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Design Classics - a Cycling Plus magazine column

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Design Classics - a Cycling Plus magazine column

Old 04-27-22, 07:43 PM
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Shimano STI
disclaimer: this article was published 13 years ago, and Shimano STI came out in 1991. I've never used them, and would feel a bit dirty if I did use them. Still, Mr. Stone felt they deserved a bit of love, and I respect his judgement. Here 'ya go....




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Old 05-01-22, 10:39 AM
  #77  
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Strida folder
People love to innovate and create, especially in fields where a standard solution has not evolved yet. Before the era of the Brompton, that was the case for folding bikes. (see post #11 for the Brompton) Achieving the goal of getting the bike to quickly fold up to a suitably small size does come at a cost, and the trick is getting the trade-offs and compromises right. The Strida folder bike may have prioritized folding to a small size a bit too much.




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Old 05-03-22, 11:16 AM
  #78  
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Moulton Series 1
After developing an elastomer suspension for the small-wheeled Mini automobile, Alex Moulton carried this philosophy of small wheels over to bicycles. The suspension allowed the small wheels to handle irregular road surfaces, and the small wheels allowed the bike to be compact and light.
Side note: Grant Petersen did a lengthy interview with Alex Moulton in Rivendell Reader #16.




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Old 05-03-22, 11:28 AM
  #79  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
i've never used them, and would feel a bit dirty if i did use them.
+1
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Old 05-04-22, 10:38 AM
  #80  
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1940's/50's Bianchi road bike
If it's good enough for Coppi, why isn't it good enough for you?? Real men ride Campagnolo Paris-Roubaix derailleurs!
hmm... is it too late to make the Paris-Roubaix gear changer mandatory equipment for pro riders, just to keep the races interesting??



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Old 05-05-22, 12:21 PM
  #81  
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About as much chance as returning F-1 to 1500cc engine displacement formula, normally aspirated.
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Old 05-05-22, 01:32 PM
  #82  
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Originally Posted by repechage
About as much chance as returning F-1 to 1500cc engine displacement formula, normally aspirated.
even less chance, really.

It's basically the ancient question of whether it should be a competition of people or of people & machines (and teamwork, planning, training, etc. *)

The Little Indy 500 might be the closest to the idea of "just people". Of course, they don't rely on sponsorship from the manufacturers!

Steve in Peoria
(*and I was nice enough to leave "pharmaceuticals" out of the list)
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Old 05-05-22, 08:13 PM
  #83  
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The problems start when the prize money and commercialization in general grows too big and takes over. Then a sport transforms from a hobby and a passion into an orgy of greed, not to mention mendacity. Every decent sport is at risk to get ruined this way. The only relief from this syndrome is evolution of completely new sports, that, in their time, will be very likely be ruined also, in the same way.
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Old 05-08-22, 11:27 AM
  #84  
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Aheadset

Another "modern" classic, the Aheadset allowed manufacturers to skip threading the fork steerer tube , as well as permitting the use of lighter stems. For the user, it means that adjustment can be done with a 5mm allen wrench instead of large specialized wrenches. What's not to like? Well, I'm sure that is discussed in another thread.




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Old 05-08-22, 11:52 AM
  #85  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
Aheadset

Another "modern" classic, the Aheadset allowed manufacturers to skip threading the fork steerer tube , as well as permitting the use of lighter stems. For the user, it means that adjustment can be done with a 5mm allen wrench instead of large specialized wrenches. What's not to like? Well, I'm sure that is discussed in another thread.




Steve in Peoria (and I do have two bikes with Aheadset style headsets)
the origins go way way back. Over 100 years, the French Constructeurs got very close also.

one thing it does not allow for is the quick adjustment of the height.
but I have an offshoot that does.

no question that swapping stems is easier, good thing with all this new scary internal control routing... Specialized, what are you thinking that this is a good thing?
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Old 05-11-22, 12:42 PM
  #86  
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Bickerton
Folding bikes have been a popular target for the innovative folks. The Bickerton used an aluminum beam as the main frame element, as a way to reduce weight. Curiously, it used a 16" rear wheel and a 14" front wheel. It seems like things could have been simplified by using a single size for both wheels.
The company is still around and maintains a web site:
www.bickertonportables.co.uk




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Old 05-11-22, 03:09 PM
  #87  
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The shop I worked for got a few in, folding bikes were scarce, the Raleigh twenty was near impossible to get.
This was light.
The handlebars were... Limber. really could have used a crossbar of some type within 6" to 8" from the grips.
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Old 05-11-22, 04:13 PM
  #88  
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Originally Posted by repechage
.....
The handlebars were... Limber. really could have used a crossbar of some type within 6" to 8" from the grips.
the bars were the part that set off my internal alarm too... too long and skinny!!
Bracing or larger diameter tubing seem like a good idea.
On the other hand, with those little wheels, maybe the vague, shimmying steering wasn't much of a threat? Good enough to go a mile from the train station to the office, perhaps.

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Old 05-12-22, 09:27 AM
  #89  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
the bars were the part that set off my internal alarm too... too long and skinny!!
Bracing or larger diameter tubing seem like a good idea.
On the other hand, with those little wheels, maybe the vague, shimmying steering wasn't much of a threat? Good enough to go a mile from the train station to the office, perhaps.

Steve in Peoria
a big selling point besides the weight was that it really could fit into a car trunk. This is before SUV's were a thing.
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Old 05-12-22, 12:53 PM
  #90  
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Originally Posted by repechage
a big selling point besides the weight was that it really could fit into a car trunk. This is before SUV's were a thing.
Considering that it's a British bike, it was probably intended to fit in the boot of a Mini. In contrast, I recall my Raleigh Gran Sport easily fitting in the trunk of my dad's 1966 Chevy Caprice (without removing the front wheel, IIRC). How times have changed!

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Old 05-12-22, 01:00 PM
  #91  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
Considering that it's a British bike, it was probably intended to fit in the boot of a Mini. In contrast, I recall my Raleigh Gran Sport easily fitting in the trunk of my dad's 1966 Chevy Caprice (without removing the front wheel, IIRC). How times have changed!

Steve in Peoria
Land yacht, "aircraft carrier" like 226" long...
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Old 05-12-22, 05:44 PM
  #92  
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In fact, a 1966 Chevy comes in relatively svelte at well under 4000lb well-optioned, compared to the mid-size SUVs and minivans that are popular today. 226" is about the length of a stretched Buick, i.e. "Electra 225". I guess the 66 Chevy is at least a foot shorter than that.
Sixties and seventies Chryslers and stretched GMs had the longest trunk interiors. FoMoCo exchanged length for depth.
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Old 05-12-22, 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by old's'cool
In fact, a 1966 Chevy comes in relatively svelte at well under 4000lb well-optioned, compared to the mid-size SUVs and minivans that are popular today. 226" is about the length of a stretched Buick, i.e. "Electra 225". I guess the 66 Chevy is at least a foot shorter than that.
Sixties and seventies Chryslers and stretched GMs had the longest trunk interiors. FoMoCo exchanged length for depth.
yeah, I suspect that Chevy Caprice was a bit less ponderous than a Suburban. With the 327 cu in engine with the 4 barrel carb, it just might have used more gas! Perhaps 10 or 12 miles per gallon, depending on who was driving?? My dad should not have let teenage kids drive that machine! (but it was kinda fun)

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Old 05-15-22, 10:17 AM
  #94  
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Campagnolo Record pedals
These are pedals that were ridden to countless victories, pedals that carried the greats of racing, pedals that were built to an unusually high level of quality for their day. They evolved into the Super Light (SL) model with the addition of aluminum cages and plastic dust caps, as well as the Super Record with the addition of titanium axles. Their style has lived on in numerous competitors, such as the MKS Sylvan.




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Old 05-18-22, 01:59 PM
  #95  
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Claude Butler
A couple of interesting details... the top tubes were 1 1/8" diameter, and Claud Butler was the one of the first to use "bilaminated" construction. Claude Butler went into "receivership" in 1957, which I'm guessing is either the same as going out of business, or maybe like declaring bankruptcy?? The brand was later used for bikes built by other bike manufacturers, but without the acclaim.





for reference, here's a shot of a modern style of bilaminate head lugs on a frame built by Chris Bishop. Unlike the Claude Butler, it doesn't try to emulate the look of a standard lug, but has the appearance of a hybrid of a lug and a fillet brazed joint.


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Old 05-18-22, 02:20 PM
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
Claude Butler
A couple of interesting details... the top tubes were 1 1/8" diameter, and Claud Butler was the one of the first to use "bilaminated" construction. Claude Butler went into "receivership" in 1957, which I'm guessing is either the same as going out of business, or maybe like declaring bankruptcy?? The brand was later used for bikes built by other bike manufacturers, but without the acclaim.





for reference, here's a shot of a modern style of bilaminate head lugs on a frame built by Chris Bishop. Unlike the Claude Butler, it doesn't try to emulate the look of a standard lug, but has the appearance of a hybrid of a lug and a fillet brazed joint.


Steve in Peoria
Very cool, never knew what a bilaminated lug was.
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Old 05-23-22, 10:29 AM
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Exxon Graftek G-1
In the era of steel frames, where ALAN aluminum frames were very flexible and titanium frames were rare exotic beasts, the Exxon Graftek carbon frame was truly a piece of space-age unobtanium! While it was really just a wrap of carbon fiber around an aluminum tube, it still was the most exciting bit of tech to arrive for some time!





for context, here's an advertisement from a 1978 issue of Bicycling magazine:



and a few photos of a Graftek displayed at the 2018 Classic Rendezvous gathering....

head tube


down tube


rear dropouts


cranks and bottom bracket


and the seat stay bridge


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Old 05-25-22, 11:58 AM
  #98  
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fancy lugs
The 1950's saw the popularity of some wonderfully ornate and beautiful lugs in the UK. Among the builders utilizing these gorgeous creations, the better known include Ephgrave, Bill Hurlow, Claude Butler, Gillott. Even larger scale builders, such as Carlton, used fancy lugs on some models.






since this is a favorite topic of mine, and probably others, let me share a few examples...

shots of a 1953 Ephgrave. Displayed at the 2018 Classic Rendezvous event by Scott R.

the front of the head tube:



the back of the head tube:



lower headlug:



seat lug:




shots of a 1954 Ephgrave with #1 lugs. Displayed at the 2018 Classic Rendezvous event by Harvey S.

side view of the head tube:



a quarter view of the head tube:



another side view:



seat lug:


(end of part 1)
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Old 05-25-22, 11:59 AM
  #99  
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(part 2)

A few photos of a 1956 Carlton International Longfellow that was refinished by CycleArt. Displayed at the 2018 Classic Rendezvous event by Jim C.

upper headlug:



lower headlug:



bottom bracket:



seat lug:


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Old 05-29-22, 10:25 AM
  #100  
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Fiamme rims:
The principle of using a tubular cross section, with eyelets (a.k.a. ferrules?) joining the inside and outside of the rim, dates back to the 1930's. This permits the load from spoke tension to be shared by both sides of the rim, permitting lighter materials than if just one side of the rim carried all of the load.
Fiamme was the first to license the patent for this innovation.




For some context, I'm attaching a page from the mid-70's Cyclo-Pedia catalog. It shows the use of the eyelets by all of the manufacturers listed, although only on the tubular rims. It wasn't until a bit later that clincher rims used a construction that mimicked some of the shape of a tubular, and then used the same sort of eyelets.



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