Campagnolo Athena hubs and skewers - South Salem Cycleworks

Modern Components - Campagnolo Athena Hubs

Athena hubs on this page: Rear 36-hole threaded hub | Front 32-hole hub | Front 28-hole hub

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Here is the official story: The Campagnolo component company got its start in 1927 when a reasonably successful amateur racer name Gentullio Campagnolo was racing in the Gran Premio della Vittoria. On that November 11, "Tullio" Campagnolo (pictured on the left) was crossing the Croce d'Aune pass and needed to change gears. In those days, that meant loosening the rear wheel so that the chain could be moved to a different sized rear cog.

But this was November in the high Dolomite mountains. At 3,300 feet (1,015 meters), Campagnolo couldn't loosen the frozen wing nuts securing his rear wheel. He famously said to himself,"Bisogna cambià qualcossa de drio." (the dialect of his hometown Vicenza for "Bisogna cambiare qualcosa dietro", or "something must be changed in the rear"). Though Campagnolo did finish fourth in that race, what followed has affected nearly every rider of lightweight bikes.

He invented the quick-release hub skewer. With the flip of a lever, the wheel is loosened or tightened almost instantly.

In 1930 Campagnolo patented his brilliant invention and was soon having a local machine shop make his hubs.

Tullio Campagnolo

Campagnolo in his factory with an early version of of his gear-changing system. This photo is probably of Campagnolo around 1946-47.

Well... historians have gone back and looked again at the story. They find no record of a Gran Premio della Vittoria race in the Dolomites that November. There was one in 1925. And further, it is asserted that there is no 1930 Campagnolo patent for the quick-release. Modern historians say Campagnolo's quick-release patents are for improvements on an existing device.

In any case, by the mid 1930s Campagnolo was exporting his hubs, which were not particularly superior to his competition, except they had his superb quick release. Still, growth was slow. He didn't hire his first full-time employee until 1940.

It was after the war that Campagnolo's fertile genius (and he was a genius, let there be no doubt about that) and desire to make the world's finest parts caused the company to become the well-known and revered company it is today. In 1951 Hugo Koblet won the Tour de France using Campagnolo derailleurs.

Campagnolo went from strength to strength, creating one brilliant, beautifully designed and made component after another.

Campagnolo Athena 36-hole rear hub, 126mm axle