campag gran turismo rear derr

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
Post Reply
beltonjohn
Posts: 8
Joined: 9 Dec 2009, 5:59am

campag gran turismo rear derr

Post by beltonjohn »

just interested to know if there is a market for things like this?
WOOLIFERKINS
Posts: 134
Joined: 11 Apr 2008, 10:39pm
Location: Oxon

Re: campag gran turismo rear derr

Post by WOOLIFERKINS »

Some of our cousins across the pond have a ridiculous money no object joy for Campag kit. Seen very non special kit go for daft money on Ebay
Neil
Cyclenut
Posts: 314
Joined: 3 Jul 2007, 9:44am

Re: campag gran turismo rear derr

Post by Cyclenut »

Well... it looks like Mike Sweatman doesn't have one yet in his "disraeli gears" collection. Although from the title of the section in which it belongs: "Campagnolo - touring with terror", I somehow don't think he'll be parting with a whole lot of money in order to fill the vacancy!

If you put it on Ebay you'll need to take a photo of it. Maybe you could send him that. Then he'll have an opportunity to expand upon how "the buttonhole flower of the made in Italy bicycle industry" (I'm quoting form an old Campag press release I keep and treasure) have proved consistently unable to understand or cater for those who do not wish cycle "agonistically".

I knew someone who bought one of those - probably on the strength of the name. It was one of the worst shifting rear mechs ever made. The only circumstances in which it would deliver bottom gear is if he was going downhill already - when it would just as likely send the chain into the spokes instead. Uphill, pedalling slow, when push came to shove, it would rather back away from the task and content itself with letting the chain rattle ineffectually against the teeth of the next larger sprocket.

It was also very weak. So if you were lucky it fell apart pretty soon and you could buy something by SunTour for a fraction the price, that shifted about 100 times better.

Campag's much later attempt, the Rally, was hardly an improvement - except in terms of durability. You could be certain that it would shift just as badly in ten years time as it did the first day you fitted it! The Rally was also probably the heaviest mech ever made. But I digress.
Chris Juden (at home and not asleep)
ChrisButch
Posts: 1202
Joined: 24 Feb 2009, 12:10pm

Re: campag gran turismo rear derr

Post by ChrisButch »

CJ wrote:
Campag's much later attempt, the Rally, was hardly an improvement - except in terms of durability. You could be certain that it would shift just as badly in ten years time as it did the first day you fitted it! The Rally was also probably the heaviest mech ever made. But I digress.

I had Campag Rally gears both on my Jack Taylor single and our Bob Jackson tandem for about 15 years from about 1975 until about 1990. This was the original version of the Rally - Campag subsequently made a cheaper, redesigned version. At the time I thought it was the bee's knees, and I have to say it never gave any trouble - and certainly wasn't hard to shift, on either bike. It never occurred to me, either, that it was unduly heavy. So quite a shock after all this time to read such a comprehensive put-down!
Post Reply