Old Campagnolo Tool

kenh

Retro Newbie
Not especially earth-shattering but I just realised that I have owned this Campagnolo T wrench for around 50 years. I bought it new when I was 15 from EJ Barnes in Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill. I am just as surprised to find that they appear to still be in business. My other local dealer at the time, Bush Cycles, disappeared decades ago, probably around the same time that I bought the tool.
 

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Ive got one too, also bought from a small one-man-band bikeshop, but Ive only owned mine for about 25 yrs. Tend to use the 8mm socket more than the allen key, but an invaluable tool all the same.
 
Me to, and almost as long. Together with the 'peanut butter' crank bolt spanner and crank extractor they're still in my tool box and all are used regularly.

I also have a Zeus one but this is only 'L' shaped with the box spanner on the long end.

What I would like to find is one of the angled spanners for the early Campag seat pins. Using a flat spanner is a pain! And it damages the flaps of the saddle.
 
Another me too, only about 20 - 25 years though. I did get another one a few years back. Mine is used mostly for the brake cable bolt and adjusting the bars and stem. And the brake lever mounting nuts needs this tool or a box spanner.

What I would like to find is one of the angled spanners for the early Campag seat pins. Using a flat spanner is a pain! And it damages the flaps of the saddle.

If you mean the 2 bolt seatpins, then I find using an ordinary comination spanner is OK. The gap between the saddle rails (Turbo) at the back is wide enough for one "swing" of the spanner, then you lift off and have another "swing".

This is using the ring end which has a 12 point flats and a slight angle. There's no need to touch the sides of the saddle.
 
Can I join the club too?

Had mine for 28 years together with the crank puller, crank bolt spanner and bottom bracket / cone tools as well.

These babies were certainly built to last! :D
 
Old Ned":39oy9ljm said:
What I would like to find is one of the angled spanners for the early Campag seat pins. Using a flat spanner is a pain! And it damages the flaps of the saddle.

You need to find a 12-sided 10 mm ratcheting spanner, it works better than any other spanner that you will ever find. You insert it between the rails from the rear of the saddle.
 
Citoyen du monde":318uclf4 said:
Old Ned":318uclf4 said:
What I would like to find is one of the angled spanners for the early Campag seat pins. Using a flat spanner is a pain! And it damages the flaps of the saddle.

You need to find a 12-sided 10 mm ratcheting spanner, it works better than any other spanner that you will ever find. You insert it between the rails from the rear of the saddle.

I tend to work on the rear bolt anyway but what about the front one? This does need to be adjusted especially if fitting a new saddle or on a new bike. Is the spanner that both you and Fiks mention able to reach from the rear and over the top of the rear bolt?
 
The ultimate must the complete set of Campagnolo tools in the wooden box. So far I've got:

set of 3 headset/bottom bracket spanners
6mm allen/8mm socket tool
pedal dustcap spanner
crown race remover
cone spanners
crown race fitting tool
crank extractor
crank bolt spanner
5mm allen key
dropout tools
pedal cone spanner
chainring peg spanner

On the wanted list are the headset cup remover and the dishing tool to replace the non-Campag ones I've got:
Minoura folding dishing tool - a bit bendy and flexible
Cyclus headset remover - made for both 1 inch and 1 1/8 inch. Awkward to use for 1 inch headsets.




Re seatpin spanner,

Yeah I use the rear bolt for final tightening and the front for angle adjustment.

To adjust the angle, I loosen the rear bolt just enough so that the front is also loose, loose enough that it doesn't need any force to turn.

With the open end of the spanner, I can reach the front bolt from the back of the saddle between the rails (over the rear bolt), and because the bolt is loose it doesn't matter if the spanner is not at 90 degrees to the bolt. You could even use your fingers if you can't reach it with a tool.

I haven't used a ratcheting spanner for this but I suspect it might not work for the front bolt. The ones I've seen only have the ring shape and is completely flat (looking from the side). This would make awkward for the front bolt.
 
Seat Pin Spanner

It seems that the angled seat pin spanner was part number 771 and was introduced in the 1958 catalog, along with two versions of the seat pin.
Pin 1045 was for "normal" saddles where there was a front and a rear top clip and a left and right base clip. Pin 1044 was for saddles where the two rails were parallel for a longer measurement, so both front and rear top clips were identical as were the left and right base clips.
The open end of the spanner was intended for adjusting the tension of the saddle itself rather than tightening the seat pin bolts.
The tool was still listed in 1985, but by then the seat pins were migrating to a design with a single clamping bolt from underneath which would make it redundant. And fewer people were using leather saddles with adjustable tension.
There were two of these tools on offer on eBay today but now there is only one - I bought the other!
 

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From the 1985 catalogue:
campagnolo771doublesadd.jpg


Nice tool to have but not essential, IMO.

I thought the 1950s seatpins came in 2 version; the one for normal rails and the one for extra narrow rails (closer together).
 
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