SJX426 

I think I am about to raise my interest in the subject calipers. There appears (Velobase) to be a fair amount of variations of this design. Does someone have a time line with the changes for each model offered?

The reason for the interest was a comment a few years ago by @Bianchigirll that they were one of her favorite brakes. Don't know why, function or esthetics.

Any way I finally found a pair at a decent price, ~ $20 but without the cable adjusters! As I cruised through the pics of the various models, the adjusters varied significantly, why? Was there a change in the arm as well as the nut? Why do Athena and Mirage have different nuts than Chorus and can I use any Campy adjuster on the Chorus calipers?

Other than ebay, where could I find these elusive items? Does anyone have a trashed pair with the adjusters that would be willing to part with them?

Too many questions?

TugaDude

Please post a pic of the pair that you have.

qcpmsame 

They are an interesting model of brakes, unique design to the arms and as you mentioned, numerous changes through its lifetime. I have looked at several offerings on ebay lately, the prices area all over the place. I've seen lower prices, like you managed to find, and yesterday I noticed a set with levers, NIB/NOS that blew the top off the price range, if the seller gets what they expect in a BIN situation. I'll be following your thread with interest.

Bill

repechage

Campagnolo may even make the adjusters as a replacement part still, expect $20. Each assembly.
Now you know why the calipers are discounted.
Suitable alternate source replacements will be in the $14. range on the 'bay.

These showed up on a number of tiers of groups, I have one set, I think Chorus level as the rest of the bike's group is. Maybe more power than the venerable Record side pull. The later dual pivots, no matter the tier perform better than either.

Spaghetti Legs 

I like the aesthetics of these brakes and performance-wise they fall, as I would expect, between older Record brakes and more modern dual pivot calipers. I have Athena and Chorus monoplaners on 3 bikes with plans for another. I've learned to distinguish the difference between these two, but I'm ignorant of the history and subtle differences of the whole line.

I had one set missing adjusters, bought a set advertised as C Record era Campy but don't think they were. These brakes have a flat side on the adjuster screw and mine turned out to be round without any Campy markings. They were also a little shorter. I ended up filing down one side and they work fine. I guess moral is if you want to save a few bucks, any long enough round adjuster can be adapted.

SJX426 

I haven't picked them up yet. I had my sister get them last night and will be getting them this evening. I'll take Pics and post.

I did see an ebay auction for the direct replacement @ $14 each with $7 shipping from Poland. Once I inspect them, I will determine if I should pull the trigger.

Wish there was a little more info on Velobase. It is reasonably good in terms of pics but not much more. There was a mention somewhere, bike radar?, that one of the improvements was a thicker center arm. The distinguishing feature was the change of the adjuster from cream/white color to black. Given the ease of replacement, who knows if any set is original, probably likely, but still....
@Spaghetti Legs - I have not seen Campagnolo adjusters without the flat on the "screw". This has been a design that dates back to the early calipers, IIRC. D shape hole in the caliper arm to accomidate the flat and keep the "screw" from rotating. Suntour did the same as many others.

EDIT: found a pic from the ad
[IMG]Campagnolo Monoplaner, on Flickr[/IMG]

Road Fan

I always try not to lose the "little parts!"

tompetch

I have taken apart, cleaned and reassembled a few of these callipers - they are second only to deltas for the number of little parts you are liable to lose or can't work out where they went. Exploded assembly photos certainly required.
Beautiful callipers though - particularly the Chorus ones. A little sleaker and less 'post-modern' than Athenas. I find both function adequately and are easy to adjust. I hadn't noticed a difference between the adjusters. You're lucky if you find sets with the chrome pointy nuts without rust.

Unfortunately unable to answer any of the OP's questions. Good luck with finding cable adjusters - I'm sure if you're patient a pair will crop up auction style that you're unlikely to have much competition for!

Wileyone 

I think the Chorus Levers and the C-Record Levers are basically identical except for the hoods. These Brakes are excellent and stop much better than the earlier Super Record. And they have such a nice sculptured look to them. Definitely a bargain as far as Campagnolo kit goes.

repechage

The feature to keep track of with these monoplaner calipers is that you really need levers with a quick release feature to allow the calipers to expand and let a tire pass through for wheel removal.

styggno1

Early Chorus brakes were also chosen by some pro teams for weight and performance in the years between Record/cobalto and properly working later generation deltas.

This must have been almost a first – Campagnolo wise – second in line up used at top level.



Sean Kelly for PDM.



Erik Breukink

The rest of the parts were C-record though - I might add as they do not show in the pics.

PS - this is my alibi for, in the future, building a bike with early Chorus brakes on an otherwise fully C-record bike... ;-) It is tough for me - got to get an alibi. If Sean Kelly can - so can I...

SJX426 

Thanks for the reply's! I did some searching in the mean time and learned more. Here is a list that was interesting:

- '88-'91 Chorus series 1 (white cable adjuster o-ring and wheel guide rubbers).
- '92-'93 Chorus series 2 (black cable adjuster o-ring, "naked" wheel guides, shape of the end of the caliper arms revised, brake block holders inherited from Record/Croce D'Aune).
- '94-'95 Athena (as per Chorus series 2 but with an all-in-one, rubber brake block/wheel guide).
- '95-'97 Veloce (as per Athena, but with an all metal cable adjuster in '95 only and cartridge style brake holders in '97)
- '96-'97 Mirage (as per '95 Veloce, but with a domed rather than pointed nut to secure the caliper arms).
Monoplanar brakes | Retrobike

Pulled the trigger on the adjusters. Way too much but what you gonna do! Cost was more than the calipers! Don't have possession yet but expect to get them today. I am really curious which ones they are.

Update: Picked them up. Near NOS clean, pads not fully worn in. Based on description, they are series II, 92 -93. Pics to come. Oh and no rust anywhere.

styggno1

I would put 1987 as start for the first Chorus as there is a Chorus specific catalog that dates from july 1987.

Spaghetti Legs 

I've been doing some research for a build and will contribute what I learned regarding the end of the monoplaner line. I have a '95 and '96 catalog and looked up '93 and '94 at retrobike.

Last year of the Chorus monoplaner looks to be '93, then Chorus went to dual pivot. Athena kept the single pivot monoplaner in '95 , with the Athena logo present under the Campy shield.

Wildwood 

Here are the examples I have handled.
To be honest, I have not done the searching to identify them.
They look 'beefy', so fitting on a Merckx.

SJX426 

@Wildwood - based on the color of the O ring, these are the first gen Chorus. Neither have original pads, unless the EM is an Athena, '95-'95.

I looked all over the calipers and did not find any model number or stamping of any kind. Guess features are the only way to ID these. Note that the early Athena's looked like Monoplaners but actually are standard single pivots with overlapping Calipers instead of one going through the other. There are some errors on Ebay, as examples, that are currently advertised as Chorus Monoplaner which they are not.

Wildwood 

Both bikes pictured are mid80s Corsa Extras.

gioscinelli 

The picture shown are Campagnolo Athena capilpers which have chunkier brake pad ends, not like the Chorus which are tappered. Notice the brake adjusters have white grummets!DSC_0001.jpg

P!N20

[Thread dig]

Any tips on stopping the tapered nuts on Monoplaner brakes from rusting? I've had a few sets and they always rust up fairly quickly. I just landed a barely used set and would like to keep the chrome shiny for as long as I can. Would a clear coat help?

Bianchigirll 

I think you need to constantly clean them. It was cruel shame that the steel parts on the components from that era rusted so easily.

Mad Honk 

I clear coat any rusting chrome part to stop the rust from forming deeper and more damage to the metal under it. Pretty safe and effective solution to the problem. Smiles, MH

P!N20

Before I go, has anyone come across replacement brake pads that have a notch in the back with square ends like these?



Can't see any on the Kool Stop website (although I have sent them an e-mail just to be sure,) they appear to lie somewhere between the KS-CR and the KC-CCB.

I guess I could probably cut a notch out of the back of some KS-CR's.

SJX426 

@P!N20 - Can't help for that configuration of pad. KoolStop does make a set for the holder on the Chorus MP's. I have a spare set and they have the cut out.

On another note, I was not impressed with the stopping "power" of the brakes. I recently morphed the bike from the 8V configuration to Racing T with 9V with NOS wheels. Stopping "power" was significantly improved.
This is like newbie learning for an old fart, but now if the performance degrades, I clean the brake surfaces. DUH!

paulkal

These will fit:
https://www.koolstop.eu/catalog/rim-...-campi-chorus/

P!N20

Tim at Kool Stop recommends just cutting a notch out of the KS-CR pads.