Conference noted::bicycle

253.0. "Buy or Bye-Bye Campy?" by HARDY::NUZZO () Tue Apr 07 1987 09:16

I know it is not general practice to copy messages from the USENET
on bicycling but this note was TOO interesting (important?) to ignore.

Get your Campy gruppo now or forever hold your piece....

jbn




Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Path: decwrl!decvax!ucbvax!ucbcad!ames!ucla-cs!rutgers!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!ihlpa!fish
Subject: Campagnolo bought by American firm
Posted: 1 Apr 87 19:16:37 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
 
 
Well folks, the rumors have been out for a couple of months, and it looks like
they're true.  Campagnolo, Italy's world-renowned manufacturer of bicycle
components, has been bought out by American Huffy, Inc., in what is being
described in the International financial community as a hostile takeover.
Huffy picked up approximately 55% of the common stock in Campy through a
series of third-party transactions.
 
A Huffy spokesman said that they bought the Italian company partly to bolster
Huffy's sagging image as America's premiere manufacturer of department store
bicycles, noting that eight of the last ten major Huffy Toss competitions have
been won by Sears "Free Spirit" and K-Mart "All Pro" ten-speeds, both of which 
are manufactured by Indonesia's Hunkashita Industries.
 
The spokesman also said that Huffy would phase out Campy's European factories
and begin manufacturing parts under the Campy name here in the States. Their
New American Record groupo will include a one-piece, sleeve-bearing crankset,
center-pull brakes with safety levers, "rat-trap" pedals with integral reflectors,
wide-range derailleurs with plastic, stem-mounted shifters, and high-flange,
36-hole hubs which incorporate conventional, nut-and-washer axles, on the
argument that quick-release hubs are snobbish and unsafe.  The NAR groupo weighs
just 26 pounds, and is made entirely of "potalloy," a revolutionary new material
which combines the strength of cast iron with the stiffness of Portland cement.
The groupo will be standard on Huffy's 1988 bikes, which will be sold through
True Value Hardware stores.  Commenting on the closing of the European plants,
the spokesman said "those hoity-toity Italian bike companies will just have
to buy from us or deal with the #$%^&* Japanese from now on! Serves 'em right
for what they did at Anzio. I had an uncle who died on that beach."  A reporter
at the press conference where the takeover was announced asked the spokesman
how he thought the New American Record groupo would be received in the States.
"After all," the reporter commented, "Campy or not, it's still junk."
 
"Yeah, but it's AMERICAN junk!" was the spokesman's reply.
-- 
 __
/  \				Bob Fishell
\__/				ihnp4!ihlpa!fish
    

    I always knew Sears could beat out a Huffy, now I have proof! ;^)

    Just in case anyone takes this seriously, note the date of posting.
      - Chris   :-)

< Note 253.2 by EUCLID::PAULHUS "Chris @ MLO 8-3/T13 dtn 223-6871" >
                               -< April 1 = ... >-

>    Just in case anyone takes this seriously, note the date of posting.
>      - Chris   :-)

	Obviously noone would take this seriously.   The _truth_
	is that Campy is being bought out by _Coors_.  Their first
	new design is a light weight frame made of very thin wall,
	large diameter aluminum tubing welded together in segments.  
	Coors said that they would have no trouble supplying the tubing.
	Also in the works is a carbonated beverage high in carbohydrates
	which can be stored in the tubing.  It can be used for ultra-
	marathon events.

	/Charlie