Tariffs, inventory market, blah blah blah…the true huge information is that Campagnolo is dropping Report:
[Because it’s surprising, but also because Record.]
And no, they’re not “dropping a report”…
[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 asserting that they’ll now not be serving pancakes.
They may nevertheless be protecting Tremendous Report, and from there it goes right down to Refrain:
As a lot as I like “Spinal Faucet,” I usually 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 massive information was actually “It goes to 11.” However, 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 “Report?” If they’ll now not justify providing each Report and Tremendous Report as a result of there are solely like two individuals on the market who nonetheless use Campagnolo parts so having three teams is simply too many, why not simply ditch the Tremendous Report title and make Report the most effective?
I understand all that is meaningless they usually’re simply names, however going from Tremendous Report to Refrain is like going from 11 to 9. What’s going to they do to fill the hole in shoppers’ minds? (Sure, each shoppers.) 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 element group “Ekar:”
How might an organization that for many years has given us essentially the most mellifluous names in biking–Report…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 journey however he can’t as a result of his mouth is frozen:
Now, granted, I’m at present the curator of not one…
…however two Tremendous Report-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 Report.)
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. Nevertheless, as I’ve talked about earlier than, I consider these are an indication that we’ve got formally reached Peak Friction. Isn’t this only a friction shifter with all of the mechanical simplicity engineered out of it? Let’s take into account the standard-bearer of recent friction shifting:
You’ll be able to put these just about anyplace…in your downtube, on the ends of your bars, on the tops of your bars, and even in your stem:
[Via Rivendell]
Furthermore, you may pair them with any brake lever you need, out of your classic non-aero gum-hooded pair proper right down to essentially the most fashionable, up-to-the-minute, ergonomically refined choices:
So whereas I actually suppose the Growtac levers are nifty for what they’re, and that the flexibility to pair built-in shifting with no matter drivetrain parts you need is undeniably cool, I’m unsure that coping with “variously sized spools” is way easier 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 programs, 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’d not take into account a person of them to be a real member of the friction-shifting group, they usually appear form of like these paddle shifters they placed on automobiles with CVT transmissions. I’m sorry if that offends you, however it’s simply the best way I really feel. It’s form of like using a motorbike with a triple and calling it a single pace:
Hey, now that it’s really single I might be smug once more:
Not less than till I put the triple again on, which is sure to occur ultimately.
