# Bring back Silver components



## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Anyone that thinks Silver should be brought back to replace current black/carbon fiber components leave post. We all know alloy can be as light as carbon and in my opinion looks better to. Bring back the legendary silver record hubs, maybe limited edition set Campy. They will sell in boat loads. Decided to post after seeing new Dura Ace, UGLY!!


----------



## Fantino (Jul 30, 2008)

I'll give you an amen on believing silver groupos would sell boatloads. I mean come on, it's not like there are 2010 Centaur groups unsold sitting in bike shops. . . .But then I grew up cycling in the 60s and love the retro.


----------



## Doolab (Feb 13, 2008)

Would you also like to see chrome bumpers and shiny accents brought back to cars as well?


----------



## strathconaman (Jul 3, 2003)

I would spend the extra $50 on ultra-shift athena in silver.


----------



## campagnoloneutron (Sep 15, 2005)

gofast2wheeler said:


> Anyone that thinks Silver should be brought back to replace current black/carbon fiber components leave post. We all know alloy can be as light as carbon and in my opinion looks better to. Bring back the legendary silver record hubs, maybe limited edition set Campy. They will sell in boat loads. Decided to post after seeing new Dura Ace, UGLY!!


As long as we are talking hubs. Silver hubs yes... those pre 2007 Record hubs are awesome. I am actually okay with black hubs too BUT hubs with some distinct shape rather than some nondescript design barrel hubs as present. The visual design rating of the present ones is a great big zero. Technically I like them but the definitive, distinctive shape is what is really missing. A hub shape that gives the manufacturer identity even if there was no name on the product. For me the only Campagnolo ones that still currently retain and have some distinction are the hubs used on the Hyperon and Bora wheels.


----------



## humanbeing (Dec 4, 2009)

I love silver components too.
My steel lugged frame was built with alloy Ultra Shift/Ultra Torque Athena, nice Chorus hubs, Cinelli 1A stem, retro Cinelli bars and a shiny Record seat post. The only fly in the ointment are the carbon levers on brakes and shifters. I can live with that - just.
Cheers,
Peter


----------



## jmoryl (Sep 5, 2004)

With the Athena group it appears that Campy is aware of the appeal, but has gone back into silver in a sort of half-assed way. And I agree, some nice shiny hubs would be great (don't care for those carbon ones above, either).


----------



## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

I like the look of a matte finish carbon bike with blacked out carbon components (a.k.a. murdered out) but if I were to build a retro-looking steel bike I guess I'd want to find retro-looking components or at least polished alloy versions of whatever is new.


----------



## Bill Bikie (Jul 24, 2010)

*Didn't know they went away*

I think silver components would look great on a B on B Dogman or quatro. Sure, bring em back.


----------



## SSRider (Sep 25, 2007)

i just bought some silver athena 11 for my around town build. can't wait to build it up.


----------



## Bill Bikie (Jul 24, 2010)

SSRider said:


> i just bought some silver athena 11 for my around town build. can't wait to build it up.


Silver on that bike will look super. Black components would contrast too much with the frame. When you publish an image of the new build I'll put a copy of that image in my cycling folder.


----------



## Don4 (Jul 29, 2010)

While we are on the topic, the aesthetics of polished components just work with some bikes, while some look better with carbon. When I brought my '83 Trek 560 into the 21st century this winter, I did it with Athena 11, using Chorus shifters, to maintain the look, while radically improving the function.

*Before*

View attachment 258421


*After*

View attachment 258422


----------



## Bill Bikie (Jul 24, 2010)

Don4 said:


> While we are on the topic, the aesthetics of polished components just work with some bikes, while some look better with carbon. When I brought my '83 Trek 560 into the 21st century this winter, I did it with Athena 11, using Chorus shifters, to maintain the look, while radically improving the function.


Very nice. I like to see upgrades of older bike with Campy. The newer bars are definitly more comfortable and encourage more use of the drops by recreational cyclists. The trend is also toward a narrower bar. Aerodymamics trumps the so-called 'expanding the chest for easier breathing' theory.

Nice upgrade, though the frame does look a bit out of proportion in relation to the stem etc. Dam...it's fun to tinker with a bike!:thumbsup:


----------



## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

SSRider said:


> i just bought some silver athena 11 for my around town build. can't wait to build it up.


What hubs are those?


----------



## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

YES! celeste and silver components looks great. black and celeste look good together too, but does celeste ever look bad? looks better with silver, imho.

i tried to get as much alloy as possible for my retro-modern bianchi build, but the used centaur 10 group i found for cheap has the carbon derailleurs and levers. i'd love to trade the parts out for the alloy versions, but fear it'll cost me too much for what amounts to minor aesthetics.

i built my own BHS wheelset using the same silver hubs posted above, and stripped and polished the factory ano'd black kinlin rims to be a nice shiny silver. looks great.


----------



## SSRider (Sep 25, 2007)

bikehubstore hubs. 110 for the set. they feel pretty solid in hand...kinda impressed.


----------



## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Thats what I'm talking about, the Athena group set. Looks awesome. Now if Campy would make Record/Chorus with this option and light weight it would be golden. I agree as well, color of groupo depends on bike it is going on.


----------



## RussellS (Feb 1, 2010)

gofast2wheeler said:


> the Athena groupset. Now if Campy would make Record/Chorus with this option and light weight it would be golden.


I think the lightweight from Record/Chorus comes from the use of carbon fiber, not aluminum. So if you made a Record/Chorus aluminum version, it would be Athena for all intents and purposes. Little difference in the shifter internals.


----------



## BLUE BOY (May 19, 2005)

Have year 2000 Chorus grouppo on a 2007 steel Spectrum. Main objective now, besides riding the bike,
is equipment preservation. I truly feel that I timed the grouppo purchase juust right. Imo it is the finest all alloy grouppo that Campy has ever put on the market.


----------



## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Don4 said:


> While we are on the topic, the aesthetics of polished components just work with some bikes, while some look better with carbon. When I brought my '83 Trek 560 into the 21st century this winter, I did it with Athena 11, using Chorus shifters, to maintain the look, while radically improving the function.
> 
> *Before*
> 
> ...


Please put a quill stem back on that bike.


----------



## Don4 (Jul 29, 2010)

velodog said:


> Please put a quill stem back on that bike.


Sorry, couldn't find one that suited the bars I wanted for this build. At least I located a stem adapter that _tried_ to be something more than functional.

Tell you what, though, velodog, I'll think of you while riding Tour de Cure Indy this weekend with PlatyPius's Team CBC-Rapido Roast.

-- Don4

View attachment 258476


----------



## gravitate (Nov 20, 2004)

I've "stockpiled" 2001-2003 Record and Chorus components in the high polish silver finish. Stuff is absolutely gorgeous and works flawlessly across 9 and 10 spd gruppo ranges. The carbon bits are nice, but enough already... Must be that the price of making carbon components has now dropped below the polished silver finish when made in bulk. I wouldn't be surprised if there are MASSIVE profit margins on carbon parts that offset the lower margins on alloy parts in the lower gruppo ranges. I wouldn't be surprised if all of the carbon bits are now sourced to Asia... Giant is even making Colnago frames these days.


----------



## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

Doolab said:


> Would you also like to see chrome bumpers and shiny accents brought back to cars as well?


Yes, why do you ask?


----------



## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I'd like 28 hole silver Record hubs.


----------



## nick64 (May 29, 2012)

I have a Chorus/Record group from a 2002 Pinarello Galileo which is now retired. Seeing all these beautiful silver components makes me want to revive it on some other frame. That Athena group in particular is gorgeous!


----------



## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I bought a resprayed Merckx frame a couple years ago and was planning to put Ultegra or Dura Ace on it until I saw the stuff. Ugh. I bought a 2010 11-speed Athena group for the bike just because it came in silver. It really looks good on that frame. I even had some custom wheels built using silver White Industires hubs and silver Kinlin 270 rims. 

I'm just so sick of everything being black and carbon. Kudos to Campy for selling a quality group in Silver.


----------



## Sablotny (Aug 15, 2002)

SSRider said:


> i just bought some silver athena 11 for my around town build. can't wait to build it up.


"Like!" 

I definitely think silver should be an option, and was going to mention Athena. Highly polished, clear anodized aluminum is like a gem. When I got my 7800 cranks in 2004, I left them on the coffee table for a week just to fondle and admire them. Why go flat black paint or satin finish? Because its cheaper for the mfr, of course. But it also wears worse - a scratch through black paint is bright, clear anodized can be polished out. 

Shiny is out of fashion for now, but I think it will be back. 'Specially on the road.


----------



## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Lets have our voices heard, Campy please make record or super record in a limited edition silver color with matching hubs. I'll take the weight penalty!!


----------



## bottecchia_eja (Jul 18, 2010)

Salsa_Lover said:


> I'd like 28 hole silver Record hubs.




Me too, but I would settle for 32.


----------



## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

I would spend obscene amounts of money on a special gold edition of Chorus, Record or SR. would be perfect for a black frame, or that really beautiful Colnago Master black/gold frame.


----------



## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Never thought about gold, but hell yea!!


----------



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

gofast2wheeler said:


> Anyone that thinks Silver should be brought back to replace current black/


Definitely. 

Black alloy is cheesy even when a more modern look is appropriate in the same way that laminate floors are. While it looks a little like the carbon fiber it imitates it's just not classy.

After you put some wear on an anodized part you end up with the grey of the underlying metal. With silver it's a subtle defect. With black it's significant.



> Bring back the legendary silver record hubs, maybe limited edition set Campy. They will sell in boat loads. Decided to post after seeing new Dura Ace, UGLY!!


Absolutely. I had to buy my last set used.


----------



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

Doolab said:


> Would you also like to see chrome bumpers and shiny accents brought back to cars as well?


My Audi left the factory with chrome trim around the grille and windows. It looks classy.


----------



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

Fantino said:


> I'll give you an amen on believing silver groupos would sell boatloads. I mean come on, it's not like there are 2010 Centaur groups unsold sitting in bike shops. . . .But then I grew up cycling in the 60s and love the retro.


I wonder about how many Campagnolo component sales are to existing Campagnolo owners whose parts last a _long_ time (it took me 16 years to wear out a rear derailleur, my right shifter would still be going strong if Campagnolo had not discontinued first generation ergo small parts, and my 1996 hubs are barely broken in) versus newer riders upgrading or getting into cycling as the next golf.

How that breaks down probably affects what they can sell.


----------

