Originally Posted by
Atlas Shrugged
So I think we have a consensus. Rather than focus on beating the competition by building a superior product with the latest tech, it seems Campagnolo should go back to the days of yore with shiny silver mechanical legacy-style components, performance be damned. Go old school marketing as well, spreading the word with the bike shop gossip boys telling stories of the old days, pay off the popular legacy cycling magazines and sponsor the local seniors club. Find some old Volvos or vintage Citroën vans, and support the various Eroica rides, and it should do the trick.
They will need to be quick about it, as the new target market demographics are not in their favour, and they are probably the least-spending, cheapest segment of cycling enthusiasts. It seems a bit of luck might be needed as well.
(bold above) If they can do that, by all means.
Or is this like when Microsoft, behind in mobile devices, acquired the mobile devices subsidiary of Nokia for 5.4 billion Euros in April 2014, which went nowhere because Apple and Android were both miles ahead, resulting in Microsoft, only a year later in 2015, taking a USD$7.8 billion dollar write-down on the purchase and laying off 7800 related employees. They would have been much better by spending that massive amount of money (or a whole lot less) by trying to grow-their-own.
Campy doesn't sound that stupid. I don't expect them to try to buy another maker to solve this. They will work internally to make something better.
So the question is, can Campagnolo put out something superior to Shimano and SRAM, at a market competitive price, and with bike makers on board to use those products? And do so at a time of declining sales of non-electric bikes as a whole?
When Campy was more diversified in product, that would really help in development dollars. But it appears to me that Campy is now all bike parts.
I think they have the technical design and development capability.
I think the tougher question may be relationships with manufacturers, where they have lost market share.
What has Shimano and/or SRAM done negative with bike makers, that might allow an opportunity for Campy trying harder?
I know a lower volume maker like Bike Friday, I think I read somewhere here, doesn't use Shimano and SRAM because they are so small that they are treated as retail. Recent years, my perception is that with worldwide availability on the web, the bike world has an increasing number of boutique makers, like early 20th century; Can Campagnolo do a better job in meeting requirements of those many small makers?
I have not a clue. There's others on here that clearly know Campagnolo and the bike market better; I look forward to hearing their thoughts.