My opinion, laced with assumptions, of the equipment on Coppi's bike: Gears: Campagnolo Gran Sport Crankset: Campagnolo Record Seat Post: Campagnolo Gran Sport (Record?) Headset: Not Campagnolo -- looks a bit like the one on my bike but I haven't worked out what it is yet. Magistroni? Brakes: Universal Extra Bar and Stem: Ambrosio Hubs: Campagnolo Record (Gran Sport?)
The front derailleur looks like Gran Sport to me, but I would have expected Record which I think was in production at the time Coppi was riding Fiorelli-made bikes. The Record rear derailleur wasn't out till later. Likewise Record hubs should have been in production, so I assumed they might be Record rather than Gran Sport. The brakes I am reasonably sure of. The stem looks like Ambrosio to me, but having seen a photo of Coppi in intense discussion with Cinelli, I am wondering if he went to Cinelli bars and stem at some point.
I think my own Coppi Campionissimo frame is 1960 or 61, It came with some of the above bits and I expect to complete the build more or less as above using Record rather than Gran Sport where I know Record to have been in production. Coppi seems only to have used small flange hubs - which can be problematic if you want the same because I have yet to see a "No Record" Record small flange hub. I am sure they exist, but it would just seem that the high flange "No Record" hubs are more plentiful.
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England
From: David G. White <whiteknight@burlingtontelecom.net> Subject: Coppi - Fiorelli bikes To: FujiFish1@aol.com Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, hughwthornton@yahoo.co.uk Date: Friday, 2 October, 2009, 3:28 AM
Hi Mark,
I'm excited to see these photos because I've been trying to date my Coppi (Fiorelli made) frame. Mine looks similar to what's in the photos.
http://www.wooljersey.com/
The date on the magazine suggests the era of my frame may be mid to late 1950s. Hugh Thornton has a frame similar to mine.
I wish the photos were a bit clearer as to equipment: brakes, derailleurs, crank, headset, etc. I'd love to build mine up with the gear Coppi used on his own machine. If anyone can interpret the photos and tell me what the equipment is, I'd appreciate it!
Best,
David
David G. White Burlington, VT
FujiFish1@aol.com wrote:
> Hi Mordecai,
> Those are my scans, as evidenced by the identical fold line through SPORT on the front page image, taken from the front and rear covers of Lo Sport Illustrato, volume #29, July 19th, 1956. Here are links to much larger versions, that have been posted on Wool Jersey for a couple of years:
> <http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/fujifish1/OtherVintage/CatlgsMagsScans/
> Coppi/SI56_29Luglio19PgRrA.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1>
> Or: http://tinyurl.com/
> <http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/fujifish1/OtherVintage/CatlgsMagsScans/
> Coppi/SI56_29Luglio19PgRrB2.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1>
> Or: http://tinyurl.com/
> With the enlargements, it is easy to see that he is on a Fiorelli built bike. Note also that the brake levers are turned sideways, thus requiring thumb muscles to actuate, instead of squeezing forward in the "DUI" style. The later method, as Sheldon Brown always pointed out, is very dangerous since braking will cause your body weight to surge forward with palms bracing upon the levers, thus increasing the brake pressure and creating a potential flip-over situation. Enjoy safely!
> Ciao,
> Mark
Agree
> Southfield MI USA
> ~ ~ ~
> Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:30:52 -0400
> From: "Silver, Mordecai" <MSilver@iso.com>
> Subject: [CR] Coppi with reversed handlebars
> To: Classic Rendezvous _classicrendezvous@bikelist.org_ (mailto:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org)
> Coppi shown in Lo Sport Illustrato in a more relaxed moment:
>
> http://i36.tinypic.com/
>
> http://i38.tinypic.com/
> Thanks to Carl Fogel who posted these on r.b.t. As someone pointed out
> there, these aren't technically DUI handlebars, because they were
> actually removed
from the stem and flipped, not just rotated backwards.
>
> Mordecai Silver
> New York, NY, USA
> This email is intended for the recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient please disregard, and do not use the information for any purpose.