Road Cycling - Question for Campy owners...

I was reading through some reviews of the different Campy gruppos (on roadbikereview.com) and read that brakes don't have a release lever (like Shimano). I went to the Campy website and saw the attached pic.

Just wondering how much of an inconvenience this is (if any). Is a lot of force required to get the tire through the pads when taking the wheel off? Even after moving the lever on my Shimano brakes, a little force (a nudge, really) is needed to get my tire through the pads.

Just curious... :confused:

Thanks for your insight!
:beer:

Oops... here's the pic.

The Campy brakes do have a release lever located on the brake levers just past the hoods. It's a little pin that easily gets pushed in one direction. If you look closely, you can see this in the pin in the picture.

Ahhh, question answered! Thanks for the info! This forum rocks!

The advantage of the Campy system is that if you forget to tighten the cable release system, you still have full braking power, its just that the brake lever sticks out more. With Shimano, the brakes dont work.

MY Shimano RX-100 brakes still work if I forget to close the quick release.
I have to move the lever more, and I DO lose a little braking power, but they stop the bike.

Originally posted by ChipRGW
MY Shimano RX-100 brakes still work if I forget to close the quick release.
I have to move the lever more, and I DO lose a little braking power, but they stop the bike.

indeed, the brakes normally are still able to be used, but there is some grab power that is lost (probably is dangerous) :)

I use 700x23 tires and don't bother to release the brakes on my 2001 Record Ergo levers. The tires fit right through very easily. Both in and out. I am sure if I did release I would forget to reset, so safer this way.

Originally posted by ohsfan
Oops... here's the pic.

Nice looking gruppo.

Originally posted by MichaelW
The advantage of the Campy system is that if you forget to tighten the cable release system, you still have full braking power, its just that the brake lever sticks out more.

Well, that and you can quickly push the set-pin back in with your hands on the brake hoods and levers as you ride and not miss a beat...

ok let me jump on this thread for a question about campy... do you think i'll benifit from using a campy chain??

Originally posted by Arsbars
ok let me jump on this thread for a question about campy... do you think i'll benifit from using a campy chain??

No, but Campagnolo will! Let me go cut and paste in a reply I recently posted to a similar thread:


Originally posted by jmlee
Word on the street in Bonn is that a Wippermann chain is better than the Campy chain--at least with respect to durability.

"Actually, Wippermann is better with respect to:

1. Durabilty
2. Smoothness
3. Quietness
4. Connex System vs Perma-Link
5. Cost

Campy had good chains when Rohloff made Campy's chains. Since deciding to produce them in-house (if you will), there's been little reason to recommend them as they are over-priced and don't perform any better than far less expensive chains from SRAM and for the 10 speed models Wippermann. The Wippermann is the best thing to happen to Campy 10 speed. Don't even think twice about which chain to buy if you're outfitting your bike with Campy 10 speed."

Huh, I have heard many people comment that the Campy 10spd chain is quieter then the Wipperman. I use a SS Wipperman and havn't yet tried a Campy one so I don't know first hand. The Connex link is sure nice to use though. I might try a Record chain witha Connex link next, just for comparissons sake.