Counting Down to 80 Years

Campagnolo has started a countdown clock web site for their 80th Anniversary. Check it out ... and mark your calendar for early Monday ...

 

Ride Photos 2-22-13

Today's ride took us from St Helena to Jimtown. Couldn't have asked for better weather or a nicer ride. Mount of choice today: my Campy-equipped Rivendell.

More photos here: Ride Photos 2-22-13

Lee Mitchell Needs Our Support

Lee Mitchell, who has supported thousands of riders on California's ultra cycling circuit, is fighting cancer.

Now, he needs our support.

Join Lee's California Triple Crown Fan Club Page and let him know how many friends he has in the cycling community.

Cards and letters of support can be sent to:

Lee Mitchell

26 Clark Ct.

Woodland, CA 95776

Lee has helped Campy Only out of a tight spot or two over the years. He's a great guy, and he has our best wishes for a successful recovery.

Campagnolo to Release 80th Anniversary Gruppo

Campagnolo is releasing an 80th Anniversary Gruppo to mark the anniversary of the company's founding in 1933. Here's a photo ... plenty more photos and info here. No pricing info yet, and no word on how many will be released.

Reflecting the company's expansion in recent years into wheelsets, there will also be official 80th Anniversary wheels.  We here at Campy Only are pleased to note that this gruppo relies on tried-and-true cable-actuated shifting.

True Campy fans will recall the release of the 50th Anniversary gruppo. Learn more about that iconic groupset here.

Building Up a Merckx

Reader Dan S, whose email address hails from Iowa, is getting ready to build up a classic Merckx.

Nice.

More From Our Friends At l'Académie Mars Madness Photographie

Check out what's happening over at the Davis Bike Club's "March Madness Photo Contest" blog:

http://marsmadnessphotographie2013.blogspot.com/2013/02/un-film-pour-le-club.html 

L'Alpina: Classic Cycling in Italy

Fans of classic Campy, this is your event: L'Alpina

Two days of vintage cycling in Italy, July 6 and 7. Wow!

Check it out at www.alpinavintage.it/bike/en

FS: Campy-equipped Santana Tandem

Update: This tandem has been sold. We are selling our Santana Arriva tandem--a fantastic machine handmade at the original Santana workshop in Claremont, CA. Fillet-brazed by hand (not Tig-welded as they are now).  Purchased from Santana's home shop, the (now closed) Bud's Bike Shop in Claremont.

The photos speak for themselves:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/campyonlyguy/sets/72157632736391821/show/

A few details:

• Fillet-brazed frame of custom-drawn Columbus tubing
• Front: 54cm C-T, Rear: 51cm, C-T
• Investment-cast cro-moly fork crown
• Special Santana bottom brackets with eccentric front
• Campagnolo 7-speed Record Ergo levers
• Sugino cranksets
• Arai drum brake, actuated by Suntour bar-end shifter (for use as a drag brake on long downhills)
• Handbuilt 48-spoke wheels
• Sealed bearing, high-flange hubs
• Includes seats, rack, and rack trunk
• Pedals not included
• Original Santana-branded stoker bars included, if you want them

This tandem has been used, but very little. The last time it was on the road before taking these photos was about three years ago :-(  It needs a home where it will be ridden and appreciated.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Asking $1,000, and local pickup in the Sacramento, CA, area is preferred (although I will be happy to pack and ship it for the cost of shipping).

Email for info: campyonlyguy [at] me [dotcom]

No News Is ... Campagnolo?

Ever notice how little news there is about Campagnolo? We have.

Campagnolo the Restaurant?

For instance, a quick Google search for new about "Campagnolo" this morning found a few stories, but  four of the top five hits (including #s 1-4) weren't about Campagnolo the bicycle company at all. It wasn't until hit #5 that Campagnolo showed up at all, and only then because a broken Campagnolo derailleur was mentioned in a story. None of the articles on the first page of Google's listings were actually "news" from the company.

ShimaNO, by comparison, shows up much more frequently. All ten of the top ten items were about ShimaNO the bicycle company, and four of those stories dealt with ShimaNO's products.

What's the deal with Campagnolo and the news? The company is famously controlling regarding its image, but we wonder why they don't put out a little more effort to spread the word about their products.

Your thoughts on this? Please let us know in the comments.

Nicoletti Update

We're finding out a little more about the classic Nicoletti bicycle we acquired over the weekend.

Alfredo Nicoletti, son of the man who built the bicycle, was kind enough to respond to our email seeking information about the bicycle:

Buonasera.

I'm Alfredo Nicoletti, excuse my terrible english.

The story of this bike (the first and the second) and the American student you know is correct, I remember it very well, my father made, I was 7 or 8!

The frame is out size (the boy was quite tall), year is 1960 or 1959, you are right: front wheel is not original and pedals and bell too, but it is a great bike.

I stopped building bikes two years ago, now I restore vintage bikes and collect Campagnolo parts, if you were in Italy I should be happy to set non original parts but I think it is complicated.

If you want to know something else about this bike ask me: I'll be happy to answer.

Ciao,

Alfredo

Nicoletti Bicycle (Campy-Equipped!)

Nicoletti Bicycle, a set on Flickr.

Photos of a 1960-ish Italian Nicoletti bicycle that I acquired over the weekend at a bike swap in Sacramento. These photos show the benefits of a few hours of cleaning and polishing. The bike will look even better when I have a little more time to spend on it.

I took some photos of a few of the details on the frame that show the care that went into this bike, reportedly made to order at the shop in Verona for an American student who was studying in Italy. (In fact, according to the seller, who got this bike in the early 1990s, the original owner ordered *two* of these--the first was stolen; this is the second). From the beautiful cutout lugs to the internal brake cable and wiring to the seat cluster, there is a lot of very nice handwork to be seen.

Lots of Nicoletti-branded items: fenders, rear hub, crankset ... even the original leather seat bag (with the original multi-tool and tire levers still inside!).

Shifting is handled by a Campagnolo Velox derailleur, operated by a single-lever shifter on the down tube.

The only non-original parts, according to the seller, are the front wheel (the original had been lost when he got the bike) and the seatpost (and probably the tires). Everything else appears to be as it was when the bike was delivered to the original owner. Update: The pedals are also not original. The second owner (who I purchased the bike from) said the original pedals were falling apart and needed to be replaced. Also, according to the Nicoletti shop, the original rear mech was a Campagnolo Sport; the Velox had to have been added later, since it was introduced in 1971.

The bike rides quite nicely--a fast, regal ride with an upright posture. I'll enjoy riding this around town!

Today's Bike: Straight Outa Italy!

Campy Only friend (and sponsor) Larry T of Cycle Italia sends this photo of a Campagnolo-equipped 20th Anniversary Torelli in Sicily (which is kinda sorta Italy). Loving the green-white-red color scheme!

And yes, you could be having the same fun in Italy--check out Cycle Italia's web site for more info on their cyclist-oriented tours.

New Classic Steel for the Campy Only Stable

More photos coming soon, but for now here's a quick photo of our latest bike: a custom-built Nicoletti from the early 1960s. Shifting is via a classic Campagnolo Velox rear derailleur. Tons of very nice details on the bike--a real gem of a town bike.

Classic Nicoletti Town Bike

Nano Brake Light: Hey! I'm Stopping!

Here's a great little product for anyone who rides in a paceline and wants to give the rider behind them a little notice that they're slowing or stopping--without having to shout out, "Hey, I'm Slowing Down!"

You can buy the Nano online at www.RivetCycleworks.com for $8.25

 

'Round the Mountain from Suisun 2-2-13

'Round the Mountain from Suisun 2-2-13, a set on Flickr.

Photos from today's ride, including a poignant WWI memorial in Fairfield. Enjoy.