After attending the launch in March, Australian tech editor Matt Wikstrom updates his report with the results of long-term testing.Built with Campagnolos Veloce 10 speed groupset and kitted out with a compact chainset, the Milanino provides you with an extremely comfortable ride and enjoyable ride and thanks to the classic, yet stylish look of this machine, is a bike to be admired. The all aluminium 11-speed groupset features some trickle-down technology from CampagnoloвЂ™s racing groupsets and has been designed to compete directly with ShimanoвЂ™s Ultegra groupset. DonвЂ™t take the entry level title as an understatement.Campagnolo Centaur 11 Groupset 2x11 Campagnolo Groupset - Veloce, made in Campagnolo Veloce 9 Speed Groupset Campagnolo road bike groupsets Campagnolo Xenon.Campagnolo has replaced its Athena groupset with Potenza. Campagnolo makes a lot of top level groupsets but Veloce is the entry level groupset. The Veloce groupset might not be the worldвЂ™s fastest groupset but itвЂ™s not too shabby either. The first Campagnolo groupset I ever rode was a Veloce, so I say it with a little prejudice.

Campagnolo created an all-alloy version of its new four-bolt crankset for the Potenza groupset. ItвЂ™s a move clearly designed to compete with Shimano and SRAM and it should broaden the appeal of the groupset. This includes CampagnoloвЂ™s new four-arm crank design and rear derailleur geometry along with major refinements to the front derailleur and chainrings.One other major refinement is the introduction of an 11-32T cassette, for the first time, to CampagnoloвЂ™s catalogue. From the outset, Potenza was conceived as a newly designed groupset that could take advantage of some of the technology that was introduced with the companyвЂ™s recent overhaul of its racing groupsets.

Something old, something newAt face value, PotenzaвЂ™s Ergopower levers resemble current Athena levers with the same alloy blades and EPS-inspired thumb button. The plates are made from aluminium while the limit screws have been moved from the outer plate to the rear of the upper body. Buyers that want to use a 32T rear cog will need the medium cage version, while the short cage will continue to suit cog sizes up to 29T.The front derailleur is constructed from steel (cage) and aluminium while the rear derailleur makes use of a вЂњlightweight technopolymerвЂќ for the upper and lower bodies. According to the company, this technology increases power transfer while reducing the wear-rate of the transmission.There are two versions of the Potenza rear derailleur. The cage is now positioned a little further behind the seat tube in order to contend with the chain angle associated with the new 32T rear cog.The geometry of the Potenza rear derailleur features CampagnoloвЂ™s вЂњembrace technologyвЂќ that provides extra chain wrap for the rear cogs. The design of the steel cage also adds to the performance of the derailleur in the form of strategic contours that are designed to guide the chain during up- and down-shifts.The front derailleur cage has been widened compared to previous designs in order to eliminate the noise associated with cross-chaining and the need for trimming while using the big ring.

The upshift lever offers multiple upshifts (up to three gears) while the thumb button is limited to a single downshift every time it is pressed. The thumb button must be released and pressed again to return the derailleur to its lowest position.By contrast, the function of the right-hand shift lever and thumb button remains unchanged. The upshift now comprises three clicks вЂ” the first two provide trim positions for the small chainrings while the third completes the shift to the big ring.There is no trim function for the big chainring so the pressing the thumb button returns the derailleur to the second or first trim position for the small ring (depending on how far it is pushed). In addition, a larger index bushing with new shifting sequence has been added to the left hand lever that has trickled down from CampagnoloвЂ™s racing groupsets.This shifting sequence makes the most of the new front derailleur design to provide a 50% increase in the precision of upshifting when compared to the outgoing Athena design.

The new design allows owners to fit compact (50/34T), semi-compact (52/36T), and standard (53/39T) chainrings to the same crankset. Updating the transmissionPotenzaвЂ™s 11-speed transmission is built around a new forged aluminium crankset with hollow arms that the uses same four-arm spider design as Chorus, Record and Super Record cranks. Thus, buyers will no longer have to seek out Campagnolo-specific pads when it is time to replace them. First, there is new brake pad compound that offers better all-weather performance, and second, the carriers now adopt the same design as Shimano/SRAM. Also unchanged is the quick-release mechanism, which resides in the lever (as a sliding button).There have been two changes to the brake pads though.

As for the chain, Potenza will use a Chorus 11-speed chain. Five combinations will be on offer (11-25, 11-27, 11-29, 11-32 and 12-27) and all but 11-32 are compatible with CampagnoloвЂ™s other 11-speed groupsets. Potenza uses CampagnoloвЂ™s Power Torque bottom bracket design but now the left crank arm is self-extracting.The cassettes that have been developed for the Potenza groupset wonвЂ™t wear the same name, but will be referred to as вЂњCampagnolo 11вЂќ cassettes. A single tool (14mm allen key) is all that is required to install (and remove) the new crankset. The right-hand bearing is mounted on the steel axle of the crank while the left hand bearing is fitted to the cup. ItвЂ™s a welcome addition to the Power Torque design, which is now referred to as Power Torque Plus.As a Power Torque crank, Potenza is compatible with all of CampagnoloвЂ™s exisiting Power Torque bottom bracket cups that suit a variety of formats (BSA threaded, ITA threaded, BB86, BB30, BB30A, PF30, BB386).

Out on the roadCampagnolo had a fleet of Sarto Asola bikes fitted with Potenza on hand to give all of the journalists at the press camp a chance to experience the new groupset. By contrast, SRAMвЂ™s Force groupset stands out as the most expensive mid-range groupset on the market today. Be that as it may, CampagnoloвЂ™s pricing premium is not as great as initially thought, amounting to less than 10% over the cost of Ultegra. Now that the groupset has been on the market for a little while, some online retailers are now selling the groupset for as low as AUD$801/в‚¬669/$US612 (though options are limited at this price).Budget-minded buyers will already know that Ultegra can be bought for less, and thatвЂ™s unlikely to ever change given the volume of ShimanoвЂ™s production.

Good, even great, but not quite in the same league as CampagnoloвЂ™s current racing groupsets. Braking too, was familiar, combining CampagnoloвЂ™s gentle braking curve with the force of dual-pivot calipers to provide plenty of grab on the rims when needed.Given the nature of the terrain, I didnвЂ™t perform many changes for the front chainrings, but my impression was that it was quick, quiet and efficient. The shifting action was light with clearly defined clicks that could be felt and heard. Potenza offers an option for an 11-32 cassette in combination with a mid-cage rear derailleur.My first impressions had Potenza pegged as a sound performer that offers buyers many of the hallmarks that distinguish CampagnoloвЂ™s more expensive racing groupsets. Needless to say, the 32T rear cog was embraced during those moments. This road started with a very gentle slope that increased gradually, such that some of the final ramps offered short pitches that exceeded 20%.

Campagnolo Veloce Groupset