We are living in the disposable era, where each new product makes previous products obsolete. And even if they aren't obsolete, the science of marketing has conditioned us to believe "New stuff good, old stuff bad." In Campy's heyday, bikes and components were meant to last, a bike was product which could give you a decade or more of use. A bike made in 1960 was not that much less different than a bike made in 1980. To Campy's credit, though they were expensive, they tried to give you what you paid for. Top quality materials, fit, finish, and workmanship, and many of their components which have seen half a century of use look in better condition than modern Shimano and SRAM look after half a season (all of my bikes are fitted with Shimano and SRAM components).

What Campy are experiencing now is representative of the bike industry as a whole. Shimano and SRAM are also suffering from tough times, with both companies earning net losses this year. As of September, Shimano saw operating profit fall by two-thirds over 2024, which itself was not a great year.