[CR]Campagnolo - The Italian Bully

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From: <Ebbikes@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 23:30:40 EDT
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Campagnolo - The Italian Bully

Dear fellow Campagnolo fans - Well, It had to happen I suppose. After my post the other day announcing I had a few pair (ten total, actually) of the reproduction gum hoods for sale, I got a few inquiries saying they wanted one pair each. Man, am I going to get rich on this scheme! So today I got the call from Richard Storino of Campagnolo USA. "So, I hear you are selling COUNTERFEIT gum hoods." he says. Well, not exactly counterfeit, I said, just a hobbyist making reproductions of an obsolete but necessary part for other hobbyists. That is called counterfeit, he insisted. He said to expect a letter from Campagnolo's lawyers which I assume will be one of those "cease and desist" letters. So I of course told him I would not be selling them any more, blah, blah, blah to cover my butt. I don't need some big-ass NY lawyer breathing down my neck. I didn't know entering the multi-million dollar replacement gum hood business would cause so much trouble. I said, but you don't make them any more, do you? He said no, Campagnolo had made a decision to not make them any more about ten years ago. I asked if he had any idea how many Campagnolo brake sets there are out there that could use them, and he said we can't keep making them forever. I told him I can still buy a brake cylinder for my 1950 VW, how come I can't buy gum hoods for my 1980 Colnago? I don't see why they can't still make them. The technology is still there, and they would keep a lot of good old customers COMING BACK (are you reading this, Richard?). Richard said the main issue is that the maker "didn't ask permission" from Campagnolo to sell them. So I said how about if he asks permission and you just say Yes, you have our permission. Seems like a no brainer to me, and a PR coup for Campagnolo. I mean it is not like this guy is trying to put Campagnolo out of business. He said it wasn't up to him, but up to Campagnolo in Italy. I have been a Campy fan since I drooled over my first all-Campy bike in the 70s, and I still ride almost nothing but, but this issue really fries my nards. They won't make the parts we need, but they don't want anyone else to either. If anyone else feels the same way I do, please put your feelings in writing to Campagnolo. I could not find an email address for them. If anyone has one, maybe you could share that with the list. Here is their snail mail address etc. CAMPAGNOLO USA INC. 2105-L Camino Vida Roble - Carlsbad CA 92009 Phone: +1-760-9310106, Fax: +1-760-9310991

Bob Freeman Going out for a ride on my nice Dura Ace equipped Davidson tomorrow.