Many thanks for all the interesting contributions here and no, I guess I shouldn't have addressed the question to only British members! A foreigner
often has as good if not better perception of prevailing practices especially if they are different from what's going on at home.
I want to believe that British club lads in the 1970s distained Campagnolo
because it was pricey, posey (what we rich Americans put on bikes!) and associated perhaps more with bikes sold with set component lists, somethin g alien to British bike culture. And I really want to be told that yes, yo u could take a fine British bespoke frame and hang all sorts of cool French bits on it. Indeed, did not the TI Raleigh team in its first year actual ly spec their frames with Huret Jubilee gears and Stronglight chainsets? Certainly Raleigh had no issues with all French component bikes like the '73 RRA and the third generation Competition. But that may have been an availibility and price point issue when guys wanted Campag if they could get and afford it.
But it's all hard to argue since Campagnolo remained THE choice worldwide at the time at least in pro racing. Thevenet's 1977 TdF win was, what, t he first with a wholly non Italian rig since.. well since the last time Peugeot won in 1967.
And I have nothing against Campagnolo except it's so... well it's so
common!
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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