Struggling with the removal of his rear wheel to change his gearing on the climb, Tullio lost an opportunity to win against the top champions of his day. That experience would inspire him to invent the quick release hub and launch a company whose name is synonymous with the sport of cycling."Bisogno cambiá qualcossa de drio!"
As a young cyclist, I had always coveted Campagnolo components. But when the time came to purchase my first road bike, my money could only buy an entry-level, Shimano equipped, Miyata 312. Several of my friends had fathers who were cyclists providing them a constant stream of handed down components. I was always a bit jealous when one of my friends would show up with a new Record derailleur or seatpost.
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| An excerpt from the 1988 Miyata catalog. |
I eventually purchased my first Campy equipped bike while attending graduate school. It was a 1996 Bianchi Campione d'Italia equipped with a mix of Mirage and Veloce components. I loved that bike. I rode my first century on it, joined the university cycling team, and competed in my first road race. That bike opened up my eyes to the sport of cycling. But newer bike purchases eventually replaced the Campangolo components with Shimano.
It wasn't until I took up cyclocross that Campangolo would come back into my life. During my first years of racing cross, I struggled with bike handling. I never felt comfortable controlling my bike with Shimano shifters. The ergonomics did not suit my hands and I spent most of the time braking from inline levers mounted on the tops of my handlebars. I had my own revelation that something must change.
I went back to Campy and everything did change. With the Ergopower shifters, my hands were now comfortable braking from the hoods. In inclement conditions I found I could more reliably control shifts. It changed the way I brake and shift and helped me improve as a veldirjder.
Grazie Mille, Tullio!!!
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