peazweag

Why do most cyclists get so pumped over nuovo record components? I've had several nuovo record equipped bikes over the years and sure they look good but perform average at best.I don't get all the hype over this component group.Just curious.

rootboy 

Sounds like it could be an argument starter thread. Nevertheless, I'll two cents it. "perform average" they may, but that may be with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. Suntour Cyclone and Shimano Crane were just a glint in their daddy's eye back when Nuovo Record equipped racers were winning everything. I like it because it has a strong history and racing heritage, is extremely well made, and beautifully designed. Plus, it came standard on all the super machines I coveted and couldn't afford back when I got into cycling. I still like those machines.

fender1

I was in to it, then grew bored of it but recently built up a bike w/ an NR group and have come to enjoy it again. It provides a unique riding experience, is very pretty and is super reliable.

randyjawa 

It is impossible for anyone, today, to understand why NR was so revered yesterday(sixties and seventies). Today, we compare what we know (New School performance) to what we get to try from the Old School days.

Take NR brakes, for example. They, sorta, work. Compare them to a set of Universal 68 side pulls of the same era. Those sorta work worse, in my opinion. That said...

No Old School stopper set works as well as the humble Mafac Racer, in my opinion. And, absolutely no Old School brake system can come even close to working as well, and as easily, as the New School slower downers of today. Again, my opinion.

clubman 

Rootboy covers it all. No one really gets "so pumped" about the performance aspect. It's aesthetics, consistency and reliability.

And it's what Eddy Merckx rode when he won everything there was to win.

gomango

I don't recall any real hype back in the day.

We put it on our bicycles just like everybody else did that raced locally.

Most of our team raced with this or any other component that ran ok.

Till many of us moved to DA 7400.

Now that was a performance upgrade.

...and was cheap with the deals available to many of us, especially with group buys/discounts.

sloar 

IMO when I think of vintage Italian bike I think of nuovo record, they just go together and they look great. And I think they preform great.

bibliobob

1) It's the standard (for better or for worse)

2) Looks great

3) "Campagnolo shifts poorly forever." - It is indeed high quality.

4) "Campy breaks; Shimano just breaks"

5) I's a significant part of vintage bike history, and is what's period correct for many of the bikes that we love.

6) It's gorgeous and deserves all the love that it gets. However, people do get get tunnel vision and ignore many other equally cool component lines. Fine by me, as it means that I can continue to pick up Mafac Racer and Huret derailleurs on the cheap....

Snydermann

Because Campagnolo is magic, of course. What's wrong with you?

I'm convinced 90% of bicycle componentry is hype. I fell victim to it myself many times. Back in the day I slowly upgraded my first Shimano 600 bike to all Campagnolo because Campagnolo was "the best". If it costs four times as much it must be better, right? The performance gain was minimal, if any, and probably more psychological than anything else. The pros rode Campy because it was good stuff, they probably got it for free and Campagnolo knew how to market their product. If the Pro riders we admired rode Campagnolo parts, of course WE wanted to ride Campagnolo parts. Shimano eventually learned how to do the same thing. Suntour made some of the finest components ever but they didn't know how to play the marketing game, now they are gone and what a shame that is.

But damn that Campy Kool-Aid tasted good.

peazweag

Good input guys ,thanks. I was just curious because I frequently obtain NR components and its like people around my area act like its gold.

rootboy 

Strong demand for Nuovo Record components. Probably always will be as they're not making any more of it of course. Especially the stuff that is still in excellent to new condition.

mudboy

Reliability is key. Back in the days before big money came to racing, a racer couldn't count on a team support car being there with a new bike when he dropped a chain (aka The Schleck Maneuver) or crumpled a wheel...and in order to win, you had to finish. Campy NR components just worked, worked reliably, and rarely suffered failures. The only common Campy component failure that I am aware of from that period was drive-side crankarms.

Also, for many racers, their road racing bike was their time trial bike was their training bike was their riding to the store bike. If they were lucky, they had a couple of sets of wheels to swap out for specific circumstances.

Pete

gomango

That's all I'll put on at this point.

I have three bicycles with NR and I don't put major miles on any of them.

If I'm only going to use them as "mostly" eye candy, they should look fantastic.

well biked

I'd guess many of them may have never even ridden a bike equipped with it, and they "act like it's gold" primarlily because it's very old, very elegant to look at, and it says "Campagnolo" on it.

Chicago Al 

Also: the level of precision and finish on the metal is excellent. Compared to other componentry of the time, it was head and shoulders above. Then the Japanese started to build to that level, or awfully close...

Snydermann

I'll agree with that, but by the 1980's I think the Japanese did as good of a job, if not better. Even some of the lower end Japanese components were beautifully finished.

bikemig 

NR was great stuff because it worked, it lasted, and looked pretty. Plus you could rebuild it. It set the standard for a long time. At this point, I have two complete NR bikes and a fair amount of NR gear. I ride them from time to time but I don't use them anymore as everyday bikes.

jmccain

Anyone know of a place that stocks NR parts? I'm looking for a FD spring and a couple of RD parts.

norskagent

Some bikes don't look right without it + a brooks saddle.

rootboy 

Nobody "stocks' Nuovo Record parts anymore that I'm aware of, aside from a couple of boutique places on the net perhaps. They're 35-40 year old components, after all. Ebay is your best source.

sloar 

Riding my steel bike with nuovo record puts a smile on my face when I ride it, something my madone never did. That's enough for me.

peazweag

Now thats nice!

flash2070

I'm personally drawn towards the NR because of it's beauty! I understand that there are components that work as well if not better than NR, but NR is like a piece of art that captures your soul from the moment your eyes connect with it(emphasis on the RD). The other component that I think is beautiful, is the Shimano Arabesque!

Flash

oldskoolwrench

Just watch the first three minutes of A Sunday in Hell... part of the mystique surrounding Campagnolo components. It sure sold me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ktTXjSqvJc

Grand Bois

I think number 4 is a misquote.