Categories: Anatomy of a PhotoDefining MomentsNostalgia

Anatomy of a Photo: Campagnolo Candy Van

Every night I pray to Merckx that in the morning when I wake up I’ll have a Campagnolo Free Candy Van with a Super Dome.

And every morning, its a fresh disappointment that it didn’t come true.

This photo also serves as further evidence that Cool peaked some time around the summer of 1977.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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the Engine says:

Feb 18 2013 at 12:54 am

@Chris

@the Engine, @Harminator, @ChrisO Surely this was the perfect antidote to Abba for a ten year old in Australia in '76.

It was my first album and there are still bits of it that'll lift a hair or two on the back of my neck.

Nah - us young things were in to the Pistols, The Dammed, The Undertones, the Banshees and of course the mighty SLF. Went to see the latter in 1979 - still one of the finest things I ever saw. Mind you Blondie weren't bad.
the Engine says:

Feb 18 2013 at 12:55 am

@El Mateo

What a sweet ride. I suppose every decade can claim coolness on some level but the 70"²s is clearly the peak. Take the the Campy Candy Van for instance. That aint happenning in 1987 or 1965 or 2002 Because that is a 70"²s Chevy Van. 1000"²s of tricked out vans roamed the streets then sporting shag carpet and blaring 8 track music. If you were alive during that time you know what i'm saying. If you were born post 70"²s watch some Scooby Doo to get the Vibe. Now that van probably wasn't as much fun as your big brother's Good Times Van (unless you were a bike nerd) but damn it looks good.

if we're talking music, its a no brainer. The 70"²s was so talent rich. The list of kick ass bands is long but Led Zep was the shizzle through the decade With 1977 being their biggest, baddest tour.

Although it was the decade of flairs...
Chris says:

Feb 18 2013 at 1:56 am

@the Engine You have to remember that I'm quite a bit younger than you, gramps. I think it was 1979 or thereabouts when I got high voltage, I would have been 9.

The whole punk thing didn't really make quite such an impact in Hong Kong, certainly not on a 6-7 year old although I do remember my granny being very anti punk when I was in the UK in 1977.
the Engine says:

Feb 18 2013 at 2:50 am

@Chris

@the Engine You have to remember that I'm quite a bit younger than you, gramps. I think it was 1979 or thereabouts when I got high voltage, I would have been 9.

The whole punk thing didn't really make quite such an impact in Hong Kong, certainly not on a 6-7 year old although I do remember my granny being very anti punk when I was in the UK in 1977.

What...speak up man.

Why in my day we wore nylon underpants and Drip-Dry shirts - that's how hard we were.
unversio says:

Feb 18 2013 at 9:41 am

That extra large USCF decal on the side of the Campy Candy Van would be awesome to have.
Page says:

Feb 19 2013 at 2:05 am

@TBONE

You can keep the van, I much prefer the station wagon.

But if I had to have a van, I'd have a lady, on a cliff, with a giant fucking laser gun, and she'd sort of be...protecting.

http://www.michaeldowse.com/media/fubar_van.mov

Clogs. Perfect execution of rule #80. Chapeau.
Sauterelle says:

Feb 19 2013 at 4:36 am

Spotted yesterday in Syracuse, NY...

A Kia.
Chris says:

Feb 19 2013 at 4:50 am

@Page The porn star in clogs may be the epitome of casually deliberate but the guy in the back seat looks shady beyond words.
Ron says:

Feb 20 2013 at 7:23 am

Did the Candy Van have a window on the other side selling Record hubs & Delta brakes?

"High Voltage" was my second album, right on the heels of "Licensed to Ill." Having an older brother brings some good things into your life!
Chris says:

Feb 20 2013 at 7:32 am

@Ron Oddly enough "Licensed to Ill" was my first CD. The lad I shared a study with at school sold everything we and everybody else in the house owned to buy a CD player. Happy days.