[CR]Brake Lever Hoods

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2002)

From: "The Maaslands" <TheMaaslands@comcast.net>
To: Classic Rendezvous <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Brake Lever Hoods
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 07:40:39 -0500

I have received the following note off-list from a non-list member commenting on what he read about Universal brake lever hoods.

Universal had full rubber hoods as early as '48. Bartali's '48 TdF Legnano used them. He switched to Le Roi des Grimpeurs the rare, and, by many judged to be the most beautiful levers ever produced (also referred to as "Bartali levers) in 1949. That year, Gino rode cycles badged under his own name, as many Giro and TdF champions did following their victories. Bartali cycles were produced by Giordani, Casalecchio di Rano (just outside of Bologna). He used Vittoria Tour de France hoods with those levers in '49, full Vittoria hoods in '50 (from memory).

However, if you look at Bartali's '38 TdF winning cycle, you'll see the Vittoria donut hoods. There is also a picture of him in Gazetta Dello Sport from 1937 using them.

Does anybody else have any older references to these hoods?

Steven Maasland, Moorestown, NJ

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