For years, the Campagnolo shift thumb buttons have been an unmistakable part of the Italian brand’s Ergopower levers. Indeed it has often been a key talking point during passionate groupset manufacturer debates between cyclists for years, but it looks as though that may be about to all change. 

It looks as though Campagnolo may have a new Super Record groupset in the works which will ditch the iconic and long-standing thumb shifter buttons, and use wireless technology in the first new groupset for the Italian brand since 2019. 

In a story first shared on the internet forum weight weenies, there looks to be evidence that Campagnolo has sought to obtain a licence to market a wireless electrical system in the US. To quote the Federal Communications Commission’s website  “The FCC is responsible for managing and licensing the electromagnetic spectrum for commercial users and for non-commercial users including state, county and

Read More
Read More
The Ducati-Powered Swiss Army Motorcycle

The Condor A350 was developed in the early 1970s as a motorcycle for the Swiss Army, the 350cc engine from the Ducati 350 Scrambler was used and they built the rest of the motorcycle around it locally. It was designed to be tough, simple, and mountain goat-like in its ability to traverse steep mountain passes.

It’s believed that just 3,000 examples of the Condor A350 were ever made, with the last examples retired by the Swiss Army in the 1990s. They’re now considered highly collectible in vintage motorcycle circles.

Fast Facts – The Condor A350

  • The Condor A350 was produced in Switzerland in the 1970s as a motorcycle exclusively for the Swiss military. The design earned a reputation for its toughness and its ability to go anywhere, and it remained in military service well into the 1990s.
  • For strategic purposes, Condor-Werke AG was tasked with building as much of the
Read More
Read More
Leaked! Wireless Campagnolo Super Record WRL with 10-tooth cassette

Campagnolo looks set to go fully wireless with its new 12-speed electronic groupset, dubbed Super Record WRL, while also ditching the brand’s iconic thumb shifter, according to an FCC licence filed by Campag and product leaks seen on retailer websites.

It’s no secret that a Campagnolo road groupset update is overdue, given the brand hasn’t updated any of its line-up since 2019.

Now Campagnolo appears to be following SRAM in going full wireless and that appears, from this leak at least, to mean a whole new shifter design.

The new groupset also appears to use a 10-tooth starting sprocket on the cassette, new chainring sizes, Campagnolo’s ProTech bottom bracket and new disc brake rotors.

While all of this points to a revamped electronic groupset, the future of Campagnolo’s mechanical groupsets is unclear and it remains to be seen if Campagnolo will produce a rim brake variant of the new groupset.

Read More
Read More
Surly Grappler review – Gravel Bikes – Bikes

Minnesota-based Surly bikes certainly does things differently, be it long-wheelbase haulage or singlespeed cyclocross bikes, fat-tyred tourers, or this tall and chunky gravel machine.

Surly only builds from steel, using tubesets of its own design, which makes it something of a connoisseur’s choice.

The Grappler takes the basic outline of a gravel bike, with drop bars and big tyre clearances, and switches things up to make a unique bike.

Surly Grappler frame and specifications

The Grappler is certainly tall…
Russell Burton / Our Media

At the front, the Grappler is noticeably taller than pretty much every gravel bike on the market.

My large test bike frame has a stack of 641mm. That’s around 30mm taller than the Scott Addict Gravel 30 and the Orro Terra S I’ve tested recently. The reach is also long at 458mm.

I imagined this would create a weird Frankenstein-bike ride position. However, these numbers, combined

Read More
Read More
How to pick a hotel when Motorcycle Touring

Preparing for a motorcycle trip is a thrilling experience, yet it necessitates prudent planning. Once your journey is set, you’re left to book accommodation which can be somewhat daunting. If you’re faced with the possibility of planning a motorcycle trip, here are some helpful strategies if you’re looking to save money on hotels and get the type of accommodation you need.

Set the Priorities

Before you decide on accommodations, it’s essential to consider the purpose of your trip. Are you going sightseeing on your bike, or perhaps you want to head out on foot and need somewhere secure to leave your bike? Or maybe you are looking for a quick overnight stop-off?

Once you know what you’re looking for, compare prices online. Check out motorcycle-friendly hotels in the area and read reviews to get a good idea of the quality of your potential stay. Don’t forget to look into motorcycle

Read More
Read More