[CR]Who made the BEST campy copies

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:43:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Tom Dalton" <tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com>
To: gillies@cs.ubc.ca, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Who made the BEST campy copies

This question is really open to a broad interpretation. That may be what makes it interesting, but the following question comes to mind: What are we really looking at, the degree of similarity to the Campy "original" or the overall quality of a part or parts that are loosely based on something that is Campy-ish?

Tange Levin headsets, Sugino Super Mighty cranks and KKT Pro Ace pedals are all nice quality direct-knockoffs of Campy parts.

Things like Zeus 2000 were designed in response to Campy products, but have unique features that (intentionally, by in large) distinguish the product from Campy.

Things like Shimano Dura Ace (original 7400 series New Dura Ace) were intended to start where Campy left off, and benefitted from being able to draw on the better part of two decades of field testing the NR and SR groups. Taking what worked from those groups, and adding a dash of "Shimano," well reigned in after the AX folly, made for a groups laid teh groundwork for unseating the industry leader. A very important group, 7400, and a wonderful Campy knockoff, even if only in the loosest sense of the word. An insightful pal once called the last DA sidepull brakeset (lever 7402, caliper 7401, IIRC) "the ultimate evolution of the Campy Record brake." Hard to argue that, despite Vicenza's noble effort with the blue plastic stone.

Tom Dalton Bethlehem, PA

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