Test: With the Campagnolo Potenza, the traditional Italian manufacturer recently presented a new drive group in the highly competitive middle class sector. During our test, we put the new Campa group to the test and in the course of this also took a close look at the Shamal Mille wheels and the frame of our Guerciotti test bike.
In the spring we briefly presented the new Campagnolo mid-range group Potenza at Velomotion. It should close the gap between Athena and Chorus from its own company and stand up to the top dog Shimano Ultegra. We recently received a complete bike with the new group in the editorial office and finally had the opportunity to put the group through its paces, or rather put the crank and rear derailleur to the test. The bike is based on an SX50 carbon frame from the traditional Italian brand Guerciotto. The wheels also come from Campagnolo with the Shamal Mille and the result is a solid Italian mid-range racer.
Product news: Campagnolo Potenza 11: New mid-range groupset from Italy
Market: The traditional Italian manufacturer Campagnolo recently presented its new middle-class groupset Potenza to a small group of selected journalists on Gran Canaria. Campagnolo Potenza 11 - new Italian middle class With the new Potenza group, the traditional northern Italian manufacturer wants to close the gap between the entry-level group Athena 11 and the already […]
Campagnolo Potenza – The first impression
After the first pictures of the group on the Internet, the opinions in the editorial department differed somewhat, because the finish on the pictures published at the time didn't look particularly high quality. When unpacking from the box, however, we were taught a lesson: Although only aluminum and plastic are used for the materials for cost reasons and you have to do without carbon, the new Potenza group made a very positive impression and has to stand up to its opponents in this respect Competitors Shimano Ultegra don't hide it. The shift/brake lever sits well in the hand thanks to the non-slip silicone surface. The brake lever itself is made of aluminum and – like the entire group – comes with a choice of a black or silver anodised finish. The gear lever behind it makes a high-quality and robust impression despite the plastic. On the inside, however, the toothing of the switching mechanism is relatively open; maybe they could have been hidden a little better or protected from external influences.
The design of the crank is based on the higher-priced groupsets from Campagnolo, but aluminum is used here. Thanks to the hollow-forged construction, however, the weight remains competitive: the Campagnolo Potenza crank weighs 754g. Front derailleur and rear derailleur have been kept in a simple Campa design and do not reveal any weaknesses at first glance. The 11-speed rear derailleur comes in two versions with different cage lengths to be compatible with the newly introduced sprocket set (11-32). The upper part is made of an ultra-light technopolymer, reducing the weight. Overall, the rear derailleur is very reminiscent of the previously launched top group Super Record, since the development of the Potenza was made from just that technology shelf.
Campagnolo Potenza - On the road
The rider has the most contact with the group on the racing bike via the shift and brake levers. As described above, these lie very well in the hand and can also be operated extremely comfortably. Shifting is based on the well-known Campa principle, with a lever behind the brake lever and a small lever inside the unit. This will certainly take some getting used to for Campa newcomers, but at the same time it is also wonderfully ergonomic - it is not for nothing that many drivers have sworn by Campagnolo for years. The levers are smooth-running and very easy to reach in the upper link and in the lower link position. When shifting the front derailleur from the small chainring to the large chainring, you can feel three clicks. The first click aligns the derailleur with large chainrings, the second click aligns the chain with the large chainring, and the third click aligns the derailleur with large sprockets. There is also a two-click functionality when downshifting, in which the chain first moves to the small chainring and the second click aligns the front derailleur with large front derailleurs. Well adjusted, this switching principle enables a wide range of mobile gears and can also be operated intuitively. The front derailleur and rear derailleur also do a pleasantly unobtrusive job and change gears precisely and quickly without grumbling. The brakes have a pleasant pressure point and are easy to control. Even when wet, they show no weaknesses in combination with the specially coated Campa Shamal Mille wheels. Overall, the group made a more than solid impression and doesn't have to hide from the competition in the same price segment.
The wheels – Campagnolo Shamal Mille
Thanks to the special ceramic treatment of the rims and the black anodized hubs, spokes and quick releases, the Shamal Mille wheels impress with their great looks. The hub body made of carbon ensures an elegant finish and thanks to the generous flange, lateral rigidity is increased while the weight is lower. Inside the hubs, high-quality ceramic bearings ensure the necessary smooth running. The braking surfaces of the rim are specially treated to reduce braking distance and minimize noise when braking.
In the practical test, we rated the Shamal Mille wheels as very good all-round wheels, which not only made good progress on the flat with the medium-high rim profile, but also provided good propulsion on the mountain with the low weight of only approx. 1430 g. We didn't observe any abnormalities in terms of rigidity either.
The frame – Guerciotti SX50
Guerciotti is an Italian bike manufacturer that can look back on 50 years of company history and has already celebrated victories at the Giro d'Italia. Our test bike from Guerciotti is the SX50 model, a slimmed down version of the top model SHM50, which was used at the 2015 Giro with the CCC Sprandi team. The frame is made of high-strength IMS60 carbon and shows no weaknesses in terms of stiffness when starting up the mountain. The long top tube, together with the relatively short seat tube, results in a high saddle elevation and a decidedly sporty seating position. Comfort lovers will probably not be happy with the Italian racer. The fork forms a unit with the frame thanks to the Integrated Fork System, but revealed glaring weaknesses in terms of stiffness during our test. It only reacted very slowly to quick changes of direction and at high speeds we had to deal with an extremely unpleasant fluttering again and again.
And finally ...
With the new Potenza 11-speed group and the Shamal Mille wheels, Campagnolo offers a solid range for the middle price range and is recommended for individualists who want to stand out from the crowd without having to give up all their savings. The Guerciotti frame makes a good impression, but the built-in fork clearly spoils the overall impression.
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