Euclid or Centaur?

Can anybody out there help fellow reader Steven D? He can't remember if this set of NOS Campy ATB rings is Euclid or Centaur. Anybody?

Email Steven at his web site: www.StevenDWilliams.com 

My Paris-Brest-Paris 2015 Video

The video of my PBP experience is now online at YouTube!

If you have trouble viewing the video (people in some countries may have issues, due to some of the soundtrack music), try the viewer below. The video file is large, so it may take a minute or two to start playing.

Beautiful Mixte

Our good friend and sponsor, Joe Bell, recently painted this gorgeous mixte built by Bishop Handbuilt Cycles. The workmanship of both the builder and the painter are just amazing. Check out more photos in the link below the image.

More photos!

Randonneuring and Food

This reminded me so much of randonneuring:

 

"Exhausted and hungry, he turned at last, with the pleasure that only a man who has pushed himself past his physical limits can ever experience, into the fat-laden atmosphere of frying eggs and bacon"

 

Excerpt From: Galbraith, Robert. "The Silkworm."

Riding the Davis Double this year?

Here's what the unpaved section of Big Canyon Road looks like:



Yep, it's my latest video. Check back soon--I'll have a more complete video of the entire DC workers ride.

My Latest Video: SFR 400K Brevet March 2015

My latest video, hot off the computer!







See all my videos here.

Campy Equipped? Who Cares?

Couldn't resist posting this one ...

Comments welcomed.

The Latest Campy Only Video: San Francisco Randonneurs 300K Brevet of Feb 28, 2015

A video snapshot from this past weekend's 300K brevet from San Fransisco to Healdsburg and back. Enjoy!





Be sure to follow my cycling exploits this PBP year, both here on the Campy Only Blog and on Twitter: @CampyOnlyguy and #PBP2015 and #RUSAPBP

Happy Valentino's Day!

Be sure to spend time with your loved ones today!

Colorado Custom and Vintage Bicycle Expo

Wish we could be in Denver on Feb 15 for this event! The Colorado Custom and Vintage Bicycle Expo will have something for everyone who appreciates the art of handmade bicycles:

Custom Builder Expo

Concours d'Elegance

Swap Meet

Check out their web site for more info: http://coloradobicycleexpo.com

Venerating the Italian Worker?

In 2013, Blogger Augustus Farmer visited the factory in Vicenza and posted an interesting article with photos (of the areas where cameras were allowed). Read his post and see his copyrighted images here.

Farmer was clearly impressed with the quality of the factory and the dedication of the workers who make the company's signature components. The workers in 2013 were treated well and returned that respect in the form of a commitment to do their very best for the company. From his blog post:

"What I was to witness over the next few hours was to genuinely blow my mind. A mixture of old fashioned machine shop with its  metal and heat and noise and aroma, and a more delicate side of hand/ eye co-ordination, experience, care, design, love and dare I say it, Italian-ness. 

Watching a Ghibli wheel being made for example, will be etched onto my soul forever."

That partnership has unfortunately been thrown into disarray in recent weeks, with workers striking to protest the layoff of workers in Vicenza, a move that is part of Campagnolo's effort to move some of its production to cheaper workers in Romania. The company has announced that the layoffs will be rescinded, but the strike continues while the workers seek a solution that will retain both their work and the reputation of Campagnolo.

Campagnolo Lays Off 68 Italian Employees; Workers Strike

Campagnolo's efforts to reduce costs by shifting work to cheaper workers in Romania and elsewhere now includes laying off 68 manufacturing workers at the company's flagship facility in Vicenza. Workers there are not happy at all.

Read this report from Bike Europe.

According to Bike Europe's report, Campagnolo management says that high-end components will still be made in Vicenza, and that the move is part of their effort to remain competitive with other companies (ShimaNO?) that make components in parts of the world with much lower labor costs.

Does it matter to you where your Campagnolo parts are made? Would you care if, in some future year, Campagnolo left Italy for cheaper shores? Let us know in the comments below.

Our Latest Video!

We helped our friend celebrate his 63rd birthday by riding 63 miles with him and a great group of fellow revelers. Here's a video:



Reminder that we are on YouTube. Visit our YouTube channel for many more cycling videos!

Cleaning a Stinky Bike Helmet ... in the Dishwasher!

Thought there might be some interest in the method my wife discovered to clean my bike helmets when they get sweaty and gross: the dishwasher!

My helmet now gets washed and disinfected every week or so. It keeps my wife’s sensitive nose happy, and I like having a clean helmet. 

Despite the soaps and high temperatures in the dishwasher, there have been no ill effects to the helmet that I can detect. The padding is still firmly attached to the shell.

To save energy, we don’t use the “dry” feature on the dishwasher, so the helmet air dries after going through the regular wash cycle.

P.S. In response to one question that was asked about this ... No, none of our guests have complained about the silverware tasting funny!

Reader's Bikes: Daniel's Electronic Look

Reader Daniel A sent this photo of his Record EPS-equipped Look 675, which looks fast just sitting there.

To see your Campy-equipped bike here, email a photo or two to enorris [at] campyonly [dot] com

First Chance 200K Brevet 1-1-2015

My first video of 2015! A record of the Davis Bike Club's 200K "First Chance" brevet on New Year's Day. I finished the ride in 8:30, riding a 1970s Motobecane equipped with a 3-speed hub (sorry, no Campy drivetrain!).



Watch this space for more videos from the 2015 brevet season, culminating with Paris-Brest-Paris in August.