Re: [CR] Dating Campagnolo Brake Calipers

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Falck)

Date: Wed, 6 May 2009 13:51:10 -0700
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
To: <jeff-arg@bizwi.rr.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, Peter & Monique <pjrogers@rogers.com>
In-Reply-To: <78D9690F7D274126BFE8E31278124750@peter>
Subject: Re: [CR] Dating Campagnolo Brake Calipers


According to Chuck Schmidt's Campy timeline, the Campy Record SP brakes, later called Nuovo Record, at least unofficially, were introduced in 1968. The "No Name" brakes have been said to have been made only a year or two, perhaps 1968 and 1969, although since bike manufacturers were often working from inventory, the brakes could easily have appeared on 1970 model bikes or maybe even 1971. These brakes are therefore now pretty rare and command high prices on eBay.

In regard to the earlier discussion about Rally RD's, Chuck's timeline says the Rally was introduced on 1974. What surprises me at reading this again is that it says the Gran Tourismo RD was only introduced in 1970, where as I thought it was in the mid 60's. This means the Gran Trashmo had a mercifully short tenure as perhaps the heaviest single cable RD ever made. It also means the Gran Tourismo appeared on the touring Paramounts for perhaps as little as 3 years, 1970, 1971 and 1972. I believe that by 1973 the touring Paramount changed to the Shimano Crane GS, rebadged as Schwinn Approved GT 3000 or some such. So even Schwinn, who were never fans of superlight equipment, evidently were unimpressed with the Gran Tourismo. And while the first generation Rally was an excellent RD and infinitely better than the Gran Tourismo, so was the Crane GS, which was the same fundamantal design, i.e. Horizonal Parallelogram, sprung upper pivot. So if Campy had introduced the Rally a year or two earlier, Schwinn might have speced it rather than the Crane on the touring Paramount, and Campy might have at least slowed what would be a rapid growth in Shimano's business with Schwinn.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA


--- On Wed, 5/6/09, Peter & Monique wrote:


> From: Peter & Monique <pjrogers@rogers.com>

\r?\n> Subject: Re: [CR] Dating Campagnolo Brake Calipers

\r?\n> To: jeff-arg@bizwi.rr.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

\r?\n> Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 1:52 PM

\r?\n> Dear Jeff and Other Contributors to this thread.

\r?\n> I have always wanted to know how to date Campag brakes and

\r?\n> the information provided is invaluable.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Having read Jeff's email, I now remember seeing campag

\r?\n> brakes with no markings on the calipers.

\r?\n> There is a set of these on Ebay right now and the price is

\r?\n> well over $300.00 already.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> What an incredible mine of information we have on this

\r?\n> mailing list!

\r?\n>

\r?\n> All the best,

\r?\n> Peter Rogers

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Barrie, Ontario

\r?\n>

\r?\n> ----- Original Message ----- From:

\r?\n> <jeff-arg@bizwi.rr.com>

\r?\n> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>

\r?\n> Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 1:22 PM

\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Dating Campagnolo Brake Calipers

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> This is off the top of my head, so y'all chime in and

\r?\n> correct/add where appropriate:

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I think the first calipers came out in about 1969 and had

\r?\n> no script. In about 1971 the block lettering began. Early

\r?\n> bolts were engraved with the Brev. vs. Patent. Early quick

\r?\n> releases were flat. This continued to about 1978 when the

\r?\n> domed QR's came out. I think this is when the Patent

\r?\n> stamp replaced the Brev. stamp on pivot bolts. Early brake

\r?\n> shoes were chromed steel with no plastic on the guides. In

\r?\n> about 1978 or so, the chromed steel continued for Nuovo

\r?\n> Record brake calipers, but now with plastic coated guides.

\r?\n> At this time, Super Record calipers were differntiated and

\r?\n> used alloy brake shoe holders with plastic coated guides

\r?\n> instead of the chromed steel used on Nuovo Record. In

\r?\n> approximately 1984, subsequent to the introduction of the

\r?\n> 50th group in 1983, the script lettered thicker-profile

\r?\n> style calipers came into general use. These used a

\r?\n> different domed nut on the pivot bolt and also used an allen

\r?\n> head rather than 8mm hex for the cable pinch bolt. I think

\r?\n> first year of the Cobaltos was '85??

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Jeff Pyzyk

\r?\n> Milwaukee, WI