Campagnolo Super Record S Review: Wireless Performance at a Premium Price

Introduction

The Campagnolo Super Record S is a special edition wireless groupset that sits one step below the flagship Super Record WRL, and Campagnolo presents it as carrying the same technologies and performance in a slightly more attainable package. It brings a new matte black finish, a wider spread of gear options, a crankset built from solid rather than hollow carbon, and fully wireless derailleurs and shifters.

Running it also means committing to the Campagnolo ecosystem. Wheels such as the brand’s carbon, deep-section tubeless options need a Campagnolo-specific freehub, and the brakes call for Campagnolo-specific service tools.

At around £3,526 the groupset is still a serious outlay, and the details matter far more at this price than almost anywhere else in the market. This guide covers what the Super Record S does well, where it asks for patience, and the checks worth making before ordering.

What the Super Record S Brings to the Table

Campagnolo positions the Super Record S as delivering the same technologies and performance as Super Record WRL, its top-of-the-range wireless groupset. The differences are largely in materials and finish rather than function: the new matte black look, a wider range of gear options, and a crankset made from solid rather than hollow carbon, which adds a little weight in exchange for a simpler construction.

The hood shape is designed with racing in mind. It allows a position where the wrist rests across the top of the hood while the hand grips the front, making it easy to settle into a narrow, aerodynamic posture on long straight sections.

Wireless control covers both derailleurs and both levers, and the layout stays close to what riders already expect from a modern electronic groupset, with the option to reconfigure it substantially if the default arrangement does not suit your hands. The levers themselves are easy to reach from the drops, where both buttons can be clicked without much effort.

Who This Groupset Is For

This is componentry for riders who appreciate the finer things in cycling. It is undeniably a beautiful looking product, and there is a long history of Italian componentry being paired with Italian bike brands, even if those pairings are less rigid than they once were.

It also makes practical sense for a particular kind of long-term Campagnolo owner: someone who has ridden the brand for years, wants the same freehub standard across a whole wheel collection, and already owns the bottom bracket tools that Campagnolo requires.

Beyond that, it is a performance-oriented groupset. A bike racer or anyone chasing timed efforts will not be doing themselves a disservice by fitting it, because the shifting behaves exactly as you would expect from a top-tier electronic system.

Main Strengths: Shifting, Customisation and Braking

Shifting is relatively fast and relatively crisp. When you press a button, the gear changes in the direction you expect, and the system settles quickly rather than hunting for the next sprocket. That predictability is the core of the experience and it holds up well.

Braking is very powerful. The lever feel is on the softer side rather than sharp and on-off, which gives plenty of modulation and lets a rider ease into braking progressively instead of meeting an abrupt bite point.

Customisation is where the Super Record S goes further than most. The small thumb buttons on the inside of the levers are programmable, and the outer shifters can be reconfigured to work like SRAM, with the right paddle dedicated to shifting down the cassette and the left dedicated to shifting up, while the front derailleur is controlled by either thumb button. That arrangement solves the reach problem for riders who struggle with the default layout.

Multi-shift behaviour is adjustable too. You can change how many gears are shifted when a button is held, how quickly the shifts are delivered, and the delay between pressing and holding and the multi-shift beginning. It is a genuinely deep set of options, and it is good to see them exposed rather than buried.

Weight and Build Notes

On the scales, the crankset comes in at 748 g with the bearings already fitted to the arms. The front derailleur with its battery is 166 g, the rear derailleur with its battery is 310 g, both shifters with hoses are 518 g, and both calipers add 239 g. The chain sits between roughly 200 g and 230 g depending on length, and the cassette is 229 g.

That adds up to a total of 2,428 g for the complete groupset as measured. It is worth noting what is not in the box: there is no power meter, which is something other groupsets in a similar price bracket have offered. Not every rider wants or needs one, but it is a consideration when weighing up the value.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The price is the first thing to sit with. At £3,526 the Super Record S is cheaper than the previous Super Record, and it is still an extremely expensive groupset. It does not include a power meter, and at this level the competition is stiff.

Ergonomics deserve a test ride if you can get one. From the hoods, where most riding happens, the bottom button sits quite far away and can be awkward for riders with smaller hands. The programmable thumb buttons and the alternative SRAM-style mapping largely solve that, but it is worth confirming before you commit.

The front derailleur body is also physically large. For riders with shorter legs or a particular calf position, it can contact the leg through the pedal stroke, which forces either an adjusted pedalling style or constant rubbing. This will not affect everyone, but it is the kind of detail that only shows up once the bike is built.

Setup is another area that rewards patience. Configuring the groupset involves sequences of button holds, indicator colours and software updates, and working through the combinations takes real time. Campagnolo-specific bleed kits are required for brake service as well, and relatively few shops currently work with the brand, so finding local support is worth checking in advance.

Compatibility and Installation Notes

Brake caliper fitment is the part to get right before ordering. The caliper is designed for either a 160 mm or a 140 mm rotor, but the mount is built into the caliper itself rather than handled by a swappable adapter. Frames and forks that require a 140 mm caliper to run a 160 mm rotor, as some aero frames and forks do, cannot simply be adapted the way they can with other major systems, because there is no adapter to flip.

In practice, that means one build that looked straightforward on paper turned out to be impossible without changing the frame. The lesson is simple: be certain the groupset is fully compatible with your frame and fork before buying, and confirm that the specific parts you need are actually in stock, since availability of individual components can be limited.

Buying Advice

Judged purely as a purchase, the Super Record S sits against SRAM Red and Shimano Dura-Ace on price rather than against the tier below, so those are the natural comparisons if you are shopping in this bracket.

Buy it if you already run Campagnolo, want to keep one freehub standard across your wheels, own the specific tools, and value the way the groupset looks and shifts. The wireless shifting is quick and crisp, the customisation is unusually deep, and the rotors remain among the most distinctive in cycling.

Look elsewhere if you want the most performance per pound, need a power meter included, or want easy access to local service. On value, the Super Record S is a hard case to make, even though it is a lovely thing to own.

Conclusion

The Campagnolo Super Record S is an undeniably beautiful groupset that performs well in the areas that matter most. Shifting is fast and predictable, braking is powerful with strong modulation, and the configurability of the levers is genuinely impressive.

What holds it back is the relationship between what it costs and how premium it feels in the hand and on the bike. At £3,526, without a power meter, with a complex setup routine, limited shop support and fitment quirks to navigate, it is a purchase that rewards careful research rather than impulse. Buyers who already live in the Campagnolo ecosystem and know exactly what they are getting will be well served. Everyone else should compare carefully first.