With the Super Record 13, the Italian component manufacturer Campagnolo presents the first wireless 2x13 gear system for road bikes. The company is thus setting a new milestone in the history of road bike gears: The Italians were also the first to push the leap to 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 sprockets with their respective developments. However, according to the manufacturer, the new groupset is not simply intended to offer an additional sprocket, but to herald a new chapter in the company's 90-year history. Based on the 13-speed drivetrain, further solutions for different market segments are to be introduced in the future, presumably including cheaper variants. Most recently, Campagnolo concentrated almost exclusively on the luxury segment with its wireless drivetrain.
New cassette with 13 sprockets
The mechanical centrepiece of the new groupset is the 13-speed cassette. Campagnolo claims to have reduced the spacing and thickness of the sprockets in order to accommodate an additional sprocket with the same cassette width. This enables more homogeneous gear ratios with smaller gear steps. Four gradations are offered: 10-29, 10-33, 11-32 and 11-36 teeth. The cassette is only compatible with the existing N3W freehub body. There are no fewer than seven configurations available for the crankset, which, together with the various cassettes, cater for requirements ranging from all-road bikes to time trial professionals: 45/29, 48/32, 50/34, 52/36, 53/39, 54/39 and 55/39 teeth. The carbon cranks are available in lengths from 165 to 175 millimetres. An integrated power meter located in the crank spider is available as an option.
New Ergopower levers with thumb switch
The Ergopower control levers have been revised, with the Italians abandoning the last operating concept with two superimposed buttons on the outside. The new Super Record reintroduces the thumb shifter, which is familiar from the mechanical Campagnolo shifters and has long been a defining feature of the gearboxes from Vicenza. As an electronic button, it is now located on the inside of the shifters. A new button has been added to the upper section, which can be customised by the rider, for example to operate the bike computer. The second shift lever is located behind the brake lever. The brake lever is made entirely of carbon fibre and is designed to provide a better braking effect. The brake has remained largely untouched apart from an adapted external design. The brake pads are available in organic and sintered versions; the latter are intended to better fulfil very high demands on braking performance as they are more heat-resistant.
Revised rear derailleur and new front derailleur
Both the rear derailleur and front derailleur have been redesigned. The front derailleur has become lighter and has a new carbon fibre guide plate. The filigree-looking rear derailleur has a smaller outward projection compared to the previous model, whose protruding design was often criticised. The derailleur pulleys have been enlarged to 14 teeth to reduce friction. Campagnolo claims that the Super Record 13 shifts faster than all currently available 12-speed groupsets. The batteries of the rear derailleur and front derailleur are said to have a range of 750 kilometres, with a shorter charging time: they are said to be fully charged in just one hour. There are two options for attaching the rear derailleur to the frame: Campagnolo's new "Standard" Universal Drive Mount, which is comparable to SRAM's UDH system and is attached directly to the thru-axle, or conventional derailleur hangers.
Prices and availability
Campagnolo describes the Super Record 13 as the first configuration of a new platform for future developments. It is intended to redefine the brand identity and, according to the manufacturer, is based on a revised production process that also focuses on reducing costs. Further configurations of the transmission are to follow from September 2025. More affordable options are to be expected in particular, but also single-speed transmissions without derailleurs with new cassettes. The Super Record 13 will be available from June 2025. The recommended retail price is €4,300 for the version without a power meter and €5,399 with an integrated power meter. This is still expensive, but significantly cheaper than the previous twelve-speed groupset.
First driving test in Vicenza
During a first (short) test ride around the company headquarters in Vicenza, Italy, the new shifting technology was impressive. Feel, look, performance: the new Super Record does a lot of things right. But to be honest, if we hadn't known in advance that the 13-speed cassette would provide an additional gear, we probably wouldn't have noticed it at all. What stood out, of course, was the return of the thumb shifter and the introduction of two additional buttons on the grip humps. The small extra buttons in particular are very easy to reach and were used the most by our tester. In the factory setting, the buttons can be used to control the rear derailleur; according to Campagnolo, the rubberised buttons can be freely programmed. The thumb switches, on the other hand, are slightly smaller than on the previous Super Record and therefore a little harder to find. The Italians obviously took one criticism of the old version of the top groupset to heart and retired the double button on the brake levers.
The rear derailleur shifts gears slightly faster than the front derailleur. The jumps are small in the medium and fast range. Under full load, the noise level remains low, although this may have been due to the generously greased parts. The gear ratio on the test bike, a Wilier Filante SLRWith 52/36 teeth at the front and 11-32 teeth at the rear, it was perfect for the undulating terrain around Vicenza. The brakes decelerate excellently - typical for Campagnolo. Compared to the stoppers of the SRAM Red AXSThe lever travel is longer on the new, currently the ultimate for many. Unlike its predecessor, the Italians are offering a power meter crank right from the start. The power meter was easy to connect to our Wahoo bike computer and worked without any problems.
Detailed test in the August issue
We were allowed to take a test bike with the new Super Record directly from Vicenza to the editorial office. We will publish a detailed test of the group in mid-July.
Jens Klötzer
Editor
