Re: [Classicrendezvous] Swiss bikes and stems

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Cinelli)

Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2000 08:41:17 -0500
From: Jerry Moos <moos@penn.com>
To: CYCLESTORE@aol.com
CC: feldmanbike@home.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, ed.martin@worldnet.att.net, randonneurextra@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: [Classicrendezvous] Swiss bikes and stems
References: <43.c5d76f8.273bb705@aol.com>


Well I measured pretty carefully with calpers, not just the stem in question but known 22.2 amd 22.0 stems for comparison. The bike in question has a Campy HS with a flat on the back of the lock washer to match the flat on the back of the steerer. Every flatted as opposed to slotted steerer I have ever seen was French threaded. I think there are only two possibliities:

A) Swiss bikes use 22.2mm stems even in French threaded steerers.

B) Swiss bikes used steerers with a flat on the back, despite being English threaded. This would seem strange, as they would have to use an English/Italian HS but with the washer usually found in a French HS.

Anyone remember where the thread markings are on Campy NR HSs? This might confirm whether the HS is in fact French and I guess I could try actually inserting a known 22.2 stem to be sure I didn't mismeasure. Don't have to visit my LBS bathroom for the Sutherland's - I have three different editions sitting on the shelf.

Regards,

Jerry Moos

CYCLESTORE@aol.com wrote:
> Boys Boys Boys,
>
> French headsets (and steering tubes) are too small for safe installation of
> 22.2mm stems. As I recall someone suffering from an anal, cranial inversion
> wanted the French steerer (22.0mm) inner steer tube of his bike to be
> enlarged to 22.2mm. As I recall over half of the metal would have to be
> removed-you must remember back in bike school we were taught that French
> (22.0mm inside) steerer tubes are smaller on the outside as well. They don't
> have as much metal after the removal of .2mm as you might think.
>
> The numbers escape me but I'm sure my good pal Jobst Brandt would have an
> opinion on the subject or you can look up the nitty gritty details in your
> bike shop's bathroom copy of Sutherland's when you visit over the weekend.
>
> I say having the surprise of once breaking off a steerer tube of normal
> dimensions and discovering the delights of human flight that reducing this
> safety (?) margin by more than half would be dangerous and foolhardy.
>
> I feel that the Swiss bike mentioned (often they use French fittings) has A)
> not a French headset, B) A French headset and a French Stem, C) a modified
> 22.2 to 22.0 stem, D) A mangled steerer tube with 22.2 stem inserted
> (common), E) A cleverly modified death steer tube with a poor guarantee, or
> F) this bike features Alien intervention.
>
> All kidding aside. Of course these things have all been carefully measured
> with precision tools by competent list members and all facts noted in Dales
> Brown's Great Book of facts so my guess is "F", " alien intervention".
>
> ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ......>>.>>>>>......>>>>> Just in from CBS news, Jobst
> Brandt has called in his read on this subject and is weighing in his opinion.
> Here we go.
> Jobst has declared Pat Buchannan the winner in a landslide of the
> Presidential Race. It seems he has discovered through engineering
> excellence, protocol and ignoring the facts that the whole Bush-Gore-Nader
> thing was run by Alien impostors with mind control capability and Pat being
> the only US citizen left standing in the race, Pat wins by default. On a
> side note Jobst agrees with Gilbert on the Alien side plot to seed classic
> cyclists with Swiss bikes with the dual whammy of French headsets with
> ISO(22.2mm) steerers. Improbable but true.
>
> Gilbert"where is the broom wagon in this election"Anderson
>
> In a message dated 11/9/00 3:27:32 AM, feldmanbike@home.com writes:
>
> << Yes, a Mondia I used to own which was 22.0. I owned the bike in the early
> 70's, it was probably made between 1967 and 1970.
> David feldman
> ----------
> >From: Jerry & Liz Moos <moos@penn.com>
> >To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> >Subject: [Classicrendezvous] Swiss bikes and stems
> >Date: Wed, Nov 8, 2000, 6:34 PM
> >
>
> >For those who may run across an old Swiss bike, I measured my 1969
> >Allegro Special and found that Joe was right - even Swiss bikes with
> >French HSs have 22.2mm stems. At least this is true for two of his
> >bikes and one of mine. Does anyone has an example that contradicts
> >this?
> >
> >Regards, >>