Info on Caminada Bikes from Switzerland?
 

Hello! I've been a lurker for a while, as I'm increasingly interested in vintage bikes. My primary training bike is a 1997 Lemond Buenos Aires, purchased new way back when, with the drivetrain and brakes upgraded to 105-5700. I also just purchased a '93 KHS Montana Comp mountain bike, since I had the '92 Montana Team back in 1993 and sold it in 2005 when I moved across country; and I have missed it. The '93 isn't quite the same (not Ritchey Logic tubes), but hopefully will be close enough.

Anyway, my question is does anyone know any details about Caminada bikes? There are very few details available on-line. I just bought one from the early 1980s this weekend. Reynolds 531 frame and fork. It is beautiful, with some lovely details and pristine Dura-Ace EX 7200. It weighs in at 21.0 lbs. The paint, other than a gouge on the downtube, is in extremely good condition. It was lovingly cared for by its second owner, who had it for 30 years, after buying it from his neighbor. The seller didn't know anything about it - he thought it was made in England.

From what I can tell via online searching, Bruno Caminada manufactured high-end bikes in Switzerland from the 1970s through the 1990s. But I also saw two mentions of other manufacturers bikes, from the 1970s, being relabeled as "Caminada" such as a thread on this site where an Australian-made track bike was labeled "Caminada". Then when looking at resale sites in Switzerland, there is clearly lots of love for Caminada bikes and they have a healthy secondary market.

Given the seeming high quality of this bike, and the highly positive comments on the Swiss sites, I am inclined to believe that this bike was manufactured in Switzerland. But if anyone knows the story here and can give more details, I would greatly appreciate it!

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Some links to sites either people showing their rebuilt Caminada bikes or selling them
Zugzwang: Caminada
Zugzwang: Cityflitzer-Traum in strahlendem Violett - mit Brooks B17, Bambus-Griffen und Reynolds 531c
https://www.ricardo.ch/de/c/radsport-41950/caminada
Search - racevelo
https://www.swisscycle.ch/detail-cam...tatt-berg/3555
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b88339f5fc.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e8185beedb.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a1ec857ffa.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9959a4f322.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6b76c5d7b4.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8304bf3e72.jpg

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What a fine bike! I can see why you want more information on it. Unfortunately I have nothing.
I am also impressed that, with less than 10 posts, you were able to post photos! Nicely done.
Brent

Thanks Brent! Actually I saw in the FAQs that I could subscribe to the site and bypass the 10 post requirement. So since I've already harvested some excellent info here and expect to continue to do so, I was happy to give the $10.

Hello, I'm chiming in here as a new user with some interesting info on Caminada bikes.
I happen to live in Winterthur (Switzerland) and this week, I got a used Caminada bike, beautiful steel frame (Reynolds 531) with modern Ultegra. Rides beautifully, and it's quite light, under 10 kg.
The info I found online was bad, so I decided to ask bike frame makers in Zurich, if they know this brand, and there it is: jackpot.

Today, the bike frame maker "Röbi Stolz" of Stolz frames replied.
[Quote]
Bruno Caminada built frames here in Zurich for a long time. More than 600 frames or bicycles left his workshop on the waterfront in Zurich in the best years. He sold bicycles directly under his name, but also soldered frames for other suppliers. If you sent me a sharper picture, I could do a chronological classification of your bike. On the seat tube there seems to be a sticker from Reynolds with the designation 531. This was the best tube material available at that time.

His grandson took over the company from him, but was nowhere near as successful as his grandfather, and then had to close the business at the end of the 90s. I have acquired some material and machines from the liquidation.
[End quote]

Wow, he has some Caminada machines :)
I'll try to get info on my bike and see him in the shop with a friend who loves bikes. pieman1988 it seems you are living in the US, right? Would be great if you could join, but I think, that's out of question here.
I'll post more info in the future, as I'm really interested in learning about this story and helping others get info.

[MENTION=561026]lecarl[/MENTION] welcome to the forum.
Great first post!
Brent