The wheelset of your gravel bike can make a huge difference to the feel of your ride. But how do you choose the right gravel wheelset for you?
Different types of gravel wheelsets excel at different things. Gravel biking is such a wide discipline that two gravel wheelsets could be very different from one another and should be used for different types of riding.
If you’re in the market for a bike, Italian bike brands are some of the best around.
Italy is well-known for exceptional quality bike manufacturing, especially for road bikes. There is an endless list of quality Italian brands that you can go to for both vintage and modern bikes.
Campagnolo Wheelset Guide: Title Image
Campagnolo’s road groupset hierarchy: Super Record Wireless (top, 12-speed wireless electronic, ~$5,000), Record (premium, 12-speed wired electronic), Chorus (mid-premium, 12-speed mechanical), Centaur (entry-performance, 11-speed mechanical), and Veloce (now discontinued). Italian-made, distinct lever shape (a separate thumb lever for downshifts), and a cult following — but more expensive than equivalent Shimano. The oldest and most iconic … Read more
Campagnolo is renowned for its high-quality bike components. Their flagship groupset – the Campagnolo Super Record EPS – is no different. Campagnolo is the oldest and (arguably) most prestigious bike component manufacturer, famed for its beautiful Italian aesthetics and outstanding engineering. However, they come at a hefty price tag. Campagnolo Super Record EPS is the … Read more
Vintage Bianchi road bikes — the iconic Italian celeste-green steel frames from the 1960s through 1990s — are among the most collectible vintage road bikes. The most coveted models are the Reparto Corse (race-team frames), the Specialissima (lightweight pro racer), and the X4 (Grand Tour heritage). 1970s–80s celeste Bianchis with Campagnolo Super Record now sell … Read more
Accompanying the explosion of gravel bikes in the past few years, the component manufacturing giants have all released specific gravel bike groupsets. Over the past decade, gravel bikes have become exceedingly popular. It fits a need for a versatile bike that performs well on the road and off-road. Initially, they used road bike groupsets, but … Read more
An integral part of your machine, the bicycle groupset refers to all of the components that allow you to propel yourself forwards and bring yourself to a stop. Whether you’re new to cycling or a two-wheel fanatic, it may not be obvious exactly how your bike works. The parts that comprise the drivetrain and the … Read more
Electronic bike shifters use a battery and motors to move the derailleurs instead of cables. Shimano Di2, SRAM AXS, and Campagnolo EPS are the three systems. Benefits: shifts are faster and more consistent, multi-shifts are easier, and there’s no cable stretch over time. Drawbacks: cost (typically $500–1,500+ premium), batteries to charge, and a small risk … Read more
A quick-release skewer is the lever-and-rod mechanism that holds a bicycle wheel in the dropouts — you flip the lever open to remove the wheel and close it to clamp it tight. Modern bikes increasingly use thru-axles instead (a bolt-on system that’s stiffer and more secure), but quick-release is still standard on road bikes under … Read more