Lightweight Classics: 1946- Itala - introducing the Cambio Corsa

Dec 23, 2012

1946- Itala - introducing the Cambio Corsa

It happend on November 11th, 1927 when Tullio Campagnolo was riding over Croce D'Aune Pass in the Gran Premio della Vittoria race; the roads were covered with snow, the thermometer showed some degree below zero. With frozen fingers he was unable to resolve the wingnuts of his rear wheel and could not change gears.

Angry that he thereby losts his change at victory he should have decided to change the rear.

"Bisogno cambiá qualcossa de drio!"

These five words, spoken to himself, changed cycling tremendously. First he invented the quick release mechanism in 1930 and second he introduced his first gear change mechanism, which was patented in 1933.

This cambio a due levé allowed to shift gears while pedaling backwards. With its longer rod the quick release mechanism was opened, with the shorter one the chain was shifted from one cog to the other and the wheel moved back and forwards within the dropouts in order to come to the appropriate chain tension automatically.

No other mastered the Cambio a due levé better then Gino Bartali. Thanks to the Cambio a due levé he won the 1946 Giro d´Ítalia and 1947 Mailand - Sanremo. The Cambio a due levé was called Cambio Corsa afterwards in rememberance to his victory.

In 1947 Tullio introduced a modell called Cambio a una levé, which combined the quick release and chain mover into a single lever and was used by Gino Bartali while pedaling to the victory of the Tour de France in 1948. Although he finished the homonymous stage this year only at 7th place, the Cambio a una levé was called Parigi - Roubaix shortly afterwards.

I´m not quite sure if it´s only the hype that makes the charm of this kind of derailleurs. Although shifting between gears becomes faster it didn´t become easier at all. Shifting becomes more of a challenge at least in riding uphill.

Nevertheless I succumbed this charm and as I was offered such a bike recently I coudn´t resist.

Well, here it is ... a 1946 Itala, a sub-brand made by Gregorelli, Via S. Antonio 15-17 in Verona. These Gregorelli sub-brands (Itala, Scala, Eritrea, TAF) were allegedly originated from fascist ideology and thus no longer fitted into the communist-dominated post-war period in Italy (we certainly remember Fernandel and Gino Cervi as priest Don Camillo and mayor Pepone, who staged the Italian post-war class struggle in a small village). They were therefore discontinued shortly after WWII. Maybe this is one of the last ever produced?

Bottom Braket: Magistroni

Headset: Magistroni

Crankset: Magistroni

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Cambio a due levé - Cambio Corsa

Brake Lever: Balilla

Brakes: Balilla