Not many brands in the cycling industry can boast the history and racing achievements quite like Campagnolo. Think about it, many of its inventions were born out of necessity. Tullio Campagnolo is responsible for creating the first quick-release lever as his hands were so frozen in a race, he couldn't undo the wingnuts holding his wheel in the dropouts to repair a flat. He's later credited with bringing adjustable gear ratios to bikes with a rod-operated derailleur that morphed into the now ubiquitous cable-pull parallelogram derailleur. And while the firm might not be the first these days with the newest/latest innovative product, it instead relies on a heavy amount of testing and racing to guide production, ensuring that when the product does reach the market, it will be ready to go with all of the bugs worked out. Case in point is the Record 12 Ergopower Hydraulic Lever and Disc Brake Caliper. Campy provides the shifting internals that's the benchmark of form and function, however, it reached out to the German braking experts at Magura to provide a safe and reliable hydraulic system. We wholeheartedly believe that the future of road braking is in hydraulic discs and the Italian brand agrees with its claims of increased stopping power and modulation over rim calipers. What really impresses us with these new 12-speed brake/shifter combos is how Campy was able to retain its excellent ergonomics and aesthetics. The hoods are almost indistinguishable from its non-hydraulic brother, only gaining a few millimeters in height in order to accommodate the hydraulic reservoir. If anything, that extra height only serves to further increase hand security which is a boon in the rain, over bumpy roads, or if you left the gloves at home. The shifting is Campagnolo's much-lauded Ergopower system, proven over a number of years in World Tour arenas. Campagnolo turned to Magura for brake consultation helping to design the master cylinder, caliper, and hydraulic system. The other...