ehcoplex 

Decades of riding (well, OK, I took 20+ year off...), and I've never had a bike with anything Campy on it! A recent acquisition has changed that, but as yet I don't 'speak' Campy. Can anyone help me ID what model of side-pull brakes these are? Thx!

TugaDude

Go to velobase.com and look them up. The levers appear similar to the following Nuovo Record 2030 which were in production from 1967 to 1984.


And the calipers look like Nuovo Record 2040.

ehcoplex 

Thanks! They're off (what seems to be) a '79 Holdsworth, so makes sense with the dates.

gearbasher

Let me add that your calipers are post CPSC (cupped QR) so that will date them 1978-87.

ehcoplex 

I see pre and post CPSP noted here and there..... What does that mean?

dddd

Federal safety guidelines were I believe mandatory post-1977.

Some of the rules forced re-designs of for example the crankset and bottom bracket, to accommodate the thicker (lipped) outer cage plate of the front derailer, the lip intended to reduce the plate's knife-like supposed tendencies.
And then there were the plastic towers that had to be added to the "protruding" limit screws on the rear derailer.
Not much for the better imo, the plastic bits break and the crank/bb changes complicated inventory and messed with the evolved positioning of the crankarm, i.e. more driveside offset.
I think that the CPSP would have better served riders by simply forcing improved fatigue standards of the crankarms (i.e. making Campag source their crankarms from Sugino).
The curved quick-release hub skewers and "cupped" caliper QR's weren't problematic other than that they messed with Campy's all-important traditional aesthetic.

52telecaster

I had always heard those brakes were not great but having used a set recently I think they are fine. I didn't have the proper levers but still they stop quite well.

gearbasher

What he said,
BTW: CPSC stands for Consumer Product Safety Commission

bikingshearer 

"Fine" in this context is relative. If you live in flatish terrain and are of moderate weight, they are fine. If, like me, you weight north of 250lbs and live in hilly terrain where almost every ride involves at least one 2+ mile descent (earned by the 2+ mile ascent, of course), they are significantly less fine.

Campy NR brakes were better than pretty much any sidepulls that had come before - they are an order of magnitude, maybe two orders, better than Universal 51s (I can't speak to the more or less contemporary Universal 68s having never used them). The best center-pulls of the day (Mafacs, Universal 61s) were are least as good and probably better from a purely braking standpoint (centerpulls are "dual pivot" brakes, after all). The performance for all of these benefits from modern cables and upgraded brake pads. Their performance also benefits from "aero" levers, especially for braking when riding on the hoods. This is a distinct advantage for those of us of a certain age who are are not as flexible as once we were.

Also, whoever gave the final approval for the Campy "hand hatchet" NR brake levers should have been forced to stand on his or her (almost certainly "his") hands using them as the contact point for 48 hours. They look oh-so-cool. After an hour or two, they feel oh-so-awful, at least to me. Universals of the day and the modern offerings are wider and much nicer to my hands. I suppose YMMV, but I am not the only who has had this complaint.

SJX426 

In the 60's we were riding on the drops and didn't give much thought about riding on the hoods. The levers were designed to be used from the drops. No surprise at how uncomfortable they are for hood riding these days. At least it can be done unlike some competitive levers like a Swiss company's levers.

now we will likely see, in response, Grand Tour rider pictures with them riding on the hoods!

ManekiNico

For a real deep dive into Nuovo Record levers, check this out:
lecycleur.com/campagnolo/nuovo-record-brake-levers/

oneclick 

I've been struck by how much better the braking is on a recent build with Racers and Mafac levers compared to another recent build with Universal centrepulls and levers. The Mafacs I can get really good braking from the hoods, enough for all but the most sudden of stops. The Universals I HAVE to have a finger on the bottom curve and my palm around the dropped section for all but the most gentle.

Mafacs have old Mafac rubbers, Universal have Kool-Stop salmon. They're both set up the same - pad-rim clearance, as-supplied straddles, both sets were completely apart for cleaning and lubrication. new cables and housings, no kinks, smooth action, everything tidy.

It's bad enough that I'm going to swap out the brakes and see if it's the lever action that makes braking poor.

ehcoplex 

Interesting. The Mafac Raid brakes on my PX-10 650B with Koolstop black pads are great. I've got another build/conversion going that I've got some old Weinmann Vainqueur 750 brakes for- I wonder how they'll compare to Mafacs? (positively, I hope, as Raids go for stupid $$ now and are out of budget!)

repechage

universal pads were and are notorious.
guys switched to Campagnolo pads and holders, Weinmann and even Dia-Compe.

you might find Kool Stop units. Much better.

repechage

CPSC- Consumer Product Safety Commission

they started in the Nixon administration and released the rules in the Carter term.

on the Record caliper the big tell is the quick release lever.
the brake levers themselves are less than optimal for many, I am not a huge fan as my palms are too big.

the changes of the Campagnolo lever blades reduced the reach a bit over time, made the ends less pointy. The lever clamp body other than anodized color was the same.
there was a significant mechanical attachment change where a serrated belvel washer ( I forget the precise term ) was added to insure tight assembly to the bar.

I have added a 10mm pad layer to the top of the lever body and sewn some leather hoods, more comfy but less mechanical advantage.

why on one bike way back I went to Aero Gran Compe levers. No Eroica for me on that bike.