Back Side of the CampyOnlyGuy

For your Thursday viewing pleasure--the CampyOnlyGuy leaving the Lake Hennesey rest stop on last weekend's Knoxville double century.



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Shameless Plug for the CampyOnlyGuy

Mind if we make a shameless plug for ourselves? Well, here goes ...

The past weekend, your CampyOnlyGuy completed his third double century of 2010, an achievement that keeps us in the lead in total finishes in the California Triple Crown double century series. With the completion of this year's CTC (an annual challenge that requires a rider to finish at least 3 double centuries in the CTC series), the CampyOnlyGuy remains the only rider to finish the event in each of the 21 years since its inception. (And, of course, every one of those doubles has been done on a Campy-equipped bike!)

To see a complete listing of top all-time finishers in the CTC series, click here. You'll see Eric Norris, the CampyOnlyGuy, there at the top.

August 2011: Would Campagnolo Rather Be In Italy or Anaheim?

Valentino Campagnolo

Bike Europe reports today on chat at Interbike about the upcoming switch to an August date for the trade show, which has been held in September for a number of years.

Valentino Campagnolo, the seldom-heard-from head of the company (and son of founder Tullio Campagnolo) spoke on the record about the new dates:

Others were more indifferent about the new schedule. “Regardless if the show takes place in August, we will be here”, said Valentino Campagnolo. “The timing is no problem for us regarding new products.” He admitted August is holiday season in Italy making it more difficult to recruit staff for the booth, “but we follow the market and if the market wants us here in August, we will be here.”

Read the full article here.

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Sharp-Eyed Reader

Can you find the problem that sharp-eyed reader Mark found in this photo from our Retro Bike Gallery?




(Answer: The brake pad holders are installed backwards. The open end of the holder is supposed to point toward the back of the bike.)

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Campy-Equipped Double Century

The Campy Only Rivendell, ready to ride 200 miles.

Your CampyOnlyGuy rode the Knoxville Double Century this weekend--204 miles, 12,000 feet of climbing, temps in the mid-90s.  Photos here.

Completing the Knoxville DC meant that the C-O Guy has now been an official finisher in the California Triple Crown every year that is has been offered (21 years so far)--the only rider to do so.

Campagnolo Al Fresco

Rodd Wagner of Branford Bike (a Campy Only sponsor) sends this photo of BB shop manager Doug at the outdoor Campagnolo display at Interbike in Las Vegas. Rodd reports good attendance at the annual trade show.



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Campagnolo at Interbike: BikeRadar Reports on Super Record and More

Here's a report from BikeRadar on what Campagnolo is showing at Interbike.  They're reporting that Super Record is lighter than ever, among other news.

Tülio Coming for 2011

We asked Pedros about the availability of their upcoming Tülio multi tool (scroll down for our original post) and received the following reply:

We are working diligently to get the Tulio and Tutto to market. Due to unexpected manufacturing issues this has taken longer than expected but we are committed to releasing only the highest quality products and will only make Tulio and Tutto available when all issues have been resolved. The best estimate at this stage would be see availability in early 2011.

We'll let you know as soon as we're able to get our hands on a Tülio.

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VeloNews Reports on the 2011 Lineup

VeloNews' Lennard Zinn took a look at the 2011 Campagnolo lineup and explains it all in an article published online today.



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Photo from Last Night's Campy-Equipped Ride

Taken while riding my Campy-equipped fixie near Davis, CA:


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Wherefor Art Thou, Tülio?

Some months ago, we reported on a pending new project from the folks at Pedros, the "Tülio" multi-tool. It looked cool--a multi-tool built into a quick-release lever (thus the clever tie-in with Tullio Campagnolo, inventor of the quick release).

Alas, the Tülio, despite being listed on Pedros web site as "New for 2010," remains AWOL. A quick check of several online retailers found Tülio, but listed him as being out of stock.

When Tülio is in stock, you can expect to pay about $35-40. We'll let you know when he finally turns up. Update: See our Sept. 22 blog entry.






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Branford Bike's "Bike of the Month"

This nice Colnago was selected by the folks at Branford Bike (a Campy Only sponsor) as their Bike of the Month. Check out their web site for details on how to enter their monthly contest--winner gets a free T-shirt.


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Campy Gets Dirty ... and Cross

Campagnolo hasn't re-entered the mountain bike market it abandoned almost two decades ago ... but it's getting closer with the announcement of several new items specifically for the cyclocross market.

Online mag BikeRadar.com today published an article and photos of new cranksets and wheelsets designed for the dirty and punishing world of cyclocross.

The cranksets (to be offered in 11-speed) are based on the new, less expensive Power Torque system, which uses a one-piece bottom bracket axle in place of the more complicated, two-piece Ultra Torque setup. Seals are said to be 'cross-specific (meaning, it would seem, that they're designed to keep mud out). The chainrings also have special ramps and pins to ease shifting under load.

As shown in the photo below, they'll have a "CX" designation.
"CX" wheels bearing the Scirocco, Vento, and Khamsin names round out the cyclocross offering. All offer 'cross-specific features such as improved seals.
We'll publish more details when we have them.

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Tahoe Epic Photos

Three riders turned out for a very challenging weekend of riding from the Sacramento area to Lake Tahoe and back this past weekend. Photos (including shots of our Campy-equipped Rivendell Road) are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176895@N03/sets/72157624947289984/

Route information (we used the same route out and back for this version of the Epic, rather than taking a slightly easier route back on Day Two) is here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/167347

Coming the Weekend: Campy-Equipped Epic Ride

The CampyOnlyGuy and two friends will be riding from Davis, CA, to Stateline, NV, and back this weekend--a 250-mile ride that includes some 14,000 feet of climbing on Day One.

Here's the Plan:

Day One: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/167347

Day Two: http://www.ridewithgps.com/routes/167366

Watch for blog posts from the ride.

Photo below is from the Tahoe Epic of 2003--Ron Lew rides into the parking lot at Carson Pass, the penultimate major summit of the Day One route.

Campy Only!

Don't forget to visit our flagship website, www.campyonly.com, celebrating 15 years on the web!

Today's Bike: Bianchi Ducati

Reader Dave, from Pittsburgh, PA, sent these photos of his Bianchi Ducati 900R, equipped with a mix of Record and Super Record 11-speed. It runs on Campy Zonda wheels.

Searching for Campy Only

Google has deployed an update to their search engine that suggests top searches as you type. Here's what we got when we typed in "Campy" and a space ... (try it yourself!)

Must be a lot of Campy fans out there looking for us!

Official 2011 Info Online

Head on over to the official Campagnolo web site to find the 2011 catalogs and technical info.

Then see how it compares with the rumors we posted back in July.

Thanks to reader Dana E for the tip!

Book Review: "Come and Gone"

One of an occasional series of book reviews by the CampyOnlyGuy, offered for those times when we aren't all riding our Campy-equipped mounts.

Like all other professional sports, professional cycling has its glamour events (the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Spring Classics) and its stars (Armstrong, Leipheimer, Cancellara), all of whom shine brightly as they traverse the roads of the world.

But behind those bright lights, like the unseen foundations that support a great skyscraper, are legions of cyclists who also make a living on their bicycles but who attract far less attention, fame, ... and money.

Author Joe Parkin was one of those cyclists in the 1990s, racing in both Europe and the US and achieving a fair amount of fame. His latest book, Come and Gone (Velo Press), picks up where his first book, A Dog In a Hat, left off, which Parkin's return to the US after a reasonably successful racing career in Europe.

The story of Parkin's US cycling career, which veers from road cycling to mountain biking, makes for fast-paced and enlightening read that offers a glimpse into the real life of the professional cyclist.

Here, for instance, is Parkin, a fully accredited professional cyclist in 1993, earning a whopping $6,000 as a cyclist and working in a carpentry shop to make ends meet, driving to races and staying in economy motels. It's a tale of no-frills cycling that should be read by anyone thinking of making a living on their bike--not a cautionary tale, but rather a honest and often humorous story that simply tells it like it is.

Come and Gone moves quickly, alternating between tales of Parkin's everyday life, his training rides, his hunt for a spot on a professional team, and blow-by-blow descriptions of some of his key races. It's fast-paced and fun, and you'll find yourself quickly drawn in and rooting for Joe.

You may also find yourself (as we did) pausing to Google Parkin's name to learn more about him and his almost Zelig-like existence in the professional ranks in the US. While he was a successful racer, competing on teams as large as the famous Coors Light squad, he will be the first to admit that he is no Lance Armstrong, and if you weren't a die-hard fan of cycling in the 1990s you probably won't remember him. Example: The book includes a podium photo of Parkin at a race in Helen, Georgia, that shows him between Tinker Juarez and John Tomac, both racers who went on to far greater fame (even though Parking bested Tomac that day).

Come and Gone is available through VeloPress and at local bookstores and bike shops. Information from VeloPress (and a PDF download of the first chapter) are available here

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Today's Ride: Foothill Frolic

We mounted our Campy-equipped Rivendell for a quick ride in the Sierra Foothills this afternoon, riding from Plymouth to Fiddletown (two historic Gold Rush-era towns).

More photos here.

Titanium and Campagnolo

Titanium frames and components are commonplace today, but just a few decades ago they were quite rare and very expensive. Campagnolo was one of the first component makers to use titanium, eager to exploit the metal's high strength-to-weight ratio. The Super Record rear derailleur moved on titanium pivots, and the company offered pedals (SL) with a titanium axle.

One other item, a titanium bottom bracket spindle, was also offered, but as the excerpt from a recent VeloNews article on Laurent Fignon shows, the material was not always the right choice:

Knowing the roads well, Fignon made a strong solo break and he was seen by the television audience heading for victory when he suddenly fell. The crash was caused by the titanium axle on his Campagnolo Record chainset snapping in two — the “new” material was not used again for such a force-sensitive component.

One of the problems with Campagnolo's early titanium parts was that they were made of pure titanium, which can be brittle and break easily. Modern Ti parts and frames are made of titanium alloys which mix in other metals (such as aluminum and vanadium) to add strength.

Classic Campy Colnagno

Classic bikes don't get much better than Samu L's Colnago Arabesque. From the Super Record gruppo to the toe clips to the Colnago pantographing, this is truly a classic machine.



More photos here

Thanks to Samu for sending us these photos from his home in Finland.

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Gran Turismo

Another view of the Gran Turismo:


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