I think your original point was well taken, Peter. Until at least the late 80's and perhaps even 90's, Italian bikes were typically equiped with nearly all-Italian equipment. There were some exceptions, to be sure, like top quality leather saddles and top quality touring gear, neither of which the Italians ever seem to have made much of. And Reynolds 531 had such a worldwide reputation, it took a while for Italian tube makers to displace them, something that never did really happen in France.
In the same way, French bikes were nearly entirely French-equiped until the late 60's, when Campy started making inroads except at Peugeot.
And If you go back to the 50's British bikes had a lot of British gear, although some French parts would be seen.
And in America, the bikes most Americans actually bought before the bike boom, which in the 50's and 60's were ballon tired models, had almost entirely American components.
So all the nations with a large enough bicycle manufacturing industry to do so were pretty chauvanistic. True, as you said, whether good or bad.
One bit of admitted internationalism I'm a little unclear about is the relationship between the two Cyclo companies, the one in France and the one in UK which in the 50's and 60's was called Cyclo Benelux. I seem to recall The Dancing Chain saying this was, before WW II, a single company operating in both UK and France, that later separated into two different firms. Was the original company founded in France or in UK? And what is the significance of the "Benelux". Did they have some manufacturing facilities in the BeNeLux nations?
Regards,
Jerry Moos Houston, TX
"P.C. Kohler" <kohl57@starpower.net> wrote: This is indeed a revelation that all those top-notch Italian racing bikes c. 1960 (I didn't say 1940 but who cares) to 1980 were loaded with French or other non Italian bits. If folks here have Italian machines from this period with stock French made derailleurs, rims, hubs, seat posts, stems, handlebars and other essential bits (if you want to include disposables like bar tape, bar plugs and saddles, I think you're fishing a bit but fine...), do let us know. As Chuck Schmidt told us even the 1950s Italian racing machines with Simplex gears, these were of Italian manufacture.
Of course some Italian machines did have Reynolds tubing. But how many?? Cinellis with Reynolds are considered unusual if not exceptional are they not?
And if Jack or others doubt there were indeed ALL Italian bicycles, they might well look at what's in my bedroom right now. An all Italian Cinelli complete with broken Cinelli stem. And it's stock componentry, too. Columbus tubing, Fiamme rims, Campagnolo components, Cinelli stem and bars etc. Surely I am not the only one with an all Italian bike?? Oh the new tyres are Vittorias but Thai made. That's because they are new. I could have spent more and put on Veloflex Criteriums of course.
So it may be "jingoistic crap" but I wasn't the one who spec'd this and the vast majority of Italian racing bikes of the period. I am not sure I'd call it crap (I thought we all liked Italian bikes here?!) but clearly jingoistically and definably Italian.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA