Campagnolo Super Record 11 D Skeleton Brake Calipers

Product Descriptions

Backcountry Description: There's little question that Campagnolo's Skeleton design was a nail in the coffin of companies like Zero Gravity. That a forged brake set can be nearly as light and much stronger and far more durable than a machined brake set takes away just about all of the advantages that the ultra-light machined brake sets offered. Now that Campagnolo has updated the Super Record 11 D Skeleton Brake Calipers with new shoes and pads, they've put a shot across the bow of all those who are depending on the Shimano/SRAM standard as well. If you don't recall, the D stands for Differential, as in the front brake is a dual-pivot design whereas the back is a single-pivot. This reduces braking power in the rear, where it's not really needed, and makes the brake a bit lighter and simpler as well.They have re-designed the brake shoes and the brake pads and call attention to this festival of newness by updating the graphics. A quick look tells you that the shape of the brake shoe is different -- you can see it from all the relieved and skeletonized aluminum and by the new shape of the wheel guides on the bottom. What's harder to see is that this new design also incorporates a safety tab to prevent the blocks from accidentally falling out. The tab is in the back half of the shoe and is released with a little leverage from a small, common screwdriver.The new shoe also calls for a new pad. Campagnolo's new pads are designed to be a more complete all-weather compound that wears less on the rim and wears down more slowly.Otherwise, this is largely the same second-generation forged skeleton design that is about strength and ease of use as much as it's about lightness. Its strength is due to the fact that nothing on this brake is machined. The ball-bearing pivots and snappy spring give them a nice feel from the lever, and the lightness is a result of the skeleton design as well as a full complement of titanium bolts, nuts, and hardware.