightly, we'd tell you that the Super Record EPS Rear Derailleur is smart, though we'd wager that it would be an understatement. The derailleur operates off of an electronic actuator, comprised of a gear motor and built in resolver sensor. The new derailleur operates in the same fashion as the 11-speed EPS, utilizing an actual that controls a worm screw that takes the place of a mechanical spring screw to move the derailleur. The actuator's resolver sensor is in constant communication with Digital Tech Intelligence — the brains of the system constantly monitoring and reporting every movement of the derailleur, positioning it optimally relative to the cassette to keep engagement precise and tolerances tight.

The derailleur also still maintains EPS Multi-Shift Technology, which enables a shift through eleven of the twelve cogs, either up or down the cassette, in one compression of the shift lever, and in only one-and-a-half seconds. To help alleviate the need for auto-correction, Campagnolo's engineers studied the detrimental effects of vibration on electronic components, and applied T.I.N. treatment to the electronic actuator, keeping titanium parts in tact to maintain performance levels over time, and reduce play. Going further, the engineers also bolstered the strength and rigidity of the derailleur by creating a parallelogram carbon fiber derailleur cage with an alloy inner plate. The upper and lower bodies of the derailleur are coated in a techno polymer carbon fiber blend that is both functional and beautifully Campagnolo.

With the release of 12-speed Super Record, the derailleur received a fully comprehensive update which carried through to the new EPS version. It continues to be available in a single 72.5mm cage length, and offers compatibility with both the new Chorus, Record and Super Record 11-29t and 11-32t cassettes (the derailleur is not compatible with the Chorus 11-34t cassette, which required the Chorus drivetrain). On this new model Campagnolo uses a slightly different architecture, known as 3D Embrace. It allows the derailleur to sit more inboard, and places the upper pulley wheel at a constant distance from the cog, thus achieving better chain wrap on the sprockets for improved shifting precision. Additionally, the new design tucks the derailleur in a bit, getting it a touch more out of harm's way in the event of a crash.

Campagnolo also worked on the spring return tension and its location. The new spring improves upshifting significantly and its new position between the upper body and pivots provides better chain retention so you'll experience less chain slap and dropped chains over rougher roads. Campagnolo also bumped up the teeth on the pulleys from 11 to 12-teeth, further reducing friction and improving chain retention as well as being better able to guide the chain up and down the cassette. At the center of those jockey wheels are ceramic ball bearings which offer silky-smooth spinning for some of the fastest rotating bearings on your bike.

Taking into account that not everyone rides for a professional team and has a fleet of support cars trailing along behind them, Campagnolo included the Ride Back Home function to act as a fail-safe against a dead battery or crash. The Ride Back Home Function utilizes an uncoupling mechanism that allows the derailleur to be manually uncoupled to the desired position on the cassette, making it possible to ride home in single-gear mode. The Super Record 11 EPS Rear Derailleur is also IP67 compliant, a rigid international standard for electronics that requires protection of electronic components from water and dust alike. To give you an idea of how stringent this test is, every Campagnolo EPS component had to operate perfectly while submerged under water for 30 minutes.