Re:[CR]Early Campy Reacord Brakes/SR Levers

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

From: <FujiFish1@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 18:09:05 EDT
Subject: Re:[CR]Early Campy Reacord Brakes/SR Levers
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


I too need to clarify, and/or ask for clarification about a few things here.

First and foremost ... the two pics at Wool Jersey that Steven linked us to, as supplied to him, clearly show the blade tip shape of the later version levers, which came out in about 1976-77 or so ... no? Fatter in profile, and not as pronounced a curved, possibly due to the fatter shape. Second and connected to above ... the cable relief opening in the underside of (or behind, as Steven phrases it) the lever blade, near the pivot hinge pin, is the later "U" shape, and not the earlier circle shape. We have discussed in this forum that the hole shape changed in about 1973-74. The anonymous Former East Coast List Member also notes that first gen. SR levers never had the circle shape. I think former discussions have alluded to the idea that the circle changed to a "U", at the same time the SR lever was introduced - 1973-74 as I mentioned above. Do we think this is correct?

Third ... when Steven mentions body, I presume he means the main cast steel(?) portion that links the aluminum lever blades to the chromed handlebar ring clamp. I'll say it another way; this is the gummy hooded main body that we rest our hands upon when riding on the tops of the handlebars. Now I ask, is the light gray of the earliest bodies and the darker, almost charcoal gray of subsequent bodies an effect of anodization? I thought that aluminum was anodized, not steel, but I surely can't say what causes differences in the color of seemingly similar steels. Perhaps I am completely not understanding, and the talk about differences in color refers to the anodized hue of the aluminum lever blades? I haven't thought so.

Fourth ... in one of the links posted yesterday to the Campagnolo Study type page of a Japanese collector, there appears to be a photo showing TWO different shape styles of the early pointy lever tip. I'm sorry that I didn't save this link, but I think Chuck S. might have posted it. I too took some comparison photos of different brake levers that I have on hand, the last time we discussed this many, many moons ago. Here is a link to the album showing my photos: http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/Campagnolo_Brake_Levers Click twice to see much clearer images. I never mentioned it before, although I did kind of notice it and just blew it off ... but my two pointy tip levers seem to differ in profile as well. See my second pic; the left tip seems a bit thinner and pointier still than the middle "pointy" tip. Still, neither of them are of the earliest "no logo" type. I suspect that after-market drilled lever shown in the left of my photos, to be from about 1970, based upon the milled/drilled/reduced drivetrain group that they arrived with. Does anyone have input about the two types of "pointy" lever tips? I don't think that we've ever discussed this particular point while I have been on list (since about 2002).

Ciao, Mark Agree Southfield MI USA ~ ~ ~

Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:21:17 -0400 From: "The Maaslands" <TheMaaslands@comcast.net> To: "CR" <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subject: [CR]Early Campy Reacord Brakes/SR Levers

After receiving the note attached below from a former East Coast CR list member, I realize that my post regarding the first generation Campagnolo brake levers could be misconstrued and misunderstood, so I think it important to clarify. I had written:

"For the levers, these definitely do not belong to the brake calipers, but are nonetheless collectible in their own right. I believe these to be the first generation Super Record levers made in the first half of the 70's, not upon laucnh of the brakes in the 60's. The first generation brake levers have a lighter colored anodizing on the body and a slightly different shape body (on Stefan's you can see the darker anodizing color). They also have a round access hole on the rear side of the lever blade to feed a brake cable that is absent on later levers as well as Stefan's."

This should have read:

"For the levers, the levers presented in the auction definitely do not belong to the auction brake calipers, but are nonetheless collectible in their own right. I believe the auction levers to be the first generation Super Record levers made in the first half of the 70's, not upon launch of the brakes in the 60's. The true first generation brake levers (ie not the ones with the lever blade drilling as seen in the auction) have a singificantly lighter colored anodizing on the body and a slightly different shape body (on Stefan's you can see the darker anodizing color). The true first generation Campagnolo brake levers (ie the ones without the drilled holes) also have a round access hole on the rear side of the lever blade to feed a brake cable that is absent on later levers as well as Stefan's."

As for my earlier comment about rumors suggesting that fakes first generation "no-name" calipers are circulating in Boston and California, you can see that the Former East Coast CR listmember confirms that the Boston part to be true as he admits to having at least one set. His comments about stainless steel center bolts also make me realize that if you were to want to fake these brakes, the easiest way to counterfeit the centerbolts would indeed be to do so with stainless steel.

Lastly, regarding the supposed first generation SR (drilled) brake lever blades, he sent me the following photos with his email reprised below: http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/Miscellaneous_items/EarlySR_1 and http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/Miscellaneous_items/EarlySR_2 . I would be interested in hearing other people's theories about these levers. They look mighty similar to the ones that I made for myself in the early 80's when I decided to further lighten my SR levers with a drill. Especially the third and fourth holes in the left-most lever in the second photo. If my eyes don't deceive me, you can see where the initial hole, with its characteristic deformed hole has been redone subsequently in the attempt to hide the deformed original hole.

Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ


----- Original Message -----
From:
To: "The Maaslands"
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:38 AM
Subject: Early Campy Reacord Brakes/SR Levers


Steven...

This information is incorrect in its entirety. First generation SR levers are _instantly_ distinguishable by the fact that the holes are drilled and countersunk, rather than punched/extruded. There were _no_ sr levers with round cable access holes. Anodizing was the same, although anodizing in-and-of-itself is not a perfect science, and results always varied.

As for your comments about fakes of these, I actually have a set. If you look closely, you can see where there is remnants of the engraving that wasn't removed, but in so removing, the profile of teh caliper is easily distinguishable from the real deal.

First gen, no engraved Campy calipers actually have a different barrel adjuster and o-ring. Although innocuous, there are minute differences in the shape of the adjuster andthe size of the o-ring.

I have in my possession a set of early record, no-engraved calipers with stainless steel pivot bolts. Now that's rare!

See pix of real first gen SR levers.