Davis Bike Club 300K Brevet, 3-23-13

Davis Bike Club 300K Brevet, 3-23-13, a set on Flickr.

Today's ride photos, from the early miles of the DBC's 300K brevet to the top of Cobb Mountain.

Yesterday's Ride Through Napa Valley History

We took our Campy-equipped Benotto out yesterday for a great ride up and down the Napa Valley. Here are the photos: Ride to Calistoga, 3-16-13 - a set on Flickr

Check out the ruins of the Chiles Grist Mill (circa 1841), a seldom-seen part of Napa's history.

Richard Sachs on eBay

For those who share our love of Richard Sachs' work, here are a couple of items currently on eBay:

Richard Sachs track frame (pretty rare; he doesn't make many of these)

Complete Richard Sachs bike from the classic era (full Campy Record, of course!)

Have fun bidding--the track frame's price seems a little steep; the complete bike looks like a good buy.

Our Latest Video

You've seen our photos from the 2013 Death Valley Spring Double Century ... Now, watch the video!



To see the video directly on YouTube, click here.

FS from the Campy Only Bicycle Art Collection

We're selling an item from the Campy Only Collection: Cycles Gladiator Canvas Art Poster Vintage Bicycle Excellent Condition

Check it out--the eBay listing just went live. Bid, or use the handy Buy It Now.

Nicoletti Update: The Sport Derailleur

Readers of this blog will know that we recently purchased an Italian "Nicoletti" bicycle originally built in 1959 or 1960 (according to the builder's son). The bicycle was mostly complete--only a few pieces were not original to the bike.

One of those pieces was the Campagnolo "Velox" derailleur which, while being somewhat unusual, dated to about a decade after the Nicoletti was built. We inquired with the Nicoletti shop (still in business in Verona), and they responded that the Velox was, indeed, not original. The bike's original derailleur, they said, would have been a Campagnolo Sport.

So ... off we went to eBay in search of a Sport, eventually finding a very nice example from an international seller in Rome, Italy. After a few weeks' wait for our package to arrive, we were finally in possession of a true Campagnolo anachronism--a rear derailleur with a single pulley.

We installed the Sport today, in the process returning the Nicoletti to a condition ever closer its original state.

Amazingly, despite having only one pulley, the derailleur shifts reasonably well. The lack of an articulated two-pulley cage severely limits the derailleur's ability to handle wide ranges in cog teeth--the markings on the back suggest a limit of 16 to 22 teeth (the Regina freewheel on our Nicoletti is a four-speed, with 15t and 22t small and large cogs).

More photos of the bike with the Sport installed are available after the break. A video is coming soon.

Dean's Guarini

Reader Dean L. sent this photo of his almost-Campy-only Guarini (brakes and pedals are Gipiemme). Nisi rims built up on Campy hubs round out a very nice bike.

9 1/2 Hours to Go ...

Who's going to stay up until 3 a.m. (here on the West Coast) to see what happens when the timer ticks over at the Campagnolo 80th Anniversary countdown site?

2013 Death Valley Double Century

2013 Death Valley Double Century, a set on Flickr.

Your Campyonlyguy was there for the 2013 Spring version of the Death Valley Double Century, held on March 2. Here are my photos--watch for a video coming soon.