Few manufacturers higher embody the romance of Italian biking than Campagnolo. At nigh on 100 years outdated, it represents the passionate, conventional facet of our sport, significantly when in comparison with the medical effectiveness of Shimano and SRAM and, very similar to with Alfa Romeo on the automotive facet, Tifosi will usually overlook a product’s shortcomings or quirks.
And so it’s more likely to be with Campagnolo’s newest flagship groupset, Tremendous File WRL 12-speed. WRL stands for wi-fi, and identical to SRAM 9 years in the past, Campagnolo has ditched any type of cabling or bodily connection between the shifters and derailleurs. This can make residence mechanics’ lives simpler when becoming an entire groupset and reduces the variety of cables that should cross by means of the handlebar, headset and body. As a long-time SRAM eTap/AXS person, I really like wi-fi groupsets and have had zero points with shifting or connectivity over tens of hundreds of kilometres.
Campagnolo aficionados have lengthy needed to pay for the privilege of driving their favorite Italian marque, and Tremendous File WRL is not any exception. It’s significantly greater priced than the already costly Dura-Ace and Pink AXS groupsets, and there’s no choice to incorporate an influence meter both but. RRP is about £4,500, placing it effectively above the Japanese and North American model’s energy meter-equipped groupsets. Its value pushed the worth of the Dogma X that I examined it on over the £14,000 mark.
Weight is aggressive although, close to as dammit all three groupsets weigh round 2,500 grams, relying on a number of choice selections.
Shifters
Even perhaps bolder than going wi-fi, Campagnolo’s option to ditch the enduring thumb shifters has brought on uneasy murmurings among the many devoted. As an alternative, shifting is actuated by two cutout levers on both facet that sit behind the brake levers – a bit like a mashup of SRAM and Shimano’s programs.
I discovered them simple to make use of from the hoods, however I needed to cock my wrist at an unnatural angle to succeed in the upper button on both facet when within the drops. Taking part in round with the shifter’s place or a special handlebar may need alleviated this slightly, however I don’t assume it could have absolutely cured the issue. As the 2 buttons/levers sit on prime of each other relatively than facet by facet like Di2, it’s at all times going to be arduous to slot in two levers which are massive sufficient to make use of simply and nonetheless each be accessible from the drops and the hoods.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL left shifter
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
I’d even have preferred the motion of the levers to have been extra distinct, with every press accompanied by a tangible ‘click on’. In comparison with SRAM AXS and former Campagnolo, the motion was a bit ‘mushy’ and obscure – it didn’t give a lot haptic suggestions as as to if I had truly pressed arduous sufficient to name for a shift or certainly pressed an excessive amount of and shifted two sprockets without delay. That is an odd criticism as Campagnolo has at all times been identified for feeling extra mechanical and offering a greater connection to the drivetrain than different manufacturers.
The hood form was usually glorious although, and I discovered it very comfy straightaway. The exaggerated, bent-in form of some Campagnolo hoods is gone, however there’s a refined inward curve that feels actually good. Nonetheless, there may be an odd, cookie-cutter part underneath the hoods behind the levers that is not comfy in any respect – firmly gripping the hoods while climbing out of the saddle this sharp edge might be felt very distinctly. Surprisingly unergonomic given how good the remainder of the design is.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL brake lever
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
Maybe it was the nice and cozy climate or my efforts, however the rubber overlaying the hoods didn’t really feel very grippy to me. I often experience with out gloves if I can, however I discovered myself contemplating sporting some mitts for a greater buy.
If the shifting was vague on the levers, it definitely wasn’t on the again finish. A really particular clunk (and occasional clang) accompanied each shift and left you in little doubt {that a} ratio change had been achieved. That is in sharp distinction to the Dura-Ace Di2 I rode not too long ago the place I regularly couldn’t really feel the chain transfer and needed to look all the way down to verify generally.
Two buttons sit on the within of the shifters, permitting the system to be adjusted and turned off/on (helpful for journey) whereas the small LED signifies battery cost (for the coin cell in every shifter) or mode. Nonetheless, there are no ‘additional’ programmable buttons that might be used to scroll by means of pc screens for instance.
Derailleurs
By far and away probably the most placing and most commented-on facet of the groupset was the dimensions of the derailleurs. Each entrance and rear items are significantly bigger than SRAM’s wi-fi equivalents. It’s spectacular that Campagnolo has managed to maintain the load all the way down to match Shimano and SRAM given their measurement – copious portions of carbon fibre have been employed all through the derailleurs, and certainly the remainder of the teams,t with a purpose to do that, which does at the very least assist to clarify the worth.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL entrance derailleur
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
Whereas SRAM makes use of an identical pair of interchangeable batteries on its wi-fi derailleurs, Campagnolo has used a very completely different design for entrance and rear mechs, that means that, not like SRAM, you possibly can’t swap them round in the event you run out of energy. It’s not clear whether or not that is for technical/useful causes, or if Campagnolo encountered patent points with this as they’ve hinted at. Both means, it appears to be a a lot much less helpful means of doing issues. Moreover, every of the batteries is larger than the SRAM unit, contributing to the dimensions of the derailleurs.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL rear derailleur
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
Charging is fast and simple, and could be carried out with the batteries in place or off the bike utilizing the magnetic cable. It takes about an hour to succeed in full capability. Nonetheless, so as to have the ability to cost on the bike, the charging ports are open to the weather and don’t have a canopy, though I suppose {that a} bike with Tremendous File WRL on it’s extremely more likely to be a dry weather-only machine.
Pairing the shifters and derailleurs is slightly bit like a response check – anticipate the lights to vary color after which press the suitable button, however was simple sufficient once I managed to get the sequence proper. There’s an accompanying app that provides details about the system and permits a level of personalisation, nevertheless it isn’t required to arrange or use the groupset. It may be fortunately ignored until you wish to tinker.
Chainset and cassette
In one other departure from custom, Campagnolo has adopted SRAM in utilizing smaller chainrings and a smaller 12-speed cassette to realize its desired ratios. The check bike had a 50/34 chainset and a 10-29 cassette, which gave me each the next and a decrease gear than my standard 52/36 with an 11-30 cassette. 45/29 and 48/32 chainsets are additionally out there as are 10-25 and 10-27 cassettes, so an enormous vary of potential ratios can be found to swimsuit any rider or terrain. It was simple to search out the cadence I wished, and I by no means felt caught between ratios and the all-steel building ought to assist with longevity too.
The carbon chainset seemed beautiful when caught within the sunshine, and, together with the titanium axle and aluminium rings, helps maintain the load all the way down to underneath 600 grams, considerably undercutting Dura-Ace.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL chainset
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
The drivetrain was completely completely happy to be cross-chained because the entrance derailleur makes small changes because the rear derailleur strikes and I regularly used 50-29 in order that I didn’t must hassle shifting to the small ring. As talked about, shifting was a bit agricultural feeling generally, and was definitely slower than Dura-Ace. Similar to with SRAM, I discovered that shifting was a discernibly 4-part course of each entrance and rear; press a shift lever, take the strain off the pedals, wait a fraction for engagement, and energy again on the pedals, whereas Dura-Ace would in all probability have accomplished the motion by the primary comma.
Brakes
The Tremendous File WRL hydraulic disc brakes are excellent. Quiet, highly effective and simple to regulate, they had been a pleasure to make use of and a highpoint of the groupset. The levers are fairly stiffly sprung, which took me unexpectedly at first however not in a nasty means, and as soon as the pads come into contact with the rotors the facility is there in spades – one-finger braking from the hoods will not be a difficulty, helped by the lever’s very comfy, barely angled form and the hood’s slim design.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL disc brake calliper
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
There was by no means any annoying ‘ting’ from the pads barely catching the rotors, even after some respectable descents and arduous braking – Campagnolo says that higher pad return was one thing that that they had labored arduous on.
Attain could be very simple to regulate, with the screw accessed by means of a gap within the entrance of the lever.
Worth and conclusion
Worth is a tricky one. The RRP of the groupset is £4,499 which is about £800 greater than Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (and not using a energy meter) and a few hundred pound greater than both SRAM Pink or Dura-Ace with an influence meter. So it’s definitely ‘reassuringly costly’.
However, whereas beforehand, some folks had been greater than keen to pay a premium for Campagnolo’s type, finesse and wealthy heritage, I feel that it is a larger ask than ever with Tremendous File WRL. The majority of the derailleurs, the idiosyncratic shifting, completely different batteries and the worth aren’t sufficiently offset by its unbelievable braking efficiency and (largely) neat hood/brake lever design. Its weight is aggressive however not class-leading and the dearth of an influence meter (there may be one deliberate, however little doubt it should add to the associated fee) would appear to reward SRAM and Shimano gross sales. It received’t assist Campagnolo’s trigger that there are not any 2024 WorldTour groups utilizing their groupsets both.
Campagnolo Tremendous File WRL
(Picture credit score: Andy Jones)
I’m completely not towards high-priced, premium merchandise, however for me, there needs to be at the very least a semblance of justification to pay greater than chilly logic may dictate. That may be efficiency, weight, type, reliability or service and I’m struggling to justify the additional value of Tremendous File WRL on any of those bases, though you might be interested in its rarity worth – I haven’t seen one other bike with Tremendous File within the 12 months because it was launched.
In the end, I wouldn’t actively keep away from Tremendous File WRL if it was specced on a motorbike that I actually wished, particularly if it was by an Italian model, however I wouldn’t search it out or pay a premium for it both. For me, it lacks a sufficiently compelling distinctive promoting level to justify its value or overlook a few of its foibles.
