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| The Racing Bicycle Comes Of Age 1939-1953 |
The mystique of Campagnolo began on a snow covered pass called the
Croce d'Aune, where a young amateur among the leaders of the race
stopped to remove his rear wheel for a gear shift. In the falling snow
the wingnuts froze in place, the young racer's hands too numb to force
them free. His race lost, he uttered the words "Bisogno cambiá
qualcossa de drio!" "Something must change in the rear!" Three years
later, the quick release lever was patented by that young racer, Tullio
Campagnolo. It was soon followed by a rear derailleur utilizing a
sliding hub and dual rod changers, later to be named the Cambio Corsa
Croce d'Aune, where a young amateur among the leaders of the race
stopped to remove his rear wheel for a gear shift. In the falling snow
the wingnuts froze in place, the young racer's hands too numb to force
them free. His race lost, he uttered the words "Bisogno cambiá
qualcossa de drio!" "Something must change in the rear!" Three years
later, the quick release lever was patented by that young racer, Tullio
Campagnolo. It was soon followed by a rear derailleur utilizing a
sliding hub and dual rod changers, later to be named the Cambio Corsa
| Gino Bartali shifting the Campagnolo Cambio Corsa during his 1948 Tour de France win |
Campagnolo Cambio Corsa
| Competing with Campagnolo's Cambio Corsa was the Simplex derailleurs of Lucien Juy. Using tension pulleys, cables, plunger springs, and pull chains, the derailleurs did find many supporters in the ranks of the profesional bicycle racers |
| Paul Maye wins the 1945 Paris-Roubaix with a Simplex derailleur |
| Simplex pull chain derailleur |
| 1947 Tour de France winner Jean Robic using a Simplex rear derailleur |
Fausto Coppi was paid a considerable
sum to switch from Campagnolo's
Cambio Corsa to Simplex derailleurs.
Coppi went on to win the 1947 Tour de
France using Simplex equipment. He
would go back to using Campagnolo
equipment to win the 1950 Paris
-Roubaix. With no pulleys, the Cambio
Corsa was unaffected by mud which can
be abundant in the race known as "The
Hell of the North"
sum to switch from Campagnolo's
Cambio Corsa to Simplex derailleurs.
Coppi went on to win the 1947 Tour de
France using Simplex equipment. He
would go back to using Campagnolo
equipment to win the 1950 Paris
-Roubaix. With no pulleys, the Cambio
Corsa was unaffected by mud which can
be abundant in the race known as "The
Hell of the North"
| Campagnolo's Paris-Roubaix derailleur |
Admirers of Fausto Coppi's Bianchi in
the 1949 Paris-Roubaix
the 1949 Paris-Roubaix
| Two of the legends of the era, Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi |
Fausto Coppi on his way to victory in
the 1950 Paris-Roubaix using the
Campagnolo derailleur that would be
renamed to commemorate his win.
the 1950 Paris-Roubaix using the
Campagnolo derailleur that would be
renamed to commemorate his win.
| In velodromes such as the Vigorelli in Milan and the Vel d'Hiv in Paris , the only competition was on the track. Campagnolo hubs along with Cinelli handlebars and stems reigned supreme. |
Vigorelli
Vel d"Hiv
| The entrance of Campagnolo's new derailleur, the Gran Sport, marks the beginning of a new era just as the retirement of Gino Bartali signals the end of the old. |
Bartali hangs it up
