Campania “Professional” freebie
 

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My recollection of the Campania badge was that it was around for only two or three years about 1973-74. There should be a date code on the backside of the Sakae Ringyo crank arms. Suspect it may have been a contract build done for a distributor but no hard information.

The heart-shaped no-slide pibb on the downtube will identify the maker.

The Professional model was the top-of-the-line and is not oft encountered.

Thanks for posting this find. :)

[MENTION=20650]T-Mar[/MENTION] is sure to be able to enlighten us all! ;)

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The seatpost is very early SR Super Light, as is the crank. Very nice stuff and big bucks on eBay.
: Mike

I don't get the headset top cup. Who was H. McIver of Van Nuys, CA?

The guy the brand was named after and the location of said brand.

Like it! For 'nothing special' it's pretty special ... :thumb:

It's been said before, and it needs to be said again: That seatpost is cool.

So is the crank. But that seatpost MAKES the whole bike.

-Kurt

Campania was a USA marketing brand owned by McIver. The frames and components were manufactured in Japan but the bicycles were assembled by McIver in California. The brand survived into at least 1976 This one appears to typical of a higher end, mass produced, Japanese frame. The source may be Kuwahara. The serial number may provide further insight on the exact year and identity of the frame manufacturer. Even if the OP isn't curious, I'd appreciate the serial number for my database. TIA.

This thread brings back memories for me, as well. When I worked at Bikecology in Santa Monica / west Los Angeles in the early 1970s, Campania was one of several smaller marques that appeared at various competitors' shops. Yours looks to be a particularly decent specimen. Having snapped a 1970 Sugino crank, I would caution against putting too much load on those old SRs, although maybe they are OK. (When I compared my 1970 Sugino Mighty Compe set against my 1974 set, I noticed that the latter had about 15 percent more metal around the pedal eye, where mine had snapped at an inopportune moment in the single most dangerous component failure I ever experienced while riding.

Ohhhh, a Mercian with "barber pole" seat tube....gotta see THIS! I'm surprised how H. McIver got so many items customized with his name and Van Nuys location, the bike boom was a funny time. I recall seeing this brand sold at some shop in Reseda back in the day but never saw a "professional" model, only a "semi-pro" at best... those had ornate "nevex-y looking lugs" but even then as a very green schoolboy I wasn't fooled into thinking it was actually Italian,

What year as that Mercian? That downtube font looks as if it were inspired by the '70-73 Dr. Who opening credits logo. It's not identical by any means, but it gives off that vibe.

-Kurt

I don't know the identity of the manufacturer but the format is consistent with the Japanese source used by Bianchi in the 1980s. The frame itself is from June 1974 while the fork is a standard, off the shelf, Ishiwata product from May 1974. Given that the fork is Ishiwata, the frame tubing is likely Ishiwata too. Consequently, we may be able to determine the tubeset from the inner diameter of the seat tube or the diameter of a proper fitting seat post.

Well that cleaned up very nicely! She will be a sweet looking ride.