Me thinks Campy's lawyers have good reasons for doing what they do.
First, any parts in use remain as potential liabilities, and continuing to make parts for potentially fragile (or in any way mechanically dated) components makes the old parts legally current. Many a manufacturer has offered trade-in allowance for older product simply to remove the old parts from service and eliminate their potential liability.
Second, allowing outside companies to counterfeit their parts could reasonably be expected to escalate over time to the point where more-current parts get produced, potentially (likely) to lower standards, impugning Campagnolo's reputation for quality and possibly eroding profits. Protecting trademarks would seem to be best accomplished by nipping the bud of potential forgers.
I would expect a company like Campagnolo to aggressively protect their trademarks.
David Snyder
Auburn, CA usa
> Well, the original is preferable, unless - as I mentioned
> earlier - it is so badly designed as to be unusable.
>
> Still, sometimes the original part is just too difficult to
> obtain. Now, I can understand having to be a bit sly in your
> auction title to avoid Campagnolo's lawyers. What I do find
> objectionable, is receiving an answer like "they are what they
> are" to an emailed question.
>
> Granted, those eBay e-mails become a public part of the
> auction. Yet there are simple ways to answer privately.
> Perhaps a seller might be worried that Campagnolo's lawyers are
> posing as possible eBay bidders? In that case, isn't the best
> answer "I don't know for sure?"
> That's it for me,
> Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)
>
>> For me; the only thrill comes from original.
>>
>> Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it ain't
>> the real deal !!!
>>
>> Once again...WHY bother???
>>
>> Nick Zatezalo
>> Atlanta,Ga
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: "P.C. Kohler" <kohl57@starpower.net>
>> Sent: Nov 8, 2005 9:25 PM
>> To: Nick Zatezalo <nickzz@mindspring.com>,
>> classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>> Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Fake Hoods & Decals & What Else
>>
>> "Why any one wants to buy a non-original part is totally
>> beyond
>> my comprehension; unless they are also looking to deceive for
>> profit or gratification.
>>
>> Reproductions are nothing more or less than substitutes for
>> the real thing.
>> Why bother?????"
>>
>> Wow, Nick... I thought I was a purist!
>>
>> What about Nick's (Lloyds Cycles) decals? They are
>> reproductions of the
>> originals. Would these be worth bothering with? Are you going
>> to hold out
>> for originals. Or indeed what about repainting a cycle with
>> non original
>> paint? Or what about my reproduction (albeit clearly offered
>> as such)
>> Raleigh roadster grips c. 1950s? I guess this project must
>> have been
>> "gratifying"; it sure as heck hasn't been profitable!
>>
>> How long has it been since Campagnolo made these globe badged
>> brake hoods? A
>> quarter of a century?? Methinks it's not going to be that
>> much longer before
>> the last of the "real thing" is dragged, kicking and
>> screaming, from the
>> fridge (or wherever these are best mummified) and put on eBay
>> for a Buy it
>> Now at $178.00? Sooner or later, reproductions of some of the
>> essential
>> perishables are going to be required. And welcome. Even if
>> the recreator
>> does it for gratification and profit.
>>
>> Peter Kohler
>> Washington DC USA