{"id":3710,"date":"2022-03-01T09:15:32","date_gmt":"2022-03-01T09:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vintagefiets.be\/?p=3710"},"modified":"2023-07-25T10:45:41","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T10:45:41","slug":"zeus-het-spaanse-campagnolo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vintagefiets.be\/en\/zeus-het-spaanse-campagnolo\/","title":{"rendered":"Zeus - the Spanish Campagnolo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anyone who has ever owned a derailleur from the Spanish brand Zeus has undoubtedly noticed the resemblance to the Italian Campagnolo. There are still brands that copied Campagnolo, such as the Italian Gian Robert, the Spanish Triplex, but in terms of quality they didn't even come close to the Spanish Zeus.<\/p>\n

\"Zeus<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This brand, which has unfortunately been gone for a while, was an excellent alternative to Campagnolo and was certainly not inferior to the Italian giant for certain groups. Just think of the Zeus 2000 group, which scores very high both aesthetically and qualitatively.<\/p>\n

A group that is very popular among collectors of vintage racing bikes and which professional racing bikes were also equipped with.<\/p>\n

The beginning of Zeus<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 1926 Nicol\u00e1s Arregui founded Gallastegui Zeus Industrial in the Baskische Eibar<\/a>. From the very beginning, the company has focused on the production of weapons, parts for agriculture, shipping and sewing machines.<\/p>\n

From 1932, bicycle components and even complete bicycles were added. Unfortunately, this quickly came to an end due to the Spanish Civil War (1936 \u2013 1939) and then WWII (1940 \u2013 1945). Weapons are mainly produced between 1936 and 1945.<\/p>\n

\"Zeus<\/a>

The semi group Zeus Criterium as seen in a 1970 catalog<\/p><\/div>\n

The production of components for the bicycle industry had already started before the Spanish Civil War and Zeus tried to bring a lot of innovations to the market during this period, but the wars and economic crisis prevented Zeus from really breaking through on the international market.<\/p>\n

After WWII they were mainly concerned with copying the French Simplex and Huret and especially the Italian Campagnolo. In 1970 their first catalog was published containing parts, tools, clothing and even frames. The frames were not made by Zeus himself but by Ciclos Letona \u2013 Razesa.<\/p>\n

\"Zeus<\/a>

A Zeus frame from the 1986 catalog made by Razesa<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Zeus<\/a>

A Zeus equipment case as can be found in a catalog from 1972<\/p><\/div>\n

Zeus 2000<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At the beginning of the 1970s, the semi-groups Zeus Alfa and Criterium were available on the market. They were decent groups but not of the highest level and above all they had nothing innovative. In 1972 Zeus presented his group Zeus 2000 at the Motor Show in Brussels, which was innovative and also had its own design.<\/p>\n

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Een bericht gedeeld door Vintagefiets (@vintagefiets)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n