Campagnolo brake levers
07-10-21, 10:16 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Campagnolo brake levers
Hi guys. I have a question. Why do vintage campy levers go for so much coin? It turns out that if I want to have full campy on my latest resto, I'm going to have to pay more for the levers than for the whole bike, lol.
07-10-21, 10:52 PM
#2
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it is weird. I've got two sets of calipers myself and hoping to find a reasonably priced pair. I've done modolo until I can find some. Suntour Superbe levers, conversely, are fairly common but the Superbe drivetrain parts are more expensive than Campagnolo.
07-10-21, 11:08 PM
#3
señor miembro
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Because they're beautiful, especially in their original, glowing anodization.
Fortunately you can substitute Triomphe, Victory, or Gran Sport while you're looking for your prized pair of Record or Super Record. Maybe even find some with a lot of road rash that you can polish up to a mirror finish.
Fortunately you can substitute Triomphe, Victory, or Gran Sport while you're looking for your prized pair of Record or Super Record. Maybe even find some with a lot of road rash that you can polish up to a mirror finish.
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07-10-21, 11:16 PM
#4
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Lots of nice alternatives out there, but you know how it is, you get something in your head, and it's got to be that.
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07-11-21, 06:42 AM
#5
feros ferio
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Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
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My Bianchi came with Modolos, which are very similar to the Campags, but I substituted Shimano aeros because, in my hands, their shorter reach and greater leverage facilitate safer, faster panic stops. This is also why I never cared for Mafac brake levers, but really like Weinmann Vainqueur 999s and their DiaCompe clones, which fit my hands extremely well.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
07-11-21, 07:03 AM
#6
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CampI did a Shipmano thing with the Chorus and later brakes incorporating the QR into lever so if you’re using those brakes you kinda need their levers. Again most are 30ish and if you want nice ones you gotta pay.
personally I think the Chorus era are the best levers since you can run them aero or traditional and the larger size gives you more to to grab while you’re trying to climb an overpass or speed bump
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
07-11-21, 05:27 PM
#8
Junior Member
I have a theory on this. I was working at a shop in the late 80s when everyone suddenly wanted aero levers and clip in pedals. I remember swapping out lots of SR levers for DiaCompe aero ones. No one wanted the old levers anymore and as a result they were thrown in the trash. Same with campy SR pedals which are also very pricey now. Had I not been a stupid kid at the time I would have a box of both right now that I could use for retirement. So yes I think it’s supply and demand.
07-11-21, 06:12 PM
#9
Senior Member
A lot of high end bikes compromised on the brakes to save money. Modolos, weinmann centerpulls, mafac racers were on bikes that were otherwise super or nuovo record equipped. The nuovo record brake levers just weren't as plentiful as other nuovo record bits and consequently are less common.
