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CH-guarnitura-2020Campagnolo Chorus 12 speed groupset launched, with lower price points and smaller chainring and cassette options
Campagnolo have launched a new Chorus groupset, bringing 12 speed technology down to their third groupset tier and also offering 48/32 chainset and 11-34t cassette options for the first time.
Campagnolo launch Super Record EPS 12 speed groupset
Review: Campagnolo Record 12-speed Disc groupset
The new components take on the same aesthetics as the 12 speed mechanical Super Record and Record groupsets launched last year, with material differences allowing Campag to bring it down to a lower price point. There are hydraulic disc and rim brake versions, and most of the new components are Chorus-specific apart from the disc brake calipers and rotors, which are the same across Campag's range. The full groupset weights are as follows:
Rim: 2333g
Disc: 2631g
That's just 120g and 178g less than the 12 speed Record rim and disc brake groupsets respectively. Here's a breakdown of the main components...
Chainset (718g)
For the first time, Campag will be offering a 48/32 chainset option at Chorus level. With the additional announcement of an 11-34t cassette, you can put two and two together and assume that Campag have aimed this at the gravel and adventure market. There's no 53/39 chainset, so your options are 48/32, 50/34 and 52/36. It has the same oversized outer driveside crank as the Super Record and Record versions, and has a carbon layup with an advanced resin to block UV rays and keep it looking fresh over time. It uses an Ultra Torque axle and standard bearings (not ceramic) and the crank lengths are 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm and 175mm.
All Campag's 12 speed components are (unofficially) cross-compatible, so if you want to put the 48/32 Chorus chainset on a pre-existing Record or Super Record build, you can fill your boots.
Front derailleur (94g)
The new Chorus front mech is all steel and aluminium. It has single positions for each individual shift to make for precise changes and now rubbing against the chain even at extreme angles. The new upper connecting rod also allows for bigger tyre clearance.
Rear derailleur (240g)
The rear mech is a technopolymer and carbon mix in the upper cage, and the lower cage is all alloy. No matter what cassette size you opt for it's a one-size-fits-all derailleur, and it's the same oversized 12 teeth pulley wheels you get on Super Record and Record. Campag also carry over their 3D Embrace technology, with the shape ensuring that the derailleur is always kept an optimal distance away from the sprockets.
Chain (241g)
The new Chorus-level chain weighs 13g more than the Super Record/Record chain, and comes with 110 links as opposed to 114 because you won't be needing the extra links with a maximum chainring size of 52/36. It's lighter and thinner than the Chorus 11 speed chain, and Campag say it's still as strong, if not stronger too.
Rim brake calipers
The new Chorus rim brakes come in direct mount (183g) or standard post-mount versions (330g a pair). They lack the aero-inspired appearance of the Record and Super Record rim brakes, but have the same dual-pivot action and promise the same stopping power as the higher tier versions.
Disc brake rotors and calipers
Campagnolo say they don't want your braking performance to be compromised the further you go down their groupset hierarchy, so the rotors and calipers are unchanged. You get the AFS rotors with rounded edges and the calipers featuring the classic Campag logo. New for 2019 is a 140mm front rotor, along with the pre-exisiting 140mm rear and 160mm front/rear rotors already available.
Brake levers (503g disc, 364g rim)
The new Chorus levers have the same construction and work largely the same as the Record and Super Record versions, with customisable ergonomics, the Vari Cushion hood design and a double curve in the brake lever for extra plushness in your hands. You can shift five sprockets down the cassette with a throw of the right lever and three up with one click of the paddle, and both of those are larger and easier to access than Chorus 11 speed, so say Campag.
The disc brake levers are just 8mm taller than their rim brake counterparts. One difference on the Chorus versions compared to Record/Super Record is that you can't adjust the modulation. You can still customise the ergonomics with a hex key to alter your reach, but you won't be able to fine-tune your stopping power.
Cassette (306g for an 11-29)
The big news here other than the extra sprocket is the addition of an 11-34t cassette, a first for Campagnolo. The other two sizes are 11-29 and 11-32; and once more, if you want to run the Chorus 11-34 cassette with an otherwise Record or Super Record-level groupset, it'll work just fine. It has the same single tooth increments up to the seventh sprocket on all cassette sizes, with larger jumps at the back to arrive at a 34t largest sprocket.
No electronic version?
Nope, not yet anyway. Unlike SRAM who introduced their new 12 speed wireless electronic system at Force level a few weeks after the announcement of SRAM Red AXS, Campagnolo are only offering their EPS electronic shifting at the top tier Super Record level (launched last month). We were told at the launch that trickling down EPS to Record, Chorus and so on is inevitable, but for now it’s just mechanical.
Where does this leave Campagnolo’s Potenza groupset?
In 2016 Campag revamped its 11 speed Potenza groupset, and at the time declared it a rival to Shimano’s Ultegra. With Chorus positioned above Potenza in Campag’s groupset hierarchy and with the extra sprocket and wider gearing options, has this deemed Potenza obsolete until it moves to 12 speed? At £219 less than new Chorus in disc brake form and £315 less for the rim brake version it's still a significant saving (and a very good groupset as you'll read in our review) so you could say there's still a place for it.
How much?
The clincher for many people considering buying Chorus will be pricing, and it’s unlikely to make you gasp like many did at the RRP’s of Super Record, Record and Super Record EPS; the latter costs upward of £4,000 in its disc brake guise. Here goes:
Chorus 12s rim brake: £1,120
Chorus 12s disc Brake: £1,597
So compared to the RRP’s of 12 speed Record, that’s £601 and £528 less for rim and disc groupsets respectively. How does it compare to 11 speed rivals? Shimano Ultegra R8000 rim and Ultegra R8020 disc both have an RRP of £1,099.00 (they can often be found cheaper online) so you are paying a premium for Campag’s 12 speed tech.
How/when can I get it?
Like the launch of Record and Super Record 12 speed last year, Campagnolo promised stronger partnerships with many of the big brands, so bikes with their groupsets would be a more common sight off-the-peg in shops and online; to be honest that’s not something we saw happen much in the UK, so we’re hoping the greater accessibility of Chorus will make it more readily available to purchase on an actual bike, rather than having to build it up yourself.
While we attended the top secret launch and saw the groupset up close a few weeks ago to bring you the details, there were only a couple of finished products in existence at the time, so we weren’t able to take it for a test ride. Campagnolo are estimating availability dates of July, and we’ll be looking to get our hands on a groupset to bring you a full review later in the year.
Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story).
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29 comments
I have Super Record RS 11 speed on my C60, and 10 speed Ultegra 6600 on my Hewitt winter bike. The Ultegra shifting has been crap from day one, very vague and not up to the usual Shimano standard. everyone I know who has the same groupset says the same. A pal of mine bought a brand new bike with the 6600 on it, hated the change so much he took the groupset off, fitted an old 9 speed to it and sold the new groupset. I have been told that the 6600 is noted for its poor shifting. Shame, because every other bike I have owned had Shimano on, 8 and 9 speed Dura Ace, 10 speed Dura Ace, 9 speed 105 and 9 speed Ultegra. All the Shimano groupsets performed faultlessly bar the one I have now. I'm replacing the Hewitt this autumn with an Enigma Etape, and am undecided whether to go for the Ultegra 11, Chorus 11 or the new Chorus 12. I love the crisp gearchange on the Super Record, hate the gearchange on the 6600. I don't really like the look of the new Chorus as much as the old, but I guess you don't look at it when riding it.
That is a lovely looking disk rotor, but has anyone else ever thought that 7 is a weird number of bolts?
They're not mounting bolts. Campagnolo rotors are CenterLock (aka "AFS").
The seven "bolts" you're seeing are part of what make the rotors a floating design. The rotor is separate from the spider or bell housing mounting it to the hub, much like similar two-piece brake rotors on a car.
Bolts on floating disc rotors are bobbins</crap_joke>
Oh dear, I shouldn't bite... But...
I own several bikes both Campy and Shimano and I'm gradually phasing out the Campag stuff. Why? Campag have just designed stuff that's beautiful, but pricey and almost intentionally difficult to maintain. I don't just mean the servicing aspect, but the nonsensical changes to specifications which mean this won't work with that.
I've spent decent money on tools needed to work on Campag for servicing, for example bearing pullers for Power torque cranks etc. Need to get a Shimano crank off? Undo two bolts... The beauty in Shimano is it's simplicity, and the fact that it works smoothly and simply. Campag is a fettlers' groupset (and a wealthy one) who has time on his hands. I liken Campag owners now to Arran sweater wearing, pipe smoking MGB owners who wax lyrical about the beauty of the Overdrive gearbox when everyone else is running 7speed DSG auto.
I even like the new 7000 and 8000 design.
Campag moving to 12 SPD is not exactly great innovation (it isn't a surprising move really is it?) and I don't think will save them in the long term. I can see another player entering the market offering simplicity, design and functionality and possibly an agreed shifting standard for cross compatibility which will blow Campag away.
Bit of a ramble but hopefully some nuggets/food for thought in there.
It's called "liking different things".
That holds for me, but then I run C-Record and '70s Nuovo Record (and SRAM on my modern bikes).
Yes. It makes me think you're talking nonsense.
Lol, are we seriously seeing Shitmano trolls getting butthurt over Campagnolo owning 12 speed? Get a life.
Made in Europe. Fact.
12 speed. Fact.
Made from carbon fibre, not aluminium. Fact.
Who’s been dropped? Let me guess, you bought your bike from Evans or Tesco?
Uses "Lol", "Shitmano", "butthurt" and "owning" in one sentence and tells *other people* to get a life. "Lol".
Ooh, "Shitmano". How ORIGINAL! How clever of you Prosper0 to come up with that.
Do you also say "Campag wears in, Shimano wears out"? I bet you do. Oh you're hilarious and so imaginative!
Can't stop, I'm off to a camera forum to debate Nikon vs Canon. Then maybe a car forum to talk about diesel vs petrol. And if I've got time I'll come back here to discuss disc brakes vs rim brakes.
Or - radical thought here - people could just use whatever they want and not give a shit about what anyone else is using...?
No, sorry. This whole internet thing would have been a total flop if people did that.
I remember when people used to have to write letters to bicycle magazines to express their indignation and opinion on such weighty matters as Shimano vs Campag...
Ah, the good old days.
Above remarks are nonsense. I have two bikes with campag disc brakes and they are absolutely excellent.
Mylesrants is right.
The company is no longer innovating. Magura make their disc brakes and they are rubbish compared with Ultegra Disc. They heat up on long descents and one pad side always sticks to the rotor.
Havn't tried the 105 but anyone with Campagnolo bike- do examine the finish of your components. Rear mech's plastic cover, bar the Record and SupeRecord Brakes (said by some muppet above to be the best- have you tried Sora!) all made in the far east and awful. After one week of Spanish hills on a Pinnerallo hire bike the fresh 12 speed chain was for the bin..and it is £49.
Japan is up the road and Campagnolo has just been dropped.
No, but if they're anything like the Ultegra brakes I run then they won't be much cop.
No they don't, in fact Campag hydraulic calipers have more pad-to-disc clearance than any other, at 0.6mm a side. Plenty of room for expansion due to heat. The bike you rode either had out-of-square caliper mounts, a badly positioned caliper or a faulty piston with seals damaged due to applying the brakes with no pads in the caliper.
The current 11 speed Chorus derailleur is a thing of beauty. This isn't quite in the same league but I wouldn't say no.
I miss the days when a Campag vs Shimano debate was the most divisive and ill-tempered on a bike forum.
I think there's very little in it these days. I run Chorus on my good bike & Ultegra on the winter bike and both work as well as each other & neither need that much looking after really. Not like the old days at all.
Looks lovely. I can see a 12sp upgrade on my gravel bike on the way at some point.
Does this mean 11 speed Chorus on special offer? Excellent.
PS: Campag, make Potenza cheaper.
NO.
I now compare Record with Shimano 105.
I was days away from getting that Campagnolo tattoo with 30 years of brand love.
The finish on my 2017 chorus groupset , including the with brakes made in taiwan by tektro was Sora level. My winter bike with 105 hydraulic is far superior on change and durability. I upgraded to Record brakes and rear mech and it was ok. Just ok. Talking to my local bike shop, Campagnolo dont do enough R+D. The first groupsets of any new release or product are problematic and a soft release of a corrected groupset ALWAYS follows.
The new bike with shimano ultegra is simply perfection. Never owned a bike with dura ace but cant see how it could be better.
I'll have your Chorus if you don't want it.
Plus: comparing rim brakes and discs...okayyyyy...
You’re an actual idiot. As are the staff in your fantasy bike shop. However, I presume this is how you like to portray your alter ego.
Especially as Record calipers have always been the most powerful road bike brakes ever!
That new mech looks awful though which is a shame.
Campagnolo seems to be hellbent on changing that. On a recent purchase of Campagnolo Record12 (to replace Campagnolo Record11)...well, the brakes simply do not fit. Campy's reponse was "your bike must be made wrong".....
RecordNewSide.jpg
Well, to be fair, your photo shows your brake pads at the very top of the adjustment slot in the caliper arms. That fork must put the brake very low over the tyre.
Same bike....and, same on the rear. Reynolds fork (so, not some Chineese open mold)....
RecordOld.jpg