A pioneer and one of the world's leading bicycle component manufacturers, Campagnolo is a brand oozing Italian class, style and heritage. You’ll find a wide range of Campagnolo cycling products, including components, wheels and cycling clothing, from leading retailers and private sellers across the country, all at BikeExchange.

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Campagnolo History

On a particularly icy morning racing in the Dolomites, Tullio Campagnolo struggled with his tools, attempting to loosen the hub’s wheel nut to allow him to remove his wheel and change to an easier gear before the steep climb up the Croce D’ Aune. Frustrated and cold, his fingers numbed, and the lead of the race slipping from his grasp, he conceded that the design was flawed and something needed to be done about it.

Three years later, Campagnolo patented the quick release skewer which is still found on bikes today and is considered one of the most remarkable innovations in cycling technology.

Innovation

The story doesn’t end with one clever invention. Campagnolo was a skilled rider, technician and innovator. In his father’s workshop, he began working on the rear derailleur, a bicycle component that allows one to change gears without removing the wheel, an innovation that would go on to form the foundation of the bicycle groupsets ridden today.

The name Campagnolo was now the name of his company. Tullio went from strength to strength through the 30’s and 40’s and was one of the first bicycle component manufacturers to start working with lightweight magnesium and aluminium alloys.

Campagnolo Today

Campagnolo groupsets, wheels, and components are found on a range of bikes from budget friendly entry-level offerings, to money-no-object dream machines.

Revered among road riders the world over, the name Campagnolo represents quality – ‘designed and manufactured in Europe'. Where other companies have chosen to off-shore manufacturing, Campagnolo has continued to keep the whole process in the EU, allowing the brand to ensure the quality of its product from design, right through to production.

Technology

Moving forward in the component industry means brands must ensure its technology is as light, strong and reliable as possible. Campagnolo has led the charge in this domain, constructing a great deal of its high-end drivetrain and brake components from lightweight materials and composites such as titanium and carbon fibre.

The current pinnacle of Campagnolo design and construction is the 11 Speed Super Record EPS Groupset, the brand’s electronic groupset offering, designed for ultimate performance in the WorldTour peloton.

Much like rival brands, Campagnolo’s design principles are applied to all levels of componentry, with features pioneered on top-end groupsets trickling down to entry-level groupsets such as the Chorus and Centaur offerings

The brand has refined the design and production techniques used when designing alloy wheels for Italian sports car brands in the 50’s and translated this over to its cycling wheelset offerings. The Italian brand produces a wide range, constructed from lightweight materials, the vast range features everything from durable entry-level alloy options, through to race-ready carbon fibre offerings, available in a range of rim depths to suit a range of conditions.

Clothing and Accessories

Campagnolo has expanded from componentry to designing its own range of stylish cycling clothing. With a wide range consisting of base layers jerseys, jackets, shorts and tights, and gloves.

In addition to clothing, the brand has a range of cycling accessories on offer, such as the “Big” self centering Corkscrew, another innovation by Tulio, with the perfected design still in use today.