Joel Niemi wrote:
>> Subject: [CR]campy spindles
>>>
>> hey now, does anyone know what a z under the 120 ss on a campy
>> spindle
>> means?it is part of a 68 mm english thtreaded bb. thanks...kevin
>> ruberg howell nj
>> usa
>>
>
> Kevin, I had the same question last spring. Other than "Zorro was
> here", the consensus seemed to be that no one really knew, and that
> some spindles had the Z, and others didn't, made at about the same
> time. By the way, my Z was in a French-threaded BB. Don't know if
> any of the Italian or Swiss spindles have Z's or not.
>
> Joel Niemi, Snohomish, WA
Yes, some spindles have the "Z" (70-120 or 68-120... first number is bottom bracket shell width and second number is dropout spacing).
Campagnolo's own literature (their company newsletter back in the mid 1980s) stated that the "Z" signified nothing. My opinion? It was stamped on the axle for a reason, but the reason why was lost. But the significance today? No significance.
Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, CA USA
http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, t-shirts & timelines)