[CR]Now:Campagnolo curved QRs Was:Stronglight crank questions

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 13:06:33 -0800
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
References: <20020117143338.66903.qmail@web10901.mail.yahoo.com>
Subject: [CR]Now:Campagnolo curved QRs Was:Stronglight crank questions

Tom Dalton wrote:
>
> (cut)
> It is interesting to consider some of the Campy bits that
> are somewhat rare, but do not command the high prices
> of their more abundant predocessors. In particular,
> some of the early Post-CPSC parts seem to be less
> abundant than the pre-CPSC versions, but too few
> people are aware of the existance of these parts to
> support a seller's market. For example, the post-CPSC
> four hole front derailleurs, and the first version of
> the curved QR are not very common items, but flat
> cages and flat QR's are the more sought-after
> features.

The curved QR handle is interesting. There are three curved versions. One, a totally new forging with different graphics made in 1978 for the C.P.S.C. changes and the other two: a radically curved QR lever (made from the original straight QR lever) for track bikes shown in the 1967 Catalog #15, and the other, a gentler curved lever, also made from the original straight QR lever, but additionally stamped "LOCKED" and "UNLOCKED."

I have found two of the curved QR levers stamped "LOCKED" and "UNLOCKED" on two bikes that had a second set of wheels made with clinchers, in other words not the OEM sew-up wheels that the bikes were sold with. The strange part is that each bike had one of the curved QR old style stamped "LOCKED / UNLOCKED" and one of the newer graphics curved QR lever, so the QRs didn't match (same configuration on two different used bikes I bought).

My assumption is that sometime after the change in 1978 to the new graphics, Campagnolo modified the remaining straight QR levers to curved ones and stamped them with "LOCKED / UNLOCKED" and put mismatched QR levers in the boxed set of hubs. So far I haven't see a bike with matched QR levers of this style.

Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, Southern California
http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, T-shirts and Campagnolo Timeline)