Campagnolo

Super Record 12 EPS Shifter & Hydraulic Caliper

For some of us, the name Campagnolo stirs an air of nostalgia, but for others we see sleek Italian design and progression. Both are valid, as the brand's over-75-years of expertise has illustrated both its commitment to nearly every stage of cycling development, and its keen eye for the future. Campagnolo's Super Recrod 12 EPS Shifter and Hydraulic Caliper keep that forward momentum moving, with all of the bravado that made us fall for Campy to begin with. These featherweight, elite level shifters provide the trusted EPS electronic shifting that brought Campy to the forefront, plus a whopping 12-speeds, and the precise modulation and fierce stopping power of hydraulics.

Campagnolo rethought the mold, quite literally, of lever design when it developed the EPS, or Electronic Power Shift, to surpass its mechanical shifters. While competitors integrated an adjustable lever position into their existing shifters' designs, Campagnolo engineers conducted studies on the ergonomic functionality of shifters to develop the e-Ergonomy Evolution, a re-design of the esteemed Ergopower Levers. Along with new dedicated hoods, the new levers follow the contours of the hand to create more contact and control, direct powerful braking, and full lever usage from any forward position on the bars, and for any hand size. The position of Lever Three, for downshifting, has also changed from the mechanical Super Record; it's now swept down into a smooth, longer contour that requires less compression, and nearly eliminates the long reach of its predecessor. The new Lever 3 makes the downshift more accessible from deep in the drops and more comfortable from the hoods.

As expected, Campagnolo engineers have gone above and beyond to accommodate Campy purists wary of electronic shifting by retaining their 'one lever, one shift' motto, and by developing Multidome Technology. Not wanting to lose the feel of mechanical shifting, the shift levers push a sensor comprised of multiple metal layers to replicate the famous 'click' feeling of mechanical versions of Campagnolo levers and to correct any shifting inaccuracies. The capabilities of Campagnolo's celebrated Multi-Shift Technology have also been enhanced, as Super Record 12 EPS permits a multiple shift through all twelve cogs, up or down the cassette, in one compression of the shifter. Compared this to the mechanical Super Record's Multi- Shift capacity of five cogs for the downshift and three cogs for the upshift. Additionally, the new 12-speed design comes from an intense amount of research from the Campy Tech Lab which optimizes positioning of the downshift lever for an intuitive, comfortable, and practical feel.

Campagnolo has also spent a considerable amount of effort in protecting the smallest aspects of the shifters from extreme elements. While Campagnolo was testing a prototype of the electronic shifter in the 2005 Giro', the electronic systems on the team bikes fixed atop the car were paralyzed by an infiltration of water from heavy rain. The mechanics had to switch the team's bikes to mechanical drivetrains overnight. Although the electronic model was slated to be manufactured within the year, Campagnolo engineers started from the ground up to remedy the problem; the result is completely weather-resistant electronic shifters. Everything from the electronic board to the miniaturized harness housed inside the shifters is waterproof. The Super Record 12 EPS Shift Levers can, literally, shift under water.

A hallmark of Campagnolo design is the ability to re-think what works, and then figure out how to make it better. Viewing itself as the only competition in the electronic shifters market, Campagnolo has managed to shave considerable weight, enhance Multi Shift Technology, and improve ergonomics over earlier models. Over time, we've come to expect nothing less than perfection from Campagnolo, and the Super Record 11 EPS Ergopower Shifters prove to be well worth the wait. Further, they've embraced disc-brake technology with a hydraulic caliper that allows you to feather the brakes through sharp corners, or stop on a dime to avoid joining the pile of pain in a mid-peloton crash.