Tariffs, inventory market, blah blah blah…the actual large information is that Campagnolo is dropping Document:
[Because it’s surprising, but also because Record.]
And no, they’re not “dropping a document”…
[The AI’s rendering of “a hip hop artist called Lil’ Campy dropping a new record.”]
They’re truly DROPPING RECORD:
That is like IHOP saying that they’ll now not be serving pancakes.
They are going to nonetheless be retaining Tremendous Document, and from there it goes right down to Refrain:
As a lot as I like “Spinal Faucet,” I typically make some extent of not referencing the entire “It goes to 11” factor because it’s so grossly overused, particularly in biking the place when 11-speed got here out the large information was actually “It goes to 11.” Nonetheless, it’s nearly not possible not to take action on this case, as a result of what the hell is the purpose of eliminating the title “Document?” If they’ll now not justify providing each Document and Tremendous Document as a result of there are solely like two folks on the market who nonetheless use Campagnolo elements so having three teams is just too many, why not simply ditch the Tremendous Document title and make Document one of the best?
I notice all that is meaningless they usually’re simply names, however going from Tremendous Document to Refrain is like going from 11 to 9. What’s going to they do to fill the hole in customers’ minds? (Sure, each customers.) Are they going to begin providing Tremendous Refrain? It simply doesn’t make sense–although I assume it’s not as unhealthy as calling a part group “Ekar:”
How might an organization that for many years has given us probably the most mellifluous names in biking–Document…Refrain…Veh-LOH-chay for chrissakes!–go and title one thing “Ekar?” It appears like this man attempting to order an éclair at a bakery after a experience however he can’t as a result of his mouth is frozen:
Now, granted, I’m presently the curator of not one…
…however two Tremendous Document-equipped bicycles:
However I’m indignant nonetheless. (Possibly as a result of I’ll now not get to really feel superior to all of the losers on the market utilizing plain Document.)
Talking of unique shifters, now you can get these Growtac built-in friction shifters from Velo Orange:
As a motorbike nerd I do know I’m supposed to like these. Nonetheless, as I’ve talked about earlier than, I consider these are an indication that we have now formally reached Peak Friction. Isn’t this only a friction shifter with all of the mechanical simplicity engineered out of it? Let’s think about the standard-bearer of recent friction shifting:
You possibly can put these just about wherever…in your downtube, on the ends of your bars, on the tops of your bars, and even in your stem:
[Via Rivendell]
Furthermore, you’ll be able to pair them with any brake lever you need, out of your classic non-aero gum-hooded pair proper right down to probably the most fashionable, up-to-the-minute, ergonomically refined choices:
So whereas I definitely suppose the Growtac levers are nifty for what they’re, and that the power to pair built-in shifting with no matter drivetrain elements you need is undeniably cool, I’m undecided that coping with “variously sized spools” is far less complicated than getting one of many many “regular” built-in shifters already on the market:
As a friction shifter fanatic myself, as a lot as I malign the proprietary nature of recent indexing techniques, the reality is that having simply arrange an 11-speed built-in Shimano bike and an 11-speed built-in Campagnolo bike I do know they’re roughly cross-compatible, and I admit that a few of my griping has been overblown. Additionally as a friction shifter fanatic, whereas I do suppose the Growtac levers are cool, I’m afraid I might not think about a person of them to be a real member of the friction-shifting neighborhood, they usually appear sort of like these paddle shifters they placed on automobiles with CVT transmissions. I’m sorry if that offends you, nevertheless it’s simply the way in which I really feel. It’s kind of like driving a motorbike with a triple and calling it a single pace:
Hey, now that it’s actually single I may be smug once more:
Not less than till I put the triple again on, which is sure to occur ultimately.
