Classic Components

The Nuovo Record derailleur was introduced in 1967 replacing the fairly similar (but chrome plated bronze) Record rear changer. Production continued into the 1980s…
T H E classic rear changer!
….or be fitted with lightweight alloy bolts marketed by Omas or Cobra which were very popular with time trialists.
….which was followed by the revised second generation changer in 1978. Apart from being smoothed out the cage was revised and could cope with a 28 tooth freewheel better. 1978 also saw Campagnolo having to make a number of changes due to American CPSC (Consumer Protection Safety Commission) requirements. In the case of the rear gear it just involved some plastic shields around the adjuster screws – which we all took off anyway!
It could withstand some lightening – this is a pretty mild treatment – Alf Engers (or probably Alan Shorter) drilled many holes in his!
…which is what Campagnolo did when they introduced the (first generation) Super Record in 1974 with titanium bolts. This derailleur was quite a rare sight in the UK – it wasn’t cheap!
The Super Record chainset was introduced in 1974
It was an evolution of the Nuovo Record chainset but with cutaway chainrings (which had been a modification by many) and a titanium bottom bracket axle – which was dropped after some very public failures!
The basic chainset had been available since 1958 – the only really big change being a move to a 144mm bolt circle from 151mm. This allowed the use of a 42 (or 41 if you can find one) tooth chainring rather than 44. Pista cranks kept 151mm up to 1974. Note Condor modification here!
The Nuovo Record chainset used the same cranks but with different chainrings, so with the demise of the titanium bottom bracket axle the only components that are actually Super (rather than Nuovo) Record are the chainrings.
Even with the introduction of Super Record chainrings many of the Italian makes – Bianchi, Colnago and Gios are examples – preferred to use a Nuovo Record inner with a Super Record or pantographed outer ring.
The Weinmann 500 brake caliper was very unusual in that….
…..they were used on a very wide variety of bikes from time trial machines (note how this caliper has been cut down and the brazed on pivot bolt) to
….to touring bikes.