Ed,
I don't own any of the expensive Campanolo taps, reamers, and facers, but I do own many, if not most, of the "classic" hand tools. When it comes right down to it, the only reason I have them is that I am a bit of a Campy fanatic and a bit of a tool fanatic, and it's just too hard to resist the combination. Overall, the tools have little to recommend them beyond "mojo." For almost every Campy tool I own, there is an alternative that is better overall and usually these are cheaper.
My Kingsbridge come wrenches are better than my butter-soft Campys
My Hozan racheting crank bolt wrench is better than the PB wrench (though more expensive)
Anything is better than the Campy seatpost wrench
My Bondhus Allen wrenches are better than my "pregnant" 5mm, and my 6mm tee wrench.
My folding Wheelsmith dishing gauge is more versatile than my Campy
My Park pin spanner and Hozan ring spanner are easier to use and more versatile than the Campy stuff.
My VAR pedal wrench is WAAAAY better than the Campy, except that it is sometimes too thick. The Eldi is very thin, but a little delicate.
The Shimano chainring bolt spanner is less prone to slippage.
There are a number of Campy tools, like the newer pedal and crank dust cap tools, that really aren't duplicated by anyone else. There are others, like the Syncro insert installer and the C-Rec dustcap extractor that just aren't needed, but are fun to use. I think the Campy crank extractors are second to none.
One thing to consider is that the classic hand tools, those found in the boxed sets, are decades old designs. This makes them charming, but inferior in function to stuff from certain other companies. Don't let anyone tell you that the quality of the materials makes Campy tools superior. This is as fallacious an argument as the "superior bearing quality and finish" of modern Campy. The working surfaces of the Campy tools do not hold up better than, or even as well as many other brands. I hate to say it, but the newer Trek Wrench Force tools look very nice. Park stuff gets better and better too. Shimano tools are at least as carefully thought out as anything Campy. Their der hanger alignment tool is engineered way beyond the the tolerances of teh job it does.
For cutters, there is noting quite like using the Campy tool kit on a vintage steel frame. That said, many of those those tools are not very versatile. I'd certainly be looking at Park and Var if I were fitting out a modern commercial operation. Maybe Silva if I felt flush. With all the variety in modern headsets, the old Campy kit is off the back. You would think that this might make the kits available on the cheap to guys like us who may just want to prep vintage bikes, but that doesn't seem to be the case (yet).
Tom Dalton
Bethlehem, PA, USA
I have a lot of projects in the works and have a question about tools. Having worked on and built up a few Campagnolo equipped bicycles in the past, though my brother Duncan has done most of the real wrenching, I/we have not yet wound up lacking a tool needed to complete the job. But as I'm planning on building several NR and SR equipped bikes over the coming months, I'm thinking maybe acquisition of a few specific Campy tools may be in order. Assuming I'm not going to spring for a full boxed set, what tools should I be looking for and prioritizing that will enable me to best build and maintain my bikes? Also, what brand of peanut butter works best with a Campy peanut butter wrench? Thanks in advance for your assistance. Feel free to reply offlist.
Ed Granger Lancaster, PA, USA
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