Re: [CR]Campagnolo "Mexico"

(Example: Racing:Roger de Vlaeminck)

From: <OROBOYZ@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 13:39:33 EDT
Subject: Re: [CR]Campagnolo "Mexico"
To: mbikealive@dslextreme.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


In a message dated 6/12/2002 1:13:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time, mbikealive@dslextreme.com writes:

<< I believe the term "Mexico" was used to describe the type of modification (removing material, reprofiling, polishing) done to Eddy's '72 stock Campy Record crankset. At some point in time, maybe the distributors/pantographers/framebuilders decided to apply the term "Mexico" to describe the the style of modification done, to another Campy component..
>>

Once again, I think Marc is on the money...

Remember, Ernesto felt cheated out of his glory by the Mexican requirement that Eddy put Windsor decals on the super special Colnago that Ernesto had supplied for Eddy's Hour Record attempt.

Thereafter things went downhill with Colnago's relationship to Eddy, and Ernesto, ever the showman, sought to maximize the accomplishment in an commercial way, i.e., a means to bring attention to his products. So he started naming the fanciest versions of many Colnago innovations with the new "Mexico" moniker, implying "lightweight" and "tricked out."

Reworked/profiled componentry was only part of that effort and the tricked out parts were soon mimicked by other Italian bike makers, although they mostly didn't use the "Mexico" designation, as that was Ernesto's rightful claim. (Although Ten Speed Drive did call their hottest Campag parts "Mexico" in their catalog... offering these parts on Coicc and Guerciotti bikes)

Colnago also used "Mexico" stickers to reference the Hour Record victory and not necessarily to the bike upon which the stickers were applied... so you would find "ordinary" Supers with a sticker of some sort which makes reference to "Mexico", but they are not the actual "Mexico" superlight model (in the beginning built with Columbus Record straight gauge & thin tubing but later who knows...)

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