In a time when change in cycling comes fast and furious, and everything new is the greatest ever, those who are thoughtful enough to take the long view, and factor in history as well as the future, often find themselves moving closer to Campagnolo. While the company may not be the fastest to market, no one can doubt the Italian manufacturer's commitment to developing technology and meticulously bringing it to the market built for the long term. In other words, always look deeper than the flash and gimmickry. The Record label in Campagnolo designates pro-level cycling equipment and the redesigned 4-arm asymmetric carbon Record Crankset should never be dismissed nor taken for granted.

This third generation 11-speed crankset was developed to handle the load and stress of everyday professional cycling, whether the shifting is powered by lever throw and cable, or the electronic button push of the EPS system. You can actually see the focus on stiffness and power transfer when you take in the muscular sleekness of the carbon drive arm and spider, as well as through the sculpted aluminum chainrings. Campagnolo produces a 651 gram (50-34m 170mm) crankset (with bearings) using incredible hollow crankarm and spider design using their own Ultra-Hollow construction process, which allows the designers to maximize areas of strength and torque deflection while removing excess material is under-stressed areas. The power gained travels through the steel Ultra-Torque hollow axle design, with it's center coupling system that balances pressure from the pedals without energy loss. The Record Crankset rides on Campagnolo's Ultra Smooth Ceramic Bearings, which reduce friction and save weight.

The incredibly stiff chainrings are machined from the aluminum allow and engineered using the X.P.S.S. (eXtreme Performance Shifting System) optimization. The teeth of each size ring have been designed to match the chain profile perfectly and catch or release from the ring in up or down shifts with as little friction or hesitation as possible. Upshifts have been made more precise by eight pins in every crank revolution that align specifically with the paired inner ring, as the different circumferences change the ideal pick-up points. The black anodized finish adds to the overall durability, as well as fighting corrosive elements and protecting the aluminum alloy from scratches. Campagnolo is using the arms of the spider as the chainring mounting location, with two distinct asymmetric bolt circle diameters (BCD's) for each ring, which truly ensures less potential for flex or movement. The outer BCD is 146mm (Campagnolo tech documents indicate 145), while the inner is 112mm. The chainring pairs (50-34, 52-36, and 53-39) are optimized to shift together, so they cannot be mixed and matched effectively, despite the same BCD's.

While the look and emotional effect of the Campagnolo Record Crankset can be stunning, the real adrenaline rush comes with the performance. Working in full cooperation and engineering of the Record Ultra-Shift ErgoPower or EPS shift levers, front and rear derailleurs, and the always overlooked but never failing Record chain, the Record Crankset delivers the shifting performance, power transfer and overall efficiency that top pro cyclists demand out of their bikes very day. If you demand and appreciate the same, no matter what level you aspire to, choose Campagnolo Record.