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Campania “Professional” freebie

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Campania “Professional” freebie

Old 08-14-19, 10:14 PM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by curbtender
SKS fenders? Now you just have to pray for rain...Looks like an excellent downtown runner.
Yes, a talisman to counter the drought. They’re more for the occasional sprinkler runoff and street repair tar, since I usually ride in work clothes.
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Old 08-14-19, 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by uncle uncle
That build list sounds like a who's who of sweet bicycle goodness. Pretty sweet build.
Thanks!
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Old 08-22-19, 03:34 PM
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Some sunny glamour shots from a brief lunchtime ride.

Also, I swapped the big ring from a 52 to a 46 because the fd did not like that 24-tooth jump. The 46 is a smidge low, so I may go to 48, or try a freewheel with 13t small cog, but for now, I appreciate that it encourages meandering.












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Old 08-22-19, 09:18 PM
  #54  
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I'm not super fond of Japanese bikes from before 1975, but this one is very classy. I wonder why they misspelled campagna. Anyway, the built up bike looks fantastic. I wonder how it would ride with drop bars!
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Old 08-22-19, 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
I'm not super fond of Japanese bikes from before 1975, but this one is very classy. I wonder why they misspelled campagna. Anyway, the built up bike looks fantastic. I wonder how it would ride with drop bars!
Thanks! It’s fun as a commuter - light, but a little noodly with the basket, since the fork is steep compared to the Motobecane. I am new to the intricacies of handling, and there is a marked difference in how stoically the Moto handles my inputs, whereas this one wants to rush to wherever it’s pointed. It may not be the best choice for a front load, but I love to tinker, so we’ll see where it leads.

Also, I thought Campania was just the anglicized spelling, but Wikipedia tells me that Campagna is the town, while Campania is the region.
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Old 08-22-19, 10:17 PM
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Well that just shows how much I don't know. I don't know about the region. I was just thinking of the word campagna (pronounced campania) which means countryside.
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Old 08-22-19, 10:23 PM
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I bet the marketers would argue that they chose the name to showcase a beloved area or some other horsepuckey, when we all know it’s because the word so closely resembles you know what.
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Old 08-22-19, 10:30 PM
  #58  
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It’s really nice looking! I read the whole thread and I’m glad you kept it.
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Old 08-23-19, 12:12 AM
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I wonder if Campania of Van Nuys is related somehow to Campanale of Canoga Park (10 miles from VanNuys). Campanale I have has similar chrome panels on seat tube and down tube.
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Old 08-23-19, 12:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Insidious C.
I wonder if Campania of Van Nuys is related somehow to Campanale of Canoga Park (10 miles from VanNuys). Campanale I have has similar chrome panels on seat tube and down tube.
Huh, no idea, but I’d love to see pics of the Campanale...
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Old 08-23-19, 08:29 AM
  #61  
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The upper-end Campanias like your find were upper end Fujis rebadged--Newest or Finest. McIver was the California distributor for those. Another good thing that McIver did was bring in the first (I think) light casing, synthetic-fabric Japanese high performance clincher tire a year or two ahead of Schwinn or Specialized. The first shop I worked at full time looked at Campania bikes and passed, but sold all the McIver tires they could get their hands on. This was in the early 70's, the bar for performance clincher tires was low and the Mitsuboshi-made McIvers just blew cotton-cord Michelins away.
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Old 08-23-19, 08:52 AM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Feldman
The upper-end Campanias like your find were upper end Fujis rebadged--Newest or Finest. McIver was the California distributor for those. Another good thing that McIver did was bring in the first (I think) light casing, synthetic-fabric Japanese high performance clincher tire a year or two ahead of Schwinn or Specialized. The first shop I worked at full time looked at Campania bikes and passed, but sold all the McIver tires they could get their hands on. This was in the early 70's, the bar for performance clincher tires was low and the Mitsuboshi-made McIvers just blew cotton-cord Michelins away.
Wow, thanks for posting this bit of history! @uncle uncle noted the possible Fuji connection above, but it's nice to have confirmation.
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Old 08-23-19, 09:57 AM
  #63  
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Originally Posted by noobinsf
Thanks! It’s fun as a commuter - light, but a little noodly with the basket, since the fork is steep compared to the Motobecane. I am new to the intricacies of handling, and there is a marked difference in how stoically the Moto handles my inputs, whereas this one wants to rush to wherever it’s pointed. It may not be the best choice for a front load, but I love to tinker, so we’ll see where it leads.

Also, I thought Campania was just the anglicized spelling, but Wikipedia tells me that Campagna is the town, while Campania is the region.
a smaller basket may make a difference. I had a torpado set up much the same way and had a small wald basket....no handle problems..... but my lap top did not quite fit cleanly so i put a bigger basket on...... took it off after 2 commutes..... handled was horrible, basket was not stable

ymmv (or basket that is)

nice bike and for once it seems like the rule of "free bikes are the most expensive" did not apply
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Old 08-23-19, 11:11 AM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by squirtdad
a smaller basket may make a difference. I had a torpado set up much the same way and had a small wald basket....no handle problems..... but my lap top did not quite fit cleanly so i put a bigger basket on...... took it off after 2 commutes..... handled was horrible, basket was not stable

ymmv (or basket that is)

nice bike and for once it seems like the rule of "free bikes are the most expensive" did not apply
Thanks for this tip. When you say it was not stable, did that manifest as a low-speed wobble? That's what I have going on, and I'd be willing to try a smaller basket if it might fix that. It hasn't been too terribly unnerving yet.
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Old 08-23-19, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by noobinsf
Thanks for this tip. When you say it was not stable, did that manifest as a low-speed wobble? That's what I have going on, and I'd be willing to try a smaller basket if it might fix that. It hasn't been too terribly unnerving yet.
it has been a while.... but it was more basket wobbly, handling wobbly, everything wobbly....was not comfortable to ride at any speed....so low speed wobble was probably there I will check what size the small basket is this weekend while I am wrenching (got a new frame moving everthing over to it).... possible I could throw in a box and send up for you to try...... I just don't get up to SF much
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Old 08-23-19, 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by squirtdad
it has been a while.... but it was more basket wobbly, handling wobbly, everything wobbly....was not comfortable to ride at any speed....so low speed wobble was probably there I will check what size the small basket is this weekend while I am wrenching (got a new frame moving everthing over to it).... possible I could throw in a box and send up for you to try...... I just don't get up to SF much
Oh, that's really kind of you! We actually have some good friends in Willow Glen, so maybe next time we visit I can ping you.
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Old 08-23-19, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by noobinsf
Huh, no idea, but I’d love to see pics of the Campanale...
Here ya go. This bike is lesser quality Italian. Prolly older that subject bike.

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Old 08-23-19, 05:10 PM
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Campanale, that rings a bell...
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Old 09-03-19, 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by noobinsf
Here it is, cleaned up and done. I’ll try to get some outdoor shots to highlight the paint and chrome, which are in good shape.


Very nice looking frame. It does look like a dead ringer for a Fuji Finest.
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Old 09-05-19, 08:23 AM
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I have seen since then, Campania bikes with the Fuji logo on seat binder bolts and with spec that matches older Fujis to a T.
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Old 09-18-19, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Feldman
The upper-end Campanias like your find were upper end Fujis rebadged--Newest or Finest. McIver was the California distributor for those. Another good thing that McIver did was bring in the first (I think) light casing, synthetic-fabric Japanese high performance clincher tire a year or two ahead of Schwinn or Specialized. The first shop I worked at full time looked at Campania bikes and passed, but sold all the McIver tires they could get their hands on. This was in the early 70's, the bar for performance clincher tires was low and the Mitsuboshi-made McIvers just blew cotton-cord Michelins away.
I was curious about McIver tires and did a bit of lazy internet research, and Google Books returned an interesting tidbit from a 1922 issue of the industry journal India Rubber Review. There is mention of a long-time employee named J McIver, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he is related to the guy who eventually made good clinchers and put his name on my bike. Just a curiosity I wanted to share and record. Carry on...


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Old 09-18-19, 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by curbtender
Campanale, that rings a bell...
I see what you did there!
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Old 02-12-20, 12:30 PM
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Some info from an old R***it thread (redaction mine, anticipating the site filter) about possible manufacturer:

"During the early 1970s, (while Nishiki was still selling Kawamura-built frames under the American Eagle label), Campania was a Italianate marque (complete with red-white-and-green colour scheme on the decals!) used on another series of Japanese bikes. If your frame has double-butted Tange or Ishiwata CrMo tubing, an integral derailleur hanger, half-chrome stays, etc., then you own one of their higher-end offerings, such as the Campania Pro. The Campania line roughly paralleled the Nishiki/American Eagle, Fuji, etc. lines."
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Old 03-26-20, 04:21 AM
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Wow what an interesting thread. I've had a Campania bike over 25 years and I still ride it. There must be different versions of this bike. When I was reading this thread I was going back to compare mine almost every post looking for similarities or differences. I don't have all the numbers and markings the OP had on his. Sounds like the OP has the higher end version and I have like a standard version or something. So far I've only found one set of numbers under the crank frame. Numbers are 701182. That's all I could find. No markings on fork like the OP had. I've changed out stuff on this bike over the years but a lot of stuff is still original. I have only one Campania emblem on the front of the bike, yours has two. Wheels are not original but 5 speed sprocket and sprocket protector is. Both derailleurs are original. Brakes are original (not pads). crank is original (not pedals). Front fork is original, Handlebar is not original but handlebar neck is, neither is seat but seat post is. Kick stand is not original. It's late right now so I will be posting some pics of my bike tomorrow to hopefully learn about it. Kind of a neat history lesson.

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Old 03-26-20, 02:10 PM
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Here's 3 pics to give an idea.



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