[CR]Campagnolo early years (Timeline rev.)

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

Date: Mon, 01 Jul 2002 14:32:08 -0700
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: Classic Rendezvous <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <00ef01c21fd8$0bdc9e40$a8102d44@mtlrel01.nj.comcast.net>
Subject: [CR]Campagnolo early years (Timeline rev.)

Does anyone have any new additional info on the following? --Chuck Schmidt

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CAMPAGNOLO TIMELINE (Updated: 7/1/02)

1901 -- August 26th. Gentullio (Tullio) Campagnolo is born.

1922 -- Tullio Campagnolo begins his amateur racing career that lasts until 1930.

1924 -- November 4, Tullio Campagnolo's frozen hands can't loosen the wingnuts of his wheel to flip it over to a different sprocket during the Gran Premio della Vittoria race across snowy Croce d'Aune Pass. "Bisogna cambriĆ” qualcossa de drio." ("Something needs to be changed in the rear.") He vows to invent a product that will eliminate this problem - the creation of the quick release hub begins.

1930 -- February 8th, the quick release hub is patented, the first of more than 135 patents for Tullio Campagnolo.

1933 -- After fabricating parts in the backroom of his father's hardware store, Tullio starts Campagnolo, S.p.A with the production of the quick release hub. The sliding hub, dual rod operated, back pedal derailleur (cambio prototype) is patented on May 4th and introduced in August. The pieces of the derailleur are all handmade requiring a massive investment of time and labor.

1935 -- Cambio Bacchetta (translation: rod changer) is the name used for sliding hub, dual rod operated, back pedal derailleur.

1940 -- Tullio Campagnolo hires his first fulltime employee, Enrico Piccolo.

1946 -- The Cambio Corsa (translation: racing changer) is the new name for sliding hub, dual rod operated, back pedal derailleur; referred to in Italian as the "dua leve" (two lever) when the single lever racing changer is introduced in 1949. Two versions are available: the short lever Corsa (leve corte), and the long lever Sport (leve lunghe). The quick release nut is the original rounded screw-head type.

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