With the launch of a new Ekar groupset from Campagnolo, a €1,500, alloy, cable-actuated set, it yet again has me wondering where the brand is heading. The general direction for Campagnolo has been erratic in recent years. There is now no WorldTour presence for what was once the most storied component brand out there, and besides this new Ekar (the affordability of which is up for debate), the lion’s share of new releases from the Italian componentry brand have been at the very high end.
In the words of Davide Campagnolo, grandson of founder Tullio, it’s aiming to become a ‘sports luxury’ brand, which is fine as a business model, but to my mind it makes a lot more sense for Gucci, where couture items on the catwalk sell belts and handbags on the high street, than it does for bicycle components.
