Tom Hayes wrote:
>For some of you tall folk on the list, I thought this Hetchins might be
>interesting:
Oooo, I'm drooling all over my keyboard!
>http://page.auctions.yahoo.com/auction/46406631
>
>One question, what is the braze-on for on the seattube near the seattube lug?
That's a standard down-tube shifter braze-on.
This is a fairly common item on high-end touring machines. It's for a down-tube shift lever which is used to control a lighting generator below the bottom bracket.
The use of a friction lever allows the rider to adjust how hard the generator's roller presses against the tire. This is a good thing, because the biggest problem with this type of generator is that they tend to slip when the tire gets wet. If you have enough tension to make it turn reliably when wet, you'll have excessive friction and wear in dry conditions.
Sheldon "Hetchins Lust" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts
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