Campagnolo Super Record 13: With this groupset, introduced in the summer of 2025, the Italian manufacturer continues its tradition of being the first to offer an additional sprocket. The compromise between overall range and gear spacing is thus finally eliminated, but the SR 13 has much more to offer: a new lever shape, the return of the thumb shifter, and a visually improved, flawlessly functioning wireless shifting system. After 3.000 kilometers, it's time for an initial assessment.
Mechanical and electronic shifting systems have coexisted since 2008, but the balance is shifting. Shimano now only offers one high-end mechanical road bike groupset, the 105 2x12; SRAM has completely abandoned the topic: the American company currently only has one mechanical gravel groupset with 1x12 gears in its lineup, the Apex. And new manufacturers like TRP aren't even considering cable-operated systems anymore.
Campagnolo, on the other hand, has remained true to mechanical systems to this day: In addition to the Ekar gravel groupset introduced in 2021, mechanical groupsets are still available at the "Super Record" and Chorus levels. At the same time, the manufacturer now restricts its electronic shifting system, first introduced in 2011, to the absolute top segment – several years ago, the Campagnolo EPS was also available at the Chorus and even Athena levels. Meanwhile, the competition has largely phased out its electronic shifting systems and established them in the lower mid-range, where Campagnolo is practically no longer present.
Campagnolo Super Record 13: Flagship of a new model generation
Campagnolo has now unveiled the new Super Record 13, which, according to the latest Product launches from Vicenza The flagship of a complete range of groupsets for road, all-road, and gravel bikes. On the market since summer 2025, the 2x13 groupset is the successor to a rather short-lived 2x12 setup that experimentally dispensed with the typical thumb shifter but was extremely expensive. The new groupset is, of course, wireless like its predecessor, features an additional cog, and has improved in so many areas that it can truly be considered a new groupset. And pretty much the only criticism one can level at the latest, definitive version of Campagnolo's electronic groupset is that it remains reserved for the absolute top tier.
Campagnolo Super Record 13: the basics
- Price: 4.300 euros without / 5.647 euros with power meter
- 2x13 gears, four sprocket sets and seven chainring combinations to choose from
- Completely wireless radio control with additional buttons on the handle body
- New lever ergonomics and return to the classic thumb button
- Excellent functionality, lightweight, unique appearance
- Various detailed improvements
How did the new Campagnolo groupset perform in our 3.000-kilometer long-term test? Our Velomotion test rider, with 40 years of Campagnolo experience and nearly ten years of EPS, has a wealth of knowledge about the Italian components – and a clear opinion on the new groupset, which can be summed up as "Super!" Of course, we can go into more detail.
The fact that Campagnolo has returned to the thumb-operated shifter after a short-lived model generation, and given it a new, optimized shape, is a welcome relief. On the mechanical version of the Ergopower levers, the button is used to release the rear derailleur and shift to the smaller chainring or sprocket. The electronic system, however, has no fixed function for the buttons and the shift paddle behind the brake lever. The functions can be customized via an app, with the default setting corresponding to the mechanical function – and our tester didn't want to change that, especially since he already owns a gravel bike and a winter road bike with mechanical Campagnolo components.
New levers with optimized shape
Compared to both this and the previous Campagnolo EPS, the significantly optimized shape of the levers is immediately noticeable: they are slimmer and longer, making them easier to grip for riders with larger hands and offering excellent overall ergonomics. The upper knob is more rounded and sits comfortably in the hand, especially from a modern aero position with horizontally positioned forearms. Meanwhile, the thumb button is shorter and has been moved slightly downwards – this eliminates accidental activation with the ball of the thumb, and the button remains easily accessible from the drops. The shape and pressure point are perfectly executed.
This isn't entirely true for the new additional buttons used to operate the gears or a bike computer. The round button is located quite high up on the inside of the grip and was repeatedly accidentally touched by the Velomotion tester, resulting in an unintended gear shift each time. The solution was to deactivate the buttons via the app.
Poorly implemented additional button
Campagnolo could improve this aspect; however, the shifting function itself is flawless. The new rear derailleur shifts smoothly onto the larger sprockets; during sharp upshifts, the derailleur "clicks" like a sports car, with the chain immediately engaging the teeth of the sprocket. The fact that there's one more cog on the cassette doesn't affect the system's precision in the slightest. The front derailleur's performance has improved significantly compared to the previous version: Over the 3.000 kilometers of testing, the chain never once came off, either to the inside or the outside.
The carbon crankset of the groupset has undergone a visual redesign. The bridges, which connect two of the four arms of the spider, have lost their extensions and appear more compact; the "Super Record" logo now does without the red accent. Wait a minute – haven't we seen this crankset somewhere before? That's right, on the Campagnolo Super Record Wireless S, which was introduced at the end of 2024 as a slightly more affordable version (MSRP €3.991) of the top-of-the-line 2x12 groupset. This groupset (without the thumb shifter), which is still listed on the Campagnolo website, already previewed some features of the new Super Record 13, such as additional gear ratios.
The SR 2x13 crankset is lighter than the "S" model thanks to its hollow crank arms; the Italians have also worked on the internal components. The two halves of the crank axle, connected by a Hirth spline, are now bolted together from the left, allowing the use of a right-hand threaded bolt. Campagnolo has also made changes to the bearing cups: the cotter pin that axially aligns the crankset is now located on the left side instead of behind the chainring.
Wide gear range with four cassettes and seven chainring combinations
The gear range of the new groupset is noteworthy. The Campagnolo Super Record 13 is available with a full seven chainring combinations: 45/29, 48/32, 50/34, 52/36, 53/39, 54/39, and 55/39. In addition, there are four cassette options: 10-29, 10-33, 11-32, and 11-36. With the latter two, the Italians avoid the current debate surrounding the UCI's gearing restrictions, which SRAM recently had to contend with.
The 10-29 cassette, with its nine sprockets spaced in single-tooth increments, is extremely closely spaced; together with the smallest chainring combination, this results in a fairly long top gear and a 1:1 ratio. The test bike was equipped with the 48/32 combination, along with the 10-33 cassette, which still offers seven sprockets in single-tooth increments. The highest gear, 48-10, corresponds to the classic 53-11, but our test rider found it too short in some situations – demonstrating that the Pinarello Dogma F, fitted with the Campagnolo groupset, is an extremely fast bike. Overall, the 13th sprocket proves its worth: with these cassettes, there's definitely no need to compromise between overall range and fine-tuned gear ratios.
A sleek derailleur with a new look
The rear derailleur, which operates the 13 chainrings, has changed significantly compared to its predecessor. It appears graceful and somewhat intricately designed; the tester described it as having a "cult skeleton look," reminiscent of the legendary lightweight rim brakes. Typical of Campagnolo is the velvety surface of the carbon injection-molded components. The derailleur seems to protrude less laterally; the battery is practically invisible, hidden at the back of the derailleur. Removing it is rather complicated – but also entirely unnecessary. The batteries of the rear and front derailleurs don't need to be removed for charging; the magnetic charging connector finds its way to the socket automatically, and after a good half hour, the batteries are fully charged. The manufacturer's claim – 750 km on a single charge – was fully confirmed in the long-term test. And the fact that Campagnolo apparently had to design two different batteries for patent reasons is of little concern to the user.
The fact that you don't need a charging cradle and can't forget to charge the batteries on the bike is certainly a small advantage of the new Campagnolo groupset, which has otherwise caught up with the competition. It has the advantage over the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 of being completely wireless, and over the SRAM Red AXS of having an additional sprocket and more chainring combinations. It's on par with the latter in terms of weight, and also in price: Campagnolo charges €4.300 for the complete groupset without a power meter, which is the same price as the SRAM Red and a few hundred euros more expensive than the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2. The old Super Record 2x12 Wireless without a thumb shifter, on the other hand, was listed at €5200.
Waiting for the Campagnolo Chorus 13
In the top class, the verdict on the Campagnolo Super Record 13 after 3.000 kilometers is: "Absolutely perfect!" But in the mid-range, the Vicenza-based manufacturer urgently needs to catch up. Even the currently most affordable mechanical disc groupset, the Chorus 2x12, costs more than the entry-level electronic groupsets from the competition. These entry-level groups are a mainstay in the product lines of Shimano and SRAM: they ensure high sales volumes and are also attractive to more affluent customers who want to build an affordable second bike or don't want to invest too much in a gravel bike used in winter.
When will the Italians finally return to a pricing strategy that offers broad growth opportunities? Then Campagnolo could finally reclaim the market position that the traditional company has earned anew with its current innovations.
