Campagnolo Checkmate

Gary Gingras merges cycling, chess and craftsmanship 

By Chloe-Anne Swink » Photos by Joe Valley

Gary Gingras found his way to Boulder by way of Boston, Massachusetts in 2004. His landing here was the result of a fortuitous incident when a friend’s car broke down on a cross-country road trip. Gingras found himself staying in Boulder to sell the broken-down vehicle for parts before returning home to Boston in a rental car. 

Gingras didn’t remain in Boston long. Enchanted by the outdoorsy, seemingly utopian vibe of the city he described as “a playground for adults,” he soon packed up his life in Boston. Gingras returned to Boulder three months later—this time, to stay. 

Gingras recalls his infatuation with cycling culture and components starting as early as age 10. He always had an interest in taking pieces apart, fixing them and putting them back together. 

While the unique and tedious project Gingras recently completely may initially appear to be a project out of left field, it’s actually quite a natural progression: Three years of tinkering in his garage. Thirty design iterations. Countless Campagnolo bicycle components. An abundance of creativity and commitment. It all came together to yield the final result of Gingras’ efforts: a chess set made entirely of Campagnolo components. 

His love for the game originated within Boston’s lively chess scene. Matches would take place in Harvard Square, and he often spent time challenging himself against other players outside of a small bakery. The game of chess holds a fond place in his memory, and Gingras had an inkling of the idea for this concept for years. When “The Queen’s Gambit” hit Netflix, reigniting excitement about the classic game of strategy, it was the spark Gingras needed to bring his idea to life. 

“The list of part numbers is too long to get into,” says Gingras. “The set is all Campagnolo parts despite a very few internal bolts. I made the chess pieces in respect to the Staunton version as best I could. The board is made of aluminum squares and cathedral blue stained-glass tiles with a leather border. Bicycle rims [are used] as the border frame with internally cross-laced spokes to keep the board perfectly tensioned.”

Gingras’ masterpiece is an ode to “the cobalt era of Campagnolo,” a limited-edition line of components called Cobalto that the heritage cycling company released in the late ‘80s. Cobalt blue accents adorned the Cobalto line and Cobalto brakes were the highlight, flaunting shining blue gems. Gingras cites this pivotal moment in cycling history and the cult following Campagnolo gained as one of the first brands to manufacture premium cycling components as his inspiration for using exclusively Campagnolo pieces to complete his chess set.

Leveraging his lifetime of cycling knowledge and professional experience, Gingras crafted everything from rooks to bishops to pawns, and the board itself, from bike parts. He takes pride in the fact that, much like the original Campagnolo components, almost every piece of his chess set can be disassembled and reassembled by hand.

Gingras’ favorite part of the project was building the rooks. Each rook took three to four hours to make. They’re made using silver brazing with Oxy Acetylene—the same way a jeweler would meld a ring. Like any true craftsman, Gingras elates in the grind: “Even though it was the hardest part, it was my favorite.”

While Campagnolo was the muse, cycling history buffs will appreciate the clever nod to their primary competitor of the time, Shimano. Gingras spared no detail, creating a third team of chess pieces made of Shimano components. This third team can be subbed in to play out the nostalgic rivalry on the chess board.

Boulder has no shortage of cyclers and bike lovers, but Gingras has taken his expertise to the next level. 

Prior to embarking on the mission to bring his Campagnolo chess set to life, Gingras owned and operated a local bike shop. Fat Kitty Cycles closed in 2017 after he spent about seven to eight years supporting Boulder’s cycling community. Today, Gingras makes a living buying and selling sought-after bike components and collections online. 

Gary Gingras’ Campagnolo chess set can be found at thehappycyclist.com.