Re: [CR]Capacity of NGS and NR derailleurs

(Example: Events:Eroica)

Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 16:01:23 -0500
From: Jerry Moos <moos@penn.com>
To: Russ Fitzgerald <rfitzger@emeraldis.com>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Capacity of NGS and NR derailleurs
References: <002c01c09aa4$8deff040$0188aad0@comp1>


I didn't connect Hibel's name with that article until you mentioned it, but I do distinctly remember a Bicycling article about someone making around the world, or at least very long distance, tours on a 50's vintage Freddie Grubb that was 20 years old even when the article was written. I also seem to remember that he used an old, even then, Campy Record or Grand Sport derailleur, not a long cage derailleur designed for very wide range gears. The other gear sounds familiar also, though I must confess your memory of the details is better than mine. Kind of shows how the culture of the sport has changed. Back then, the idea that someone setting out to circle the globe would want "tried and true" old gear that he had been using for years seemed right and natural. Today, someone setting out on a similar quest would probably have the latest titanium mountain bike with lots of Ti pieces, and a super wide 27 speed gear range with 34 tooth or larger cogs, triple chainrings, and long cage derailleur.

Regards,

Jerry Moos

Russ Fitzgerald wrote:
> Gilbert writes -
> >In Ina Hibel's book " Into Remote Places" he claims to have married that
> >ridin partner. It's hard to imagine the quite life suits him. Maybe Hilary
> >Stone has an update from the last 12 years.
>
> I recently got that book through interlibrary loan and buzzed through it
> fairly quickly. I enjoyed it, but will confess to being enough of a
> gearhead as to be slightly disappointed. I was remembering the articles by
> and about Hibell and his tours in the old Bicycling! magazine ....
>
> In particular, I seem to remember a sidebar article with a pretty decent
> right-side photo of his bike in black and white. Someone who has the
> appropriate magazine, refresh my memory or correct me where I'm wrong -
>
> Hibell's bike was an F.H. ("Freddie") Grubb racing machine from the late
> 50s, right? About a 42-in wheelbase, Reynolds 531 throughout, no derailleur
> hanger?
>
> Campy Record (brass 'n' chrome) rear derailleur - stock cage on it?
> Stronglight cranks with a mongrel Campy/Stronglight BB? Wasn't it a
> double-chainewheel setup?
> Weinmann sidepull brakes?
> Campy dt shifters
> Campy low-flange hubs?
> Weinmann 27 x 1 1/4-in alloy rims?
> Brooks or Ideale saddle?
>
> What I remember about the bike was that it was all older stuff even when I
> was reading about it (c. 1975-76, right?). No Shimano, no SunTour, just
> older stuff that worked.
>
> Russ Fitzgerald
> Greenwood SC
> rfitzger@emeraldis.com