For The File…

Tariffs, inventory market, blah blah blah…the actual massive information is that Campagnolo is dropping File:

[Because it’s surprising, but also because Record.]

And no, they’re not “dropping a file”…

[The AI’s rendering of “a hip hop artist called Lil’ Campy dropping a new record.”]

They’re really DROPPING RECORD:

That is like IHOP saying that they’ll now not be serving pancakes.

They’ll nonetheless be protecting Tremendous File, and from there it goes right down to Refrain:

As a lot as I like “Spinal Faucet,” I typically make a degree of not referencing the entire “It goes to 11” factor because it’s so grossly overused, particularly in biking the place when 11-speed got here out the massive information was actually “It goes to 11.” Nonetheless, it’s nearly unimaginable not to take action on this case, as a result of what the hell is the purpose of eliminating the identify “File?” If they’ll now not justify providing each File and Tremendous File as a result of there are solely like two folks on the market who nonetheless use Campagnolo parts so having three teams is simply too many, why not simply ditch the Tremendous File identify and make File one of the best?

I notice all that is meaningless and so they’re simply names, however going from Tremendous File to Refrain is like going from 11 to 9. What’s going to they do to fill the hole in customers’ minds? (Sure, each customers.) Are they going to begin providing Tremendous Refrain? It simply doesn’t make sense–although I suppose it’s not as unhealthy as calling a element group “Ekar:”

How may an organization that for many years has given us essentially the most mellifluous names in biking–File…Refrain…Veh-LOH-chay for chrissakes!–go and identify one thing “Ekar?” It appears like this man making an attempt to order an éclair at a bakery after a journey however he can’t as a result of his mouth is frozen:

Now, granted, I’m at present the curator of not one…

…however two Tremendous File-equipped bicycles:

However I’m indignant nonetheless. (Perhaps as a result of I’ll now not get to really feel superior to all of the losers on the market utilizing plain File.)

Talking of unique shifters, now you can get these Growtac built-in friction shifters from Velo Orange:

As a motorcycle nerd I do know I’m supposed to like these. Nonetheless, as I’ve talked about earlier than, I imagine these are an indication that we now have formally reached Peak Friction. Isn’t this only a friction shifter with all of the mechanical simplicity engineered out of it? Let’s take into account the standard-bearer of recent friction shifting:

You may put these just about anyplace…in your downtube, on the ends of your bars, on the tops of your bars, and even in your stem:

[Via Rivendell]

Furthermore, you may pair them with any brake lever you need, out of your classic non-aero gum-hooded pair proper right down to essentially the most trendy, up-to-the-minute, ergonomically subtle choices:

So whereas I definitely suppose the Growtac levers are nifty for what they’re, and that the flexibility to pair built-in shifting with no matter drivetrain parts you need is undeniably cool, I’m undecided that coping with “variously sized spools” is far easier than getting one of many many “regular” built-in shifters already on the market:

As a friction shifter fanatic myself, as a lot as I malign the proprietary nature of recent indexing programs, the reality is that having simply arrange an 11-speed built-in Shimano bike and an 11-speed built-in Campagnolo bike I do know they’re roughly cross-compatible, and I admit that a few of my griping has been overblown. Additionally as a friction shifter fanatic, whereas I do suppose the Growtac levers are cool, I’m afraid I might not take into account a person of them to be a real member of the friction-shifting neighborhood, and so they appear form of like these paddle shifters they placed on automobiles with CVT transmissions. I’m sorry if that offends you, but it surely’s simply the best way I really feel. It’s kind of like using a motorcycle with a triple and calling it a single pace:

Hey, now that it’s really single I will be smug once more:

Not less than till I put the triple again on, which is certain to occur ultimately.