bwilli88 

I have not seen one for this. Not your normal corncob, 14-25 with a 50x38x28 set of chainrings.

gearbasher

14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23

mackgoo

14x22




Matched with a 54x46 in the front.

BradH

Once I figured out I had no need for more than one hundred gear inches, that 14-25 9 speed cassette became my favorite.

El Chaba

plonz 

I have one bike using a corn cob and it stays on my Kickr Trainer. '86 Schwinn Super Sport. 6 spd 13-18.

And yes I know the rim label is in the wrong direction. That's why the bike stays on the trainer and never goes out in public

Gary Fountain

Suntour Winner 13 - 17

ThermionicScott 

Here's a cruddy (in multiple ways) shot of the 13-21 cassette on my rando bike:



You might think a corncob would be an odd, impractical choice for a long-distance bike. But with a 42/28 crankset, I get a gear range of 84" to 35", which is about perfect for my needs.

79pmooney

I rode a bunch of races on one of those many years ago. Trained and rode the hilly New England races on the touring version, 13-19. Rode gearbasher's cluster for the Stowe race (except my freewheel only had half the cogs).

And for years, I rode triples (including the first 15 years on the Mooney) with 52 (or 53) -42-28 X 13-19 5-speed. First year of racing, I just screwed in the inside FD for the open races.

Edit: My current 9-speed has the Campy cassette. Lots of gear choices, I often run it 12, 14-19, 21, 23 so an almost straight block. (12, 14 because I hardly need the big gears except Portland and Oregon have quite a few big descents and I like the big gears to quiet the bike.)

Gary Fountain

Thanks for your recollections and I bet they were reliable. I did a lot of miles on these Suntour winner freewheels too. I found them really reliable and they worked under really bad conditions. I always tried to find 'corncobs' as I lived in a mostly flat area but they did go up hills when needed. Thanks for your input.

Seanaus

The label is in the correct direction, it's the wheel that's in the wrong country That be the way we run them in Australia

cegerer

1987 Dura Ace 13-20:

steelbikeguy

It took me a while to notice the Porta Catena installed on the dropout! This might be the first that I've seen.
Of course, this just makes me ask if this bike gets ridden??
Still, pretty cool to see a Porta Catena under any circumstance.

Steve in Peoria

Pompiere

I don't have any Araya rims with decals, but all the Araya rims that I have seen that have the name stamped, have been in that orientation. That includes bikes that I have owned since new and others that I have good reason to trust that the wheels have never been rebuilt. I have only seen Araya wheels like that. Every other brand has been oriented toward the drive side.

JohnDThompson 

plonz 

Having spent 4 years in the hills of western MA, my hat is off. I still think of the day I destroyed my legs climbing into Pelham with a 42-25, Thats the day I looked for a compact crankset to fit a C&V aesthetic.

John E

The tightest gearing I ever used was 49-42 / 14-15-17-19-21 (54 to 94 gear inches), using a stock Peugeot PA/PR/PX-10 freewheel the buyer didn't want. (Most P*-10 bikes went out the Bikecology bike shop door with 14-26 or 14-28 freewheels, instead of the stock 14-21, so we had lots of those sitting around.)

In the 1970s, I also used to ride 50-47/14-16-18-20-23 for mostly flat routes, and 50-42/14-16-18-20-23 for hills, but switched to a 6-speed setup with an added 26T as I got older. At the same, some of my college buds were riding 52-42/14-15-16-17-18 true corncobs.

pastorbobnlnh 

Just built this cob this afternoon.

Maybe Mark Cavendish could use it in next year's TdF.

noglider 

Long ago, I installed a 14-18 freewheel on my bike and climbed the big hill near me. I made it up without stopping, but it was so un-fun that I took it off and never used it again.

Gary Fountain

Hi steelbike guy, This is my last bike with Porta Catena derailling system on it. I got the frame from a work colleague who didn't want it. So I gave the frame 'the full treatment' stripping all paint off, re-brazing, straightening, gapping, etc. then repainting. My very first serious Italian bike featured Campy Nuovo Record components so this is what I hung off this frame and named the frame "Nuovo Record" (It does have a 1st gen. SR seatpost though).

There were 2 different rear Porta Catena "C" hangers available but the best one was the one the bolted onto the right rear derailleur who's derailleur casting had the 2 tapped holes to accomodate the Porta Catena "C" hangar. These rear derailleur ends were only found on frames from 1978 to the early 1980's. Sometimes it is difficult to source such a frame especially when you are looking for one, haha.

I have always found the Porta Catena system to work as it should and it does assist in the removal of the rear wheel and it does help to keep your hands a little cleaner when changing a rear wheel but you do loose one cog off your freewheel, e.g. going from a 6 speed to a 5 speed. For me, that was never a problem but for a guy in a bike race, that may be enough to not use this system. I never raced with this system but I feel it would make changing a rear wheel just that little bit quicker in a race provided the rider had the assistance of a mechanic and the mechanic was 'in tune' with the Porta Catena use and was prepared to give the rider a decent push off.

Do I use this bike? Well, when I was a serious rider, it was really only a place to hang the Porta Catena from. I used to take it out on a lovely day to tootle around the neighbourhood on just to re-live the pleasure of riding a bike with full Campy Nuovo Record. I think I've had three bikes over the years with Porta Catena on, and, as it was Campagnolo, and I love everything Campagnolo, I had to have it.

Gary Fountain

This just happens to be my 'dream' block. If I came across it in a bike shop I couldn't walk past it, especially with the 12 tooth sprocket. I'd have a 53 - 12 just for those rare days when a roaring tail wind and a long flat road unfolded. Even now, as an old bloke and well past it, the thought of a fast ride still brings a smile to my face, thanks pastorbobnlnh.

Aardwolf

I bought a new 1982 Holdsworth Avanti in 1983 and rode round London for 10 years on a Regina Corsa 14-19 with 52/42 on the front.
Back then I was mid-late 20s and that was easy.

Got a new 1982 Holdsworth Avanti a couple of years back with mostly original gear on it:



Fairly quickly replaced with a modern 13-28 Sunrace 7 speed

cegerer

I noticed that but had no idea what it was. I thought I knew a little bit about vintage Campagnolo Thanks for the education!

52telecaster

I have several, they are on a shelf in my basement.

repechage

Eddy raced the 1976 Montreal Worlds with a 54/44 and 13-19 six speed in back.
Power.

when I began racing in the under 18 year old classes, not allowed to race by blocking off cogs or chainrings. 44x14 max. Measured with a 27”
gear chart, but everyone was riding tubulars, we were all below the limit.