Jerome wrote:
"As to Miche, I have one pair of Miche hubs, and they roll very nicely indeed. I think Miche is an example of a lesser known Italian component
maker turning out very good quality without the high prices associated with the more famous Campy stuff. I think there are (or at least were) a lot of very good Italian componets by other manufacturers which get overshadowed by the fame of Campy."
Miche is one of the two companies that stemmed from the Michelin family bicycle business (the last name is not pronounced like the tire manufacturer. It is pronounced Me-kay-leen). The other company is Ciclo Piave. Both still exist to this day and are located between Conegliano and Ponte della Priula in the province of Treviso. When living in Treviso, I visited them both. Ciclo Piave continue to make some beautiful lugged steel bikes to this day. Miche, by the admission of the company owners was long known to be a lower quality, lower price point supplier, at least one level below Ofmega and the like. Recently they have successfully concentrated on a number of niche markets including track componentry and componentry for children's racing bikes. They have also brought out the Super Type gruppo which is also quite a bit higher up on the quality totem pole. To say that they brought out "very good quality" in the CR period would however be a major exaggeration, that even the Miche owners would not be comfortable with. I believe they would be much more happy to be known as a supplier of fairly valued components.
Steven Maasland Moorestown, NJ
PS: I unashamedly ride Miche pedals on my 2005 Colnago.